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Loved it - 17/4/2012 8:03:47 PM

ukacidman

Posts: 581
Joined: 4/10/2005
From: From beyond the the 7TH WAVE

Its good its very very good..
Best entertainment I have had iat the flix in ages..
Its tongur is placed firmly in cheek.. Empire have got the star rating wrong. defintaly a 4.. the only bum note was Ripley ( you know who I mean ) turning up at the end and doing the explaining bit...
This movie is a defo dvd to buy in future. Its now a must for any Halloween moviethon. for the next few years..

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Post #: 91

RE: Loved it - 17/4/2012 9:48:26 PM

jcthefirst

Posts: 4074
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: Bangor

I enjoyed it but felt it strecthed it's main joke for too long (yes, there are guys controlling all this; can we move along a bit now?).

However, after the two remaining victims found the underground base and the gore started it found it's groove again.

3 and a half stars.

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Post #: 92

RE: Loved it - 17/4/2012 9:48:39 PM

jcthefirst

Posts: 4074
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: Bangor

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Post #: 93

RE: Loved it - 18/4/2012 6:57:57 PM

odddaze

Posts: 916
Joined: 1/7/2007

It's better than bad, it's great!

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Post #: 94

WTF - 19/4/2012 9:32:22 AM

tt904

Posts: 44
Joined: 3/1/2007

So... you have a smart, well written, funny, sexy, genre aware, genre bending film and you award it 3 stars. Fuck you Empire.

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Post #: 95

RE: WTF - 19/4/2012 5:42:52 PM

Dr Lenera

Posts: 3444
Joined: 19/10/2005

Empire were right. We actually have a mostly fun but confused film which is oaky for most of the first half then becomes increasingly stupid and doesn't know what its trying to say.

< Message edited by Dr Lenera -- 19/4/2012 5:43:34 PM >

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Post #: 96

An incoherent entertaining mess - 19/4/2012 9:07:01 PM

Qwerty Norris

Posts: 3141
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: Edinburgh

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dr Lenera

Empire were right. We actually have a mostly fun but confused film which is oaky for most of the first half then becomes increasingly stupid and doesn't know what its trying to say.

This....

Is it funny? Often. Is it entertaining? Certainly. Is it scary? Not a jot. Does it work? Yes & no.

There are honourable intentions in TCITW, and clearly the likes of Goddard & Whedon are well versed in the horror clich�s to which they have exploited to the max for humorous effect.

Yet what we're left with really is half a film, with one side failing to support the other. The comedic element works a treat, yet it makes the "scares" in the other side of things completely redundant. The claim that it doesn't matter whether its scary or not is untrue, as like it or not, Goddard & Whedon have intended it to be just as frightening as it is funny. It is the only reason why the revelations towards the end exists and why we've bothered to invest any time in the stereotypes at all. If they didn't, why bother with them at all?

Clearly there are good ideas within TCITW and it certainly cannot be accused of being boring. But it's an incoherent mess of a film - all being a very entertaining one.

If you want funny & frightening in the same film, you're best sticking to Evil Dead 2.

3/5

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Post #: 97

RE: An incoherent entertaining mess - 19/4/2012 10:17:21 PM

matthewforan

Posts: 21033
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: My Hometown

I don't often venture onto this part of the forum these days but I will for Cabin as I thought it was utterly brilliant, one of the films of the year so far. So smart, funny and I love seeing some of my old favourites from TV on a big screen.

Please go see it and make up your own mind, I think it's one of the rare cases when reviews aren't really going to help everyone will have a different read or take on it depending on what you're like as a film fan.

But Cabin gets at least a 4/5 from me. I'll see it a second time just in case it does deserve the 5/5....

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Post #: 98

RE: The Cabin In The Woods - 20/4/2012 11:20:38 PM

tommyjarvis

Posts: 6609
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Caught somewhere in time

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rgirvan44

Those that have seen the film call it a deconstruction of the horror genre. While this is true, it is never done with the same cynicism which the postmodern Scream had. It doesn�t laugh at genre conventions but rather embraces them, while at the same time subverting them. The script, written by Goddard and Whedon, pays its respects to the horror genre, while at the same time giving audiences a fine mix of comedy and frights. There are some genuinely laugh out loud classic scenes in there.

