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Gareth von Kallenbach (962 KP) rated The Cabin in the Woods (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Joss Whedon (of Buffy/Firefly/Avengers fame) has written one of the most interestingly confusing scripts in recent history (with the help of co-writer Drew Goddard, who also directed the film). Starring Chris Hemsworth (Thor) as “the jock,” and a cast of other young folk, The Cabin in the Woods tackles what’s best described as an entirely new genre of filmmaking. This became obvious to me immediately after experiencing the last 30 seconds of the film.
The movie starts off with two disjointed storylines. In one plot thread, you have five college kids heading out for a weekend at a cabin on a lake. In the other, you have two professionally dressed desk jockeys going to work in what seems to be a mission control center. It becomes evident very early on that the organization for which these two men work is tracking the five vacationers.
The college group is comprised of the usual roles: the Jock, the Stoner, the Attractive Nerd, the Other Attractive Nerd, and the Slut. The five find themselves in a stereotypical horror film cabin. As the plot thickens, confusion sets in, and it becomes evident that their actions and fates are being controlled to some degree.
The most important observation I can share with you is that this movie was nothing like what I expected. It kept getting stranger and more unique the longer it went. Aside from the cheesy use of word graphics when the title was displayed, the cinematography is great. The acting is only decent, but the writing is entertaining. The film didn’t follow the normal conventions of a horror movie, but instead seemed to be an amalgamation of fantasy, horror and comedy; it was strongly reminiscent of the Evil Dead series.
I recommend watching The Cabin in the Woods purely for its unique and interesting take on a familiar story. You will be entertained.
The movie starts off with two disjointed storylines. In one plot thread, you have five college kids heading out for a weekend at a cabin on a lake. In the other, you have two professionally dressed desk jockeys going to work in what seems to be a mission control center. It becomes evident very early on that the organization for which these two men work is tracking the five vacationers.
The college group is comprised of the usual roles: the Jock, the Stoner, the Attractive Nerd, the Other Attractive Nerd, and the Slut. The five find themselves in a stereotypical horror film cabin. As the plot thickens, confusion sets in, and it becomes evident that their actions and fates are being controlled to some degree.
The most important observation I can share with you is that this movie was nothing like what I expected. It kept getting stranger and more unique the longer it went. Aside from the cheesy use of word graphics when the title was displayed, the cinematography is great. The acting is only decent, but the writing is entertaining. The film didn’t follow the normal conventions of a horror movie, but instead seemed to be an amalgamation of fantasy, horror and comedy; it was strongly reminiscent of the Evil Dead series.
I recommend watching The Cabin in the Woods purely for its unique and interesting take on a familiar story. You will be entertained.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916 in Books
Jan 12, 2018
Having grown up on the Jersey Shore and being a history nerd I was surprised I had never heard of these event before. That was why when I got the chance to read [Michael Capuzzo's] [Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916] I was so excited. I really enjoyed the description of places I knew from growing up but described in their heyday as opposed to the dilapidated ruins I remember seeing.
[Capuzzo] describes a Jersey Shore of elegance and enjoyment. When it was a status symbol to escape the cities. 1916 was a time of great turmoil with health crisis and a potential war in Europe so people flocked to the shore to escape all this but another danger lurked just off shore.
I know others who have read this book and wish they had introduced me to it sooner because it was an enjoyable, interesting and enlightening read of history and nature.
[Capuzzo] describes a Jersey Shore of elegance and enjoyment. When it was a status symbol to escape the cities. 1916 was a time of great turmoil with health crisis and a potential war in Europe so people flocked to the shore to escape all this but another danger lurked just off shore.
I know others who have read this book and wish they had introduced me to it sooner because it was an enjoyable, interesting and enlightening read of history and nature.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Ruin Me (2017) in Movies
Sep 9, 2018 (Updated Sep 9, 2018)
Campy, cheesy fun (1 more)
Good pacing
Predictable (1 more)
Some iffy acting
Low budget meta horror
Contains spoilers, click to show
Shudder exclusive 'ruin me' runs a similar line to 'Fear Inc' or 'Hellhouse LLC', with a meta horror experience blurring the lines between reality and fiction.
The cast is a mix of early 2000s tropes, the goth couple, the chubby film nerd, the silent loner etc on a slasher themed survival weekend where events take a turn for the bloody.
They twist and turn a few times, toying with the viewer using an unreliable narrator, our protagonist Alex, whom you aren't ever really sure is in the real world.
Not much will surprise you, but it is a fun trope laden film with no real pretence of being anything other than it is...a low budget meta slasher.
Not a bad 90 mins though, and it's watchable enough so long as you don't mind the sometimes clunky humour and meta elements getting front and centre.
The cast is a mix of early 2000s tropes, the goth couple, the chubby film nerd, the silent loner etc on a slasher themed survival weekend where events take a turn for the bloody.
They twist and turn a few times, toying with the viewer using an unreliable narrator, our protagonist Alex, whom you aren't ever really sure is in the real world.
Not much will surprise you, but it is a fun trope laden film with no real pretence of being anything other than it is...a low budget meta slasher.
Not a bad 90 mins though, and it's watchable enough so long as you don't mind the sometimes clunky humour and meta elements getting front and centre.
AJaneClark (3962 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Dec 9, 2019
Suspenseful
Five very different students walked into detention that day, and only four walked out! Outsider, and creator of the Bayview gossip app, Simon dies 24 hours before releasing a post about the other students he shared detention with, a post that would expose their deepest secrets online!
Bronwyn, the overachieving nerd, hoping to head to Yale, Cooper the star baseball jock, Addy the prom queen and Nate the bad boy, are all now looking at facing murder charges when the investigation uncovers Simon's last gossip column, pointing the finger in their direction.
