GBmanNC:
To be honest, it hasn't been that bad of a decade for horror at all. Nothing like the early 90's crash after the glut of slasher movies in the 80's. I don't think there was much of a resurgence until Scream.

The more I'm thinking about it you might be right. There has been at least a dozen or so good horror films that came out. They were just all overshadowed by Saw, Hostile torture porn of the week.

/90s films I was thinking of btw were Braindead, Army of Darkness, Ringu, and Sleepy Hollow

When is Percy Jackson #2 coming out?

CABIN IN THE WOODS SPOILERS

Interesting how they predicted their own box office demise in Cabin. "We give them options, they decide what's going to happen." Cut to, "Zombie Redneck Torture Family? They always pick that! Why can't it ever be the Merman?" People complain about the lack of originality in film world and then go to Hunger Games again (disclosure: I really dug HG and am overjoyed that it's outperformed the other YA lit juggernaut that is Twilight) or the legitimately unfunny Three Stooges (got a free pass and still wanted my money back) instead of trying something new with the brilliant Cabin in the Woods. I'm still unraveling all the layers to it in my head. I'm probably going to have to go see it again this week.

CABIN IN THE WOODS SPOILERS

DamnYankees: I don't think anything he has made has ever really bombed

Serenity (new window), while being awesome, was just shy with worldwide combined, but came up short with P&A included. He was also the sole writer on Alien: Resurrection, which tanked domestically (new window), barely squeaked by with worldwide when you add the $70 million P&A budget (unprecedented at the time and not counting the promotional partnership they had going with Pepsi) and it sucked on toast. Hey, you can't win them all.

/Used to have an interesting film magazine (Movieline, I think) article from '98 about the entire Alien Resurrection debacle and Whedon's reactions to it, but I think it got tossed in the Great Junk Purge of 2010.

Mugato: I'm not a fan of the Saw movies but from the few I've seen, at least they do have a plot and a villain with a motivation

I agree, I thought the first 2 were well done, and brought something new to the table.

Carth: The more I'm thinking about it you might be right. There has been at least a dozen or so good horror films that came out.

Since you've ruled out all the Saw movies, I'd like to see your list of a dozen post-2000 horror films worth more than a bag of spit. I'm a huge fan of the genre, but don't recall a lot of recent hotness.

Please, don't tell me those awful, contrived "Paranormal Activity" movies made the cut.

The Cabin in the Woods was awesome and one of the best horror-comedies that I've seen in a long time. It's a shame it's not cleaning up.

The Hunger Games, however, was a terrible movie and if I knew then what I know now, I would have saved myself some time and just sat at home punching myself in my eyeballs.

Cabin in the Woods kicked all kinds of ass. If you are afraid of seeing things that kick ass, I can understand why you haven't seen it yet.

Jizz Master Zero: CABIN IN THE WOODS SPOILERS

Interesting how they predicted their own box office demise in Cabin. "We give them options, they decide what's going to happen." Cut to, "Zombie Redneck Torture Family? They always pick that! Why can't it ever be the Merman?" People complain about the lack of originality in film world and then go to Hunger Games again (disclosure: I really dug HG and am overjoyed that it's outperformed the other YA lit juggernaut that is Twilight) or the legitimately unfunny Three Stooges (got a free pass and still wanted my money back) instead of trying something new with the brilliant Cabin in the Woods. I'm still unraveling all the layers to it in my head. I'm probably going to have to go see it again this week.

CABIN IN THE WOODS SPOILERS

DamnYankees: I don't think anything he has made has ever really bombed

Serenity (new window), while being awesome, was just shy with worldwide combined, but came up short with P&A included. He was also the sole writer on Alien: Resurrection, which tanked domestically (new window), barely squeaked by with worldwide when you add the $70 million P&A budget (unprecedented at the time and not counting the promotional partnership they had going with Pepsi) and it sucked on toast. Hey, you can't win them all.

/Used to have an interesting film magazine (Movieline, I think) article from '98 about the entire Alien Resurrection debacle and Whedon's reactions to it, but I think it got tossed in the Great Junk Purge of 2010.

You thought there were layers in cabin in the woods?

