So I've been hearing a lot of buzz from FOX News lately about this Cloverfield movie that came out today. They've been saying that it too closely resembles September 11th because national landmarks in New York City, such as the Statue of Liberty, are destroyed. Apparently there are some people really upset about this.

Well, if you want to know my opinion, (And too bad if you don't 'cuz here it is anyway) I think it's no big deal. I didn't personally know anybody involved in the attacks, and I have the utmost respect for anybody who knew or loved someone who died, but I think this is just an example of the media blowing things out of proportion. People go to this movie to have a good time, they want to see a monster destroying a city. It's just a silly teen movie anyway. Is it no longer PC for a fictional movie to show this? Must we continue walking on eggshells about this seven years on?

I dunno, maybe one of you guys can convince me. And just FYI, I haven't actually seen the movie yet.

Anyway, discuss.

I actually saw Fox "News" (lol) thing about that.

Hollywood has been destroying NYC since the beginning of disaster/monster movies. Anyone who treats such films differently simply because they are made now instead of earlier are giving power to those attacks and therefore a disservice to the victims.

Look, I'm sure "Cloverfield" wasn't trying to insult 9/11 victims by, once again, destroying New York.

Like UseBooks said, New york has been destroyed in so many movies. Something like this really doesn't matter.

Fox news sucks !!! i only watch it to see how stupid America has gotten

Pot calling the kettle black much?

Anyway, the Statue of Liberty thing comes more from the film Escape from New York than anything else. Though terrorist attacks are mentioned right when everyone's scrambling to try and figure out what's going on, it just goes into fairly standard monster movie fare. Meh.

This must mean Independence Day must be banned from being shown in USA (and all allied and US-occupied countries).

The Seige came out after the first WTC attack and Oklahoma City... no boo-hooing about it. But after 911, FoxNews et al are jerking off with tears in theirs eyes, magnets on their cars, and flag pins on their lapels. Its disgusting.

NYC + Death = Offensive?

Is that Midge's avatar without a mustache?

Sounds like a lot of touchy-feelyness being blown up as nothing on a slow news day. No, it's not disrespectful. It's not even related.

So long as the main character jumps in front of a HUUUUUGE American flag right before the movie hits it's climax, everything will be Ok.

Chernobog
Sounds like a lot of touchy-feelyness being blown up as nothing on a slow news day. No, it's not disrespectful. It's not even related.

My thoughts exactly. Good to know that this isn't the country's general consensus. I was starting to get worried.

mlai
Is that Midge's avatar without a mustache?

Yup. We think it's Bruce Lee.

Well, this just means one thing...

We stop watching Fox News. Easy enough.

Fox News is truly horrible. Y'know, I bet most of the people that would 'object' to Cloverfield never even saw it. I truly fail to realize how 9/11 is even brought up in the same context as Cloverfield. Someone get Fox News a cup of shut-the-hell-up.

That's the sad part of society nowadays. We can barely bump a building in New York in a movie without someone crying 'REMEMBER 9/11!' or 'LOOK AT THE TERRORIST ALLUSIONS!!!! LOOKIT!!!' New York is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world, as well as being one of the most easily recognizable. Those three factors make it a prime contender for any monster movie. What makes me even more sad is that we can't let 9/11 go enough to leave it out of our movie critiques. Sure, it was a tragedy and we should defend ourselves and blah blah blah. But we should continue to reopen the wound. It doesn't inspire patriotism. It only inspires lack of faith in our media. It seems that most Americans want to be able to move on from 9/11, and I am one of them. Honor the dead, remember the past, move into the future. Period.

albone
Fox News is truly horrible. Y'know, I bet most of the people that would 'object' to Cloverfield never even saw it. I truly fail to realize how 9/11 is even brought up in the same context as Cloverfield. Someone get Fox News a cup of shut-the-hell-up.

FOX is astonishing...that's how little I think of them--I can't think of any word to use but "astonishing". Insults or dirty words could never encapsulate it.

What's ironic is that in just seven short years, the Bush Administration and FOX News have done what Osama Bin Laden or Commie Boogeymen could never accomplish: Destroyed the credibility of the United States in general, and the Republican Party in particular.

We are now a laughingstock, thanks largely to Rupert Murdoch and his favorite president.

Anything Fox says has the crediblity of the words of a six year old child. I can see why people would be offended by a large monster thing destroying buildings, the military, and the Statue Of Liberty....

Wait, no I can't.

Geez, it seems like I've been missing out A LOT ever since I stopped bothering over flipping over 500+ channels- or watching TV at all. There's just nothing to watch anymore...
But it appears they don't realize that landmarks have been destroyed countlessly in entertainments. It's no surprise that Cloverfield's no exception but I feel that people are starting to take everything too seriously (Correct me if they already started since 2001- I'm rather slow on current events). Comparing Cloverfield to 9/11 is just unsound.

lefarce
So long as the main character jumps in front of a HUUUUUGE American flag right before the movie hits it's climax, everything will be Ok.

I can't believe I didn't pay close attention to that part. I would've blown into laughter on the inside.

List of some movies which take place in new york (Also appearing in my comics later)
Cloverfield
I am Legend
Godzilla (Though I prefer to forget about the american godzilla...)
Independence Day
The Day after Tommorow
King Kong (Like, 5 times!)
Spiderman
13 Going on 30 (When your 12 and see this, as a guy, forced to see it with your mother, it is a TERRIBLE movie)

Why don't we blame the Godfather for glorifying the mafia lifestyle?
Or Starwars for being mean to people who have lost their right hand to swords?

You forget Q.

Cloverfield was inspired by the 1981 movie Escape From New York [en.wikipedia.org]. Apparently, J.J saw an old movie poster of it, which had a decapitated Statue o' Liberty and said 'Now this would be an interesting idea for a movie.' So, that's where the destruction of New York theme comes from.

I do mah homework when it comes to horror movies.

Went and read the Fox News article on it.

It doesn't take long to reach:

Someone
But I suppose I'm being too sensitive. "Cloverfield" is just commercial entertainment. If you don't read anything into it, this slightly plotted edge-of-the-seat nail-biter is a good big studio take on "The Blair Witch Project." It's the perfect winter doldrums popcorn fest.

Not exactly a screaming hissy fit here. The writer also makes clear his personal bias: some of his friends had to escape from the WTC debris cloud. It's pretty obvious that the whole point of the "sensitivity angle" is to bring attention to the article itself, which is actually a very positive review overall.

And because it's a movie review, I decided to hit up RottenTomatoes.com and see if the professional reviewers had the same take: some, in fact, do. And are much nastier than Fox about it. Matt Reeves of GrouchoReviews, for example, called it "9/11: The Thrill Ride".

So I'm not seeing this as right-wing-reactionism from a biased news network, whatever else Fox might say on a given day.

Cthulhu
Cloverfield was inspired by the 1981 movie Escape From New York [en.wikipedia.org]. Apparently, J.J saw an old movie poster of it, which had a decapitated Statue o' Liberty and said 'Now this would be an interesting idea for a movie.' So, that's where the destruction of New York theme comes from.

I do mah homework when it comes to horror movies.

actually, the scene with the sol head being decapitated was inspired by the film. J.j. Saw the poster, but was dissapointed that the head wasn't in the actual film, so the scene in cloverfield was just a nod to it.
J.j. Got the idea for cloverfield when he took his son to japan, and while in a toystore, he noticed a bunch of godzilla toys, and wanted America to have its own giant monster type thing.

The moment you saw Fox News reporting it you should have changed the channel.