edited by Jonathan Doyle

Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

Upcoming

August 27

Traitor

August 29

Babylon AD

College

Disaster Movie

Goal II: Living the Dream

I Served the King of England

My Mexican Shivah

Sukiyaki Western Django

Year of the Fish

Young People F*cking

September 3

The Pool

September 5

A Secret

August Evening

Bangkok Dangerous

Everybody Wants to Be Italian

Mister Foe

Ping Pong Playa

Save Me

Surfer, Dude

Josh Brolin's "X"

email this story
read comments (6)
post a comment

I dropped by Santa Barbara's Marjorie Luke theatre yesterday afternoon to see four short films, but mainly to take a look at Josh Brolin's X, which he directed, wrote and self-produced. A 15-minute piece about a heavily-tattooed criminal dad (Vincent Riverside) and his hard-bitten, Bonnie Parker-like daughter (Eden Brolin) sharing a violent fate in the desert, X is a first-rate effort -- well-shot, nicely paced, engagingly acted. 3 days of shooting, 96 set-ups. It convinces you that Brolin will probably be directing a feature within two or three years.

(l. to r.) X costars Vincent Riverside, Eden Brolin, director-producer-writer Josh Brolin; two guys who directed an alluring short called Elevator People, and a director of another short film -- ready to insert name and title with assistance.

That said, X's like-father, like-daughter theme is depressing. Riverside's character is a low-rent loser who has not only ruined his own life but, it seems, his daughter's. The short has a certain scuzzy integrity, yes, but I wouldn't want to see X expanded into a feature. It's too bleak, the characters too doomed. It left me with nothing except a belief that Brolin can handle himself behind a camera. He's a funny guy. Something tells me he'd be good with a sardonic comedy of some sort.

Silence betokens<< previous | next >>Sean Penn as Harvey Milk

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 30, 2008 at 11:39 AM

comment #1

actionman says ...

his performance in Flirting with Disaster was hysterical

Posted by actionman at January 30, 2008 11:58 AM

comment #2

AH says ...

He really is on a roll these days.

Posted by AH at January 30, 2008 01:12 PM

comment #3

alynch says ...

I'm surprised that Jeff hasn't written anything about that Bush movie he's doing with Oliver Stone. That seems like the type of thing that would be in Jeff's wheelhouse.

Posted by alynch at January 30, 2008 03:19 PM

comment #4

Monument says ...

Just you wait alynch, just you wait.

Posted by Monument at January 30, 2008 03:24 PM

comment #5

bmcintire says ...

Just going by noggin size, Brolin is all wrong to be playing Bush2. George is a classic example of a pinhead, while Josh's skull ranks up there with a Macy's parade float.

Posted by bmcintire at January 30, 2008 05:56 PM

comment #6

JosephB says ...

Is it just me or is Brolin getting cooler and cooler by the week nowadays? Or maybe I have one of those George Costanza-like man crushes on Tony (if you know the episode, bonus points).

Posted by JosephB at January 30, 2008 08:55 PM