I really liked the Cabin in the Woods

\thought the merman was awesome
\\was a little disturbed by the unicorn though

Carth: DamnYankees: Carth: Cabin in the Wood's audience was 57 percent male and 65 percent over the age of 25, and they gave the movie an awful "C" CinemaScore. That score, along with the modest opening, is indicative of the challenges associated with selling satire "

I guess the movie is a satire, but its also legitimately scary. I don't think its quite as funny as Shawn of the Dead - its more of a straight horror movie than that.

I think the problem is it is more of a throw back to horror films in the 90s. Horror films today are mostly gore or torture porn so any movies outside of that marketed to horror fans will get bad ratings by viewers. The fact it is getting awesome reviews by critics gives me hope it will succeed.

What do you mean? Cabin was 100 percent torture porn. What do you think they were doing and celebrating? Did you miss the explanation at the end?

Funbags:
Carth: The more I'm thinking about it you might be right. There has been at least a dozen or so good horror films that came out.

Since you've ruled out all the Saw movies, I'd like to see your list of a dozen post-2000 horror films worth more than a bag of spit. I'm a huge fan of the genre, but don't recall a lot of recent hotness.

Please, don't tell me those awful, contrived "Paranormal Activity" movies made the cut.

A dozen I enjoyed, personal preference of course (not counting Cabin in the Woods which would be on this list):

The Mist, The Descent, Let the Right One In (and the remake), Drag Me to Hell, Frailty, The Ring (remake good if not as good as Ringu), [Rec], Pan's Labyrinth (not sure if this would be horror or fantasy same with Orphanage), 28 Days Later, Triangle, The House of the Devil.

That is excluding horror comedy which there have been some amusing titles like Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland Fido, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon etc

tenpoundsofcheese: You thought there were layers in cabin in the woods?

You obviously didn't catch that the whole thing is metaphor. Metaphor for the state and nature of the horror genre, the industry in general, audiences, filmmakers, and so on and so forth. That's what is called layered subtext.

tenpoundsofcheese: What do you mean? Cabin was 100 percent torture porn.

Aaaaand you obviously don't understand what the term "Torture Porn" means, either.

Jizz Master Zero: tenpoundsofcheese: You thought there were layers in cabin in the woods?

You obviously didn't catch that the whole thing is metaphor. Metaphor for the state and nature of the horror genre, the industry in general, audiences, filmmakers, and so on and so forth. That's what is called layered subtext.

tenpoundsofcheese: What do you mean? Cabin was 100 percent torture porn.

Aaaaand you obviously don't understand what the term "Torture Porn" means, either.

It was a different layered subtext of the traditional torture porn.

The people in the control room were partying as they set up the gruesome deaths of innocent people.

Did you not get that subtext layer?

Mugato: Jizz Master Zero: You obviously didn't catch that the whole thing is metaphor. Metaphor for the state and nature of the horror genre, the industry in general, audiences, filmmakers, and so on and so forth. That's what is called layered subtext.

Is there some surprise this guy doesn't understand things like subtext? Have you read his posts?

Touche. You're right, I shouldn't be surprised.

tenpoundsofcheese: It was a different layered subtext of the traditional torture porn.

The people in the control room were partying as they set up the gruesome deaths of innocent people.

Did you not get that subtext layer?

Oh no, there's no doubt what the commentary was. The problem is that you're calling CitW Torture Porn, which it wholly is not. You're misusing a term that describes things like Saw and Hostel, which this is nothing like. A film can metaphorically make a comment on something without being that thing.

Terminology: grasp it before you use it, then people will take you seriously and not put you on ignore.

/Also, snark isn't your strong suit.

tenpoundsofcheese:
What do you mean? Cabin was 100 percent torture porn. What do you think they were doing and celebrating? Did you miss the explanation at the end?

I don't think CITW qualifies as torture porn despite the level of violence. Like Brain Dead the gore is intended to satirize horror films. The movie doesn't focus on long drawn out portrayals or mutilating the human body and lacks the sexualization present in films like Hostile, Human Centipede and Turistas

Carth: Funbags:
Carth: The more I'm thinking about it you might be right. There has been at least a dozen or so good horror films that came out.

