Cloverfield

Episode 185: Cloverfield (2008)

Theme: Kaiju Month
Hosts: Oz & Curtis

This week, Oz and Curtis revisit Cloverfield — a movie marriage of a giant praying mantis meets Escape from New York with a healthy dose of Candid Camera, complete with shaky-cam panic, birthday-party drama, and a found-footage cameraman who absolutely should not have been trusted with any responsibility. It’s the perfect storm of viral marketing, monster mayhem, and Rob being the most boring disaster protagonist in cinematic history. From exploding party guests to parasitic subway critters to a monster with impeccable timing, this one remains a chaotic, motion-sickness-inducing warm blanket for Oz.

Join your two favorite “New York is way smaller than I thought” podcasters as they sprint through:

• The party drama that kicks off a night of heartbreak, chaos, and terrible decision-making.

• The head of the Statue of Liberty rolling down the street like it’s trying to hail a taxi.

• The subway attack, complete with rats, parasites, and one exploding Lizzy Caplan.

• Rob’s questionable rescue mission to save Beth — and prove he might actually care about something.

• The helicopter escape that ends with a kaiju jump-scare and one very messy death for HUD.

From camcorder battery magic to unbelievable Manhattan geography to a final Coney Island kiss before doomsday, Oz and Curtis break down a found-footage monster flick that still holds up as one of the genre’s sharpest and strangest entries.

Final Verdict

Oz — 784 Robs
Curtis — 1 square block of New York City
Both — Still convinced the entire movie takes place within a 10-minute walk.