Cloverfield (2008, USA)

I thought Cloverfield was fun. However, I didn't find it particularly frightening, which is kind of a let-down for a monster movie (the part in the tunnel was an exception, but in general I think small and jumpy things are scarier than larger, slower things), and since I couldn't muster any feeling for the characters, their plight was little more than a race through a disintegrating Manhattan with some amazing scenery on the way. And speaking of the whole disintegrating Manhattan thing, I thought that the shots immediately following the monster's first attack, showing New Yorkers running through clouds of dust and falling paper, were pretty stomach-turning. However, there was little indigenous to the plot that managed the same effect.

SPOILER ALERT

However, I liked that everything went towards the inevitable - pretty much everyone dies. I was also glad that they didn't find some magical 11th hour silver bullet that would do away with the alien/sea monster in a hot minute. I'm sick of that happening in pretty much every creature movie (Signs and War of the Worlds being prime examples). Sometimes, the monster's going to win. It's bigger, hungrier, and apparently, our most advanced weaponry doesn't work on beasties. Ever.

Also - I've been roaming around the interwebs for the last hour or so, finding all sorts of fun stuff in the viral videos and Slusho website. But if anyone can come up with an explanation as to why Marlena exploded after getting bitten by one of the spider-thingys, that would be awesome. Some kind of toxin? Allergic reaction? Or does J.J. Abrams just really love Alien?