THe Cabin In the Woods was pure genius

[Baby, ByeBye]

Go see it if you haven't.
I have not seen a movie of this genre in a long time. Pure genius is all I can say.

[Hugh Jass]

Go see it if you haven't.
I have not seen a movie of this genre in a long time. Pure genius is all I can say.

black lodge?

[Smart Actuary]

Hostel meets Friends?

[Super Silver Haze]

Go see it if you haven't.
I have not seen a movie of this genre in a long time. Pure genius is all I can say.
Have you seen Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil?
Have you seen Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon?

[Baby, ByeBye]

http://guiseppegetto.tumblr.com/post/21105982646/why-cabin-in-the-woods-is-so-brilliant-and-why-nobody

[Super Silver Haze]

Now, a few thousand films later, I can’t remember being that scared since, because I know the formula. Don’t we all? What could be that scary, fans? Disembowling? Evil spirits that look like putrified corpses on crack? A zillion red herrings that twist our brains in knots trying to figure out who the killer is?

THERE’S NOTHING A MODERN DAY HORROR FILM CAN DO TO HORROR AUDIENCES THAT HASN’T BEEN DONE BEFORE. So: if, for sake of argument, this is true, why bother trying to make them? Because therein lies the challenge: how do you tell a story that has been told so many times it’s become a ritualized part of our culture? YOU GO WITH IT AND COMPLETELY UNVEIL THAT RITUAL.

:lol::lol::lol:

"It's literally impossible to make a good horror movie so let's do an ironic deconstruction with lots of winks at the audience. BRILLIANT! PURE GENIUS!"

[Anthemyst]

Go see it if you haven't.
I have not seen a movie of this genre in a long time. Pure genius is all I can say.

:clap: I'm glad my recommendation did not go amiss!

[ADoubleDot]

http://guiseppegetto.tumblr.com/post/21105982646/why-cabin-in-the-woods-is-so-brilliant-and-why-nobody
is that Bow Wow?

[vividox]

So it's really a good movie? This thread isn't sarcasm?

[Anthemyst]

So it's really a good movie? This thread isn't sarcasm?

92% on Rotten Tomatoes, yo.

[vividox]

92% on Rotten Tomatoes, yo.

Well it was produced by Joss Whedon, I shall give it a try.

[Super Silver Haze]

Well it was produced by Joss Whedon, I shall give it a try.
He also co-wrote it.

[Super Silver Haze]

FTR I could name a couple of things about the movie that I really liked, so there were positive points, but I don't think it deserves the level of praise it's been getting. Fairly certain that this was my first exposure to Whedon, and I was pretty underwhelmed. There's an interview with Drew Goddard (the other co-writer) where he says about this one particular scene that Joss wrote "It’s beautiful. I think it’s some of the best writing he’s done. I just love it." and I don't see how it's that great at all.

I generally like horror movies and Anthemyst and BBB generally don't, so that might have something to do with it.

[Anthemyst]

FTR I could name a couple of things about the movie that I really liked, so there were positive points, but I don't think it deserves the level of praise it's been getting. Fairly certain that this was my first exposure to Whedon, and I was pretty underwhelmed. There's an interview with Drew Goddard (the other co-writer) where he says about this one particular scene that Joss wrote "It’s beautiful. I think it’s some of the best writing he’s done. I just love it." and I don't see how it's that great at all.

I generally like horror movies and Anthemyst and BBB generally don't, so that might have something to do with it.

Yeah, that might've helped. I've also seen mostly all of Whedon's work, so I'm a fan of his particular brand of humor. I didn't think it was art, for the record, just really really fun.

[Super Silver Haze]

Does Buffy, Firefly/Serenity and Dollhouse pretty much cover it or has he done something else big that I'm overlooking?

[vividox]

Does Buffy, Firefly/Serenity and Dollhouse pretty much cover it or has he done something else big that I'm overlooking?

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

That about covers it.

[Anthemyst]

Also Angel, but that's worth forgetting imo. Still slogging through Season 4 with the SO.

[Baby, ByeBye]

FTR I could name a couple of things about the movie that I really liked, so there were positive points, but I don't think it deserves the level of praise it's been getting. Fairly certain that this was my first exposure to Whedon, and I was pretty underwhelmed. There's an interview with Drew Goddard (the other co-writer) where he says about this one particular scene that Joss wrote "It’s beautiful. I think it’s some of the best writing he’s done. I just love it." and I don't see how it's that great at all.

