Cloverfield

Friday, November 13 - Saturday, November 14, 2026

Screening on 35mm!

“There is an undeniable truth that 2008’s cryptic found footage creature feature CLOVERFIELD would eventually spawn a vague franchise of dwindling returns thanks to producer and mystery-box obsessive J.J. Abrams. However, that shouldn’t undermine the timeless ingenuity of director Matt Reeves’ original film.

 Part of what made GODZILLA the cultural zeitgeist it is was how it portrayed real tragedy so genuine to its time and place while also being fantastical. During WWII, information was sent and received to the public through wartime propaganda, news headlines, and documentaries. GODZILLA utilized this by being filmed and presented like a wartime documentary. CLOVERFIELD subsequently uses its style and aestheticism in a similar way, albeit in relation to a tragedy specific to its respective time and place.

September 11, 2001 was a day of fear and confusion. People were completely in the dark and slowly receiving information through loved ones’ phone calls, news footage from ground zero, and bystanders’ camcorder footage. CLOVERFIELD incorporates this to a T. It’s hard to see the creature most of the time, the visuals are shaky and unclear, and the very nature of the film being found footage perfectly reflects the feelings on that day in 2001 while also acting in service of a simple, sleek, and scary monster movie. It’s pure, unadulterated, obstructed spectacle.” 

Staff Pick by Heather Landsman, Usher

Screening as part of our series Staff Picks 2026

  • Country USA
  • Year 2008
  • Running Time 85 minutes
  • Format 35mm
  • Distributor Paramount Pictures
  • Director Matt Reeves
  • Writer Drew Goddard
  • Cast Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.