The Littlest Winslow

Although everyone and their adoptive mother’s third cousin has already reviewed Marvel’s latest superhero soiree, I would still be so, so remiss if I didn’t comment on the super-mega-ultra blockbuster. I’m somewhat remiss by posting this nearly a week after the powerhouse raped and pillaged the box office and made it its bitch, but dammit, here I go.

Given my occasional Joss Whedon fanboy tendencies, I’m sure it’s of no surprise when I tell you that I absolutely loved The Avengers, and support it with every fiber of my being. Now that the world has all of a sudden jumped aboard the Whedon train, I’m fighting the urge to do a grotesque, insanely awkward “I told you so” dance, even though Whedon more-or-less told me to. Putting my various biases aside, the movie really did work on so many different levels.

Having also written the script, Whedon did a great job of properly serving and balancing each superhero’s side story. Since most of the characters already had their origin stories told in previous films, I’m sure the ability to soar right over that aspect really helped us firmly plant ourselves in the world of The Avengers rather than backtracking or rehashing. The screen time balance for such a large cast is a tricky tightrope to navigate, but Joss’s resume proves he has experience in doing just that (Firefly/Serenity, for one).

The action scenes were also extremely well done: they were intense and well shot, really accompanying the 3D aspects of the film nicely. But even when our heroes were simply hanging around and talking shop, well, Alex Pappademas from GQ said it best: “It’s the rare superhero movie that doesn’t flatline when its characters are just standing around talking, because in Whedon’s work that stuff is the meat, not the bread.”

There can’t be a good movie, nay, a blockbuster without a solid script. Isn’t that the difference between John Carter and The Hunger Games? Between Pearl Harbor and Jurassic Park? A shitty script makes a shitty movie and no amount of action or wowing CGI or 3D mumbo jumbo can ever fix that. Luckily for us, Whedon had all of these elements on lockdown;  he was aware of the necessary measures in order to successfully pull off not just any ol’ blockbuster, but one that combines multiple beloved series in a well-written and intelligent way. It’s a difficult feat, and simply stated, he nailed it.

So back to that huge “I told you so”…tempting, but I’ll hold off. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be said. Even though only one week has passed, there’s no question:  The Avengers is a huge success. Sure, with fame and success comes more hype and possibly more pressure for Whedon’s next outing, but as some of us have known for more than a decade, he’s more than capable. And his army will only continue to grow.

Mostly everything you’ve already heard about The Cabin in the Woods is true. Yes, it’s almost impossible to truly showcase the film’s depth without getting all spoiler-y. Yes, Joss Whedon (and co-writer/director Drew Goddard) has done it again, creating one of the most unique and visual horror experiences in years. Yes, Cabin is perhaps the most self-aware and satirical horror film since the original Scream. And finally, YES: You. Should. Go. See. It.

The movie begins just as every other B-, C-, and D-level fright flick does: A group of stereotypical youngsters heads out to a remote location for some beer drinking and pot smoking, only to find themselves being hunted down by…something. There’s a jock, a stoner, a school girl, the nice guy, and a slut. But why do these stereotypes and conventions even exist? And why does this genre, in particular, continuously belabor such tedious cliches? Cabin attempts to answer these questions, and more, while simultaneously poking fun at itself throughout.

If that’s not meta enough for you, Cabin‘s layered twists and turns will constantly have you shaking your head and guessing which 180 degree deviation it’s going to take next. Besides the many death traps for our beloved cast of predictables, a certain company of techies seem to know much more about the cabin’s secrets. Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under) and Bradley Whitford (The West Wing) play the two leaders of this mission, who are somehow manipulating the cabin and its inhabitants, leading the kids to more danger and almost certain death. It’s like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” novel for these hapless suckers, one seemingly without any possibility for a happy ending. What is this company, and why are they doing this?

So many questions, so little time! At a meager 95 minutes, the movie moves so fast that before you even have a chance to get a handle on what’s going down, it zigs right when you thought it would zag. As one tagline for the film says: “You think you know the story.” I assure you: You thought wrong.