I generally like horror movies and Anthemyst and BBB generally don't, so that might have something to do with it.

true. I walked in thinking I'm going to have to cover my eyes for another 2 hours again. But it was a thrill ride. LOVE THE KYOTO GIRLS lol.

[Anthemyst]

true. I walked in thinking I'm going to have to cover my eyes for another 2 hours again. But it was a thrill ride. LOVE THE KYOTO GIRLS lol.

Now Kiko's spirit will live in the happy frog!

[mlschop]

I enjoyed the film quite a bit despite it being written by Whedon :shrug:

I think people are gushing far too much about it though.

Primary reason I enjoyed it:
The casting of Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford couldn't have been more perfect.

[redprinceton]

I think people are gushing far too much about it though.


I felt this way too. I enjoyed the movie but people are making way too big of a deal about it. More below:

People keep labeling the movie as clever and self-aware. It is definitely clever and self-aware from the standpoint of being a genre-horror movie, but that in itself really only serves to distract from the fact that the movie is schlocky for non-traditional reasons.

I keep seeing reviews that praise how the kids transform from well-rounded characters into standard archetypal horror characters, but they really weren't well rounded to begin with. They were your standard Joss Whedon nerd fantasy characters. A bunch of popular, good-looking kids who occasionally say or do something really shallow that tells the audience that they're supposed to be really smart and thoughtful too.

That didn't really work for me. Not that I don't think good looking nerds exist, I know plenty. These characters just weren't very convincing. There was that scene where Marty is talking about Thor (forgot his name), saying that he isn't some dumb jock, with his reasoning being that he is a sociology major. Now I find sociology fascinating, but the NFL is full of linebackers with sociology degrees. I don't think that line really meant what it was supposed to.

All that being said, the movie was fun, but I just don't see it as some cinematic masterpiece.

[mlschop]

There was that scene where Marty is talking about Thor (forgot his name), saying that he isn't some dumb jock, with his reasoning being that he is a sociology major. Now I find sociology fascinating, but the NFL is full of linebackers with sociology degrees. I don't think that line really meant what it was supposed to

I thought that line was supposed to be a joke...at least that's how I took it.

[WadotNChew]

Also Angel, but that's worth forgetting imo. Still slogging through Season 4 with the SO.

I personally thought Season 4 had some of the best moments of Angel. And I'll admit it has some of the worst as well. Where are you in S4?

Sorry for the thread hijack

[vividox]

I only made it through the first season and a half of Angel before giving up. It took itself way too seriously, I thought I was watching a soap opera in places.

[WadotNChew]

I only made it through the first season and a half of Angel before giving up. It took itself way too seriously, I thought I was watching a soap opera in places.

Personally, I love a lot of what they do in S3 to S5 character-wise. Wesley's character arc in the series in particular. Unfortunately, you do need to get through a lot of crap to get there.

[Anthemyst]

I felt this way too. I enjoyed the movie but people are making way too big of a deal about it. More below:

That didn't really work for me. Not that I don't think good looking nerds exist, I know plenty. These characters just weren't very convincing. There was that scene where Marty is talking about Thor (forgot his name), saying that he isn't some dumb jock, with his reasoning being that he is a sociology major. Now I find sociology fascinating, but the NFL is full of linebackers with sociology degrees. I don't think that line really meant what it was supposed to.

I don't think that was supposed to demonstrate he was better than all other football players, just that there was more to him than sports. Even if sociology degrees are not uncommon, it's still worth noting that he is a serious student (as evidenced by his first scene where he's giving Dana advice) with a full scholarship, and doesn't have the anti-intellectual attitude he later displays. I'm guessing the NFL is full of linebackers who buck the anti-nerd stereotype, too.

[Anthemyst]

I personally thought Season 4 had some of the best moments of Angel. And I'll admit it has some of the worst as well. Where are you in S4?

Sorry for the thread hijack

Personally, I love a lot of what they do in S3 to S5 character-wise. Wesley's character arc in the series in particular. Unfortunately, you do need to get through a lot of crap to get there.

Yeah, I can't stand what's happened with Wesley. Angst-wallowing is not my cup of tea, I guess. I was enjoying Angel quite a bit right up until everyone got back from Pailea(sp?), which if I'm not mistaken is where I stopped enjoying Buffy, too. I'd rather watch characters I like be fun and fight evil and deal with emotional turbulence and trials with some degree of maturity. From the start of Season 3 to where I am now, everyone just gets all brooding and insecure and petty. And I just finished the first episode with Angelus, who had a ridiculously easy time manipulating all the above character developments.

