The Billionty-Oneth Geek: Older Than 8 Since 1991

Cabin in the Woods is not what you expect. I first heard about the movie when it played AICN’s Butt-Numb-A-Thon 2012, and adhered to the recommendations to avoid everything you can about Cabin in the Woods .  And rightly so as the fun with the movie is everything you don’t know about it.  So aside from seeing the trailer last year, I knew nothing of the movie.  And even then, I didn’t recall what was in the trailer, so as far as I was concerned, I went in fresh. On the outset, Cabin in the Woods is a straight-up horror movie, following five college students as they head to a countryside cottage for some R&R.  All the typical horror archetypes are represented: the jock, the sweet and innocent virgin, the slutty slut, the thoughtful and articulate smart guy (note: not nerd), and the pot smoking, comedic relief.  We also bounce between two laboratory technician characters who are monitoring the students for some mysterious reason.  Just...

Nick Hornby, you’ve done it again. Every time I pick up one of his books, I’m reminded of why I enjoy reading. It’s simple: I enjoy storytelling.  And although it’s the reason why I like movies and gaming, there’s something about reading a good story that connects with me more than the other two mediums ever could.  I’ve done some thinking and, for myself, I’ve figured out why.  With (most) movies or games, you’re told a story and you see the action.  Even if it’s dialogue, it’s still action.  Everything you see is after the fact.  You’re not really given a glimpse into the thought process, the weighing of options and possibilities and everything in between.  Even the expositions in movies give you only so much. That’s where a good book has its advantage.  The thought process is allowed to be dissected.  You get to see what goes through a character’s head even before he or she makes the simplest decision.  You’re given ...