Since you've ruled out all the Saw movies, I'd like to see your list of a dozen post-2000 horror films worth more than a bag of spit. I'm a huge fan of the genre, but don't recall a lot of recent hotness.

Please, don't tell me those awful, contrived "Paranormal Activity" movies made the cut.

A dozen I enjoyed, personal preference of course (not counting Cabin in the Woods which would be on this list):

The Mist, The Descent, Let the Right One In (and the remake), Drag Me to Hell, Frailty, The Ring (remake good if not as good as Ringu), [Rec], Pan's Labyrinth (not sure if this would be horror or fantasy same with Orphanage), 28 Days Later, Triangle, The House of the Devil.

That is excluding horror comedy which there have been some amusing titles like Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland Fido, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon etc

I stand corrected, Carth. It appears I've underestimated the prior decade, as I've seen nearly all of those (don't know how House of the Devil slipped by me) and I generally agree with your list.

Let The Right One In (the Swedish one) is hands down the best vampire film ever made (though 30 Day of Night is solid #2, and came out in 2007, so you should have a look if you haven't already).

Funbags:
I stand corrected, Carth. It appears I've underestimated the prior decade, as I've seen nearly all of those (don't know how House of the Devil slipped by me) and I generally agree with your list.

Let The Right One In (the Swedish one) is hands down the best vampire film ever made (though 30 Day of Night is solid #2, and came out in 2007, so you should have a look if you haven't already).

I forgot all about 30 Days of Night that could have made the list too.

If you haven't seen the remake of Let the Right One In, (Let Me In) definitely check it out. I normally avoid American remakes when the original is so good but it is worth seeing for Chloe Moretz performance alone. I don't think it has the depth as the Swedish version but she does a great job showing another side to the character.

DamnYankees: Carth: I don't think CITW qualifies as torture porn despite the level of violence

I really didn't think CITW was all that violent at all. It doesn't really dwell on any sort of damage to bodies, and the violence it does show is very quick and to the point.

If you're used to the violence in big budget PG-13 movies like Dark Knight, Transformers, Die Hard/Terminator4 I can see cabin in the woods seeming very violence/graphic. For an R rated horror movie in 2012 it is pretty tame.

Cabin in the Woods was the most entertaining movie I've seen all year.

DamnYankees: Carth: I don't think CITW qualifies as torture porn despite the level of violence

I really didn't think CITW was all that violent at all. It doesn't really dwell on any sort of damage to bodies, and the violence it does show is very quick and to the point.

Quick and to the point like a goring from a unicorn? Eh? Eh?

Seriously, that was my biggest WTF / laugh out loud moment.

Carth: Funbags:
I stand corrected, Carth. It appears I've underestimated the prior decade, as I've seen nearly all of those (don't know how House of the Devil slipped by me) and I generally agree with your list.

Let The Right One In (the Swedish one) is hands down the best vampire film ever made (though 30 Day of Night is solid #2, and came out in 2007, so you should have a look if you haven't already).

I forgot all about 30 Days of Night that could have made the list too.

If you haven't seen the remake of Let the Right One In, (Let Me In) definitely check it out. I normally avoid American remakes when the original is so good but it is worth seeing for Chloe Moretz performance alone. I don't think it has the depth as the Swedish version but she does a great job showing another side to the character.

Have seen it, and agree completely about the general fuggery of "American remakes or their better foreign sources" with the notable exceptions of Let Me In, and The Ring.

And since this thread has been hijacked into a "recommend a horror movie you think another Farker might enjoy", The Legend of Hell House (new window) Your welcome.

I wanted to go see cabin in the woods, but if you uptight pretentious pricks on fark like it so much, i'm not interested in anymore.

/hunger games was better than twilight.

BalugaJoe: When is Percy Jackson #2 coming out?

Hopefully never.

Good God the first one sucked.

Funbags: Let The Right One In (the Swedish one) is hands down the best vampire film ever made (though 30 Day of Night is solid #2, and came out in 2007, so you should have a look if you haven't already).



Disagrees.

And Cabin in the Woods was so good.

