(SPOILER)
Discuss 'The Cabin in the Woods' - round two.
In which we carry on chatting about Drew and Joss' new movie.
First discussion thread can be found here.
April 14 2012
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gossi | April 14, 08:18 CET
Simon | April 14, 08:19 CET
[ edited by Jaymii on 2012-04-14 17:22 ]
Jaymii | April 14, 08:22 CET
gossi | April 14, 08:24 CET
Simon | April 14, 08:26 CET
Apart from it not really saving the world at all, I thought that might not be a terrible way to describe it...
[ edited by skittledog on 2012-04-14 17:28 ]
skittledog | April 14, 08:27 CET
Going to see it again tonight as I'm still noticing details. I think the "fuck you, and fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you" scene may be my favourite thing pretty much ever.
gossi | April 14, 08:34 CET
Simon | April 14, 08:34 CET
gossi | April 14, 08:37 CET
Dude Meister | April 14, 08:48 CET
I have so much to say I.don't.know.where.to.begin. will gather myself and get back.later.
thesadeianwoman | April 14, 08:50 CET
I did love that Joss and Drew did let there ids run wild. In a recent New York Times interview Joss said that he’s having to let go of the need to have everyone like him and be true to what he needs to say next. It was in reference to Wastlanders but I think it applies here too. And I think, as with Wastlanders, Joss needs a partner in crime to let him do this. Here we have Drew Goddard who made a great directorial debut and you can totally see these two horror geeks just saying to one another, “Lets just go nuts, lets take this all the way.”
Things that I loved the most? Richard Jenkins saying “Fuck you” to all these adorable Japanese school girls, Bradley Whitford’s character being killed by the Merman, Mordecai on speaker phone, Marty’s Killer Bong, I could go on and on.
What I didn’t like? The ping-ponging back and forth between the office and cabin made it hard for me to truly care for the characters. Also I thought that the monsters were more silly than scary and in general it was not a scary horror movie (although the death of Jules was truly horrific ).
As for the very end, where Marty and Dana decide to let the whole world go down instead of allowing themselves to be sacrificed for the greater good, I see parallels with some of Joss’s other work. I’m think of Buffy rejecting the First Slayers insistence that she be alone rather have friends and a normal, modern life, or Buffy rejecting the power of the Shadow Men because it would make her less human. There is the theme that rituals and traditions can be truly barbaric and inhumane and maybe its best to choose to reject them no matter the consequences.
kylian | April 14, 08:56 CET
Loved the movie, but bit conflicted about the last shot of the hand. Felt the scene between Marthy and Dana was so good that it should have been the end.
Pretty_Hate_Machine | April 14, 09:04 CET
Dude Meister | April 14, 09:26 CET
...
The ending smoking scene really made me think of TheThing, and I was sure they'd end with something ambiguous like "I guess well sit here and see which one of us dies first" as the fate of the world waited to be decided. But instead, they went definitive with the hand shot. ... The ending Smoke also reminded me a little of heathers, just seeing our heroes exhausted, bloody and sharing a joint as their world ended.
...
My wife mentioned some article she'd read about how cavemen invented painting as a way to substitute for actual killing. To satisfy the gods? She tied it into the idea of wicker men being burned so they wouldn't have to burn real men anymore. Which she tied into this idea that we tell horror movies as a culture, to fill a cultural need for sacrifice. Which seems right in line with the movie's themes. I'd never heard this before.! Anyone have any leads on articles about this sort of thing?
Also, Can anyone deduce what creature the film strip in the basement would have unleashed?
[ edited by WarrenEBB on 2012-04-14 18:29 ]
WarrenEBB | April 14, 09:26 CET
Dude Meister | April 14, 09:30 CET
jkalderash | April 14, 09:37 CET
So the glitch in 98. I'm pretty sure this is a reference to Buffy episode Homecoming which aired in 98 and has a similar premise.
Anyone agree?
bivith | April 14, 09:51 CET
I was thinking that the lab people are like the step sisters from Cinderella (the Grimm version). The sisters hacked their feet to make them fit in the golden slipper. It works at first, but then (magical) birds alert the prince that there is blood in the shoe. In this movie, none of the college characters really fit their archetype (despite what negative reviewers think). This means drugging the kids, adjusting the temp/lighting/air to get the couple to make out, having an invisible force field to stop the heroic gorge jump, etc.
It does make me wonder. If they can fudge the details that much, how much of the ritual was really needed? And how did they figure it out in the first place? (I was watching an episode of Bones on Netflix. When this guy had his faith challenged, he was reminded that the biggest sin is to claim you know what God is thinking/planning.)
OneTeV | April 14, 10:00 CET
[ edited by garyyager on 2012-04-14 19:33 ]
garyyager | April 14, 10:13 CET
emmy | April 14, 10:19 CET
[ edited by garyyager on 2012-04-15 01:04 ]
garyyager | April 14, 10:30 CET
@theonetruebix | April 14, 10:50 CET
MrArg | April 14, 10:54 CET
Yes garyyager, Jamie Lee Curtis should have gotten the "Director" role, but there is just something sinister about Sigourney Weaver. It was very similar to her role in Paul. I wonder which was shot first? Probably Cabin.
Jayne's Hat | April 14, 10:59 CET
@theonetruebix | April 14, 11:03 CET
Dude Meister | April 14, 11:16 CET
WarrenEBB, as to whether Dana or Marty dies at the very end - the Director says that it's eight minutes until dawn and if the sun comes up and Marty is still alive, it's the end of the world. I think we are meant to surmise that the sun has risen, so by then, the choice is gone, and it wouldn't matter by then if Marty dies before Dana or not.
Shapenew | April 14, 11:25 CET
@theonetruebix | April 14, 11:41 CET
I didn't find it scary, but I'm not easily scared (this is what happens when The Shining is always in your DVD player). It was Evil Dead II kind of awesome though, and I don't mean the look of the cabin. It had the same sort of hysterical awareness that Evil Dead II had, it also had a zombie arm.
It's absolutely a see more than once movie. The first time your there to figure out what's going on, every time after that it's about enjoying yourself and picking up on the details.
Tat | April 14, 11:58 CET
Dude Meister, it's a pity it got delayed so long as this was actually filmed long before Paul!
daylight | April 14, 12:04 CET
I didn't think that any of the blood being put into the ritual room was actually the kids' - when Jules dies and Hadley (or Sitterson, don't remember) pulls the lever, we get to see a mechanism that looks like it smashes a prefilled jar of blood to pour onto the carving. Did I misinterpret what was happening there? I confess that I didn't quite process all the machinery in that shot.
Mercenary | April 14, 12:33 CET
Just came back from seeing it in the UK and WOAH.
Got the sacrifice to ancient Gods to save the world bit fairly early on, having read loads of Lovecraft and being a practicing Christian who believes in a good God and a much better atonement probably meant I was slightly more aware going in. Genuinely thought Franz was dead, genuinely knew nothing about Sigourney Weaver. Felt the big red button that releases all the monsters was a bit much though.
