Oh I'm sorry, Did I Break Your Conversation........Well Allow Me A Movie Thread by S&T

[johnnyredstorm]

Are you both anti-semites? That show is the Gold standard for sitcoms.

 

[mronegative]

Hey now...I rocked a STAT avy for a good minute...and uh...

Gold standard
not gonna touch that

 

[johnnyredstorm]

seriously though you gotta check out Curb. It's too absurd.

 

[CP1708]

Anyone gonna see this?  I imagine JA will for sure. 

Attempting to review a film that has this many twists and pleasant surprises is an unenviable task.  So, allow me to be as succinct as I can without giving a whole lot of plot details from the anticipated The Cabin in the Woods (opening April 13th) which may make this review quite short and vague.

Horror has seen its fair share of films which have attempted, for better or for worse, to deconstruct the genre on either a narrative or technical level.  

The Cabin in the Woods trumps them all and is, hands-down, one of the smartest horror movies I’ve seen in years.  

It’s a timeless, endlessly entertaining and biting look at the genre, adapting to all genre archetypes in the sharpest way possible and never once talking down to its audience.  Cabin knows you’ve likely seen it all and experienced every cinematic fear.  And so it shamelessly calls upon everything you can imagine, spinning them in wildly different directions and doing so at the service of a sinister plot which is pretty goddamn brilliant.
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The previews you've seen are just the tip of the iceburg: A group of 20-somethings venture out to a cabin in the woods for a weekend of booze, drugs and sex.  This troupe is grounded by Kristen Connolly's Dana, the timid good girl, in some respects.  Her company includes the jock, Curt (Chris Hemsworth), his girlfriend, Jules (Anna Hutchison), the stoner, Marty (Fran Kranz), and the handsome Holden (Jesse Williams).  

Upon arrival, the cabin is unassuming, until they start to poke around in the basement and make a discovery (of course).  Meanwhile, somewhere else on a parallel storyline, we're introduced to Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford's characters and, my God, are they incredible.  Easily the best characters in the film who dish their roles out with such fine-tuned precision.

Quite frankly, to say much more is really ruining a lot of the fun.

From one horror fan to another, here's what I will say: You will not be disappointed by the "horrific" aspects of the story.  Director Drew Goddard and co-writer/producer Joss Whedon know what you want and deliver on all levels.  Pure insanity is the best way to describe one chunk of this film.  You want blood?  You're going to get it.  The "threats" are inventive and will have any fan worth his or her salt grinning from ear to ear.  The mythology - the backdrop of Cabin, if you will - that Goddard and Whedon create is a terrific throwback to a specific old school author that I don't want to name here because, again, it's giving too much away.  But trust me, you're going to be thrilled.

Goddard's direction is assured and he knows how to make the balance of the scares/comedy work.  There is one moment - that is the film's tip o' the hat to J-horror - that destroyed me.  Sheer brilliance.  But it's just one piece of Cabin's massive puzzle that needs to be seen first, digested and then seen again to peel away the various layers that are apparent on both a story and visual level.

Trust me, The Cabin in the Woods knows what it's doing.  All of those horror film theory books you've read?  This movie's read them, too, and it's one step ahead of you in telling its story.  Honestly, I'd love to sit down with each and every one of you at a bar and just dissect the hell out of the movie, spoilers and all...alas, I can't do that here.  All I can do is say: See this movie.

You want a rating?  @#$% it, I hate giving ratings, but I'll give it this...  Flawless victory: 10/10
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Sounds fairly interesting. 

 

[kevin cleveland]

Critics are making it seem like a game-changer.

 

[CP1708]

Friend of mine went to a screener for it last night, came in hyped up this morning, said he loved it.  So I dunno. 

I heard some details of the premise, I can see the point of it, sure.  But sounds like it was executed pretty well also.  May be one of those that comes out of nowhere and surprises people. 

