Best – Cloverfield
Matt Reeves’ found footage creature feature forced audiences to experience a monster attack (à la Godzilla) from the confused, terrified perspectives of NYC civilians suddenly caught up in the destruction. The shaky-cam format may have alienated some viewers, who complained that the effect was disorienting and sometimes queasy, but no one could deny Cloverfield’s staggering impact. Following a group of friends struggling to avoid the mysterious monster and vicious parasite creatures prowling the streets, Cloverfield doesn’t let up or even allow its audience to take a breath.
As such, watching Cloverfield is an exhausting, nerve-wracking, armrest-shredding experience. In one scene, the characters venture through a subway tunnel in search of shelter, only to realize that something is lurking in the darkness, waiting to pounce. Thanks to Reeves’ involving found footage format, which focuses more on the horrendous things that Cloverfield’s characters don’t see rather than what they do, it’s also one of the most intense and effective monster movies in years.