Interesting tho if were ever get invaded by alien race.. there won't be any happy ending. we will be f*cked.
So, I saw The Cabin in the Woods today. Its existence was brought to my attention by @shinobi2u. It has good critic and user reviews, so I thought "why not."
While I don't plan to cite actual scenes from the film, I will talk about it the plot's direction, and, seeing that it's the biggest thing the movie really has going for it, I'll put it in spoiler tags, so be warned.
While I don't plan to cite actual scenes from the film, I will talk about it the plot's direction, and, seeing that it's the biggest thing the movie really has going for it, I'll put it in spoiler tags, so be warned.
So, to start off, I thought the movie was... okay. Definitely not a bad one, but not really a good one either. The direction, effects, music are certainly competent. Production values in general are relatively high. Acting's a mixed bag, but passable overall.
Now, the film is supposed to be a satircal horror movie, but it completely misses the mark. The satire and the horror are simply disconnected. It's not a satire of scary movies, but a horror flick that's also a satire of whatever the hell it wants to. In fact, it makes fun of almost everything but horror movies (with minor exceptions towards the end).
So, since the genres here don't really work in unison, I'll talk about them separately. First off, the horror. It's bad and utterly forgettable - and, as I mentioned, not in a satirical way, as the movie almost never makes an attempt to make fun of it, the exception being a couple of scenes towards the end. It actually tries to be a horror movie and it fails. All the scares are predictable and the delivery is uninspired. The special effects are not bad for CGI, but CGI does not really make for good horror, unless it's expertly done. And, needless to say, it isn't. I have to mention the acting here, which works okay for the satire bits, but does nothing to improve the horror element. The music is decent, nothing special. It does what it has to do - no more, no less.
Moving on to the satire; it's not all that clever, I'm afraid. It makes fun of the movie industry here, makes a jab at television and society as a whole there. It's just vague, general, unfocused, social commentary, but it's nothing ground-breaking, none of it is. And if you're going to do satire, it'd better be damn good. Since it is satire (or tries to be, at least), there's also humour, which, again, is not great. The jokes are obvious and unoriginal, while the delivery does not impress. Actually, I don't recall laughing or being amused all that much. Again, a few good moments here and there, but the bulk of it is mostly average, dipping into subpar on occasion.
Finally, the plot and its direction, which seems to be the only place, where the film does try to do something different. Well, the direction of the plot, that is, not the actual story, as the latter is essentially a mix of several horror tropes. They tried so hard to accommodate all these different ideas, that the story ends up being, well, shit. It's absolutely ridiculous, its only purpose being to make it possible to cram in as many cliches as possible. The film attempts to build a plot out of these fragments and it makes you think it's supposed to be original, but, in reality, it only feels original. It attempts to trick the viewer into believing that what they're witnessing is a clever twist of expectations, but all it really does is tie one horror movie staple into the next in a way that's surprising only because the story is incoherent, giving you the illusion of originality. The question is not where the story is going, what to expect next, but when the chain of cliches will end. "Best" part is, the overarching plot isn't even a horror one, and, as I said earlier, the premise is complete bullshit, only there to make the events that take place possible, but not believable or in any way logical.
That usually works fine in parody movies, but not here, since this is not a parody. Or is it? That's something the film itself doesn't seem to know. Up until the final 20 minutes, there is no parody, just bad horror punctuated by satire with a constantly changing target. But then, at the very end, it remembers it's supposed to be making fun of this, which results in the film's strongest moments.
Ultimately, the movie is nothing special. It certainly tries to make the audience believe it is, but it is not. Worth watching once, when it can use surprise to keep you interested. It's unlikely you'll be enticed to revisit, however, as you realise just how silly it all is by the end. I imagine I would have found the film much more enjoyable, had it not pretended to be clever. Or if the satire and jokes actually worked and had any relation to the horror. As it stands, it's a movie that does not know what it wants to be, tries to do it all but fails. Saved by appearing to be different (which also ends up being its downfall) and genuinely entertaining final 20 or so minutes.
I'd give it 5/10, for those that like scores. It's alright.
Now, the film is supposed to be a satircal horror movie, but it completely misses the mark. The satire and the horror are simply disconnected. It's not a satire of scary movies, but a horror flick that's also a satire of whatever the hell it wants to. In fact, it makes fun of almost everything but horror movies (with minor exceptions towards the end).
So, since the genres here don't really work in unison, I'll talk about them separately. First off, the horror. It's bad and utterly forgettable - and, as I mentioned, not in a satirical way, as the movie almost never makes an attempt to make fun of it, the exception being a couple of scenes towards the end. It actually tries to be a horror movie and it fails. All the scares are predictable and the delivery is uninspired. The special effects are not bad for CGI, but CGI does not really make for good horror, unless it's expertly done. And, needless to say, it isn't. I have to mention the acting here, which works okay for the satire bits, but does nothing to improve the horror element. The music is decent, nothing special. It does what it has to do - no more, no less.
