Monday, April 23, 2012

Cabin In The Woods

It is not often that I spend $11.50 to go to the movie theater to see a horror film. The reason for this is mainly because most horror films suck. They all follow a familiar formula with teenagers heading out to a party or vacation site with plans of drinking and having reckless fun but then things do not go the way they are planned. The fun is ruined by either zombies, murderers, a curse, or whatever. "Cabin In The Woods" follows this familiar formula but then flips it upside down. I do not want to reveal anything but I promise that you will not see it coming. Sure, the whole thing is absolutely ridiculous. What horror flick isn't? There is not a single horror film that does not rest on a ridiculous concept. This film is crazy like all the others. The difference between this horror film and most is that this one is smart. It will be funny and enjoyable for your "average Joe" looking for a good scare and also fun for a fan upset with recent horror films that have been waiting for something better. This movie is not great but it gets major points for the guts shown by its directors. It does not follow the rules that recent horror films have set up where you can almost predict the ending and where the climax will take place. It is a bit of a head scratch-er, without being to hard for the average horror fan to understand.

3 out of 5 Stars

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Breaking The Waves

I am extremely behind in my reviewing of movies because of how busy I have been. This film is putting me back into gear. I just have to write about it. Lars von Trier is a weird and unique man. His movies are often controversial and contain aberrant explicit content. I liked "Dogville" and thought "Melancholia" was decent but this film absolutely blew me away. I was so gripped by this unconventional story about faith and naivety among other things. The film is packed with symbolism but at its surface also provides deep impact. I refuse to reveal any elements of the story because it must be something you go into knowing nothing about the story however, you must know this film will be deemed by most as strange or weird. Do not read any synopsis's or summaries from anywhere because they will reveal important plot points that do not come up until more then an hour into the film. It feels like a dogma film most of the time and breaks many of the rules for current film making. This film makes Lars von Trier in my opinion one of top directors in the world. He is a visionary. He tackles numerous subjects and does it with a unique and different style. It is at times humorous and funny, even joyful. It is also heartbreaking and tragic. The film like most of Trier's films are separated into chapters broken up by mostly still shots of nature that set the tone of each chapter. There is no way anyone could see where this film is leading without sufficient foreknowledge. It is strangely gripping and made me feel things that I do not think I have ever felt before. It is one of the most thought provoking films I have ever seen. I have written this much and I still have not talked about Emily Watson or any of the other actors. I believe that she gives the greatest and most powerful performance of any female actress in all of movie history. That is a bold statement, especially when you think back to Vivien Leigh. I would have to ponder on the subject more to come up with a final decision and I am currently deciding on that right now to write on the greatest performances of all time by an actress at a later date. Watson follows does her performance naturally without calculating anything. She does it freely and gives a riveting, moving performance. Stellan Skarsgard along with Katrin Cartlidge also provide us with incredible performances all worthy of an Academy Award nomination. I could go on for pages and pages about how amazing this film is but it is a conversation that should only be partaken by those who have already seen the film. I do not want to take away from the experience. You must see this movie. It is currently #30 on my Top 100 Movies of All Time List.

5 out of 5 Stars