I need to go away and think more about it all, but Joss' use of atonement (someone dying as a sacrifice in the place of others for their wrongs) really interests me. This, Buffy at the end of Season 5 (where she says something like "it's always got to be blood"), Cyclops during Astonishing X-Men when he gives himself up to death knowing that he'll be raised back to life in order to save his people, I could go on. I know Joss isn't a Christian or anything, so I'd love to know why it's such a theme.
Also, Dialogue hilarious. Most of the audience where laughing out loud at some point. The speaker phone bit in particular.
Sparticus | April 14, 12:35 CET
[ edited by The One True b!X on 2012-04-14 21:39 ]
@theonetruebix | April 14, 12:39 CET
Bishop | April 14, 12:45 CET
The scenes with the two way mirror in the cabin say something interesting about the characters in the cabin compared to the people behind the scenes--they were tempted by the notion of secretly watching others, but ultimately decided it was wrong (at least the two characters who had the opportunity to be tested), while the people behind the scenes had no trouble watching everyone in the cabin.
ED: Oh, and did anyone else catch that the necklace that Hadley was wearing matched the emblem on the floor for the closing scene?
[ edited by PaperSpock on 2012-04-14 21:58 ]
PaperSpock | April 14, 12:51 CET
@theonetruebix | April 14, 12:54 CET
Re the blood, I don't remember the smashing vessel but I definitely agree that it would be inconveniently impossible to collect the kids' actual blood to fill the outlines (since Marty shouldn't shed enough, and Holden's should be all diluted in the lake), so I'm fine with it being pre-prepared blood from somewhere else. I didn't catch the little earthquake when the gods react to Marty not actually being dead yet, but have seen other people mention it too. So I need a rewatch for that at least...
skittledog | April 14, 13:01 CET
Sparticus | April 14, 13:10 CET
sumogrip | April 14, 13:11 CET
Nobody wanted Dismemberment Goblins? (I'm guessing... do any other words end in 'berment'?)
skittledog | April 14, 13:17 CET
And the parallels to Joss's tv shows was something else. "From beneath you it devours" ... what's beneath the cabin? Initiative-type secret operation with a lot of demons and mystical creatures in rooms, not to be experimented on, but turned loose on the victim who unwittingly chooses it.
Have to buy the DVD for sure because this begs multiple viewings.
[ edited by Tonya J on 2012-04-14 23:49 ]
Tonya J | April 14, 13:50 CET
jkalderash | April 14, 14:26 CET
Saw the movie again today, loved it. Audience seemed mixed on like and dislike, but about half clapped at the end, and plenty of laughs throughout. One guy on his cell phone on the way out: "There's never been a movie like his before, you can't compare it to anything else." I would disagree in specific (it seems built by and for comparison to horror films), but I love his enthusiasm!
bobw1o | April 14, 14:44 CET
Shapenew | April 14, 15:12 CET
@theonetruebix | April 14, 15:18 CET
I'll admit to being sleepy while watching (had to get up super early for a silly work meeting, and then had to see the early show because it's cheaper), so my opinions may change as I wake up more in the coming days. That being said, wow! Great idea, awfully good execution, fantastic casting. The fact that it doesn't feel at all dated despite being made three years ago makes me hopeful about the timelessness of it. And, oh yeah, the dialogue! "Well... good luck with your business..." "It was you, all right?! I learned it from watching you!" "Your basic human needs disgust me." I probably got those slightly wrong, but I'll be happy to commit the right words to memory after many more views when it comes out on DVD/Blu Ray.
Now, the not so great. All in all, it felt a bit... TV to me. I don't know how else to say that. Don't get me wrong, I love TV, so this isn't a horrible thing. I remember years ago, talking to a friend of mine, who said the same thing about "Serenity." I disagree with that, as I found "Serenity" to feel much more cinematic than "Firefly," but here... I don't know. I was especially feeling this way when the zombies rose. It just felt, look-wise, like something I'd see in an episode of "Buffy" - "Here's a center-framed zombie. Here's another. Here's one more. Here's a slightly elevated shot of three meandering zombies." A friend suggested that this is maybe an example of an homage to flicks that came before. Maybe.
That same friend didn't really dig the ending, but I was totally into it, I think *because* I've watched so much "Buffy" and "Angel" and have been trained to appreciate the idea of Old Ones rising up to take over. Because of this training, it genuinely took me by surprise when the world did end, since that just doesn't usually happen. Neat!
Other random things - I love that Hemsworth wasn't a "dumb" jock and that the virgin wasn't a virgin. I love that Marty's stonedness is the thing that allowed him to survive until the end. Hell, I just flat loved everything that Fran did in the film. Can Fran Kranz be super-famous already? And the worst thing about my experience? I had to get up and pee near the end and missed Whitford, Jenkins and Acker dying. Also, for that matter, did the Truman character die? Anyway, apparently I missed the Merman. Dang. Anyone wanna detail those deaths for me?
All in all, obviously, so much damn love for this movie. Thank you, Joss and Drew.
XanMan | April 14, 15:20 CET
@theonetruebix | April 14, 15:21 CET
"Was anyone else looking desperately for the Mutant Enemy mascot to be one of the monsters released?"
Not the Mutant Enemy mascot, but I did think that an appearance of The Gentlemen somewhere in that long shot of all the cells holding the monsters would have been epic.
Vandelay | April 14, 15:34 CET
The highlights of the film for me and my family were Marty and his bong, the harbinger on speaker phone, and when all the monsters got loose. I was semi spoiled for the movie beforehand. I've known the ending since 2009 but refused to read the script. I saw the original imdb cast listings which, btw, where was the werewolf wrangler in the movie? I had watched the first and second trailer which I honestly now wish I hadn't cause when Marty "died" I knew he would be back eventually so the umph from his return was kinda lost on me.
I'm glad that I didn't know that the film would end with a monster movie battle royale. Even with the imdb listings it didn't click in my head. In fact I was kinda clueless about the monsters in the cages when the virgin and the fool are in the elevator until the camera pans out into that beautiful shot of all the monsters. That was probably my favorite camera shot from the entire movie. I just loved it and thought it was breath taking and that was the moment I said to myself "this is a wonderful movie." My eyes went directly to the twins from The Shining so I didn't really see all the monsters in the cages. Guess that means I need to rewatch the movie several more times? I definitely think I do because I was nervous the entire like first 30 minutes I think before the killings started. I was nervous about how my family and the audience would react to the movie and whether I would actually like it or not. I didn't really settle in until I think the speaker phone scene. I will probably be able to enjoy the movie more and take everything in on a rewatch. I can't wait to own this movie on blu ray. I just wish I had more cash to see it in the theather more.