SharkTrager: BalugaJoe: When is Percy Jackson #2 coming out?

Hopefully never.

Good God the first one sucked.

Uh-oh... (new window)

Maybe I'll eventually end up seeing Cabin in the Woods but I have to say that the synopsis on Wikipedia makes it sound like the stupidest movie ever. Maybe it's just one of those movies you have to see to appreciate but holy crap does it sound stupid.

DamnYankees: I'm genuinely disturbed by people who like torture porn. Sorry, I can't help but judge those kinds of movies and people that like them. I find a serious difference between horror and torture porn - one is the enjoyment of being scared, and the other is the enjoyment of watching someone suffer. The former is something I don't personally have, but I get it. The latter is just sick as far as I can tell.

Do things like the latest final destination movie count as torture porn? Because I didn't really like Saw and so on, but FD has always been hilarious. Though that probably has more to do with the villain being the offspring of the old-testament God and Rube Goldberg than the actual gore.

Mugato: DamnYankees: Jim_Callahan: Do things like the latest final destination movie count as torture porn? Because I didn't really like Saw and so on, but FD has always been hilarious. Though that probably has more to do with the villain being the offspring of the old-testament God and Rube Goldberg than the actual gore.

I've never seen those movies - is there torture and suffering? From the trailers, it makes it looks like the deaths and pretty slam-bang quick.

More like slapstick. Like, "I just survived the roller coaster I was on de-railing. But whoopes, I slipped on a banana peel into a bear trap. But it didn't go off. But a rinocerous just shoved its horn up my ass. I'd dead".

Dude, you got the script to Final Destination 6?

DamnYankees: Carth: DamnYankees: The Cabin in the Woods is probably the best movie of the year so far, and I say that as someone who really doesn't like horror and can't stand being scared.

How should they market a movie that telling too much about it ruins the best parts?

I honestly don't think this is a movie that is ruined by spoiling it. It doesn't hinge on any twist which, after learning it, ruins the enjoyment of everything which came before. It's just a very amusing, well crafted movie which slowly keeps opening up its world more and more. I don't really get the "DONT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT" vibe which surrounds the film.

You just explained why it has that vibe. It keeps opening up more and more. To know in advance the craziness of act three would make it FAR less enjoyable.

smimmy: Some examples: Dr. Horrible being essentially a 3 act play without any real resolution or change except that the main character is somewhat sadder

Guh?

There was total resolution and change. It had one of the most definitive endings I've ever seen. Dr. Horrible got his wish. He wanted to be respected as an evil villain. But of course, be careful what you wish for, as the saying goes.

tenpoundsofcheese: Carth: DamnYankees: Carth: Cabin in the Wood's audience was 57 percent male and 65 percent over the age of 25, and they gave the movie an awful "C" CinemaScore. That score, along with the modest opening, is indicative of the challenges associated with selling satire "

I guess the movie is a satire, but its also legitimately scary. I don't think its quite as funny as Shawn of the Dead - its more of a straight horror movie than that.

I think the problem is it is more of a throw back to horror films in the 90s. Horror films today are mostly gore or torture porn so any movies outside of that marketed to horror fans will get bad ratings by viewers. The fact it is getting awesome reviews by critics gives me hope it will succeed.

What do you mean? Cabin was 100 percent torture porn. What do you think they were doing and celebrating? Did you miss the explanation at the end?

There was no torture porn at all. In fact, it was a condemnation of we the audience (aka "the gods") who desire to view the deaths of pretty young things as entertainment. And in the end, we all perish for it. It's a morality play, ultimately, but probably not one that we're supposed to take too seriously.

DamnYankees: eddiesocket: DamnYankees: Carth: DamnYankees: The Cabin in the Woods is probably the best movie of the year so far, and I say that as someone who really doesn't like horror and can't stand being scared.

How should they market a movie that telling too much about it ruins the best parts?

I honestly don't think this is a movie that is ruined by spoiling it. It doesn't hinge on any twist which, after learning it, ruins the enjoyment of everything which came before. It's just a very amusing, well crafted movie which slowly keeps opening up its world more and more. I don't really get the "DONT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT" vibe which surrounds the film.

