The Cabin in the Woods review (no spoilers)

The Cabin in the Woods has been on the shelf for over three years, due to various issues, none of which are at all related to the quality of the film.  Usually when a film is on the shelf for three years, it’s a very bad sign.  It’s because the movie is terrible, and they are trying to figure out how to market it and release it to an audience.  With The Cabin in the Woods, I have to ask everyone, what took you so long? This is a film that needs to be seen.

I remember seeing the poster for this film at my local cinema one Friday night, and I didn’t really give it a lot of thought. I saw the simple title of The Cabin in the Woods and dismissed it as another crappy, predictable, and lifeless horror flick.  When Silent House was released last month and disappointed me greatly, I was just about ready to give up on horror movies all together.  That was until I viewed The Cabin in the Woods.

Of course I did my research before checking out the film and once I saw the 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the talent behind the film, I was sold.  Expectations, of course, were high, but Cabin in the Woods met all of them with flying colors.  The story is one you have heard before: five good-looking teens go to a cabin looking to party and have sex. The teenagers are played by Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, and Anna Hutchison.  Williams is familiar to audiences from Grey’s Anatomy and Hemsworth, of course, has played Thor.

Once they are in the woods, some clichés are turned upside down, including the horny teenagers who can’t control their hormones, the ever popular hillbilly gas station owner, and the pot-headed buffoon with random moments of intelligence.  We also have two men in a control tower, played by Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford, and as far as their role in this film, well, you will have to see this film to know that.

Once you think you have the answers,The Cabin in the Woods changes the question. This is the kind of movie that is best to see cold turkey, which means it’s best to know as little about it as possible.  Some of my fellow reviewers have suggested possibly reading their reviews after seeing the film, although I don’t believe any of their reviews, or mine for that matter, give that much away. I would recommend that you read other reviews with great caution, though.

The horror genre has been sort of floundering around with limited results lately.  A lot of people say the horror genre is “dead,” but the genre will never be dead. It goes in cycles, just like most things in life. This is exactly the kind of film that is going to take a stale genre and make it fresh, exciting, and fun again. This is the Friday night horror flick I have been craving for the longest time. You go on a date, laugh, get scared, but most of all, you enjoy yourself.

Director James Gunn summed it up well on his Facebook when he said that you need to go out and support this movie. Hollywood is only going to make the kind of horror movies that make money. If you support a bad horror movie, they think that’s what you want. Horror fans need to stand up and say, “This is what I want to see and this is what I deserve” by going out and buying a ticket to The Cabin in the Woods. 

You might have a lot of questions when it’s all said and done, and I know a lot of people are maybe expecting a traditional horror film. Personally, I had my questions, but the journey was fun, so some of the plot holes or confusion didn’t totally bother me. As far as those expecting a traditional horror film, this is not that type of movie.  That’s a good thing. This is an original and exciting horror flick. 

Grade: A 

How should you see it? On the big screen

Winnie the Pooh Review

Winnie the Pooh is one of the most lovable and adorable Disney characters of all time. He’s extremely likable, loyal, and fun. His stories might be simple and rather plain, but because he has such an engaging personality, along with Tigger, Piglet, Eyeore, and Owl as his counterparts, it’s easy to watch. Winnie the Pooh puts you in a good mood with its whimsical and easygoing style. The running time, according to IMDB, is 69 minutes, which is perfect for a film of this nature. It’s not out to break any records or win any awards. It’s just good old fashioned fun at the movies.

John Cleese is our narrator for this story, who follows the group trying to find a new tail for the always pessimistic Eyeore, who keeps losing it at every turn. Whoever finds a new tail for Eyeore will win a big pot of honey, which is always quite appealing for our goofy and bumbling hero, Winnie the Pooh. Along the way, there’s also a comical misunderstanding about Christopher Robin. That’s really all there is as far as plot is concerned for Winnie the Pooh. The real joy is the voice work of the characters as they perfectly portray the characters and their personalities. It really helps you get a sense of who they are, how they feel, and what they are all about.

It’s also quite charming to see them interact with each other and produce comedy out of being naïve. They are happy, oblivious and in their own world. This helps to produce some great comedy as you shake your head at their antics. Most of their problems are self–induced as they can’t seem to get out of their own way. Of course, Winnie the Pooh and his growling tummy steal the show in this movie. All he wants is to eat his honey and he will be the happiest bear in the world. The songs are also catchy as Zooey Deschanel had her hand in writing and performing the song, “So Long.” This is just a nice movie and nice is not meant to be derogatory. It’s a compliment in the highest degree.

No matter your age, race, or gender, it’s hard not to like Winnie the Pooh and have a smile on your face by the end of this movie. When I saw this movie on opening night, people of all ages enjoyed it and were laughing. Not only is the film sweet, but, honestly, it’s one of the funniest movies of the year. I know it’s doing poorly at the box office right now, thanks to competition from the summer blockbusters, but trust me; this one is worth seeing on the big screen with friends and family. It’s a nice little escape on a hot summer afternoon. Winnie the Pooh is still timely, enjoyable, and entertaining even after all these years. He has aged very, very well.

Grade: A

How should you see it? On the big screen