Cabin in the woods

Don't even say it, yes it is a mainstream film, yes it is a recent film and yes it is a...really good movie. By Producer Joss Whedon, the god of the nerds,(is that Joss like Ross or like josh, in which case why can't he spell it that way) comes the movie you have all seen before, but with a twist. Instead of the generic teenage slasher stereo-types (nerd, jock, pot-head, etc.) we get those...exact same characters except played by likable actors. If you have seen those horror movies with those assorted characters you can ramble off their back story  ethinacy, social standing and demise like your twitter followers (I'm up to 30 now!). But this time it's Evil Dead meets the Truman Show (with the same amount of humor and horror, not so much horror from Truman show, just saying) and the whole world is in the palms of some of the most ruthless, demented, evil, sociopathic...wait what!..white collar TV executives. Well that's pretty much the same thing. With awesome horror, good humor and clever social commentary which you don't care about, this is Cabin in the Woods.

The story sets off by introducing our characters in a very good nature tone, each them are kind, smart and get in a decent laugh. They are setting out for the usual spring break road trip to an isolated cabin in the middle of the woods. Little do they realize this has bee all set into motion by the big TV industry to provide some scary reality TV. After a run in with the standard crazy red-neck, they make their cabin a good hot-spot. All while this is happening, the industry is getting ready all the scares and all the clever science is going on (eg blond hair die makes the blond gal loose and pretty much brain dead) . And from here the jokes and scares come at a mile a minute, along with clever Easter eggs and in-jokes.The teens fight for their lives in the eye of big brother and monsters.

As well as being an original horror film rather than a remake, it is also a cleverly written, well acted, well developed effects, and laden with references only the devote horror guru or cinefile (obsessed with films like me and talks about them constantly). To tell the truth I don't think many saw it (probably as it is a horror film, partly as it is a slasher, but mostly as it is just so good) as it did not very well at the box-office, so that almost makes it a cult classic. If there is something I dislike it's the deaths of the characters (not saying who), they are pretty standard. In fact the parody in robot chicken had better deaths. I just wish they had thought them out a bit better, rather than just faking us out three times.

But I just love everyone else in the movie. The two controllers who are constantly bickering and the pot head Marty who is so much cooler than those idiot actors in other movies, actually figuring out the whole mystery. The rest of the cast is likable, they stripped horror back to the roots and gave it a good ambassador. You think you know the story of the cabin you have no idea what's in store. The dialog is also very...Whedon like, very natural, very funny, very firefly (watch the show dammit!) I think I should stop here and let you guys watch it before I completely spoil it. Overall, one of the best Hor/com since Beetlejuice and well worth a watch for Halloween.