You just explained why it has that vibe. It keeps opening up more and more. To know in advance the craziness of act three would make it FAR less enjoyable.

Maybe a little. But I hope you can agree that it's not like The Sixth Sense, a movie which really does hinge on a single piece of information.

For sure, there's no one Crying Game or Sixth Sense-type twist that comes out at the end. And I think most people could guess the whole game long before it's totally revealed. But still, it's the first movie in a very long time that I couldn't predict the outcome at all, and that's a very wonderful thing.
Also, anyone spoiling what happens when those elevator doors open deserves a long and painful death.

DamnYankees: eddiesocket: But still, it's the first movie in a very long time that I couldn't predict the outcome at all, and that's a very wonderful thing.

I thought I had the outcome totally predicted, and the movie screwed with me:

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

I would have bet ten bucks that last scene would have ended with the reveal that Marty was actually still a virgin and the main girl killing him to save the world. That seems the way it was clearly going, and it would have made sense.

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

I loved the movie, but left it feeling quite bummed about the ending. i thought Marty's actions were unbelievably selfish. In the ensuing hours though, I've thought more about it and realized that Whedon and Goddard were basically putting forth the thesis that we as humans no longer deserve to rule the earth. Here we have this control room full of people bantering about their weekend plans and sipping champagne while a woman gets tortured to death on the monitor behind them. (And the meta of course, is we the audience sit at home on our couches and do the same thing). Ultimately, I think Marty was bitter and angry enough to judge humanity as unworthy of saving, and given his recent experiences, I don't blame him. Though it's a very cynical ending (more cynical than I would've liked), you can't say it was out of the blue or unearned.

SPOILERS SPOILERS PSOILERS SPORILSR S EPORLERS EPO ERPOSL POILERS BOILERS SPORSIELS

DamnYankees: That seems the way it was clearly going, and it would have made sense.

That's why it wasn't the case. Everything that happened in the movie that fit into the tropes is because of the people behind the cabin. The actual victims wouldn't have been in any of the cliches invoked if not because of the active interference of the people setting it up. They were manipulated from the very beginning, and alone on their own weren't horror movie tropes in any way.

I loved the movie because it's so internally consistent and doesn't demand you suspend disbelief beyond the initial horror premise. It's a world where people are people, and the only way you can get them to act like people in horror movies is by manipulating them.

DamnYankees: The Cabin in the Woods is probably the best movie of the year so far, and I say that as someone who really doesn't like horror and can't stand being scared.


Agree 100%. Just saw it this evening. It's one of those unexpected gems.

Took quite a while to figure out WTF is going on in it. May be I still don't fully comprehend. VERY interesting and entertaining movie.

FeedTheCollapse: is the audience for Three Stooges movie even alive still? Even with an otherwise decent cast it looked painful.


You say decent cast like you, or someone else, actually will buy it.

Not here.

DamnYankees: eddiesocket: Though it's a very cynical ending (more cynical than I would've liked), you can't say it was out of the blue or unearned.

I had another perspective - did Marty just not believe the Director until it was too late? I wasn't sure how to read that scene. I mean, you're basically asking someone to commit suicide - you need a pretty high level of evidence to convince someone of that, I would think.

No, I think he believed her. Certainly, Dana did, though she had the benefit of a Dying Declaration from Richard Jenkins. Granted, there was no hard evidence, but he never directly challenged the veracity of what she was saying.

eddiesocket: DamnYankees: eddiesocket: Though it's a very cynical ending (more cynical than I would've liked), you can't say it was out of the blue or unearned.

I had another perspective - did Marty just not believe the Director until it was too late? I wasn't sure how to read that scene. I mean, you're basically asking someone to commit suicide - you need a pretty high level of evidence to convince someone of that, I would think.

No, I think he believed her. Certainly, Dana did, though she had the benefit of a Dying Declaration from Richard Jenkins. Granted, there was no hard evidence, but he never directly challenged the veracity of what she was saying.

And also at the end he said something like, "maybe it's time for a change" wtr humans exiting stage left.

Cabin in the Woods only made three dollars?