10. Cabin In The Woods (2012)
LionsgateJoss Whedon and Drew Goddard's witty, well-observed horror with a twist is a great movie. There are shocks and surprises at every turn, creating something that is a veritable feast for fans of horror movies. However, the one thing it struggles to do is actually scare the audience. Cabin in the Woods is a thoroughly silly movie, with its wry take on the formula of the eponymous sub-genre running throughout. But it's in the third act that things really turn unhinged, with a single press of a button unleashing a tonne of silliness into a crowded environment. When someone gets gored by a unicorn, the film is probably too silly to scare anyone. Goddard and Whedon are clearly huge fans of the genre and so are well aware of the huge glut of films that are essentially exactly the same. Embracing silliness was a perfect way for Cabin in the Woods to stand out as something different, even if it didn't really give audiences the willies.
Tom Beasley
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Freelance film journalist and fan of professional wrestling. Usually found in a darkened screening room looking for an aisle seat and telling people to put away their mobile phones. Also known to do a bit of stand-up comedy, so I'm used to the occasional heckle.
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