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Cabin in The Woods - April 13th - Best horror film in years?
- Thread starter anaron
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Right. Webster doesn't truly determine definitions nor connotations, but rather the people or how a term is commonly used. Gore is an overly gross or excessive depiction of violence and or mutilation.
Good Job Bob
Member
A TV series with this movie's concept would be killer.
gollumsluvslave
Member
I had a blast, my fiance hated it.
I guess it depends a lot on expectations going in - I had none, my fiance thought it was going to be a creepy scary film so she was disapointed and found it stupid. Though I also think my wee crush on Kristen Connolly throughout the movie might have made her bias on disliking it.
I think someone else mentioned it that the movie is really a 'Monster Movie', I'd have to agree - it really reminded me of a more adult/gory spin on The Monster Squad from way back in 1987 in the way it was self-aware, more about comedy and having fun with lots of monsters.
That said, I don't think it was a big revolution in horror or anything, and it's not quite as clever as it thinks it is / wants to be - of course that might be me digging too much, I always find that self-awareness is great and poking fun at the tropes is good fun, but when a movie (or even a game, take Bioshock for example) takes that approach, it inevitably falls victim of some kind of double standard to an extent, as to mock the tropes, it has to repeat them to a degree. I'd say that the original Scream to my mind was much cleverer and more successful in the 'meta' approach.
To my mind it's just a great fun monster movie.
I guess it depends a lot on expectations going in - I had none, my fiance thought it was going to be a creepy scary film so she was disapointed and found it stupid. Though I also think my wee crush on Kristen Connolly throughout the movie might have made her bias on disliking it.
I think someone else mentioned it that the movie is really a 'Monster Movie', I'd have to agree - it really reminded me of a more adult/gory spin on The Monster Squad from way back in 1987 in the way it was self-aware, more about comedy and having fun with lots of monsters.
That said, I don't think it was a big revolution in horror or anything, and it's not quite as clever as it thinks it is / wants to be - of course that might be me digging too much, I always find that self-awareness is great and poking fun at the tropes is good fun, but when a movie (or even a game, take Bioshock for example) takes that approach, it inevitably falls victim of some kind of double standard to an extent, as to mock the tropes, it has to repeat them to a degree. I'd say that the original Scream to my mind was much cleverer and more successful in the 'meta' approach.
To my mind it's just a great fun monster movie.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
I'd like to see that, but I think I'd only watch it in morbid curiosity.
-Plasma Reus-
Service guarantees member status
Best horror film in years.
I don't think it quite lived up to the hype; but enjoyed it thoroughly. It had some very interesting ideas but all in all I don't think they came together as well as they could have.
I don't think it quite lives up to my favourite horror films of recent years, [REC], [REC]2, and Triangle. They too were primarily ideas driven but were executed much more effectively, imo
The idea that the ghosts, zombies, etc were "real" was pretty lame I thought (don't remember the explanation for that in the film, was one throwaway line I think).
Am I the only one who thinks that the whole "game" angle of it would have been better coming as a twist towards the end of the film rather than being shown throughout? Obviously with some careful signposting so that it didn't come out of nowhere. I just felt like because we knew that all the horror was being controlled, that it wasn't particularly scary or shocking (until the end at least...). I understand why the writers wanted the motivation to be a "ritual" (because it seems like horror films follow these rules for no particular reason), but I still think that was a pretty lame motivation.
Am I the only one who thinks that the whole "game" angle of it would have been better coming as a twist towards the end of the film rather than being shown throughout? Obviously with some careful signposting so that it didn't come out of nowhere. I just felt like because we knew that all the horror was being controlled, that it wasn't particularly scary or shocking (until the end at least...). I understand why the writers wanted the motivation to be a "ritual" (because it seems like horror films follow these rules for no particular reason), but I still think that was a pretty lame motivation.
I don't think it quite lives up to my favourite horror films of recent years, [REC], [REC]2, and Triangle. They too were primarily ideas driven but were executed much more effectively, imo
The idea that
the monsters were real and part of a rotation was the coolest thing about the film. Also did anyone else think of the Cube series as soon as the camera zoomed out from the elevator?
A monster movie is a good way of describing it, it did have a B-Movie vibe about it but a modern take on it and the humour deliberate. Thought it pulled it off really well.
Just really good to see an original take on horror movies again. Whereas Scream was deconstructing them, this was genuinely out of the box thinking.
Perfect ending as well.