Follow the Bayview 4 as they try to uncover the other secrets, prove their innocence and try to keep up with being teens in a normal high school.
McManus keeps the suspense building in this well written novel. Expect some twists and the odd red herring as you follow the journey of these four very likeable characters, thrown together in an unlikely friendship.
Bronwyn, the overachieving nerd, hoping to head to Yale, Cooper the star baseball jock, Addy the prom queen and Nate the bad boy, are all now looking at facing murder charges when the investigation uncovers Simon's last gossip column, pointing the finger in their direction.
Follow the Bayview 4 as they try to uncover the other secrets, prove their innocence and try to keep up with being teens in a normal high school.
McManus keeps the suspense building in this well written novel. Expect some twists and the odd red herring as you follow the journey of these four very likeable characters, thrown together in an unlikely friendship.
Shaun Collins (3 KP) rated Fight Club 2 in Books
Jan 11, 2018
I am Jack's emerging sense of Nerd Rage...
Firstly, WHY? Why on earth would you even think about writing a sequel to one of the best books ever written that spawned one of the best cult classic movies ever made?
Secondly, WHAT? I mean, I read it and all, but...
Thirdly, OH WOW.
This book will be polarizing for fans. You will either love it or hate it. Period. I doubt there will be any middle ground here. Some fans will argue that Palahniuk is spent creatively, or that this was a giant FU to the Tyler Durden fan club, or that it was just ill conceived all they way around.
Others will think it's the most beautiful messed up thing they've ever read.
At the moment, I fall very much into the later category, but I just finished this set, and the resonance of the final pages have left me a little shell shocked. I need to discuss this with friends, like NOW.
More to come as it unravels for me...
Firstly, WHY? Why on earth would you even think about writing a sequel to one of the best books ever written that spawned one of the best cult classic movies ever made?
Secondly, WHAT? I mean, I read it and all, but...
Thirdly, OH WOW.
This book will be polarizing for fans. You will either love it or hate it. Period. I doubt there will be any middle ground here. Some fans will argue that Palahniuk is spent creatively, or that this was a giant FU to the Tyler Durden fan club, or that it was just ill conceived all they way around.
Others will think it's the most beautiful messed up thing they've ever read.
At the moment, I fall very much into the later category, but I just finished this set, and the resonance of the final pages have left me a little shell shocked. I need to discuss this with friends, like NOW.
More to come as it unravels for me...
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Howard the Duck (1986) in Movies
Feb 23, 2019
Not as bad as all that.
Before he was an upcoming maybe movie, maybe TV series and part of the Disney/Marvel juggernaut, he was a cheesy 80s movie with one of my serious 80s crushes, Lea Thompson (from Back to the Future).
When Howard is pulled through a "wormhole" from his duck planet to Earth, he has to try and not only figure out what is going on and how he came to know this extremely hot chick (and nerd Tim Robbins) but he also has to save the world from the "Dark Overlord of the universe" (Ferris Bueller and Beetlejuice alum, Jeffrey Jones).
I think the biggest problem with the film was filmmakers (George Lucas among them) didn't get the tone right. It was too racy to be for kids which was probably their target audience. The "duck out of water" element was my favorite part the ways his world was different than ours and how he tried to fit in.
It's a charming 80s romp I've probably seen too often.
When Howard is pulled through a "wormhole" from his duck planet to Earth, he has to try and not only figure out what is going on and how he came to know this extremely hot chick (and nerd Tim Robbins) but he also has to save the world from the "Dark Overlord of the universe" (Ferris Bueller and Beetlejuice alum, Jeffrey Jones).
I think the biggest problem with the film was filmmakers (George Lucas among them) didn't get the tone right. It was too racy to be for kids which was probably their target audience. The "duck out of water" element was my favorite part the ways his world was different than ours and how he tried to fit in.
It's a charming 80s romp I've probably seen too often.
Bossypants
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Smart Poker Study Podcast
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Venom (2018) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
It's... Ok, I guess...
There's not really much to say about Venom to be honest. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it, it just sort of exists.
It's a pretty by the numbers origin film, that veers fairly sharply from the comics due to there being zero Spider-Man.
If you've seen the trailer, then you know the plot. There are no surprises (with the exception of an extremely on the nose tease for future installments near the end).
No one in the cast seems to be too bothered that they are there either, with the exception of Tom Hardy, who does a pretty sterling job of playing Eddie Brock - the dialogue between him and Venom is pretty entertaining throughout.
Surprising absolutely no one, the films climaxes in a CGI heavy face off, with both parties being dark grey in colour - making for a pretty bland showdown.
Venoms ok, worth a watch, even if it's just the one time - the Marvel nerd in me just really wishes that these characters were under the same MCU umbrella (one day... One day)
It's a pretty by the numbers origin film, that veers fairly sharply from the comics due to there being zero Spider-Man.
If you've seen the trailer, then you know the plot. There are no surprises (with the exception of an extremely on the nose tease for future installments near the end).
No one in the cast seems to be too bothered that they are there either, with the exception of Tom Hardy, who does a pretty sterling job of playing Eddie Brock - the dialogue between him and Venom is pretty entertaining throughout.
Surprising absolutely no one, the films climaxes in a CGI heavy face off, with both parties being dark grey in colour - making for a pretty bland showdown.
Venoms ok, worth a watch, even if it's just the one time - the Marvel nerd in me just really wishes that these characters were under the same MCU umbrella (one day... One day)
Charades!™
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Charades! is the outrageously fun and exciting multi-activity game for you and your friends! And...