27 December 2007

Why do Americans put the Month before the Day?

In line with yesterday's movie post, here's the first movie you should be looking forward to in 2008. This comes from the same guy who brought you LOST, and that in itself should be enough to whet your appetite. But wait, there's more.

Take a look at the trailer. What you see is a few kids having a party, filmed through a camcorder; all of a sudden something seems to happen. Earthquake? Disaster? You follow the story through the eyes of the camcorder. Seems a little Blair Witch like, but it's a lot more vivid, much more enjoyable to watch, and the sort of story that actually has a plot (and hopefully, a good ending).



So what's the story? Well, the lid has been kept on this for quite a while; even the actors coming in for auditions had no idea what the movie was about (the roles given to them during auditions were scenes from other movies and shows). No name has been given to the movie (although it goes by the name of 'cloverfield' unofficially), and all the posters looks like this:



Yup, the only clear thing you do know is that something capable of destroying New York is happening, and that the movie will be released 01.18.08. If you're not American, that's the 18th of January, but the American's somehow have this stubborn factor to them and won't accept the fact that the day should come before the month and year, and in not doing so they manage to confuse the rest of the world (some people actually thought 01.18.08 was some sort of secret code for something).

Movie forums and blogs have been trying to guess at what this movie might be about, and many came up with Godzilla. Well, according to J.J. Abrams (Exec. Producer of Lost), this ain't Godzilla. But it sure as hell looks like it's gonna be something worth looking out for.

24 comments:

Semaj said...

Even though I already know the plot, I am really looking forward to this movie.
Just a bit of spoilers...

(New York in being attacked from the 'inside' and from the outside by the monster(s). Hint hint.)

cloverfield is the official name, though they called it everything from slusho to 01.18.08.

Anonymous said...

That's so funny you should mention the date thing. I was thinking about that yesterday because I (being born and raised in Amreeka) do write the date American-style. And I was thinking how if any non-american looks at the dates I wrote down on my blog, they would be confused.

And though i've been in the land of two seas for over a year now, I still trip up when looking at the date over here.

This looks like a good movie too: http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/hancock/large.html

Redbelt said...

Another problem is that MS office and windows installs by default the American English.
Making our dates sometimes in their formate, and spell checking gives tou check instead of cheque and color instead of colour.
Americans make no sense to me. Why should the month be first? Keep it in ascending order man!
Why would water freeze at 32f? that is stupid, why not 33? what kind of scale is that? Our water freezes at a damn 0! Kinda makes sense wouldn't you think?
And they call a game where they carry a ball with thier hands "football" and call a game where they kick a ball with feet something that doesn't mean anything like "soccer". I say you switch these names immediately!
And they go and elect Bush. AGAIN!

I can't get those people.

Anonymous said...

Not to get too philosophical, but this is a mindset of people. While some parts of the world track events day-by-day, meaning we are concerned with daily events- American's on the other hand are looking on a monthly basis.

This doesn't necessairly mean one group of peoples are 'better' than the other. One possible (historical) explanation could be the size of the US, and to track communication over a large area before cars, telegrams, etc. it doesn't make sense to count in days, rather months. Of course it could also reflect the psyche of the peoples.

-ABC

Woozie said...

It's SNAKES on a PLANE!

We put the month before the date because this is America. We are right, and everybody else is wrong. Same goes for the metric (metrikkk) system. As a matter of fact, you're about three inches away from a beatdown for questioning our wisdom.

Anonymous said...

very interesting, i liked the poster, motivates my movietic* brain cells :P

Grey said...

Damn Yankees ! :P

I think its "Who framed Liberty babe "

Anonymous said...

It's shot in "Blair Witch" style, which means all the scenes will feel like they're filmed on a camcorder. It will be extremely annoying, but I do like the overall concept.

asoom said...

it's because in conversation you commonly say the month first than the day such I was born February 23rd and not the 23rd of february!

