The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
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A group of college kids go to a cabin in the woods, but that’s as far as we get into the story before director Drew Goddard and producer Joss Whedon turn the trope on its head. In a Scream-like fashion, The Cabin in the Woods subverts the familiar and offers a good time for horror fans. Pandering? Maybe. Entertaining? I say ‘hell, yeah.’ The less you know about this movie, the more you might enjoy it. So I’m not saying anything except that it’s clever, surprising, funny, unconventional, self-reflective, satirical, and well done. It escalates and complicates beautifully, and has a wonderful sense of humor. Fans of Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) will definitely not be disappointed — his trademark dialogue and blend of horror/comedy are on full display. The icing on the cake for me — and there’s a lot of icing — is the casting of Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under) and Bradley Whitford (The West Wing). Buffy and Angel fans will also notice a couple of familiar faces. With Chris Hemsworth.