[redprinceton]

...as evidenced by his first scene where he's giving Dana advice...

I remember that scene, but it felt like a non sequitur to the rest of his character. Then again, he did handle Dana's pantslessness in that scene rather politely which speaks to his thoughtfulness so maybe there was more there than I'm giving the movie credit for.

If anything, I think my concerns are just that we spend such little time with the characters pre-cabin, that I don't think their transformations should be billed selling point as to why the movie is so great.

Clearly though, the film is more than just a slasher, or I wouldn't be thinking as seriously about it as I am. :D

[WadotNChew]

Yeah, I can't stand what's happened with Wesley. Angst-wallowing is not my cup of tea, I guess. I was enjoying Angel quite a bit right up until everyone got back from Pailea(sp?), which if I'm not mistaken is where I stopped enjoying Buffy, too. I'd rather watch characters I like be fun and fight evil and deal with emotional turbulence and trials with some degree of maturity. From the start of Season 3 to where I am now, everyone just gets all brooding and insecure and petty. And I just finished the first episode with Angelus, who had a ridiculously easy time manipulating all the above character developments.

Understood. I like it when shows get a bit dark (which is why season 6 of Buffy is my favorite of the lot there). So, um, yeah, don't listen to my recommendations here. Because I love the Angelus episodes of Season 4. I hate The Beast, though.

Sorry BBB. Cabin in the woods! Witty? Scary? Clever? Going to be a TV series in a few years?

[Anthemyst]

If anything, I think my concerns are just that we spend such little time with the characters pre-cabin, that I don't think their transformations should be billed selling point as to why the movie is so great.

Yeah, I agree. There were hints of character depth, nothing more. We see basically enough to know that everyone's being forced into their niche unnaturally and unfairly, which I guess is all you need for the "Commentary on mindless torture porn" interpretation, but it's more idea than fleshed-out reality in the movie. Joss Whedon probably isn't as clever or progressive as he thinks he is, but I always enjoy the ride :D.

[redprinceton]

:lol::lol::lol:

"It's literally impossible to make a good horror movie so let's do an ironic deconstruction with lots of winks at the audience. BRILLIANT! PURE GENIUS!"

Haha, yeah. If a horror movie is only good if it scares you, then I have never seen a good horror movie. :D

Really though, relatively early on in my life, I saw America attacked on live TV. That and the events that followed are probably going to be the scariest things I'll ever see on a screen. I don't watch to be scared, I watch to see the slow descent into madness and chaos.

That is what found footage movies like Blair Witch, [REC], and Paranormal Actvity do so well.

Cabin in the Woods parodies the classic horror movies of the 70s and 80s, and given that that has already been done in movies like Scream, the parody wasn't all that brilliant.

What was brilliant about Cabin in the Woods however, was THAT THINGS GO ABSOLUTELY BATSH!T CRAZY IN THE THIRD ACT!!

[Anthemyst]

Oh, hey, spoiler-y question for people who saw the movie:

What monster would Marty's film have summoned? I know that
Music box = ballerina with the giant circle of teeth for a face
Conch shell = mermen
Puzzle ball = that guy who had an identical puzzle ball and blades in his face
Necklace = some kind of scorpion monster, I think? I thought I saw a picture of a scorpion on it
And of course, diary = pain-worshiping zombies.
No idea what the film would have done, or how it would have been activated. Also if the puzzle ball guy or the music box ballerina are references to specific movies, they were not references I got. The internet has been shockingly unhelpful thus far wrt meticulously cataloguing every reference.

[Super Silver Haze]

Only place I can help with that is:
Puzzle ball guy was definitely based on Pinhead from Hellraiser. You summoned him by solving a puzzle box.

[Anthemyst]

Only place I can help with that is:
Puzzle ball guy was definitely based on Pinhead from Hellraiser. You summoned him by solving a puzzle box.

Oh, awesome, thanks! Is it any good? I like puzzles...

[Baby, ByeBye]

They needed more asian ghosts imo. A girl crawling out of the tv would be nice with juxtaposed next to a giant snake

[banshun]

Saw it a few days ago. I do love this movie and one of the chief reasons is that it does something no movie has ever done (TTBOMK). It allows for the inclusion of every preceding horror movie into its mythos (I’m mostly agreeing with and repeating what was said in the linked article). You can view every other horror movie as being an ‘operation’ by the scientists in this movie, filmed, released to the masses, with the money funding future ‘films’. I know of no other film with retroactive continuity that recasts every member of its genre. That’s inspired, and inspiring, writing.