Yeah, that was the first thing that entered my head.
Very cool to see all that in the way they did it.
The Return of
Banned
Damn this movie is great tho, it makes you question life and gore
GasProblem
Member
Saw this last night and had a great time. It's more of a comedy then a horror. Girls behind me were like "What the fuck are we watching".
BertramCooper
Banned
So
?
who was "the Whore" in the room full of Japanese elementary school kids
The Return of
Banned
There's not one. It reflects the
japanese horror culture not US
BertramCooper
Banned
I was just joking, but I'm assuming
the ancient gods have the same requirements at all of the sites across the globe. So there should be a whore, a fool, an athlete, a scholar, and a virgin in all of the scenarios.
But
as the director said, they make due with what they have.
The Return of
Banned
No I'm pretty certain every site
has their own requirements. The director basically hinted at that and it makes more sense for the japanese site to reflect JP horror films..instead of US horror films when there's usually those 5 types of people
BertramCooper
Banned
I'm over-analyzing this, but
it doesn't make any sense that the different sites, which operate independently but are ultimately part of the same organization, would have different requirements when they're all seeking to fulfill the same set of angry gods.
The Return of
Banned
Okay this movie just sucks. I got a hangover we'll have to continue this later lol
GasProblem
Member
Maybe each site has its own Old God with different requirements, like the Japanese Old God only wants young girls or something like that.
Yes it does make sense.
Because it's saying these different horror stories, myths and traditions are based on a real evil that manifested itself in different ways in each part of the world.
Placating the evil was about making those stories happen for real again, the old God(s) had got tired of these things being reduced to fictional stories just for scaring people.
Placating the evil was about making those stories happen for real again, the old God(s) had got tired of these things being reduced to fictional stories just for scaring people.
MightyHedgehog
Member
Really fun movie that's enhanced by the more you know about what they're referencing. Still, as funny and well-put-together as it was, it's not at all scary or much of a horror movie and, really, more of a dark comedy. The lab characters steal the show.
BertramCooper
Banned
So does that mean
that all of the gods are placated by a sacrifice made to one specific god? If all of the gods have different tastes in sacrifices, why are they all appeased by just one per year?
EDIT: Yeah, I'm over-analyzing. I'll just shut up now.
Think of it like a fallen Empire, who once used to be all powerful and rule the world still wanting to show they are relevant. It's just an Empire of evil incorporating all the different traditions of it around the world.
If they can't get their symbolic victories it all boils over and they try to take it all back again.
If they can't get their symbolic victories it all boils over and they try to take it all back again.
The exact people the movie was criticizing.
It kind of makes sense to me if you go back to the line about how it used to be about
chucking virgins in volcanos. Assuming that people across the world have been trying to appease these guys throughout human history, different regions would have developed their own ways of sacrifice based on whatever was available in their region. You can't chuck a virgin in a volcano without access to a volcano, etc. Eventually globalization would have put the different groups in contact with each other, and probably eventually united as a single entity so they could share funding/know of successes and failures, etc. But by that point cultural horror tropes were already established.
At this point it does all become overthinking, but for fun: It's possible that each region's unique method of horror would work elsewhere (ie, the virgin/whore/jock/nerd/fool grouping would work fine in Japan if you assembled them, and a ghost slaughtering some elementary kids in the US would suffice), but it'd be really hard (and dangerous) to test out and determine since individual success/failure is irrelevant and it's only global success/failure that matters. Japan knows what works for Japan, so they stick with it. US knows what works for US, so they stick with it.
At this point it does all become overthinking, but for fun: It's possible that each region's unique method of horror would work elsewhere (ie, the virgin/whore/jock/nerd/fool grouping would work fine in Japan if you assembled them, and a ghost slaughtering some elementary kids in the US would suffice), but it'd be really hard (and dangerous) to test out and determine since individual success/failure is irrelevant and it's only global success/failure that matters. Japan knows what works for Japan, so they stick with it. US knows what works for US, so they stick with it.
Messofanego
Banned
Wait, so
humans are the ones creating the archetypes, not the gods themselves
People are just making up their own theories now, giving the film too much credit.
Why is that of all things giving it too much credit?
Yep.
They thought they'd drugged his weed to make him more susceptible to everything, but late in the game Acker finds out he had a secret stash he's been smoking out of that they'd missed. Instead of being more susceptible, for whatever reason, plain marijuana made him more aware of their manipulative actions. She says something about it effectively making him more resistant.