I think my audience enjoyed it. It got alot of laughs and I didn't see anyone walk out. I did see some people come in late or get up to go get snacks. I'm sitting there thinking "Wow, they are going to be so confused" because this film had little to no filler.
I got a question though which I don't think I've seen anyone here or on other sites bring up. What was the deal with the blonde kissing the wolf? At first I thought the wolf was going to come alive so I was pretty uncomfortable and waiting to see it bite her face off. Actually the way the blonde was acting extremely sexual with the fool and the scholar was off-putting to me as well. I'm not sure what I was supposed to think or feel there?
Edited to add. I have so many thoughts about this film and don't want to double post so I'll add some more thoughts.
Was anyone else surprised there was no vampire in the film? Or was the giant bat supposed to represent that? Also did anyone else expect the virgin to actually watch the scholar get naked? I was expecting her to take the painting back down when she saw how weird it was.
[ edited by eddy on 2012-04-15 00:53 ]
eddy | April 14, 15:49 CET
C. A. Bridges | April 14, 15:55 CET
Theres so much stuff to like in this movie. I loved the design of the cenobite. At first when he's there alone in the shadows I was freaked out thinking this huge imposing figure is going to bash away at the wall to kill them. But then he just walks up all sad looking playing with his cube. I said out loud to my sister "Oh crap. THATS HELLRAISER!" And the unicorn of death. How not scary at all it was yet brutal in its kill. I loved that part. I loved all the cutaways to the room/hallway covered in blood and entrails. Those poor commandos. I was kinda shocked the movie was as bloody as it was(and all the cursing, "fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you" was a great line that my family loved). I didn't know they(Joss and Drew) had it in them. But I'm glad they did.
[ edited by eddy on 2012-04-15 01:13 ]
eddy | April 14, 16:10 CET
b!X, maybe the control room crew somehow got blood samples of the five targets at the same time they were treating the hair dye, Marty's pot stash, etc.?
[ edited by Shapenew on 2012-04-15 01:11 ]
Shapenew | April 14, 16:10 CET
eddy | April 14, 16:16 CET
gossi | April 14, 16:17 CET
CITW was the best horror film I've seen since The Hills Have Eyes remake, The Descent, 28 Weeks Later, and Drag Me To Hell. Better than all 4 of those.
[ edited by eddy on 2012-04-15 01:30 ]
eddy | April 14, 16:25 CET
There was so much laughter at Hadley's and Sitterson's scenes that I missed a lot of their dialog.
Thinking back, it seems like almost every line also carried another meaning. From the obvious "let's get this show on the road" to the witty banter playing with the famous anti-drug PSA "I learned it from watching you" carried another voyeuristic meaning.
I really want to read it now that I've seen it.
garyyager | April 14, 16:29 CET
jcs | April 14, 16:34 CET
edited to add yeah, what you said jcs
[ edited by bloodyrockerswitch on 2012-04-15 01:41 ]
bloodyrockerswitch | April 14, 16:39 CET
[ edited by Squishy on 2012-04-15 01:46 ]
Squishy | April 14, 16:45 CET
Just got back from watching it so I'm still sorting out my feelings but overall I liked it much more than I was expecting to. I'm not really a fan of horror so was expecting to be grossed out/scared by the film but I wouldn't class the film as particularly gory or frightening (well, there are certainly some points about human nature to be made but I mean more on the shocks and scares front). I was going to support Joss and Drew more than anything but found myself to be very pleasantly surprised that the film has a very Mutant Enemy feel to it and really makes you think afterwards. Kristen Connolly and Fran Kranz were really great.
For the comment about it being too TV... I can see that. There were some very cinematic shots in there - the shots of the beautiful woods, the shot of Dana swimming up out of the lake.. but there were also only a few sets and a small amount of the CGI monsters felt a bit TV (that might just be my feel though as I find a lot of CGI takes me out of the moment) it had a pretty low budget though so that's understandable (some of the CGI was also excellent I must add, mixed bag).
I did feel that the audience I saw it with (teens and people in their early-20s) were expecting something different, there was a lot of restlessness in the first 30 minutes or so until the violence started happening. They seemed to get more into it after that but I felt that aside from myself and the people I went with the overall feeling was lukewarm, though it's hard to tell what people might think afterwards as this is definitely a film I'll need to think about and re-watch.
Leaf | April 14, 16:47 CET
losthero47 | April 14, 16:53 CET
Actually I wasn't surprised or put off by the whole 'being too TV' thing, this is a low budget movie, and obviously every bit of CGI had to be treasured and spent where it would have the most bang for their limited buck.
Oh and after the fact, when we see that Marty is still alive even though his 'blood' was already presented to the Old Ones, pretty much confirms that the blood flow is symbolic and not the victim's own blood. At least that is how I understood it.
embers | April 14, 17:04 CET
Also, I noticed at the prescreening but haven't seen it discussed. The "Glitch in '98" was the fault of the chemistry department, joked about to the lead chemist at the beginning of the film. Anyone notice that the glitch this time was also chemistry's fault? Marty's pot "immunized" him from all their chemicals, allowing him to keep a clear head, which helped get Dana's mind going, and presumably helped him not only survive his zombie attach, but to figure out the elevator, etc...
Speaking of, it's subtle, but here's the timeline of the faulty cave in: No order is given initially, Hadley and Stitterson's faults. Marty starts hacking at stuff, coincidentally disrupting the circuit. Hadley notices the tunnel, orders the cave-in, but nothing happens. Stitterson helps re-route at the last second. The blame by the munitions dept on something happening upstairs is timed immediately before the reveal that Marty is alive. Stitterson, "what do you mean, upstairs?" they know the zombies didn't do it, and the only other people up there are... Then the phone rings to tell them someone is still alive.
bobw1o | April 14, 17:14 CET
@garyyager: The companion volume from Titan Books (next week) has the script.
@theonetruebix | April 14, 17:18 CET
embers | April 14, 17:22 CET
On the blood vials. I did see the glass break the first time, but assumed it came from Jules. That never made sense to me though. When Marty didn't die, and the zombie blood is darker, I assumed it must be pre-drawn blood (from wherever). Upon a second viewing I really think that's the case. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if that blood was all from the same source and the source was maybe Hadly, or the Director, or a combination of those in charge. It makes sense in the greater idea of the ritual, that the person doing the sacrifice must give something of themself as well. And as Spike said, it's always got to be blood.
bobw1o | April 14, 17:36 CET
steverogers | April 14, 17:47 CET
@steverogers -
I understand. The last third of this movie is a thrill ride that keeps escalating and escalating until there is no where to go. Except it does, off the cliff. To misquote spinal tap "You're on 10, all the way up, all the way up...Where can you go from there? Nowhere. What we do, is if we need that extra push over the cliff...11." I think 11 might be too far. The ending is like a car blowing an engine or tire on the last lap but still winning the race. Fantastic, but slightly better if that didn't just happen. But need to see again.
garyyager | April 14, 18:06 CET
My biggest question: How did this movie ever get made?? I cannot imagine a more difficult movie to market. And even if you could market it effectively, I have to think that this movie has a very limited audience. Horror is an already marginalized, subversive genre. And then Joss and Drew come along, trying to subvert the subversion!