Interesting. I would have said completely the opposite. Scream made fun of the horror conventions while simultaneously using them to create a terrific thrill-ride that worked very well simply as a movie. This seemed more cold and cynical, highlighting the ways directors play by rules and manipulate characters to do stupid, unrealistic things. And with the characters deliberately pegged as stereotypes, it's hard to feel for them or get hugely invested in the actual storyline.

It was good fun, certainly, but I don't think it was saying anything particularly profound; certainly the ending covered territory Wes Craven's New Nightmare had already been over.

Kudos for the Nine Inch Nails song over the end credits through.

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Post #: 99

RE: The Cabin In The Woods - 20/4/2012 11:25:27 PM

tommyjarvis

Posts: 6609
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Caught somewhere in time

Edit: delete

< Message edited by tommyjarvis -- 20/4/2012 11:33:33 PM >

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Post #: 100

RE: Great idea,WASTED - 20/4/2012 11:25:44 PM

tommyjarvis

Posts: 6609
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Caught somewhere in time

Double, triple, quadruple post... who knows?

< Message edited by tommyjarvis -- 20/4/2012 11:33:10 PM >

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Post #: 101

RE: Great idea,WASTED - 20/4/2012 11:25:55 PM

tommyjarvis

Posts: 6609
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Caught somewhere in time

Edit; double post of sorts.

< Message edited by tommyjarvis -- 20/4/2012 11:32:20 PM >

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Post #: 102

A Four Star Film Reviewed by a Third Rate Mag! - 21/4/2012 12:18:24 AM

OneLastJob

Posts: 3
Joined: 15/3/2012

I've been an Empire reader since I was in school (I'm now 30!) and I'm really starting to lose faith in the mag. The reason? Take awful Brit-shit-flick The Cottage (2008) for example. How many stars? 3. It was shit - meant to be a comedy horror and it wasn't funny or remotely scary. We're talking bargain bin here.

Not a patch on the hugely enjoyable 'A Cabin in The Woods', also rated 3 stars. The difference? CITW is a hilarious and terrifying genre-busting film that will be enjoyed over and over again. Not perfect but fantastic entertainment. The Cottage was terribly stale and unimaginative. SO why the 3 stars? Why rate Cottage so highly or CITW so poorly? I have a theory...

The Cottage is an independent British effort - instantly guaranteeing it at least three stars from Empire!

So why so harsh on the yanks? CITW is a four star effort for sure.

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Post #: 103

RE: A Four Star Film Reviewed by a Third Rate Mag! - 21/4/2012 2:55:28 AM

MI Cruise

Posts: 3098
Joined: 12/12/2008
From: Shutter Island

Watched this the other day, it did catch my interest as soon as the film got going what with the whole title sequence you could tell that it was trying to reference some of the older horror movies in a tongue in cheek way. There were many great moments in the movie and I would recommend it, it was only after I left the cinema and checked iMDB that I realised that Joss Whedon had written the story, no wonder I liked it, although I wouldnt say it'll remain the best film of the year it is currently so far... but then again this is only the second film Ive seen this year after The Hunger Games so what do I know

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Post #: 104

RE: A Four Star Film Reviewed by a Third Rate Mag! - 21/4/2012 11:02:40 AM

Jasper_29

Posts: 294
Joined: 22/8/2009

An astonishingly entertaining film that once the story (if one even exists) has to come to a conclusion it gradually turns into meaningless juvenile hyperactive tripe. This is the kind of movie where if Santa Cause would have appeared from the sky in the end to rescue our main characters, taking them to the moon where they receive lap-dances by horny reindeer -- it wouldn't have made any less sense, or be any less fullfilling.

The movie that it reminds me of the most (apart from being the mentally challenged love baby of Evil Dead and Truman Show) is The Matrix Reloaded. It was spectacular as shit and entertaining as hell, but once the story got to the point where the Wachowskis know the audience will be lost they decide to introduce a character who starts an incomprehensible monologue in order to give the proceedings a misguided sense of profundity.

