"10 Cloverfield Lane" Review

10 Cloverfield Lane will leave you feeling - Meh.
It's not a horrible movie if you're searching for a sci-fi movie and you've already watched the top tier titles on your To-Watch list. I'm not even sure if we should consider this a sci-fi movie at all. If you loved the first Cloverfield movie and you are going into this one with the hopes that it'll be something similar minus the shaky camera work, you better change your mind set.
With names like JJ Abrams, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher Jr. attached I really wanted to like this movie. I loved John Gallagher Jr. in Short Term 12 and The Newsroom. Many people already know I adore Mary Elizabeth Winstead because of her beauty and because movies like Smashed (film) and Alex of Venice. I wanted people to see Winstead's and Gallagher's names attached to future movies and feel like they have to see that movie. Even with my bias, the movie fell flat. It was actually John Goodman's performance that helped bolster the movie for me.
I think the movie will ultimately be classified as a sci-fi flick, but it might be more accurate to call it a thriller. I can't say too much without ruining the modest twists and turns, but the most engaging element of this movie was John Goodman's character, Howard. The movie forces you into a love-hate dynamic with Howard, and although the movie ties all the loose ends for you, you and your friends will be able to have a short ethics discussion about Howard. I will give the movie credit for its jump scares. There were two or three times I had to make sure I still had clean underwear. Oh, and did I mention how beautiful Mary Elizabeth Winstead is?