This movie sat on the shelf for almost three years thanks to a clusterfuck at MGM (the film was later sold to Lionsgate for distribution). But thank the movie gods above for allowing this piece of brilliance to come to light. What a breath of fresh air Cabin is, for the film’s creators, for the audience, and for the genre at large. In a sea of reboots, remakes, and widely unoriginal screenplays, The Cabin in the Woods proves that there’s still life left in a genre that has been left for dead more times than Jason Voorhees.

Joss Whedon. Sam Jackson. Robert Downey, Jr.  ScarJo. Jeremy Renner. The list goes on and on.

The Avengers hits theaters on May 4 in epic digital 3D glory. Lets all take two and a half minutes out of our Thursdays to bask in the light that is this trailer.

Not only will The Avengers likely be the summer season’s first major blockbuster, it could go down as one of the best for 2012.

First Cabin in the Woods and then The Avengers? It’s a great time to be a Whedon fan.

I saw this trailer first on Monster Popcorn. Check it!

After one view of the new trailer for Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard’s The Cabin in the Woods, my mind is reeling. It appears to have the brutality of the Saw series, with the setting of The Evil Dead, splashed with the organized terror of The Hunger Games. Is that even possible?!

Originally shelved by MGM, the studio sought to sell Cabin. After a few false-starts (one done under the guise of converting to 3D), Lions Gate Entertainment eventually acquired the distribution rights. Over two years after its original release date, the film will finally open April 13, 2012.

Whedon produced, Goddard directed, and both of them wrote. Whedon-verse alumni including Fran Kranz (Dollhouse), Amy Acker (Dollhouse, Angel) and Tom Lenk (Buffy, Angel) all have roles. Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford and Chris Hemsworth (THOR!) round out a quite intriguing and diverse cast!

Do I even need to say that I’m excited for this one?

Last night’s Community episode (“Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking”) had Abed filming the study group a la The Office, as Pierce, in the hospital from an overdose, continued playing mind tricks on them through the bequeathing of various “gifts” meant to torture them. That was a mouthful.

The best part? THIS:

Community loves Firefly! Brilliant! Amazing!

I paused, rewound, rewatched, and high-fived the gal next to me. I was literally squealing in delight. COMMUNITY IS GLORIOUSNESS!

Captain America: The First Avenger opens July 22, and even though I’m pretty iffy on superhero movies (my interest wavers, depending on the series), this poster looks pretty rockin’. It’s dark and dreary, the suit looks badass, the expression on Chris Evans’ face is reserved and contemplative – lookin’ good Joe Johnston!

Captain America will be the precursor to Joss Whedon’s upcoming moviefilm The Avengers, so naturally I’m going to support the series from Capitano Americano and beyond. Even though I’m interested and biased by default, Johnston’s upcoming film looks set up to be one of the summer’s biggest blockbusters! It’ll be interesting to see how it fares and how it affects the buzz machine for Whedon’s 2012 release.

Also, this just in: Cobie Smulders, frontrunner for the role of Agent Maria Hill, has been confirmed for The Avengers. Apparently, Whedon was going to cast her as his Wonder Woman before that project bit the big one.

All good things, I say! I’m on board…are you?

Comic-Con began today and two of the greatest minds of today sat next to each other to discuss movies and upcoming projects: Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams. Reports are still flooding in (I’m sure blogs will be buzzing tomorrow…apparently there’s no WiFi there and even cell service is bad), but Whedon did announce that he’s finally and officially directing The Avengers. This is great news for Whedon-ites such as myself because any Whedon is good Whedon. Since “Wonder Woman” went south, I’ve been dying to see what Whedon could bring to the superhero table – and we’re soon about to find out!

Whedon had nothing but positivity to throw Abrams’ way: “I’ve had actual moments of sheer fucking panic because I loved Star Trek so much,” Whedon said. “I just keep watching it and going, ‘This is the gold standard for a team movie, for a summer movie, for any movie that has come out in the last several years.’ And it makes me throw up with fear, so I have to stop watching it.”