Wonder why the April release tho.  Why not market the hell out of that bad boy for October? 

 

[japanair21]

I've been really anticipating it for a while, but I really had no idea what to think. The major forum I used for horror stuff got shutdown due to some technical stuff, so I've been out of the loop for a while. But it was right at the top along with Rob Zombie's new Salem Witch Trials film as the two horror films that I had hope for this year. I'll probably catch it this week, but my tastes are biased so I don't know how valuable my opinion is.

I am definitely excited that it's getting such wide positive reviews. Haven't seen that in a very long time. Not since The Exorcist, I believe.

 

[mronegative]

Since before Dollhouse. Joss was at the Apple Store in SoHo. Got my Firefly signed, asked him about the movie and got a picture of me punching him just in case Dollhouse sucked. Dude's awesome, ultimate good sport.

Been waiting for Cabin since, def seeing it.

 

[jpzx]

Admittedly I don't really put much value into watching horrors, but those two reviews are intriguing.

 

[jpzx]

This is hilarious 

, bahahaah at the Michael Bay shot.

 

[darthska]

^ bahahahaha

@ the chair tipping over & exploding

Stormtroopers

FOH

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Anyone know if that nude Kate Winslet scene when Leo paints her is in 3d?

 

[T0INE]

My interest has officially been piqued for Cabin In The Woods. 

 

[big j 33]

I'm not a horror fan, but I'll see the really popular/respected ones. Having said that, I'll probably check out Cabin in the Woods this weekend.

 

[darthska]

I just rewatched that Titanic spoof trailer, and I want to see the whole movie like that.

Do the movie just like that trailer and throw in some Abercrombie vampires, a few Transformers, a drunken, effeminate pirate, and some superheros (I vote Ironman & TDK), and THAT would be a Titanic I could enjoy.

The Stormtroopers got me

 

[mronegative]

the lensflare on her *******...explosions when they hit the water

 

[japanair21]

Seriously though, how has anyone not ever seen Curb?

 

[CP1708]

at the bodies exploding when they hit the water. 

Stormtrooper "it's just a drill"   *dies*

And the Abrams lens flares were pure gold. 

I never seen Curb either. 

 

[JD617]

I was way late to the game on Curb. I've seen 10-12 episodes the past 2 seasons and now I feel the need to go back and start from the beginning. I don't think I've seen an episode that wasn't hilarious.

 

[kevin cleveland]

Curb is easily one of the greatest shows ever. I stopped watching long ago for no real reason, however.

Plenty of it probably went over my head at like 13-17, but I learned a lot and it totally helped shape my sense of humor.

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by Kevin Cleveland

Curb is easily one of the greatest shows ever. I stopped watching long ago for no real reason, however.

Plenty of it probably went over my head at like 13-17, but I learned a lot and it totally helped shape my sense of humor.

It can be appealing to all age groups, it's both physical and satirical. Plus the improv is

 

[duba169]

Ridley Scott has hinted that Prometheus is having a difficult time getting a PG-13 rating through the MPAA.

Ridley Scott may have a hit on his hands with his Alien prequel Prometheus, but he’s worried that an R rating could ruin it all. At a public screening of some of the film’s footage in London yesterday, he let loose on the Motion Picture Association of America, complaining that the MPAA’s rating system may be broken.

Film blog Thompson on Hollywood has a good recap of the footage shown and Scott’s comments. The site writes: 

[Scott] also expressed frustration at the MPAA’s seemingly random approach to ratings, saying he wanted Prometheus to get a rating “that allows it to make as much money as possible. I know the importance of that. When a big film fails, it’s disastrous for all of us.

 

[big j 33]

Django Unchained

 

[johnnyredstorm]

MPAA is a joke. They should just bring back the Hays Code.

 

[mronegative]

Ridley's just hurt cuz Robin Hood sucked and flopped hard.

Stuff like Blue Valentine and Bully, I get that...Prometheus...be easy.