by Isabella Jordan Cloverfield Directed by Matt Reeves. Starring Lizzie Caplan, Jessica Lucas, Michael Stahl-David, T.J. Miller, and more. Surrounded by hype because it offered something different and scary, Cloverfield was fun and actually made more sense than a similar movie you might remember -- The Blair Witch Project. The two films were similar in that the viewer appears to be watching footage from some traumatic event that was filmed by people who experienced said trauma, not to imply survival, and that was actual and real. Both are filmed with handheld cameras and like any home movie, there are moments where your stomach takes a dive because of the motion. Both offer actors who aren't well known. I'd seen none of the young stars of Cloverfield before and I watch a lot of movies. That's where any similarity ends between these two films. Don't get me wrong. Both are gimmicky in how they get you to watch them. Unlike The Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield is fun, pretty true to life if such an incredible circumstance were to happen, and even has some fun little Easter eggs for those who really get into it. Best of all romance readers, the whole story is wrapped around love. It starts out simply enough. Our hero, Rob, is video taping a special day from morning to the end of that day, with the girl he loves -- Beth. The only problem is, his video camera is grabbed by his brother's fiancee to film goodbyes from friends for Rob's going away party and this special, private footage is mostly taped over. There are breaks where we get to see clips of Rob and Beth at Coney Island interspersed throughout the film.

Rob has accepted a job in Japan. His brother Jason and his fiancee Lily -- who grabbed his camera -- are throwing him a going away party. Jason has been placed in charge of taping the goodbyes from friends for Rob to take with him. He just wants to have fun so he hits up Hud -- "Rob's main dude" -- to do it for him. We spend most of the remainder of the movie with Hud and it's both scary and hilarious at turns.

Through the camera we see Rob coming to his party and asking about Beth. We learn since that wonderful day they spent together, Rob hasn't really called her and so when she does show up, she brings a date. This upsets Rob, he confronts Beth, and says something he later regrets to her when she leaves with her date. It's clear that he loves her and he said what he did out of anger and hurt in his defense.

Jason and Hud go try and talk to him and during this talk, unexpectedly, the real fun starts. Manhattan is under attack and we flee for our lives along with Rob, Lily, Jason, Hud, and a friend named Marlena who Hud really has the hots for.

The film is quick and it's a hard PG-13. There's lots of violence and really intense moments, made even more so by the handheld camera that Hud uses as he runs, falls, screams, and keeps an entertaining monologue going throughout the rest of the film. It's a monster movie but don't expect a toy Godzilla marching over a small scale city model here. The director puts you on the run and it's a really fun ride.

The actors did a great job, all of them, and I'll hope to see them in future works.

This is not for the younger set, maybe not even the tweens without a little editing. Some of the scenes, especially the subway tunnel, are really hard to take. There's a lot of language. I'd be uttering it right along with the characters if I were there in that mess, to be fair. The effects are quite good, the sound amazing.

All in all, Cloverfield isn't a movie classic, but just might be a cult classic. I recommend it.

Look for:

In the final Coney Island scene, the asteroid hitting the ocean. This was a catalyst for the entire movie.

Best lines:

Hud: Do you guys remember a couple of years ago when that guy was lighting homeless people on fire in the subways?
Rob Hawkins: Jesus, Hud! Maybe not the best time for this conversation down here!
Hud: Right.
[awkward silent pause]
Hud: I just can't stop thinking how scary it'd be if a flaming homeless guy came running...
Rob Hawkins, Lily Ford, Marlena Diamond: HUD!
Hud: I'm just saying. Sorry.

Isy