It makes sense to me.

Ammaro said...

semaj; i heard some spoilers but didnt wanna spoil them for the people here :p

omtutu; yes, i can understand! its messed up when you have like 04.06 for example and you cant tell if its 4 June or 6 May

redbelt; true. i never got the whole inch foot thing.

anon; i dont think so. i think the new americans just wanted nothing to do with their previous colonies and so came up with different temperature measures, date measures, spots, and so on. stubbbbooorrrn

woozie; to beat me down youre going to have to come over here, and inches dont exist here, so im still safe

icon; have you seen lost?

grey; umm. no.

evil; not really. it is filmed through a camcorded but cam shake is minimized so you dont get sick through the movie (as my wife did through blair witch :P)

asoom; no you dont! im born on the 13th of jan!

Anonymous said...

Currently I can't find anything at the cenima that atrtratcs me, but it seems that the new year movies are very interesting.

I will not expect much of this secret movie. I had expected much from "the day after tomorrow" but it was under my expectations with a very regular story attached to a very big disaster. I will go to watch this one assuming it will be another regular disasters movie and I will enjoy the pictures.

I entered here thinking that you have an answer for the month and day thing but it seems that we will have to live with it.

Woozie said...

You better watch what you say, or we'll being freedom to you too.

Anonymous said...

interesting the director went further unlike fancy hollywood sound effets o blah blah ...

wallah am interested...

ty hon!!

Anonymous said...

interesting the director went further unlike fancy hollywood sound effets o blah blah ...

wallah am interested...

ty hon!!

Unknown said...

Interesting.
I want to see the new Batman movie!

Anonymous said...

Ohhhh ammaros birthday is coming up!!!

I agree with ebtihal, it's rare to find a good movie these days. Unfortunately the stock of movies that shows at the theatres here are not the TOP rated movies. So you have to do the rental thing. Sadly.

Coolred38 said...

Ive been here 20 years and I still have to pause and rearrange the dates in my head...I still find it confusing...stuck in my ways I guess. It would be helpful indeed if you all would get with the program and step inline with the American way of doing things...it would simplify things a great deal...for us..and really...we are the only that count right....lol.

KJ said...

The trailer is lovely and well thought.

Notice in the poster there is a wake in the water, like some giant boat or "thing" came from the sea and went into the city?

Anonymous said...

"New Americans" did not come up with different units. In fact, units such as miles, feet, inches, are English units, and were inherited given the fact parts of North America were English colonies. Metric units come from the French.

The stubbornness factor is in fact contrary- we should ask why doesn't US of A adopt the SI standard? Quickly we realise, why should they? They are #1 in innovation.

-ABC

Anonymous said...

See, I told you in your previous post, Cloverfield looks good! ;)

Nora-Cassandra said...

not my type of movie! will watch it for sure! but the trailer didn't get me excited at all! and i am a fan of lost! :P

CG said...

About the movie, I am not overly excited. They are doing this as a selling ploy, everyone will be buzzing about it and getting hyped up, and will queue to see this amazing movie. Then it will turn out to be more American crap. Just what we need.

As for dates. If I hear the term "9-11" one more time, I might just scream.

About metric units...hmm...I am caught in the middle, must be an age thing....yikes....I can do inches and cm, I can do kilos (have plenty) but not pounds. I can handle temperatures in F or C.

Spelling is another one I am caught in the middle with, I can write Mom, Mum, colour, color and even say alumINUM or alumINIUM....it depends if I am eating weetabix or lucky charms for breakfast.

Anonymous said...

ABC "The stubbornness factor is in fact contrary- we should ask why doesn't US of A adopt the SI standard? Quickly we realise, why should they? They are #1 in innovation."

No, stubbornness and (if ABC's to be taken seriously) delusional! # (number?) one in innovation indeed!

-Lord Lucan

Ammaro said...

haha... thats pretty true... they stopped being #1 at innovation quite a while ago.