What the movie does very well is keep the momentum fast enough so the audience doesn't start to think about things like meaning, logic and morality. Why are those who orchestrate the terror so entertained by what happens to the boys and girls? And...

***...Spoilers!!!! ***

...why is there a button that, if pushed, unleashes events that leads to everyone, including he who pushes the button, being killed?

...why is there a direct path between those who are subjected to the insanity, and those who are in control?

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Post #: 105

FUN FUN FUN - 21/4/2012 12:19:26 PM

jackcarlin18

Posts: 84
Joined: 21/1/2012

FUN form start t finish. The second part is much better than the cliched first half... filed with pure epicness! one of the best horrors in years!

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Post #: 106

Not a confused film, just not formulaic - 21/4/2012 1:28:17 PM

tt904

Posts: 44
Joined: 3/1/2007

The film isn't really confused it just left some cinema goers who have spent a life time being made stupid by stupid movies a little confused. It's true there are many things in the movie that aren't fully explained, but guess what, it's for your imagination to fill in the gaps, or better yet why not suspend your disbelief! It doesn't become increasingly stupid it just diverges from the expected formular, you know to try and do something a bit interesting. Movies like this really need to be championed and argued for by people with a little taste.

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Post #: 107

WORTH SEEING........ - 21/4/2012 2:32:40 PM

ROTGUT

Posts: 291
Joined: 14/7/2008

You wait ages for a half decent horror film to come out of Hollywood and then…………zoweeee!!!!!.

Best way to see this movie is to go in cold. Quite simply put – it’s one of the best gore flicks you’ll see all year. Mr. Whedon has crafted something which is sharp, witty, frightening with several half decent set pieces that are both visually impressive and in their own way quite breathtaking. All of the main characters are cut from the usual stock of stereotypes and victims that you always find in these type of films ….but……and without giving too much away….there IS a reason why they all act the way they do which is cleverly explained as the plot goes on…….

Never been a massive Joss Whedon fan – just couldn’t get into all that Buffy garbage that was on TV ad nauseum and Serenity/Firefly was just a big non event. But with this film, he’s right on target. Lost count of all the clever references that he’s packed into this caper – and a nicely written, well paced script ensures that you’re always kept guessing as to what will happen next. A pre – Asgardian Chris Hemsworth excels as the titular jock with both Kristen Connolly and Fran Kranz doing well with their basically presented characters - and an unexpected appearance from a familiar Hollywood A lister toward the end will surely bring a wry smile to the face of even the most jaded of gore hounds. After watching this, my expectations for the Avengers just went up fourfold. I’ve already added Cabin in the Woods to my list of horror cult classics (Nightmare on Elm Street , Halloween, Psycho, Street Trash, Braindead etc, etc) and if there’s any justice – this film should be a decent hit too. GO SEE!!!! FOUR STARS!!!!

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Post #: 108

RE: WORTH SEEING........ - 22/4/2012 5:36:20 PM

Snowth

Posts: 90
Joined: 30/6/2010
From: N. Ireland

So which one was Fornicus, Lord of Bondage and Pain?

Highly enjoyable film, glad it finally got released.

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Post #: 109

RE: Great idea,WASTED - 22/4/2012 7:55:04 PM

AlmightyFace

Posts: 9
Joined: 29/8/2010

quote:

ORIGINAL: Snake 4Skin

Itz staggering how it seems the movie goerz have embraced this excuse for a "horror film".The makers of Buffy have just BUFFIED all over the horror film genre.This movie sucked.I adore horror and sci-fi,so I think that qualifies me as a "fan" who,2 quote a critic,wud "GET IT".There's nothing to get.Therez meta and therz STUPID,this falls into the latter category.Sum1 shud tell ole Josh to stop writing.The whole thing came across as cheap,tacky and meaningless,and the attempt @ Lovecraft was the ONLY laugh I got out of it. There goez Avengers A-wotever

I don't like you.