That said, I think it has cult classic written all over it. Kinda like a Repo Man of horror movies or something...
Squishy | April 14, 18:55 CET
Haven't read through all the comments yet but did we ever find out what was written on the side of the cabin as shown on the website?
A_Leaf | April 14, 19:04 CET
Jules' behavior in general is explained as being a result of the hair dye, I believe. Makes her dumber and also more sexual. Hence the weird fireplace dance, the wolf make-out, etc.
Just got back from my second viewing. I think I liked it even better this time. I want to wait for the hype to die down, but this might be one of my favorite films ever from any genre. Just hits all my buttons.
sumogrip | April 14, 19:05 CET
If this film is successful, they WILL have a marketable genre. They'll just say "like Cabin in the Woods."
And I think this movie got made because Goddard has skins on the wall with both Whedon and Abrams, while already having Cloverfield under his belt. It's fun to imagine the Mutant Enemy team as the underdogs that we root for... but that's not really what they are anymore.
azzers | April 14, 19:06 CET
I felt it had to do alot with the meta horror movie commentary going on. He was saying how if the characters don't "win" in the end and the world doesnt go back to normal; there is a more interesting story there that gets cut off.
A_Leaf | April 14, 19:10 CET
heidilee | April 14, 19:10 CET
I just saw it alone at the afternoon matinee, because my wife isn't into gore, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Very satisfying, but it would have been so much more fun if I could have seen it with my brothers!!
Sunder | April 14, 19:35 CET
The other huge marketing problem is the need to avoid spoilers, which is much more pronounced with this movie than any other that i can think of. How do you market a movie when the very act of describing it is likely to significantly diminish the impact of the viewing experience?
Yes, Joss and Drew are no longer underdogs. But this movie sure is. The very fact that we're even seeing it in theaters suggests to me that Joss has gained significant influence in the entertainment industry. And that's just one more reason to love this movie.
[ edited by Squishy on 2012-04-15 04:48 ]
Squishy | April 14, 19:46 CET
speaker phone
white board
the Cenobite-looking guy...love the original Hellraiser so that struck a nerve with me
Sigourney Weaver - I was unspoiled for this which was great.
merman
"I think we should split up."
"Really?"
bong/travel mug
the reveal of the creatures in their cells
Kristen Connolly and Fran Kranz were both superb.
I'm a big horror fan. I thought the zombies were somewhat scary but overall I didn't think the film was particularly scary. The humor and meta aspects made up for that with me though. I will see it again in the cinema and buy it on home video when it's released. Kudos to Joss and Drew for a job well done.
Yefa | April 14, 19:57 CET
mnspnr | April 14, 20:12 CET
crazygolfa | April 14, 20:21 CET
I'm so glad that Fran is getting some public kudos. Despite some early people disliking his Topher on Dollhouse I always thought he was great and in Cabin he was able to shine.
SteveP | April 14, 20:34 CET
@theonetruebix | April 14, 20:39 CET
StompyFoot | April 14, 20:53 CET
Tumnus | April 14, 21:21 CET
However, I have a group of friends who went last night and hated it. They aren't really fans of genre/off-beat stories, so I guess it doesn't surprise me. I have been thinking about the whole "was it marketed correctly?" question, but I don't think I have any answers.
kali0712 | April 14, 21:35 CET
OneTeV | April 14, 21:46 CET
prophecygrrl | April 14, 22:01 CET
@theonetruebix | April 14, 22:17 CET
Tin Ear Tom | April 14, 23:09 CET
I went to a screening/Q&A last week with Drew Goddard and someone asked him about Kevin. Drew didn't elaborate much on it but according to him, you can find Kevin among the monsters? I watched CitW for the second time tonight and still couldn't find him. Granted, I was mostly trying to keep an eye out for a guy with a nametag that says "Kevin" so I may have missed a subtle reference or something...
prophecygrrl | April 14, 23:52 CET
Truly for me, he IS horror defined.
apollo11 | April 15, 00:23 CET
Plus having zombie, vampire, angry molesting tree and Kevin on the same board is hilarious.
As to how to market it, go horror. Universal tried horror comedy ads before with Slither, as have Lionsgate, and they aways result in box office bombs.
[ edited by gossi on 2012-04-15 10:38 ]
gossi | April 15, 01:36 CET
Leaf | April 15, 02:20 CET
One scene which sticks with me - the boobs scene. That's really well played.
gossi | April 15, 02:36 CET
Seeing it again tonight, so many things to look out for and appreciate now. For a film I wasn't even sure I enjoyed until about an hour after it was over (and was actually unsure if I could stand watching it again), I can't believe how much I'm looking forward to seeing it again so soon.
apollo11 | April 15, 03:30 CET
It's interesting that the giant hand seems to be the part splitting the geeky consensus so completely: I've seen a lot of people saying they loved it up until that point. Aside from the CGI (a touch cheesy, definitely), that was the moment at which the film gained my complete allegiance, honestly, and I don't think I'd be as happy with it if it had backed down from there. Without showing it, there'd be a lot of people speculating that maybe the world didn't end, that something in Marty & Dana's willingness to sit there and die would complete the ritual and save the world, or that The Director had just been lying to serve some other purpose. Show it, and suddenly you have the underdog triumph feelgood factor tied into the absolutely certain extinction of humanity. And it is just so wonderfully crazy that they were able to pull that off - it adds a whole extra layer of appreciation for me. I love it.
skittledog | April 15, 03:40 CET
gossi | April 15, 04:06 CET
Pretty_Hate_Machine | April 15, 04:18 CET
garyyager | April 15, 04:25 CET
[ edited by Pretty_Hate_Machine on 2012-04-15 13:31 ]
Pretty_Hate_Machine | April 15, 04:30 CET
My reasoning was not that I thought it would have been a Hollywood ending without it, but that I had already bought the end of the world scenario, and therefore it was an unecessary rimshot.
If anything I would compare it to the ending of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I know what happens after that final freeze frame so have no need to see it happen for confirmation.
But hey, I can always press stop when the DVD comes out, if I remained unconvinced. And for those that do applaud the hand I begrudge them not their enjoyment.
I still adored the movie.
viewingfigures | April 15, 04:35 CET
All in all, a very funny "horror" movie that I would have given 5 out of 5 stars, but it seemed to lose steam in the last 10 minutes. Too many monsters attacking and not enough witty dialogue. Sadly, it doesn't seem to be making a dent at the box office...again. I think Joss is cursed. Maybe some witches...Some evil witches...