Moving on to the satire; it's not all that clever, I'm afraid. It makes fun of the movie industry here, makes a jab at television and society as a whole there. It's just vague, general, unfocused, social commentary, but it's nothing ground-breaking, none of it is. And if you're going to do satire, it'd better be damn good. Since it is satire (or tries to be, at least), there's also humour, which, again, is not great. The jokes are obvious and unoriginal, while the delivery does not impress. Actually, I don't recall laughing or being amused all that much. Again, a few good moments here and there, but the bulk of it is mostly average, dipping into subpar on occasion.
Finally, the plot and its direction, which seems to be the only place, where the film does try to do something different. Well, the direction of the plot, that is, not the actual story, as the latter is essentially a mix of several horror tropes. They tried so hard to accommodate all these different ideas, that the story ends up being, well, shit. It's absolutely ridiculous, its only purpose being to make it possible to cram in as many cliches as possible. The film attempts to build a plot out of these fragments and it makes you think it's supposed to be original, but, in reality, it only feels original. It attempts to trick the viewer into believing that what they're witnessing is a clever twist of expectations, but all it really does is tie one horror movie staple into the next in a way that's surprising only because the story is incoherent, giving you the illusion of originality. The question is not where the story is going, what to expect next, but when the chain of cliches will end. "Best" part is, the overarching plot isn't even a horror one, and, as I said earlier, the premise is complete bullshit, only there to make the events that take place possible, but not believable or in any way logical.
That usually works fine in parody movies, but not here, since this is not a parody. Or is it? That's something the film itself doesn't seem to know. Up until the final 20 minutes, there is no parody, just bad horror punctuated by satire with a constantly changing target. But then, at the very end, it remembers it's supposed to be making fun of this, which results in the film's strongest moments.
Ultimately, the movie is nothing special. It certainly tries to make the audience believe it is, but it is not. Worth watching once, when it can use surprise to keep you interested. It's unlikely you'll be enticed to revisit, however, as you realise just how silly it all is by the end. I imagine I would have found the film much more enjoyable, had it not pretended to be clever. Or if the satire and jokes actually worked and had any relation to the horror. As it stands, it's a movie that does not know what it wants to be, tries to do it all but fails. Saved by appearing to be different (which also ends up being its downfall) and genuinely entertaining final 20 or so minutes.
I'd give it 5/10, for those that like scores. It's alright.
Finally got around to watching that Gotham, not fucking impressed at all. Little lad who's playing Gordon does an allright job but the script, writing and themes were bloody terrible and clumsy. Reminded me of that Agents of Shield program in that way. Where does Gordon go as a character? He's a good man in a bad place, allright for a support character like Siegfried, but as the main plot carrier of the series, nah i'd want something more nuanced.
Personally i'd have merged the two detectives, have Gordon as an old before his time young cop, from a cop family and with loyalty to the badge, the institution and his fellow officers. I'd begin with him tiredly playing along with the corruption, and through this somehow having a hand in the Wayne's murders, he let the murderer go or somesuch. This would be his crisis moment, where he falls or rises, and young Bruce somehow makes him opt for the latter, which could be as simple as the little silent boy placing his hand in Gordon's. I'd have him play it smart though, begin a secret little one man crusade, with Wayne money, connections and his own experience and connections as well as Alfred's support. Alfred i'd make a larger and more effective player.
Having Alfred discover at some point that Gordon let the Wayne's killer go, that could make for a lovely dramatic moment, and what comes of it. The killer himself I would make a shadowy presence in the background, haunting Gordon, Bruce and the city at large, possibly instead of Joe Chill make him one of the Batman's recognised adversaries like the Scarecrow, or just a faceless killer who is revealed to be all too normal and pathetic.
Oh and get rid of bloody catwoman mooning around.
Personally i'd have merged the two detectives, have Gordon as an old before his time young cop, from a cop family and with loyalty to the badge, the institution and his fellow officers. I'd begin with him tiredly playing along with the corruption, and through this somehow having a hand in the Wayne's murders, he let the murderer go or somesuch. This would be his crisis moment, where he falls or rises, and young Bruce somehow makes him opt for the latter, which could be as simple as the little silent boy placing his hand in Gordon's. I'd have him play it smart though, begin a secret little one man crusade, with Wayne money, connections and his own experience and connections as well as Alfred's support. Alfred i'd make a larger and more effective player.
Having Alfred discover at some point that Gordon let the Wayne's killer go, that could make for a lovely dramatic moment, and what comes of it. The killer himself I would make a shadowy presence in the background, haunting Gordon, Bruce and the city at large, possibly instead of Joe Chill make him one of the Batman's recognised adversaries like the Scarecrow, or just a faceless killer who is revealed to be all too normal and pathetic.
Oh and get rid of bloody catwoman mooning around.