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Post #: 110

RE: Great idea,WASTED - 22/4/2012 8:44:12 PM

The REAL Bozz

Posts: 3273
Joined: 15/5/2007

It's great seeing so many different opinions on this film and TBH no one is wrong or right. The only thing I'd draw a line on is the Scream comparisons. Scream was tongue in cheek but it wasn't - as stated by the makers - making fun of the genre like 'oh isn't this so silly etc'. It's more of a fun love letter to the slasher genre. Cabin In The Woods does a similar thing but it's more broad. Personally I didn't think it did as much as Scream not was it as well put together. That just down to my personel taste though. Both are good films.

I think Cabin In The Woods was a fun film but I didn't love it as much as a lot of other people.

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Post #: 111

Though different eyes - 23/4/2012 12:39:43 AM

scythe

Posts: 3
Joined: 24/10/2005
From: London

I understand the review from Empire as it is viewed as a horror movie. One that did indeed defy it's conventions and take them to a new level, but missed out on a chance to go beyond. As a horror, it can be given a 3 star rating.

However, in my opinion, this film was in it's essence a horror film, yes, but one that begins by giving itself away, which does not happen in horror movies as it removes completely the element of surprise and therefore cannot be seen as a horror - even if it was marketed out to the public as such. If it is looked at more as a supernatural thriller it can then be viewed differently. By not expecting there to be frights and screams you can analyse it more broadly and maybe (this being my opinion) realise the clever mind(s) behind it and its current social relevance.
4 stars for the win from me :D

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Post #: 112

RE: Though different eyes - 23/4/2012 1:41:18 AM

Drooch

Posts: 129
Joined: 31/5/2006

3 stars for this is ridiculous, it's bursting with creativity, imagination and fun. Films like this need to be praised, not fobbed off with a meh 3 stars. Equally stupidly, they gave Scream 4 2 stars (although they rightly upgraded it to 3 for the DVD review). Hollywood is awash with bland dreck and these inventive, well-crafted films are the antidote. How about celebrating them instead of taking a big dump on them and sending exactly the wrong message to the studios?

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Post #: 113

RE: Cabin In The Woods - 23/4/2012 1:54:05 AM

MonsterCat

Posts: 6208
Joined: 24/3/2011
From: St. Albans, Hertfordshire

quote:

ORIGINAL: Drooch

3 stars for this is ridiculous, it's bursting with creativity, imagination and fun. Films like this need to be praised, not fobbed off with a meh 3 stars. Equally stupidly, they gave Scream 4 2 stars (although they rightly upgraded it to 3 for the DVD review). Hollywood is awash with bland dreck and these inventive, well-crafted films are the antidote. How about celebrating them instead of taking a big dump on them and sending exactly the wrong message to the studios?

Do we have a Pigeon Army signal as well as a Dpp1978 signal?

In seriousness though, a three star rating is hardly taking "a big dump" on this particular film.

What's the reviewer supposed to do, lie about his/her opinion of the film just so people like you don't get all emo about it? The reviewer is paid to impart an honest opinion of a film.

< Message edited by MonsterCat -- 23/4/2012 2:01:32 AM >

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Post #: 114

RE: Cabin In The Woods - 23/4/2012 2:02:42 AM

rawlinson

Posts: 40151
Joined: 13/6/2008
From: Timbuktu. Chinese or Fictional.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MonsterCat

What's the reviewer supposed to do, lie about his/her opinion of the film just so people like you don't get all emo about it?

If my time at Empire has taught me anything, that's exactly what people want reviewers to do.

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quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b

I would plough my way through MonsterCat

quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b

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Post #: 115

RE: WORTH SEEING........ - 23/4/2012 10:06:36 AM

Rebel scum

Posts: 3019
Joined: 2/1/2006

SPOILERS

quote:

ORIGINAL: Snowth

So which one was Fornicus, Lord of Bondage and Pain?

Highly enjoyable film, glad it finally got released.

Fornicus was the Pinhead-type guy with the puzzle box.