I wonder when
the rituals started? Presumably they've being going on for thousands of years, judging by them calling the gods 'ancient ones'. Obviously most of the technology involved would only have been invented fairly recently. Why the need for all the high-tech manipulation at all when this would have been possible in the past? Also how were the monsters contained before?
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
People being able to give their own meanings to things is a staple of good writing. Giving meaning when it clearly is not, there, however, is not.
She says something to the effect of
His weed is making him immune to all of our shit.
Host Samurai
Member
Just came back from seeing this and the last parts of the movie were awesome. The trailers didn't really ruin too much of it IMO but its just pure insanity. Not really a scary movie but it was a good thriller with some horror elements and it reminded me of the manga Gantz in a lot of ways. Check this out, it was a ballsy movie that actually took a chance.
Finally saw it Thursday night. So much fucking fun.
This dumbass couple brought their entire family to this - which included two eight or nine year old girls. Following the film, some guy chewed them out for it which was kind of amazing and the icing on this whole experience.
I wonder how liberating it was for Joss to finally do justice (budget wise) to the 'Initiative'. I'm pretty grateful Amy Acker was killed off-screen. I doubt even they could handle seeing that. 
This dumbass couple brought their entire family to this - which included two eight or nine year old girls. Following the film, some guy chewed them out for it which was kind of amazing and the icing on this whole experience.
I took it as the ancient ones were deep in the center of the Earth, and any successful ritual counted, as long as it was the specific ritual of their culture. All across the globe, major societies have giant altar chambers hovering over the lava babies, or whatever the expy for Lovecraftian gods are.
Japan appeases the gods every year by pulling off their ju-on ringu schtick. U.S. comes in second every year as a backup, with their more complicated , role specific ritual. Each one is reflective of each culture's horror movies. Sweden's scenario was the Thing compound, Madrid had the REC building, but any one success would have worked for the planet.
So why are people asking who the whore was in the 9 year old Japanese class?
Japan appeases the gods every year by pulling off their ju-on ringu schtick. U.S. comes in second every year as a backup, with their more complicated , role specific ritual. Each one is reflective of each culture's horror movies. Sweden's scenario was the Thing compound, Madrid had the REC building, but any one success would have worked for the planet.
So why are people asking who the whore was in the 9 year old Japanese class?
Sigourney said the ritual was based on regional culture, meaning what Americans like in a horror movie.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
If you really think about it, and this is a mindfuck, the basis for this movie started with Scooby-Doo.
Freddy: The Athlete
Veronica: The Whore
Wilma: The Scholar
Shaggy: The Fool
Freddy: The Athlete
Veronica: The Whore
Wilma: The Scholar
Shaggy: The Fool
Good Job Bob
Member
Scooby-Doo: The Virgin
adamsappel
Member
When the call came from "upstairs" I thought it was a call from God. But in that link with answers from Goddard, he said that "upstairs" meant the bosses (except when it meant the cabin), but then they talk about "downstairs" too. Then who was phone?
Every time some zombie started hacking up one of the kids, about 20 feet away I'd hear this little voice pipe up, "D...addy?" I hate parents who bring kids to age-inappropriate movies (and it's always horror or action movies, they'd probably be horrified to bring them to a drama with a sex scene). I was planning on saying something, but I stuck around to see if there was an extra scene after the credits (and I hate this trend, also).
On whether the film is "gory," it depends on the person asking. To a hardcore horror fan, I'd say no, it's got a lot of blood. For the person in this thread who asked, I'd say yes, it's got a lot of blood.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
YES.
They have the same requirements (to appease the gods), it's the implementation which is different, and the foreign sites all fail. Considering the gods represent the audience, it's just a commentary on the lack of acceptance of foreign horror films which do things differently. Your question could be applied directly to the actual movie industry. If all films are competing for the same money, and formulaic American films make the most money, why don't all horror films worldwide emulate them?
Also, I would not call this movie gorey.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
I don't see how. I mean, there obviously was other stuff going on, even if you didn't care for it. I honestly don't see how you could miss that.
The Lamonster
Member
I saw it. My girlfriend and I both loved it.
Kranz and Whitford were hilarious.
Kranz and Whitford were hilarious.
BertramCooper
Banned
Obviously, since it's SUCH a cerebral film.
samus i am
Member
To be fair, the movie does indeed explain a lot of the questions that people are asking.
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