We'reDoomed | April 15, 05:21 CET
[ edited by mustang5o on 2012-04-15 14:41 ]
mustang5o | April 15, 05:37 CET
gossi | April 15, 05:38 CET
[ edited by Derf on 2012-04-15 15:15 ]
Derf | April 15, 06:09 CET
zeitgeist | April 15, 06:29 CET
Most modern horror films end with a bang, instead of a whimper.
Something like the villain's arm popping out of the rubble, an unexpected kill ("Blade 2" comes to mind), or a new threat (to set up the pointless sequel). In that context, this movie *had* to finish off with something besides watching the two of them on the ground.
This movie also paid off everything that it set up. See a hand print on the winnebago door? Expect the unexpected passenger. See the bong collapse into a coffee mug? See it extend into a bat-like weapon. The pit was shown, the elder gods mentioned... it was probably too tempting not to actually show one.
[ edited by OneTeV on 2012-04-15 15:33 ]
OneTeV | April 15, 06:32 CET
Shapenew | April 15, 06:37 CET
Seems to me that this is a pretty successful opening weekend, and I'm hoping it will building more of an audience as people hear that it is funny, smart and different.
embers | April 15, 06:51 CET
gossi | April 15, 06:55 CET
embers | April 15, 07:01 CET
gossi | April 15, 07:05 CET
Maybe I shouldn't open this can of worms, but I'm really starting to see parallels to Goddard's Cloverfield here. Hugely polarizing movie that one, but the hate seemed to come from folks who were pissed they didn't get a Roland Emmerich flick. Both films do belong to their respective genres, but what makes them great is the way they turn those genres on their heads.
Ozzel | April 15, 07:34 CET
* When Joss deconstructs a genre, he doesn't mess around. How many times in a horror film have I wondered why he/she dropped the weapon? Well, it's because the handle was electrified and some middle-aged dude in a control room pushed a button, that's why. Duh.
* Could this be the ultimate Reefer Madness "drugs are bad" morality film? Hey pothead, you may think you have all the answers and see things others don't, but your self-centred screw-the-system enjoyment of life will be mankind's downfall.
AlanD | April 15, 07:43 CET
And yes, I hadn't thought of Cloverfield, Ozzel. Good point. I loved that film, like, a whole lot.
gossi | April 15, 07:45 CET
Simon | April 15, 07:48 CET
OneTeV | April 15, 07:51 CET
Quick laundry list of things that made me sit up and take notice.
- Opening: an office water cooler? Then the "Cabin in the Woods" slammed over it.
- Speakerphone: the 2nd chastisement "I'm still on, aren't I?"
- The White Board: Everything on it.
- The quip about the blonde hair dye "lowers her inhibitions and makes her stupid" (apologies for bad paraphrasing).
- The wolf kiss: the pickup lines before the kiss. Brilliant.
- The unblinking stares in the control room during the oral sex scene. Any and all meta about voyeurism. Yes, that means you, audience. Sitting there. Watching this. Feeling shitty yet?
- Amy Acker (beer): "They're celebrating. I'm drinking."
- Race to the tunnel/control board: mixed emotions on who should win.
- The red purge button: Immediately thought of "Out of Gas" and smiled to myself. Nervously.
- The zombies eating the first round of dead troopers. The pause. The long stare.
- The shot of the blood-soaked elevator lobby...the second elevator ding...cutaway before the doors open.
- The Director (virgin): "We work with what we can get."
- Everything Marty said.
The showing I attended (Austin, TX) was packed, and the audience appreciative. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has been drumming this movie for a while now.
I was having so much fun, I couldn't refrain from exclaiming out loud. Repeatedly. I just hope I didn't ruin it for the guy sitting next to me.
[ edited by Hera on 2012-04-15 17:08 ]
Hera | April 15, 08:05 CET
jcs | April 15, 08:10 CET
Fascinating to watch Cabin reactions on Twitter.
apollo11 | April 15, 08:17 CET
And I *loved* that our warning not to talk before the film was a clip from Firefly. :-)
erendis | April 15, 08:40 CET
[ edited by Tonya J on 2012-04-15 18:14 ]
Tonya J | April 15, 09:09 CET
I've always appreciated the Alamo's grandiose threats, and their dedication to offering up the best cinematic experience. We did get some great Buffy clips as openers, though. Also a clip from an Asian film where a piano ate a young girl. -)
We're blessed that we live in such a movie-savvy town.
Hera | April 15, 09:11 CET
When the hell was the screening in Philly? I kept watching out for one, but never saw it listed!
I've seen the movie three times so far, but now I feel cheated! There is no Fran Kranz to talk about it afterward!
Anyway, have to grade more papers so I can see the movie again today. If I can't get to it, I'll go to an early matinee after work tomorrow. I rarely go to movies, but where Joss movies are concerned, the theater is my second home!
All that aside, my 22-yr.-old daughter and I laughed and "wowed" through the movie (my first viewing). We got it. We had so much fun analyzing it as it proceeded.
My husband didn't get it (my second viewing). His sophistication with regards to movies goes as deep as an Abbott and Costello movie. I have tried to get him to view things in a more discerning and thoughtful way, but he's the type of person who needs things to be plain and obvious. It's very frustrating.
I went a third time with my 18-year-old twins. My daughter didn't say much (other than that she liked it - she is, after all, a Joss fan, also). My son would giggle periodically throughout the day afterward, as he thought of different scenes in the movie. We both ended up talking about it several times afterward, analyzing what different scenes were about. He loved the scene where Marty is outside peeing, and Carl suddenly crashes into him. He jumped out of his seat when that happened, and we all laughed out loud. Much fun was had!
OK... back to work.☺
Nebula1400 | April 15, 09:25 CET
garyyager | April 15, 09:37 CET
@theonetruebix | April 15, 09:38 CET
garyyager | April 15, 09:55 CET
Bishop | April 15, 09:58 CET
I just realized that Angry Molesting Tree isn't just a funny name but also a reference to the movie Poltergeist. Joss just loves to make things that reward the people who obsess about them. :)
[ edited by Ronald_SF on 2012-04-15 19:40 ]
Ronald_SF | April 15, 10:40 CET
Vandelay | April 15, 10:46 CET
@theonetruebix | April 15, 10:48 CET
I just realised I will buy this on DVD if they do commentary. Because that's a commentary I need to hear.
gossi | April 15, 10:56 CET
C. A. Bridges | April 15, 11:00 CET
Though the tree in Poltergeist was definitely "angry." Who thinks of these things? Hehe.
And whoever thought that clowns were cute and meant for children? I don't know a single person who isn't scared of clowns.
Ronald_SF | April 15, 11:34 CET
Following the whole "the movie is a metaphor for a movie" idea, then surely Marty would be the "actor with a drug problem" who goes off-script and off the rails, and ends up totally ruining everything.
The whole thing is so meta, I'm surprised Abed wasn't in one of the boxes.
