(MOVIE REVIEW) The Cabin in the Woods

What do people think of when you say geek? Is it the traditional acne infested kid with a pocket protector that can speak Klingon? Well that, faithful readers, is a stereotype. Geeks come in all shapes and sizes! They may be in tiny guy that is one missing inhaler away from an ER visit, or they may come wrapped in the package of a ruggedly handsome movie reviewer that has loved all things geek since he was a kid. The rarest of the geek-world are those that are so funny, intelligent, insightful and, dare I say, “popular”, that they almost seem too good to be true. Joss Whedon, writer and producer of The Cabin in the Woods, is the perfect example of the aforementioned alpha-geek.

Storyline: When a group of five friends embark on a weekend long trip to a secluded cabin they have nothing on their minds except being young and partying. Once they reach the cabin they find that not everything is as it seems. Two way mirrors, a basement full of discarded memorabilia (that each person seems to be drawn to), a change in their personalities, and, oh yeah, video surveillance. Not to mention a clan of zombies. The group must find a way to survive this crazy weekend and to find out what other secrets are attached to the cabin….even if it is the last thing that they ever do.

To all of those people that continue to remake movies and rehash old Hollywood staples, PLEASE pay attention to this movie. This film is more original than anything that I have seen in a long time. Possibly since The Matrix. I don’t think that a lot of critics “get” the movie. We have all sat around and watched horror movies and said, “Ugh. Why is this always the same? Why do we see the same old thing with a new cast behind it”? Thanks to this movie, you will never have to question that again.

Worth to admission? As if you can’t tell from my above praise, YES! This movie drips with clever dialog, fantastic acting (especially from Fran Kranz), and some of the coolest movie monsters to ever be on film (even if they are only in the movie for a few minutes). Cabin takes all of the things that we have gotten so bored by in traditional horror movies and flips it. It is easily the most original movie that you have seen this year. Do yourself a favor and go to The Cabin…you don’t even need to bring bug spray.

NOTE: Joss Whedon has created some of my favorite characters on TV, and I have always had faith in him, but this movie gives me hope that his next movie, The Avengers, will be handled with the attention and respect that the characters and fans deserves.

Let me know what you thought of the movie

(TV REVIEW) American Idol

Alright. I'm probably one of the only guys that will admit that they watch American Idol...but I can't help it. I never really watched it until the year Carrie Underwood won and I have been hooked since. AI is now a staple in the Spring TV Lineup in the Jenkins House. So, that brings me to this season.

So far, I have to say that I am amazed at the quality of singers and completely UNDERwhelmed by their lack of originality. They all, for the most part, sound like they are singing Karaoke. There are only a few standouts in my opinion and one of those is a local Mississippian named Skylar that rocks the socks off this show. She is amazing.

As for my official top 3 predictions, I think that Joshua, Phillip and Skylar will be in the final 3, but I can't call a winner after that. So do yourself a favor and check it out!

(Movie Review) American Reunion (2012)

The year was 1999.  Gas was only $1.22, Napster was the music download king, and four friends from East Great Falls High entered into a pact that would unfold as one of the greatest teen comedies of our generation. It was one of those rare movies that, if you were about the same age as the characters, spoke to you in a way that few movies do. Now, I can’t speak to the female perspective depicted in these movies, but I can tell you that as an 18 year old male, I saw myself (and my friends) in so many of the characters in this film. As the franchise progressed it was funny that I, again, found myself relating to where the characters where in their own lives. Then a horrible thing happened. Some “genius” in Hollywood decided to market a slew of Direct-to-DVD movies that ended up exactly where they should…the bottom of the discount DVD bin. So it was with EXTREME pleasure that I watched this movie as it marked the rejoining of the original cast in a new adventure.

Storyline: It’s been over a decade since the group from East Great Falls High graduated and it’s time for a reunion. The hard part about a reunion is seeing how much you have changed and, for most of this group, how much hasn’t changed at all. Jim (Biggs) and Michelle (Hannigan) are starting to feel like their lives are in a rut but they hope that a nice relaxing weekend at their reunion will help them reconnect. But when the gang gets back together the old high school hijinks ensue and call an end to the romance that seems to be missing in their relationship. The old gang is out to prove that growing older doesn’t mean that you have to actually grow up.

Worth the admission? If you are a fan of the original movie, I say that it is a definite YES. If not, the movie may fall very flat with you. This is one of those movies that are not really written to attract a new audience, it is only here to offer another chapter to the story and characters that many people fell in love with 13 years ago. If you are anything like me you will walk out of the theater with plans of downloading the soundtrack on iTunes and looking up old high school friends that you have lost touch with. You know the ones. As a 90’s teen, this movie was dripping with nostalgia and references that made me feel like a teenager again. Make sure you check it out!

Note: I must warn that this is a pretty hard “R” rating and has a good bit of foul language and some nudity, so make sure that you aren’t allowing minors in to see it.

