Saw The Cabin in the Woods (thanks, Kim!) It was amazing. Joss Whedon simultaneously deconstructs and honours the horror genre. Five college kids go to the cabin from Evil Dead and awaken ancient evil. This is a move that's obvious, right? Ash does it in the Evil Dead and cabins in the woods are ground zero for serial killers, monsters, ancient evils, etc. But when the ancient evil comes, it is still completely unexpected. Again and again Joss has his cake and cunningly eats it too. For example, when we meet the characters, one's a bubbly blonde who urges her brunette friend to leave her books behind. Ah, we think, here is the dumb slut, Daphne, talking to Velma. It turns out we're right, but for unexpected reasons.
Watching the action of these kids is a team of scientists/techs of some kind. They make mysterious meta-level commentary on the proceedings (even saying the phrase "ah, the dumb blonde" at one point.) They seem to be directors of the proceedings, both in a filmic and in an actual sense. When their co-workers criticize their methods, they respond in a defence not only of their actions but the actions of horror directors everywhere (though this reading requires a sort of ridiculous conception of the audience as all-powerful, vengeful monsters.) The scientists' words provide the deconstruction of the horror, but their actions provide the horror itself.
The film is loads of fun, more comedy-horror than horror although it has very little pure comedy. The film is extremely clever and this provides enough revelatory amusement to prevent any horror from really taking root. The film also provides enough plot and action to keep us entertained and interested. It's a real treat. I'm kind of latet o the party (as ever) but if anyone was on the fence about this film, check it out. It's clever and fun, not dry and trenchant, and certainly not boring or dumb. Good entertainment for the eyes and the brain.
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