AlanD | April 15, 11:48 CET
This made me laugh out loud. Like, actually.
gossi | April 15, 12:14 CET
jcs | April 15, 12:23 CET
Buffyfantic | April 15, 12:58 CET
That would have been amazing.
I don't really understand how people could not like it. It's not perfect, but it was just so fun.
It seemed convenient to have an unmanned control room right there for them, but the chaos that was unleashed was just pure epicness.
Could anyone make out what Tom Lenk's sign said near the end?
hacksaway | April 15, 13:23 CET
The glitch in '98 = Homecoming??
Broadcast in 98, features a cabin in the woods, but Buffy wins!
bivith | April 15, 13:32 CET
gossi | April 15, 13:39 CET
AlanD | April 15, 14:00 CET
embers | April 15, 14:05 CET
No idea what "the Huron" could be. I figured that the ballerina was the Sugarplum Fairy.
redders | April 15, 14:08 CET
gossi | April 15, 14:11 CET
AlanD | April 15, 14:21 CET
redders | April 15, 14:22 CET
Sunfire | April 15, 14:30 CET
redders | April 15, 14:36 CET
Charmuse | April 15, 14:38 CET
skittledog | April 15, 14:39 CET
garyyager | April 15, 14:46 CET
I would love to study how what other audience members are reacting like influences people on this one and how they rate it in the end. Can definitely see it as a possible factor.
Settle a bet someone; is the line "good work zombie arm" or "good job zombie arm"?
[ edited by apollo11 on 2012-04-15 23:54 ]
apollo11 | April 15, 14:48 CET
Saying that, I loved it. And I hate horror films. Loved that the target five were demonstrably more than their assigned roles, the humor, the twists. All of it. But I knew from the opening imagery that it was going to turn out they were a sacrifice. Didn't damage my enjoyment of the movie though.
Saw it Sunday afternoon in a smallish theater that had about 30-35 people. Lots of laughing, so I think almost everyone was having a good time.
[ edited by NYPinTA on 2012-04-15 23:50 ]
NYPinTA | April 15, 14:49 CET
hacksaway | April 15, 14:57 CET
I'm pretty sure the zombie arm line was "good work." I'm not sure why I would remember that but I do.
Sunfire | April 15, 15:08 CET
hacksaway | April 15, 15:10 CET
No, but I do now. +1
AlanD | April 15, 15:14 CET
Of course, I spent the whole movie being wrong about what was going to happen next, so maybe that's just me. :)
jcs | April 15, 15:27 CET
apollo11 | April 15, 15:30 CET
I'm pretty terrified of horror movies, so I really liked the way the movie was able to transform tense moments into comedic ones. Particularly the scene with Marty peeing outside- I jumped when Curt appeared, then laughed my head off when they knocked over Patience.
[ edited by Like With Pie on 2012-04-16 00:45 ]
Like With Pie | April 15, 15:38 CET
Something else that has nagged at me is about 3/4 of the way through, someone makes the remark they didn't think Curt even had a cousin, so how did they come to be at or invited to the cabin in the first place (which made me think Curt was in on it somehow).
Tonya J | April 15, 15:44 CET
And then there was one truly kind of profound bit of audience reaction. When it's down to just Dana on the docks, and Hadley gives his little mini-speech about rooting for her, and then pivots to the tequila gag... the audience, en masse, refused to follow him.
Dead, pin-drop silence. And it was clear, not least of which because even the guy who was laughing at everything the entire movie didn't laugh at the pivot, that it wasn't because they didn't get the beat, get the joke, whatever. It was because they'd decided to stay with the sentiment about Dana for that beat or two more, wanted no part of Hadley at that moment.
Dead silence. Not a rustle, or a titter, or a cough. It was kind of chilling. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and a little voice in my head went, "Wow." All I could think later was, go movie, go Kristen.
@theonetruebix | April 15, 15:54 CET
*I know it's not actually the Initiative...
Like With Pie | April 15, 16:07 CET
@theonetruebix | April 15, 16:12 CET
I also thought it was interesting how Joss was portraying exactly what he had rejected in creating Buffy: the cliche of the blonde girl getting victimized in a horror film. Only this time he attacked the cliche by daring us to get kicks out of something so sadistic and brutal.
Hey, could we start a thread to list all the tropes and references to pop culture and other horror movies that we can find? That would be fun.
Ronald_SF | April 15, 16:18 CET
[ edited by bobw1o on 2012-04-16 01:26 ]
bobw1o | April 15, 16:25 CET
@theonetruebix | April 15, 16:42 CET
I'm not a huge fan of scary movies but I really loved this one, mostly because it was smart and funny with a little bit of scary mixed in.
number85 | April 15, 16:53 CET
As an absurdist, I saw those ideas through the entire film and I did filter its thesis through that lens. I expect this will be Joss' first work that will maintain a cult following while missing the mainstream, but I think (as we've seen) more critics will continue to love it more than anything he's done. If anything, this bodes well for the future of Joss, Drew, and horror.
Top moments for me:
-All the dialogue
-The audience being forced to see themselves (if they thought that far)
-Fran, of course
-Tension done well
-The little things that made certain moments more than they should have been. Jules making out with the wolf left everyone in my theater freaked out. You could feel it
-The growth from standard horror-fare into, well, what we expect from Joss and Co. Namely, not once in the last act did I feel like Fran or Connelly were the lead. They both shared equally
-Tom Lenk and Weaver. My friend recognized Weaver's voice immediately, but it was still a blast to see her
-Lastly, but certainly not least, I love love love seeing Amy Acker in a lab coat
And now I'm off to start amyackerinalabcoat.tumblr.com
[ edited by Sigfodr on 2012-04-16 02:20 ]
Sigfodr | April 15, 17:19 CET
Squishy | April 15, 17:44 CET
@theonetruebix | April 15, 17:51 CET
Squishy, I had to ask my girlfriend about the "I got it from watching you" bit afterwards - I could tell it was a reference, but not what to.
sab39 | April 15, 18:11 CET
Tonya J | April 15, 18:17 CET
embers | April 15, 18:28 CET
Destructo Girl | April 15, 18:29 CET
Invisible Green | April 15, 18:38 CET
I loved the speaker phone bit and Bradley Whitford. I loved Weaver's cameo.
Really my favorite scene was the moving boxes of monsters. Awesome.
I do want to see again to catch more of the references. But please don't flame me, it's just at times the movie didn't resonate the way all of Whedon's past works have.
Is it bad that Bradley Whitford was the character that I wanted to live?
I went in spoiler free so I really didn't know what to expect.
hann23 | April 15, 19:00 CET
Delivering: http://amyackerinalabcoat.tumblr.com/
Sigfodr | April 15, 19:32 CET
The reference seems like a reflection of the larger fact that this entire movie is a very exclusive but nonetheless wonderful inside joke for those who are in on some very particular pop culture references. I like to think I "got" a lot of this movie, but I wonder how much more i missed. Probably a lot more than I got.