There’s much more to like. The writers are careful to have each character killed only when he or she takes an action based on their archetype (whore (gettin' nekkid), stoner (dumb walk outside to take a piss), jock (uber-jumping the chasm, nerd (plotting an escape as he drives the van)). There are a number of great scenes in the movie. Take the one in which Dana is disrobing and Holden realizes he has a one-way mirror. In this scene, Holden is us, the audience, and Dana is the action on the screen that we realize we shouldn’t watch but find ourselves often watching nevertheless. Accompanying the plot is a continuous second layer of meaning that comments on the conventions of horror movies. This movie will keep amateur writers of the genre tapping away at their keyboards for a long time to come.

Then, that scene in the last 20 minutes is pure love for the genre, irresistible to any fan.

I hope the makers realize that they’re sitting on a gold mine. They could release 30 more versions of this movie, with only a portion of the film re-filmed which would allow the substitution of the other monsters for the hillbilly zombie family. It’s a cash cow.

And every child’s favorite animal, the unicorn, as a death-dealing monster? Pure Whedon humor.

[Anthemyst]

Got the Visual Companion with an unused B&N gift card from Christmas. I was kind of hoping it would go more into the layers of references, not just how the look had been created, but I guess that's to be expected. Mostly it's heavily padded with the entire original screenplay, but it's still worth picking up if you're a fan.

[banshun]

In an interview, Drew Goddard said that they took their time in the set design to have a lot of very cool things lying around for the DVD home viewer to find. I wonder if each monster has one item in the basement that matches it... A Visual Companion worth its salt will have this detail.

[banshun]

The top spot for theorizing over this film has got to be one of those message board purely devoted to horror films. I don't frequent those so can't recommend one specifically but I'm sure there are long analyses of the film there.

[2pac Shakur]

Based on this thread, I downloaded and watched it.
The stoner dude was the best character. Puppeteers - awesome.
Barter gas. Grey v Blue.

Problem is the downloaded copy was crappy and cut out w half hour left! Gotta get another version and watch the end. So don't blow it for me.

Good stuff so far. Not necessarily pure genius, but entertaining for sure.

[Baby, ByeBye]

Based on this thread, I downloaded and watched it.
The stoner dude was the best character. Puppeteers - awesome.
Barter gas. Grey v Blue.

Problem is the downloaded copy was crappy and cut out w half hour left! Gotta get another version and watch the end. So don't blow it for me.

Good stuff so far. Not necessarily pure genius, but entertaining for sure.

oh man, that's the best part!

[redprinceton]

"Whatever he's smoking, it's making him immune to all of our shit!"

[2pac Shakur]

oh man, that's the best part!

OK. I was thinking that might be the case.
Like the time I watched the original Saw. And got bored with 5 minutes left so I turned it off. Boy did I feel dumb.

[Baby, ByeBye]

OK. I was thinking that might be the case.
Like the time I watched the original Saw. And got bored with 5 minutes left so I turned it off. Boy did I feel dumb.

i actually dont know where the 30 minute cutoff line was. what did you get to?

[2pac Shakur]

i actually dont know where the 30 minute cutoff line was. what did you get to?

The virgin had just died and the dudes in the control room were celebrating w the bubbly.

[Baby, ByeBye]

The virgin had just died and the dudes in the control room were celebrating w the bubbly.

huh? the virgin dies? you mean she's being tortured by the zombie dude? i don't think she ever died in the movie. but if im thinking what youre thinking, yeh you missed the best part

[2pac Shakur]

huh? the virgin dies? you mean she's being tortured by the zombie dude? i don't think she ever died in the movie. but if im thinking what youre thinking, yeh you missed the best part

I gotta watch the end.
She looked like she was gonna die.

[Bicycle Repair Man]

I gotta watch the end.
She looked like she was gonna die.
The virgin does not die at this time.

[lulzEMH]

Have you seen Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil?
Have you seen Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon?

Haven't seen the second one but I though Tucker & Dale vs. Evil was considerably better than Cabin in the Woods. Not even close.

[Anthemyst]

The virgin had just died and the dudes in the control room were celebrating w the bubbly.

That is the exact worst point to stop watching :(