Besides the fact that this pairing is my panel wet dream, I think I’d really dig checking out Comic-Con one year. First of all – any excuse to visit sunny San Diego is worth flying out there. San Diego is a beautiful city. Ahh, a whale’s vagina…Secondly – it’d be one badass experience to be there amongst the Uber-fans. I’m a bit of a geek and I just know I’d fit in well with my people (But I would not dress up as anything. I have some standards..)

However, after reading Videogum’s diatribe about the convention in general, I’m a bit torn. On one hand, settle down, Beavis! You’re in CALIFORNIA, which sure beats the humid, traffic-ridden Tri-State area. How is California ever a bad thing? Reading incessant whining about the convention as I sit at my 9-5…quite obnoxious. Put a smile on your face, man. DAMN!

On the other hand, I guess I see where they’re coming from. Waiting in all-day lines just to see a trailer? Meh. That doesn’t sound too great…See! I can watch the fancy Tron: Legacy trailer from the comfort of my luxurious super-single ex-water bed!

But then I start reading the EW coverage and I get all happy again. I want to be there, hanging with the talent, chilling with the cool kids. Sometimes the best part of concert going is the trouble it takes to get there. The anticipation of it all. But once you’re there safely nestled in the front row or rockin’ with your friends in the way back, the band hits the stage and nothing else really matters. The stories that spawn from those experiences are invaluable. I want to be a part of this excitement too, one day. And I’ll gladly take it all in – the fandom, the geekage, and hell, even the line waiting.

‘Tis A Shame! Not that they made an animated series for BtVS, but that it never got off the ground. With Alyson Hannigan, Tony Head, and Nicholas Brenden reprising their roles, the animated series looks like it would’ve been a riot. The writing sounds killer, and so does Giselle Loren, the voice-actress/SMG sound-alike portraying Buffy.  Apparently and sadly, networks found the show to be “too adult” to air with children’s television, but not suitable for prime-time either.  This would’ve totally rocked Saturday mornings hard. (Props to EW’s Marc Bernardin for mentioning this in PopWatch!)

Who is this mystery celeb with gorgeous skin posing for Vaseline, you might ask! It is none other than Sarah Michelle Gellar. If anyone has met me for about 1.25 minutes, you all know I love her. No secret, nor will I elaborate in the obvious direction. However…I will note why she is not only back in full swing, but better than ever.

Recent projects:

1. Appeared in Richard Kelly’s “Southland Tales.” ST is the Donnie Darko director’s 2nd attempt, and no matter how convoluted/confusing/out-there the story and plot were…Kelly still remains on top of one of the most creative original screenwriters out there. Gellar plays Krysta Kapowski, a former porn star, turned talk show host/pop star amongst a cast of The Rock, Justin Timberlake, Mandy Moore, Sean William Scott, Bai Ling, Amy Poehler, Cheri Oteri, Jon Lovitz, and more. If the cast seems strangely absurd to you…it’s because it is. The movie is so warped and strange that I can’t even explain it without watching it like 9 more times. DVD out March 18th.

2. The Air I Breathe. A drama based on an ancient Chinese proverb that breaks life down into four emotional cornerstones: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. Can’t say much about this film except it’s a limited release, just came out, and it co-stars Kevin Bacon, Andy Garcia, Kevin Bacon, Brendan Fraser, Forrest Whitaker. Sick cast once again.

3. Does voices on Robot Chicken. Because no matter how awesome she is in Drama (Harvard Man, Cruel Intentions, Buffy), she has proven she can do the funny too (her SNL performances, some of my favorite episodes. C’mon, she was in the “I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS scene!).

4. Alice. An upcoming flick where she plays an older, mentally unstable Alice, who returns to Wonderland after being emotionally disturbed from her past experience there. She’s gonna be so money, she doesn’t even know it.

Quirky film choices. Solid performances of messed up characters that aren’t in the mainstream. The sureshot way to the top. SMG will be the next actress of her generation to grab an Oscar. Watch out, Reese. Sarah’s back. And will totally take you out. Buffy and its success aside…she’s going to be huge.

I leave you with a few funny clips of Sarah and Jack Black from their hosting of the MTV Movie Awards.