Speaking of obscure pop culture references, the opening sequence with the all caps red title exploding onto the frozen screen? Total seventies grind house horror! And I love how they set up the villains with water cooler talk among middle age, middle management types with normal, mundane problems. We have seen the face of evil, and it is all of us. At least, those of us over thirty.
Squishy | April 15, 20:11 CET
NYPinTA | April 15, 20:18 CET
Good call NYPinTA, that's the truly obvious answer isn't it? If true, I definitely did not notice him between 2 viewings. If there was only one person in a creepy white mask (and not in a suit) I would've said that was it.
[ edited by bobw1o on 2012-04-16 05:24 ]
bobw1o | April 15, 20:21 CET
It was just a standard horror movie plot that all the wacky machinations fed into which I thought was rather elegant and funny in its own way. And even with that, there was plenty of metaphor there if you cared to find it.
I loved that Dana fires the gun AND the plot doesn't absolve her of it. I love that "saving" mankind ultimately requires killing the "fool" who can see the strings.
And the hand of god just made me giggle. I can see the comedy of nothing happening, but I can also see that as over-the-top nihilistic and even Goddard himself didn't want this film to feel like a "downer" in the same interview he called the film "triumphant nihilism." So they ended with cartoonish destruction rather than chilling revelation.
Why does Mutant Enemy love snuffing Amy Acker so much? One thing I've learned: if Amy Acker is a cast member, her character shan't reach the brass ring of AARP membership.
[ edited by azzers on 2012-04-16 06:24 ]
azzers | April 15, 20:48 CET
QingTing | April 15, 21:02 CET
miroir_noir | April 15, 21:14 CET
(What, you thought the mention of a battle was just a throwaway to set up the plot? Don't you know Joss *at all*?)
gianetta | April 15, 21:40 CET
Tat | April 15, 21:46 CET
[ edited by Charmuse on 2012-04-16 06:53 ]
Charmuse | April 15, 21:53 CET
electricspacegirl | April 15, 22:03 CET
Giles_314 | April 15, 22:12 CET
sumogrip | April 15, 22:40 CET
@theonetruebix | April 15, 23:16 CET
AlanD | April 15, 23:20 CET
Simon | April 15, 23:39 CET
I had watched the trailers once but had forgotten about the elevator scene so I was surprised - and happy - when Marty showed up.
One of the things I want to see on the DVD is the picture covering the one-way mirror. It seems like a metaphor for the whole film from what I could see of it. A pack of wolves? beasts? ripping apart people (I assume) while a lone figure stands in the background just watching.
I want to see all the objects in the basement and how they relate to the monsters.
I also want to see it again knowing what happens because I think I was so afraid that it was going to be scary that I kept internally calling the actors by their real names to remind myself that it was a movie. Also I saw it with a group of people and the woman beside me kept pointing out the Stargate actors who were in it, which kind of took me out of it a bit.
I still don't know how to describe it to people without spoiling it to encourage them to see it!
samatwitch | April 16, 01:05 CET
Another possibility for the glitch in `98 (although I do like the Homecoming theory)... it happens to be the year a certain Alien Resurrection was around and came out on VHS. Horror movie, Sigourney Weaver, Joss... consider this conspiracy started!
I've also been stuck at how to describe it for people without spoiling it. Very hard. People who don't `get` the meta aspect won't like it, but if you tell them, it gives away a lot. I pity Lionsgate for having to figure out how to market this.
[ edited by apollo11 on 2012-04-16 12:18 ]
apollo11 | April 16, 03:13 CET
garyyager | April 16, 04:41 CET
"Trapped in a closet
Dragonbat has my scent
Send help!"
I don't imagine I will like any film this year as much as I liked Cabin. And that includes The Hobbit (coming from a hardcore fantasy geek). Good showing this weekend, hopefully word-of-mouth will help keep it going!
narse | April 16, 04:53 CET
Basically, looking back on the destruction of the "downstairs" and all its gore is how I visualized the end of the Initiative, and it feels so good.
Also, everyone in my audience seemed to cheer at anything weed related. Even the slightest mention of Marty being high or acting odd. Like, way more reaction to drugs than anything else.
Sigfodr | April 16, 05:09 CET
My friends and I were confused why she would say that. Was she misinformed? Actually remembered the reviews that way? Or was she making it up so that her opinion would have more support?
OneTeV | April 16, 05:11 CET
My audience laughed at the tequila moment, so it's interesting that others would decide en masse not to. I always wonder how much the random selection of people you end up in a cinema with affects your enjoyment.
And garyyager - yes! Me too! Even though I haven't seen Monsters Inc since it came out...
skittledog | April 16, 05:40 CET
The Unicorn of Death = Bad Horse !! {{laugh-snort like a 12-year-old}}
Tonya J | April 16, 07:29 CET
samatwitch | April 16, 07:31 CET
Ummm, wow. I guess we didn't see the same movie, nor did we go for the same reasons. I suspect this might be a reason for some of the extreme 'hated it' reactions to Cabin.
I'm a long-time horror fan, and I thoroughly enjoyed CitW - I just need to see it again. Too many things to take in for just one viewing!
m'cookies actual | April 16, 08:35 CET
[ edited by AlanD on 2012-04-16 17:54 ]
AlanD | April 16, 08:47 CET
gossi | April 16, 08:49 CET
zeitgeist | April 16, 10:37 CET
I managed to be really unspoiled. I knew that there were people in an office building in addition to the kids in the woods, so I was obviously expecting someone "pulling the strings", but beyond that I knew nothing. And yet, when the opening credit sequences rolled with the blood and the art depicting human sacrifice throughout the ages, I felt instantly "spoiled" to thinking "oh, so they're being sacrificed and sacrifices are still going on today, they've just been modernized."
That being said, I think Joss and Drew have messed with my head enough that I honestly did NOT see Franz's return coming. I hadn't seen the trailer/commercials that showed him in the elevator, so I wasn't waiting for that. I really thought he was gone! I was shocked he went so early, but then I just thought "well, that's Joss for you."
I completely expected the film to end when it looked like only the virgin was left and the workers were all celebrating. "I'm an intern." (Hi Andrew!) It seemed completely within the non-standard logic of the story for it to end with no one caring if the last "teen" dies in the background while they all drink and celebrate. I had had no sense of time up to that point, it didn't seem short. I really thought it was over.
The whole blood bath at the end was just completely ridiculously awesome. I couldn't help think that what happened in that elevator/hallway was what Angel & Co. were facing at the end of Season 5 in the alley.
I see others saw parallels with Wolfram & Hart too. I got so much Meta-Whedon enjoyment out of it. Later that night I couldn't sleep, not because I'd been scared, but because my brain wouldn't stop thinking about all the parallels to Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse.
