Cloverfield, the mysterious monster movie written by Lost scribe Drew Goddard and produced by series co-creator J.J. Abrams, is a smash hit.  The film had the biggest January opening of all time, raking in $46 million over the long four-day weekend.  Cloverfield became an online sensation when its teaser trailer debuted before Transformers last summer without a title and without any glimpse of a monster.  Audiences immediately started trying to decode what the film was about, and a clever online viral marketing campaign only made people more excited.  Unlike Snakes on a Plane, another internet sensation that died a quick death at the box office, the film actually lived up to its considerable hype.

People who stayed through the end credits of Cloverfield may have noticed that Drew Goddard and J.J. Abrams weren't the only Lost connections.  Director of photography Michael Bonvillain is also the DP for Lost, and producer Bryan Burk and casting director Alyssa Weisberg have also worked on the ABC series.  With all of these behind-the-scenes people working on the film, along with the viral marketing and the mysterious monster, it almost feels like Cloverfield is Lost: The Movie.

Because I'm a huge fan of giant monsters, as well as Lost, Alias, and anything else to do with J.J. Abrams, I rushed out to see Cloverfield opening night.  I wasn't disappointed.  The film is an intense roller coaster ride that more than delivers on its promise.  It's not for the faint of heart, or for those who have a negative reaction to shaky camera work, but it's a brilliantly executed monster mash that brings new life to a moribund genre.  Only the creators of something as ingenious as Lost could bring us a blockbuster that's this fresh and fun.

For those who can't wait for the next time the talented individuals behind Lost bring something to the big screen, J.J. Abrams is currently directing Paramount's Star Trek reboot.  That film will be released in December, and is also produced by Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof.

- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com
(Image courtesy of ComingSoon.net)