If you loved it as much as the original, or thought it was a poorly executed attempt to cash in on the past success, let me know.

(Movie Review) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Do you love movies where the people are all of the highest moral standings and the female characters are full of hope, optimism, and they are always wearing their Sunday best??? Well go watch the Walton's, because this movie is the exact opposite. Most of the people in this movie are the lowest of the low, even the "hero" in this movie is not of the norm. That being said, this movie was great. The characters, the acting, the scenery...everything was as appealing as one could hope for. The story is, at least to me, somewhat predictable (as I figured it out once all of the characters had been revealed), but that doesn't make the movie any less fun to watch.

Storyline: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander (Mara), a young computer hacker. - IMDB.COM

Thoughts? This movie was pretty great. Not really for the weak stomached, as the scenes with torture/murder and there is a particularly disturbing rape scene. But the movie itself was very well done and very enjoyable. Make sure to see it!

(Movie Review) Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)

I have never liked a movie so much yet liked the main actor so little. This is an absolutely wonderful movie that, at some times, is almost ruined for me by the main character. No, it isn't because of the challenges that his character has, it is because of the way the actor delivers some of the performance. There are moments that the character/actor are spot on and really make you feel the message of the film, then some times it drops off and becomes almost like a caricature of the affliction that the main character suffers from. For me, the performance just felt to uneven.

Storyline: A nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. - IMDB.COM

Thoughts? Even though Tom Hanks was not in the whole movie, I loved him in this. I also loved the performance from Max von Sydow. Because of them and the amazingly heartbreaking situation that this movie depicts, I say check it out. But be prepared for a few moments where you find Thomas Horn to be slightly aggravating.

(Movie Review) Immortals (2011)

If 300, Conan and Clash of the Titans had a little ripped, mean, and highly stylized baby...this would be it. The movie honestly feels like they took those three movies and smashed them together. That isn't really a bad thing, as they were all good action/testosterone flicks, but the movie really doesn't stand alone with its own identity. It feels like they took the wardrobe and actors from 300, the sword play from Conan, and mixed both of those stories with the Gods/Demigods from Clash. It's just so easy. Easy movies are never as rewarding as those that you have to "get". Anyway, I'm rambling.

Storyline: Theseus (Cavill) is a mortal man chosen by Zeus to lead the fight against the ruthless King Hyperion (Rourke), who is on a rampage across Greece to obtain a weapon that can destroy humanity. - IMDB.COM

Thoughts? Meh. The movie was great for a popcorn flick. Also, I was glad to see that the new Superman (Henry Cavill) can be such as bada**, as I think that was missing a LOT for the last Superman movie. Overall, I would say that you should check it out, but only if you are in the mood for some blood, guts and half naked men.

PS. Stephen Dorff is in this movie! I thought he was dead. Glad to see that he isn't homeless...yet.

(Movie Review) The Hunger Games (2012)

I love movies. We all already knew this, but in recent years some “blockbusters” have made me a little more cynical than I once was. Movies like Harry Potter, which I found boring, and Twilight, which I found to be an abomination to the film industry, have given me little hope that a well-rounded movie can be produced from the books that are popular among teens and young adults these days. Going into The Hunger Games I started getting a little nervous. The setting was the same as it has been with the other movies mentioned. Teens and young adults crowded the theater like sardines packed into a tin. The lights went down, the credits began to roll, and then a magical thing happened…the movie wasn’t horrible. In fact, it was really (REALLY) entertaining.

Storyline: In a dystopian future the Capitol selects a male and female participant from each of the 12 districts, which once rebelled against the Capitol, to compete in a brutal competition. The Hunger Games is a contest that pits 24 people against one another in a fight to the death where only one person can survive. These contestants can be provided outside help from sponsors but ultimately must rely on themselves to survive and be crowned as the victor. At the lottery, to choose the participants, Primrose Everdeen (Shields) is chosen but her older sister, Katniss (Lawrence), offers herself as a volunteer to take her younger sisters place. Now, as a contestant in The Hunger Games, Katniss must find a way to survive the games and make her way back to her family.

I admit that I haven’t read the books, so I can’t speak to what this movie used and didn’t use from the source material. What I CAN tell you is that this movie was a lot of fun and ended up being so much more than I thought it would. While this movie may seem like a thrilling action film, it actually has some incredibly tender moments peppered throughout the film. The acting is actually really good in this film too. Woody Harrelson is fun, Stanley Tucci is as amazing as always, and Jennifer Lawrence plays the role of Katniss flawlessly. The only exception to the standout cast was Josh Hutcherson who, yet again, underwhelms. While he has one or two great scenes, I never feel that he fully conveys the emotions that he is trying to convey.

Worth the admission? Does Tucci look awesome in a blue wig? The answer is YES. The story was well balanced, the actors were great, and the film helped wash out the bad taste left in my mouth from the final 4 Harry Potter movies and Twilight. There may be hope for this genre yet!

Let me know what you thought of the movie