I had NO clue Sigourney Weaver was in it. When her voice first popped up I recognized it immediately and thought "how cool that Joss got her to do a voice cameo." Then when she ACTUALLY showed up and got an axe in her head I was a bit beyond giddy.
I want the Blu-Ray with commentary ASAP!!
hmbscully | April 16, 10:40 CET
"Not a horror fan at all. I lack the requisit sadism."
Don't know if anyone is still posting in this topic, but just wanted to add us true horror fans (namely, those of us that do not consider the likes of Saw horror films) are not sadists. We're masochists ;)
Vandelay | April 16, 11:26 CET
At some point I decided that the sacrifice would not be completed, and that, despite this, the world would *not* end. So the world ending, and the giant hand, sort of disappointed me. I’d thought the film would say: people have been placating the “gods” forever with human sacrifices and this is the wrong approach. (Not all sacrifices have involved slaughter: so many people don’t really *live* because they think life is only a waiting room for heaven, and this can amount to a long, life-sucking sacrifice of what a person potentially could be.)
I’d even thought the ending might release some previously unforeseen good. Something the sacrifices had always prevented by their existence. But that didn’t happen.
Except it did. The idea of the earth being destroyed because humans fail to please a god is ludicrous. And if we’re going to imagine such an ending being fulfilled, it really *should* be represented by a giant comic hand. And, if you recognize the ludicrousness of it, you’re free to reimagine the purpose of life, and free to redesign your own life. Great ending!
Something else I really liked: those horrors arranged in glass cubes are our fears, which will devour us if we let them. The clown, previously seen in “Nightmares” (Buffy season 1), was a tip-off. They didn’t devour Dana and Marty, who learned what was going on yet refused to buy into the whole human-sacrifice-is-necessary thing. We didn’t see them get to walk away afterward, but in a way they did: they went out as us.
anniem | April 16, 11:38 CET
I expected the movie to be good, but I didn't expect it to be *so* good. It's the ultimate existentialist movie - cruel, sarcastic and unexpectedly enlightened.
Plus, it's a proof that all seven seasons of Lost could be easily squeezed into 90 minutes.
Kudos!
Moscow Watcher | April 16, 12:36 CET
Simon | April 16, 12:36 CET
emmy | April 16, 12:43 CET
If Community comes back next year (it better), I can't wait for Abed to talk about Cabin.
I'm holding onto my belief that it was "Good job, zombie arm," until I see it again...
ETA: I listen primarily to a classic rock radio station, and right after posting this I happened to notice that what was playing was "Roll With The Changes" That song will never be the same <3
[ edited by DreamRose311 on 2012-04-16 21:58 ]
DreamRose311 | April 16, 12:53 CET
Tonya J | April 16, 12:58 CET
It's one of those, "if you're confused by your reaction, it's ok" kind of movies. It's supposed to be fun.
azzers | April 16, 13:39 CET
azzers | April 16, 13:41 CET
ETA: On another topic, the line is, "Good work, zombie arm."
[ edited by The One True b!X on 2012-04-16 23:08 ]
@theonetruebix | April 16, 14:07 CET
Simon | April 16, 14:17 CET
I can't wait to see it in English on DVD.
There were giant posters of The Avengers in the movie theater. Tomorrow there will be a press-conference with The Avengers crew (sans Joss, alas) and then the premiere.
Ladies and gentlemen - Joss Whedon, man who destroyed the world and saved the world within two weeks!
Moscow Watcher | April 16, 14:42 CET
narse | April 16, 14:51 CET
@theonetruebix | April 16, 15:16 CET
AlanD | April 16, 16:19 CET
electricspacegirl | April 16, 17:27 CET
embers | April 17, 18:38 CET
guidedby | April 17, 22:50 CET
AGHGHGHGH pulling out hair in the theater illusion-smasher.
KingofCretins | April 17, 23:10 CET
Simon | April 17, 23:54 CET
I wonder if you watched "Buffalo Soldiers" (I guess you did because I remember that you're a Scott Glenn fan). It's the same model of human behavior. Complete amorality, utter irresponsibility.
Moscow Watcher | April 18, 02:17 CET
Maybe the monitor showed him offline because he was down in the "machinery" for a while where there were no monitors? Then when he emerged from the grave and was making his way to the lake, that is when upstairs spotted him and alerted the monitoring room that things were not over yet? The timing would be right.
(Another possibility is that the monitors were just for when they were in the house but that leads to other awkward questions.)
As a side note, while I enjoyed the movie greatly, I did not think it was very scary. I enjoyed the meta, but I think that sort of thing should always be secondary to a good moving story.
lottalettuce | April 18, 21:13 CET
And in an office pool, come on! Angry Molesting Tree? Who (besides Sam Raimi) would bet on that? Okay, I would.
Tat | April 18, 21:35 CET
Marty's injury irked more than going off camera, surviving and no one noticing. One thing Hadley and Sitterson certainly didn't seem to lack was hubris. So that they would miss something they thought was already taken care of (like I don't know... chemistry problems) isn't shocking. But the Only a Flesh wound is a major horror trope, so even calling it a plot hole here would be asking for something out of the genre.
Here's my thing... I noticed gaps in the plot, I noticed tone issues, and I noticed meta to excess going on. I still loved the movie, as did most critics. I can totally dig why those flaws might have sunk the film for parts of the general audience, but to ask them to change it is to ask for an entirely different movie. And I was happy with this one.
azzers | April 19, 10:38 CET
crazygolfa | April 19, 15:27 CET
Sunfire | April 19, 17:38 CET
This movie has so many memorable scenes it's ridiculous:
-Speakerphone.
-"Zombies are totally different than redneck-zombie-torture-family. They're as different as an elephant and an elephant seal."
-The sound of an elevator ding will never be the same. Holy crap. That scene rips the lid right off of it. And then straight through to the end it just doesn't stop.
-"I'm sorry I let you get attacked by a werewolf and then ended the world."
I'm really glad I went in unspoiled, but on the other hand, knowing the movie's secrets won't affect further viewings. It's not like The Sixth Sense, where once you know the reveal that's basically it. It's about the awesome ride.
dispatch | April 20, 16:13 CET
On a related note, based on the gas station scene, anything other than the Buckners would have felt a bit inconsistent, as their lore is trumped up by Mordecai.
Another new catch was the rumbling after Marty's "death." I just now realized that the ancients were saying, "Hey, NOT DEAD!"
PaperSpock | April 20, 18:03 CET
Then the floor rumbled, which they misinterpreted as Marty dying, and that cinched it. Sloppy of them, yes. But it wasn't exactly "hey I can't see him anymore he must be dead" either.
dispatch | April 20, 20:28 CET
Hera | April 21, 04:56 CET
Just as much fun the second time and I was able to pay more attention to little things more.
Can't wait for the Blu Ray release of this.
Buffyfantic | April 21, 13:14 CET
dorotea | April 21, 19:54 CET