Anyway, I personally loved it, not really because it was brilliantly written or that I got emotionally invested, it's because it was a damn fun ride from start to finish. It's hilarious, it keeps throwing imaginative stuff on the screen right up until easily one of my favourite climaxes in cinema history. The ending alone makes it a classic, but everything beforehand is wonderfully imaginative and while it's hard to get invested in all the characters, the guy playing the stoner was fantastic, and the redhead was sexy as hell so it was good to see them become the focal point. No masterpiece, and I'll be the first to admit it, but it's the sort of B-movie fun that comes along rarely nowadays if at all.

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Post #: 116

RE: WORTH SEEING........ - 23/4/2012 3:16:28 PM

Drooch

Posts: 129
Joined: 31/5/2006

quote:

Anyway, I personally loved it, not really because it was brilliantly written or that I got emotionally invested, it's because it was a damn fun ride from start to finish. It's hilarious, it keeps throwing imaginative stuff on the screen right up until easily one of my favourite climaxes in cinema history. The ending alone makes it a classic, but everything beforehand is wonderfully imaginative and while it's hard to get invested in all the characters, the guy playing the stoner was fantastic, and the redhead was sexy as hell so it was good to see them become the focal point. No masterpiece, and I'll be the first to admit it, but it's the sort of B-movie fun that comes along rarely nowadays if at all.

Precisely, and this is why a dismissive 3 stars, which put me off seeing the film until I heard a slew of rave reviews, is misleadingly harsh and unfairly punishes good, inventive filmmaking. It also makes Empire an increasingly unreliable place to find level-headed reviews, which is a shame because I want to still like Empire.

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Post #: 117

RE: The Cabin In The Woods - 23/4/2012 3:20:20 PM

MonsterCat

Posts: 6208
Joined: 24/3/2011
From: St. Albans, Hertfordshire

quote:

ORIGINAL: Drooch

Precisely, and this is why a dismissive 3 stars, which put me off seeing the film until I heard a slew of rave reviews, is misleadingly harsh and unfairly punishes good, inventive filmmaking. It also makes Empire an increasingly unreliable place to find level-headed reviews, which is a shame because I want to still like Empire.

Utter nonsense.

The reviewer's opinion just doesn't correlate with yours. Quite simple, really. No punishment of good film-making, just two differing viewpoints on something that's completely subjective.

< Message edited by MonsterCat -- 23/4/2012 3:25:29 PM >

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Post #: 118

RE: WORTH SEEING........ - 23/4/2012 3:21:36 PM

horribleives

Posts: 4178
Joined: 12/6/2009
From: The North

quote:

ORIGINAL: Drooch

quote:

Anyway, I personally loved it, not really because it was brilliantly written or that I got emotionally invested, it's because it was a damn fun ride from start to finish. It's hilarious, it keeps throwing imaginative stuff on the screen right up until easily one of my favourite climaxes in cinema history. The ending alone makes it a classic, but everything beforehand is wonderfully imaginative and while it's hard to get invested in all the characters, the guy playing the stoner was fantastic, and the redhead was sexy as hell so it was good to see them become the focal point. No masterpiece, and I'll be the first to admit it, but it's the sort of B-movie fun that comes along rarely nowadays if at all.

Precisely, and this is why a dismissive 3 stars, which put me off seeing the film until I heard a slew of rave reviews, is misleadingly harsh and unfairly punishes good, inventive filmmaking. It also makes Empire an increasingly unreliable place to find level-headed reviews, which is a shame because I want to still like Empire.

By 'level-headed' you mean 'ones I agree with'?
Nice to see you've got over the whole Scream 4 thing anyway...
Oh and if Empire's so unreliable, why on earth are you letting their reviews put you off seeing a film?

< Message edited by horribleives -- 24/4/2012 6:16:36 AM >

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Post #: 119

RE: WORTH SEEING........ - 23/4/2012 3:25:04 PM

rawlinson

Posts: 40151
Joined: 13/6/2008
From: Timbuktu. Chinese or Fictional.

Metacritic has its score as 72, they count the Empire score as being a 60. So I'm not sure how the three stars can be argued as not being level headed when it's fairly close to the average critical score.

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