Instant Reaction: In a World... (2013)

In a world where comedy is becoming uninspired and derivative, a new hero has arrived to breathe life into the genre. Her name is Lake Bell...

Hopefully you added appropriate emphasis and pauses while you read that. 

Ok, let me explain my cheesy intro. In a World… is a comedy with a rather unique concept, one that’s sure to please film buffs: Since the death of voice-over legend Don LaFontaine, the cliché words “in a world” have never been uttered during the opening of a film trailer. But a new wind is about to blow. It seems Hollywood is ready to revive the phrase which, as we’re told, is an extremely big deal for anyone who sweet talks a mic for a living. Every hilariously egotistical voice actor in the business dreams of a chance to fill the shoes of the late LaFontaine -- and if not, at least this is a fresh idea for a comedy.

In a World… is unexpectedly original and super charming, putting the talents of auteur writer/director/star Lake Bell on display in glorious fashion. If this is a sign of what’s to come for Bell, we may finally live in a world where someone other than Wes Anderson has the exclusive rights to make quirky comedies for hipsters. But only time can tell us for sure.

Directed by: Lake Bell
Starring: Lake Bell, Fred Melamed, and Demetri Martin

Movie Review: Don Jon (2013)

Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) basically has his pick of an array of hotties on the New Jersey bar scene, never scoring below an eight, even if he’s had a few too many drinks. Jon has a natural way with women; shoot them once glance and it’s a near guarantee he’ll be taking them back to his place before the night’s out. But this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise; after all, his friends do call him “Don Jon”.

So, if Jon is such a master of finding women to slam, why does he spend most nights alone at his computer, masturbating compulsively, even after he’s just had sex with a dime? Jon explains to us – in the graphic detail you’d expect from a Jersey-Italian stereotype — that he simply doesn’t get off to women like he does porn. Women in porn will do anything to please a guy and, let’s face it, real women rarely have perfect porno bodies. To Jon, the real thing is boring by comparison. When it comes to the ladies, Jon seems to be more into the game of womanizing than he is the actual sex – or hell, the women themselves.

Movie Review: "The Cabin in the Woods" (2012)

The tagline to The Cabin in the Woods implies a level of deception: “You think you know the story.” I can honestly say that this film did not meet my expectations, though I did really enjoy it. It’s true that the story of teenagers isolated in a woodland setting, only to picked off by evil beasties, isn’t exactly a new idea for the horror genre. Luckily, the film doesn’t follow any formula very closely.

There have been several recent releases in the horror-comedy genre, most of which are satirical representations of classic horror formulas. When I arrived at the theater I expected to see a parody film along the lines of Drag Me to Hell or Wes Craven’s Scream. While it’s true that I was treated to some bloody laughs, Cabin in the Woods is not done in the same vein as the films listed above.

I think it is fair to classify Cabin as a horror-comedy offshoot, but saying that doesn’t describe the unique approach fully. It’s really hard to describe Cabin in the Woods, but I think that’s exactly what the filmmakers were going for.