cabin in the woods + a bunch of movies

Talk about a film review backlog. (Who caaaaaares?)

Cabin in the Woods

Here’s what I knew about this film before I saw it: it’s a horror film, Joss Whedon is involved, and Thor is in it. That’s all I knew, and that’s all you need to know so as to maximize your surprise and enjoyment. On the surface, it has a tired, straightforward plot: five teenagers (Thor? Really?) go on vacation in a cabin in the woods, with no electricity, no phones, and no other connection to the outside world. But then, why the hell does the film begin like this?

Have fun.

ParaNorman –  A stop-motion clay animation film for children that is not afraid to tackle the nature of fear and explore what real-life horrors fear can lead to, like prejudice and exile. The look and the atmosphere reminds me very much of A Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s a great watch. (Casey Affleck also lends his voice to a character, which is a bonus for me.)

Ted – A lonely boy wishes his teddy bear to life. Then the boy grows up to become Mark Wahlberg, and the teddy gets the voice of Peter Griffin. It’s a difficult premise to build on, but Seth MacFarlane delivers. Ted has more heart and laughs than most comedies nowadays.*

The Campaign – *case in point

The Son of No One – A rookie cop, belonging to the most hated precinct in New York post-9/11, is haunted by two murders in 1986. The film stars Ray Liotta and Al Pacino, but doesn’t quite soar to greatness. Still a good, affecting watch, though.

Safe – Stars Jason Statham. Fast-paced action. I enjoyed watching Catherine Chan more than the guys, though. And my God, Jason’s character’s connection to the kid feels so fake. Take some notes from Jackie Chan, you guys.

Totally Unrelated Bonus: Here’s a list of my Top 10 books for 2012. What’s yours? :)