Reel Reviews

Zero Dark Thirty -- Depending upon your politics, you may be predisposed to hate this movie before the first scene. But a more practical reason to hate this movie might be its simple banality. Certainly that’s true in the early torture scenes; it’s surprisingly easy to be blase about the evils men do, especially this many years down the line. There’s also a certain predictability--even beyond the already well-known endgame--that pervades much of this film’s story structure. I certainly wouldn’t call it a Best Picture worthy film, despite the nomination, but it’s probably worth your time, perhaps to be watched with a certain amount of clinical detachment. I guess that’s the cost of doing business within the notorious muddle this film seeks to depict. Posted 8/21/13.

Reel Reviews

The Cabin In The Woods -- Oh, shit. The Initiative lives, and it’s way more fucked up than anyone ever imagined. Whedon probably deserves a markdown for cribbing from himself, but the results justify the recursiveness. Because man, once this thing gets going, it really gets going--with enough gusto to overcome the horror genre cynicism of even the most jaded and skeptical viewer. Definitely worth a look. Posted 8/21/13.