THE CABIN IN THE WOODS Review

Don't let anyone ruin this one for you. Not even the TV spots and trailers for "The Cabin in the Woods" can prepare you for what's coming. Written by Joss Whedon (creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and Drew Goddard (who penned "Cloverfield"), also serving as first-time director, these two long-time collaborators take the slasher flick genre and turn it absolutely on its head. They take every trope you can imagine, chop them up, throw them in a blender, mix them all around and serve them to us in what can only be described as maniacal and mischievous. Part "Evil Dead," part "Truman Show" and part "Scream," this experiment in mechanics and deconstruction is also one hundred percent nuts.

We begin with five archetypal characters heading out for a weekend of sleazy, carefree fun in some backwoods cabin. There's Curt the jock (Chris Hemsworth of "Thor"), Jules the slut (Anna Hutchison), Holden the nerd (Jesse Williams), Marty the pothead (Fran Kranz) and Dana the virgin (Kristen Connolly). The last stop before reaching the cabin is an abandoned gas station inhabited by a creepy old man warning them of the terrors that lies ahead. Of course, they ignore him and press on.

It turns out this old man is the first piece in a twisted test being conducted by a lab of scientists -- headed by Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford with a demented sense of humor. These guys push levers and turn dials to manipulate the scenario adding different storytelling elements to see how their characters will react, witness what decisions they'll make.

Think I've spoiled something for you? Think again. This is just the beginning. From here things get out of control. Not to mention a little too cocky. Self-aware cleverness and self-reflexive humor are characteristics that can get too overbearing, and that is exactly the case with Whedon and Goddard here. They're toying with the audience, but toward the end something happens -- something crazy -- and when it clicks in, you have to decide how far you're willing to go down the rabbit hole. I won't go into more detail because any spoiler would completely botch the experience of seeing it for yourself.

What I will say is this: it makes a devilish transformation. Beneath the apparent ingenuity and originality lurks something cruel and uncomfortable. It gives off the air of being something more than it really is. The initial joke is defeated later by nonsensical chaos, which is grisly fun but not brilliant. "The Cabin in the Woods" is the movie equivalent of a one-night stand. It's fine for a quick and dirty mindfuck, but you don't really know how it leaves you feeling afterward.

APOCALYPSE THEORY Review

From Brandon and Cameron Laventure, "Apocalypse Theory" is a student-made film shot entirely in East Lansing. It tells the story of the last two weeks before the end of the world focusing on two groups of friends at a university. While it's not overtly mentioned and the film could be taking place on any campus, the college experience the filmmakers wanted to recreate was that of Michigan State. Fitting then that the first scene opens on St. Paddy's Day, a notorious day of binge drinking on campus. Even more fitting that while the end of the world looms in the very near future, these students spend their days drinking without a care -- just as they would without the threat of impending death.

Both brothers wrote the screenplay while Cameron Laventure serves as director. At a robust running time of nearly two hours, the movie certainly could have spent more time in the editing room. Some scenes drag while others could be cut entirely, and an argument could be made for it being better off as a 60-minute short. The filmmakers ambition, bravery and high aspirations, however, cannot be ignored. Their goal was to capture life at MSU, and in that they succeeded.

Life as a freshman living in the dorms is presented through the eyes of Ethan (Alex Poling) while his older brother, Allen (Zack Sztanyo), represents college life as a senior living in a world of endless house parties. Also included is the bizarre sport of slacklining, the even more bizarre sport of humans vs. zombies, the Wells Hall preacher and even a doomsday version of Johnny Spirit -- all perfect aspects of MSU.

But the experiences conveyed in "Apocalypse Theory" aren't exclusive to just MSU's campus. They resonate in a universal way of college living with several truly inspired scenes that contain more sincerity than most Hollywood iterations of college life combined. Take for example a conversation in a library between the two brothers over what we're only to assume is Facebook chat, a group sitting in a dorm room playing the drinking game Kings or a hilarious teaching assistant who couldn't care less. Take any one of those scenes -- we've all been there. And cinematography from Maria Palmo photographs it all, most notable during a moment of drunk desperation which she shows us through appropriately blurred vision.

Among all this is the reason for the world's end. A conspiracy arises in the form of a missing professor, a physics book scrawled with ominous gibberish and a risky experiment. It's during the uncovering of this mystery when the midsection of the movie drags. It's more effective when the filmmakers are focusing on the parties and the drinking than when they actually delve into the conspiracy.