O man! LOST is my favourite show!!!!! The dachshund and I spent many happy days going over it again this summer. Impossible to just watch 1 episode.
Yeah, my spouse and I find ourselves re-watching it from time to time. I've gotten a couple people addicted after they come over and we're in the middle of watching an episode. x P You really can't just watch one.
I would definitely check out documentaries that they have there. I remember watching one called The Legacy of Cotton, which I recommend profoundly.
Besides that, well... shit... it's HBO. The Wire, Sopranos, True Detective, Deadwood. You could basically play eeny, meeny, miny, moe and pick something from their TV series catalogue and be satisfied. What are you looking for anyway, Reptile? Crime series, Drama, Fantasy ?
Aw, hoped you would enjoy Cabin more than that @ReptilePZ, but you make valid points. While I enjoyed it personally, there is a film that I think is better when it comes to satire, though not exactly a horror film - Tucker and Dale vs Evil. It's on Netflix as well.
I watched Gone Girl on the big screen last night.
Quite disappointing. A highly sketchy unconvincing villain and underwhelming performances all in all. Gone are the hopes of Fincher pulling an absolute masterpiece like Seven in the near future.
How did you guys find it?
Quite disappointing. A highly sketchy unconvincing villain and underwhelming performances all in all. Gone are the hopes of Fincher pulling an absolute masterpiece like Seven in the near future.
How did you guys find it?
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@Jupiter on Mars Hmmm, I was actually considering going to watch that film, saw that the reception was fairly positive. Might hold off though, if it's overpraised.
When you say disappointed, do you mean disappointed that it's not quite as good as Seven, or because you don't think it's a very good movie in general?
@Luxorek I was actually planning to start watching True Detective tonight. As for genre, I don't really mind too much. I like fantasy, obviously, not that big a fan of sci-fi. Also into historical films/series.
@shinobi2u It was alright, not quite my thing though. Thanks for recommending it regardless
Haven't seen Tucker and Dale vs Evil, looks promising though.
When you say disappointed, do you mean disappointed that it's not quite as good as Seven, or because you don't think it's a very good movie in general?
@Luxorek I was actually planning to start watching True Detective tonight. As for genre, I don't really mind too much. I like fantasy, obviously, not that big a fan of sci-fi. Also into historical films/series.
@shinobi2u It was alright, not quite my thing though. Thanks for recommending it regardless
Haven't seen Tucker and Dale vs Evil, looks promising though.Game of Thrones might be right up your alley, if you aren't watching it already. Rome and Deadwood are both historical dramas - former set in Ancient Rome [times of Julius Caesar] and the latter in the last decades of XIX century Wild West. Rome is denitely more... epic in scope. Deadwood more focused on its characters and well... it takes place in this one small town after all.
I would also recommend The Wire if you have the time. Four seasons, the fifth is kinda 'meh'. It's basically a dissection of early 2000's Baltimore criminal underworld, but shown not only from the perspective of the cops, but the other side as well. What I loved the most is that it didn't limit itself to the streets, but went inside the courts and city hall showing corruption there as well. Has this wonderful almost 'documentary' feel to it, since a lot of it is factual.
You've probably watched TD by now, since it's only 8 episodes :lol: How did you like it then ?
Yes, I'm already watching GoT, and I've seen Rome, not Deadwood though, so I might give that one a bash. Unsure about The Wire, doesn't sound like my kind of jam.
As for True Detective, I only had time for the first episode - a promising start. Don't know if shit will go supernatural or not but I'm looking forward to seeing more.
Anyway, thank you very much for all the suggestions, Luxorek
Started watching Deadwood about two weeks or so, finished the first season now, and I thought it was very good. Some great characters. I recommend it.
Deadwood started great, really had me for the first season, then some of the second, but I lost interest somewhere along the way, could be just me, but yeh some great characters.
The Wire however is a total Masterpiece that justifies the existence of TV all by itself. Thats it we're done, we've peaked, it's downhill from here laddies, you can turn them all off now, go back to books & games. Be sure to watch at least until the 3rd episode before you give up on it. Recognise its not about cliffhangers, in fact its not about resolution at all, the most accurate snapshot of modern city life ever. Love it !
The Wire however is a total Masterpiece that justifies the existence of TV all by itself. Thats it we're done, we've peaked, it's downhill from here laddies, you can turn them all off now, go back to books & games. Be sure to watch at least until the 3rd episode before you give up on it. Recognise its not about cliffhangers, in fact its not about resolution at all, the most accurate snapshot of modern city life ever. Love it !
True Detective starts out as a masterpiece. For seven whole episodes everything closes in on perfection - the setting, performances, dialogue, cinematography, soundtrack - just about everything is Crème de la Crème. Don't be surprised if entire scenes linger and dwell on your mind for days, even weeks after you've watched them, such is the allure Nic Pizzolatto managed to instil in them.
But then....
But then....
everything crashes and burns at the finale.
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