I want to talk about 10 Cloverfield Lane, which I watch last night with Jane. It's well known that this movie is not a sequel to Cloverfield. Bad Robot has said as much. I went in knowing this, and a brief plot synopsis. Jane went in knowing nothing except that John Goodman is in the movie.
I will try to avoid spoilers, but I will include little ones, like casting details and maybe some cursory plot details. I think I can do a good job speaking vaguely about this movie. First, some stats: 10 Cloverfield Lane cost 15 million to make and made about 65 million. This bodes well for more films with the Cloverfield brand.
This was a good movie. I think it did everything well. I think there was a great attention to detail which will reward those who like catching little details. I also think the casting was great, all the principal actors (of which there are 3) were great. I have to say, particularly John Goodman. I'm already a fan of his, but he was just fantastic. If anyone is due a lifetime achievement Oscar, it's that guy. Frankly, I'd give him an Oscar for this movie, but I doubt that's a possibility, because this movie isn't an Oscar-bait type movie. But he shows great range and great subtlety. His character reminds me of someone I know, which is eerie.
Jane also enjoyed the movie, and we had fun extolling its virtues afterward. And the neat thing is that she didn't know anything at all about the movie going into it, a rare luxury.
So, yeah, this movie is very different from Cloverfield, but I recommend fans of Bad Robot productions to check it out. I think that if you like other productions by this company you will likely enjoy 10 Cloverfield Lane. I did.
-D
So far with the two "Cloverfield" titles, what I've taken from them is the way that people react in extraordinary and catastrophic situations. And in each movie/situation, no one is a hero who has decided that it's their job/duty to stop whatever it is that caused the catastrophe, but rather having to deal with the situation, and again, dealing with other people's reactions to that situation.
ReplyDeleteI would be perfectly happy with another "Cloverfield" movie with an event happening that I wouldn't expect; either supernatural, paranormal, pretty much anything, as long as the story is well conceived and the characters are well written.