It creates for uneven tonal shifts that otherwise take away from the film's central point, which is these kids simply partying their lives away -- literally. And it makes for a compelling parallel to university students having to eventually face the real world as they wait for their carefree college years to end. Ethan says it best to his younger brother: "Life's just a party, and party's weren't meant to last."

21 JUMP STREET Review

Taking a page from Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlbeg from 2010's "The Other Guys," here's another buddy cop duo who absolutely nail it, but now it's Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill taking bromance to a whole new level. The term bromance comes from a platonic love from one guy to another, which has been explored countless times before. The onscreen pairing of Tatum and Hill, however, feels like something brand new in being so comically rewarding. In their bumble-headed playfulness, they effortlessly show how guy relationships can be both complex and stupid -- much like "21 Jump Street" itself.

Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) went to high school together in 2005, and their dynamic is clear straight away. Schmidt was the ultra nerd who got shot down by girls when asking them to prom while Jenko was the handsome and popular, yet academically challenged, jock. Seven years later they're good friends after attending a police academy together, and as immature-looking rookie cops, they get assigned to a special division where they must infiltrate a high school while undercover. They're both forced to relive their high school experiences; Jenko thinks he has the bad boy popularity thing down while Schmidt dreads walking the halls again. But a switch-up in their class schedules puts Schmidt in classes more suited for an idiot jock while Jenko gets put in advanced chemistry.

It's not only their stereotype swap that's throwing them off. High school has changed since their time. The cool kids aren't bullies but rather environmentally savvy hipsters led by Eric, the head of a drug ring played with weird, surfer bro charisma by Dave Franco (the destined-for-stardom younger brother of James Franco). Hilariously placing the blame of a changed high school lifestyle on "Glee," Jenko no longer knows how to keep it cool and fit in. Playing up a perfect dumb face, Channing Tatum proves his comic chops outside of his usual Nicholas Sparks typecasting, especially in his scenes where he realizes he may not be as dumb as he always believed. The tables have turned, and Schmidt finds his way into the cool crowd to bust the drug ring.

What makes "21 Jump Street" more than a reimagining of some TV show from the 80s and a hapless remake is the way the comedy knows that it is exactly just that -- and then plays with the formula. While you might think you've seen this setup before (because you have), the movie knowingly makes sure to explode and rearrange our expectations into something that consistently manages to surprise and shock. Thanks largely to creative direction from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller ("Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs") and an irreverent script from Jonah Hill and Michael Bacall ("Project X") -- featuring more iterations of the word "dick" than you could imagine -- the movie is absurd for the sake of absurdity à la "Anchorman" with a joyous, ridiculous spirit.

The supporting cast is along for the goofy ride, too, including Ice Cube who is uproariously vulgar as the hardened police captain who does Samuel L. Jackson proud. And for how off-the-wall the whole ordeal is, there are hints of truth sneakily hidden in there giving us a rather candid and honest look at high school life considering the circumstances. Best of all, "21 Jump Street" is chock-full of gut-busting funny scenes to remember. Take for example a car chase in a student driver car with Tatum dressed in a hoodie covered in atomic bonds with Hill sporting a Peter Pan costume or, another instance where the duo, to prove they're not narcs, pop a mind-altering drug that literally shreds their minds (and ours) to pieces.

THE HUNGER GAMES Review

Breathe easy, everyone. "The Hunger Games" is not the next "Twilight," not even close. Don't even utter that title -- think more along the lines of the "Harry Potter" series. Suzanne Collins' post-apocalyptic tale that has thrilled millions of readers is now affirmed worthy of being the next big screen literary phenomenon. It's an accomplished, strong and unflinching adaptation that lives up entirely to the source material and even to the hype surrounding it. And with that, the next big franchise begins.

Director Gary Ross ("Pleasantville," "Seabiscuit") does a superb job of establishing Collins' vision of her futuristic Panem, what was once North America. The bleak opening alone effortlessly displays the tension between the gaudy, colorful luxuries of the Capitol and the twelve districts that lie below in desperation and desolation. It was seventy-four years ago when the districts rebelled, and as a punishing reminder the morally-corrupted Capitol hosts the annual Hunger Games. Each district must offer up one boy and one girl as tributes to compete in a fight to the death between 24 children and teens with only one emerging victor. Not only that, the competition is a widely celebrated national media event within the Capitol while every district is forced to watch loved ones fight for their lives.

