Cloverfield

Saw Cloverfield yesterday and... man, what a movie.
This is NOT one for those who get motion sick easily. If you can't stand a rollercoaster ride, you aren't going to like an hour and a half of camcorder vertigo.
But if you can take it...
You've probably read about the plot already. Rob Hawkins is about to move to a new job in Japan, but hasn't resolved his issues with long-time friend Beth. At a going-away party, they have a fight and she leaves--just before a colossal explosion wracks Manhattan, followed by the spectacular crash of the Statue of Liberty's head practically at Rob's feet. (This is all captured by Rob's friend Hud, who's manning the camcorder to capture goodbye messages from partygoers.)
Clearly something is very, very wrong.
That something is a gigantic monster smashing its way through New York City. Rob and his friends attempt to evacuate via the Brooklyn Bridge but are sent fleeing when the monster strikes. They consider an alternate route when Rob gets a voicemail from Beth; she's badly hurt and needs his help.
Rob goes to her rescue, with a handful of friends in tow.
What they experience in the midst of this onslaught is horrific, challenging them to find reserves of courage and compassion they never suspected in the course of their previous self-absorbed lives. They are not the heroes of the story, merely the innocent bystanders struggling to survive. It's powerful, evocative filmmaking, done on a shoestring budget ($25m) and an ingenious viral marketing campaign launched to little fanfare (but immediate Internet fascination) last year.
And if that isn't enough to get you to see it, the teaser trailer for Star Trek (J.J. Abrams' next project) is attached.
Not sure how often I'll want to revisit this one, but it's a dynamite film. If you ever wanted to see a mashup of Godzilla and Blair Witch Project-- this one's for you.