The story's heart lies with 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who, during the Reaping Day ceremony where tribute names are selected out of a daunting fish bowl, hears the name of her young sister, Prim Everdeen. In a bout of adrenaline and sacrifice, Katniss leaps forward and volunteers herself as tribute to save her sister. Facing the games and her possible death, Katniss is not the ferocious, fearless heroine. The brilliantly cast Jennifer Lawrence (of "Winter's Bone") digs deeper. She shows Katniss as fighting out of necessity to stay alive. She is intelligent, tactful and skilled when it comes to hunting. She knows her capabilities and knows what must be done if she's faced with having to kill another person. With a signature thick braid trailing down her back and completely unaware of her own natural beauty, the Academy Award-nominated Lawrence is the best incarnation of Katniss as there ever would be.

Picked alongside Katniss is the baker's son who saved her life, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson of "The Kids Are All Right"). They're both from the downtrodden District 12 where Katniss otherwise spends her days hunting for scraps of food to keep her sister and widowed mother alive. Along with them, Katniss leaves behind her close friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth of "The Last Song" with girlfriend Miley Cyrus) who she illegally hunts with on the outskirts of the district. Hemsworth has an appealing presence while Hutcherson is great as the boy with the bruised heart, and both of their characters may be secretly pining for Katniss.

Inside the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta are treated to a world of decadence that both allures and takes them aback. This is while we're treated to a wonderfully charismatic supporting cast. Among them is Elizabeth Banks as the prim and proper Effie Trinket whose phrase, "May the odds be ever in your favor" holds a malicious aftertaste. Then there's Haymitch, played up with humor and heart by Woody Harrelson, the District 12 mentor who's all too used to having tributes with no potential. Every tribute gets a makeover, and Lenny Kravitz serves as Cinna, Katniss' affectionate stylist guru who fashions her a dress that is literally on fire.

The games have an artificial glamour to them thanks to Caesar Flickerman, played with excellent sinister charm by a wig-wearing Stanley Tucci, who serves as the TV host. Katniss and Peeta are instructed by Haymitch how to pander to the audience and suck up to sponsors so they drop them crucial supplies as gifts while in the arena. The District 12 duo becomes labeled as the star-crossed lovers, but is Katniss truly falling for Peeta, or is she just trying to save both their lives? Your call.

The movie is brutal when it needs to be concerning the bloody teen-on-teen violence in the arena. Most of it is off-screen slaying, but the implication is nonetheless disturbing. When the countdown ends and the games officially begin, the initial scene is one of wild intensity that sets the tone. Once inside, we follow a mostly silent Katniss on the watch for predators; Lawrence here is particularly expressive moving with quick confidence. A lot of shaky-cam captures the action to a great and jarring effect; the cinematography overall from Tom Stern (best known for working on Clint Eastwood films) turns the environments imagined by Collins into truly cinematic creations along with Thomas Newton Howard providing a moving score.

For once this could be a situation where the movie adaptation nearly outshines the source material thanks to impeccable casting and solid acting. Perhaps thanks to Collins' own involvement in the screenplay alongside Billy Ray and Gary Ross, there is a vast amount of exposition and detail packed in. It's remarkable considering how lean and trim the script is without a moment of downtime within the expansive 2-and-a-half-hour running time. Best of all, any potential for cheesy moments or trite dialogue is checked at the door. What unfolds feels entirely visceral and real. Ross knows when to keep things tastefully understated and when to kick up the "wow" factor to sensationalize.

When not in the arena we're shown the evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland) who mandates the Hunger Games to spite that one rebellion against him. With him is the Gamemaker, Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley), and his assistants who manipulate the conditions of the arena to ensure maximum cruelty. With that comes subtle allegory -- the moral ambiguity when it comes to most guilty pleasure reality shows today. Most important, though, is the very human story here, one that resonates not just as teen fiction but thought-provoking entertainment for adults. And it doesn't hurt that it's so skillfully done. This is the best adaptation of "The Hunger Games" fans could have ever imagined or hoped for, and the sequels can't come soon enough.