The Cabin in the Woods Blu-Ray Review

The Cabin in the Woods is one of the best films I've seen this year. Co-written by Joss Whedon (The Avengers, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and Drew Goddard (Cloverfield), it is a unique, unpredictable journey that breaks down genre barriers.

A stereotypical group of college friends head out to a mysterious cabin for the weekend, when mysterious events begin to happen. Behind the bloodshed is a group of technicians operating from the safety of a control room. And that's just the beginning...

The cast is great! It stars Kristen Connolly ("As the World Turns"), Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers), Anna Hutchison ("Go Girls"), Fran Kranz ("Dollhouse"), Jesse Williams ("Grey's Anatomy"), Richard Jenkins (Step Brothers), and Bradley Whitford ("The West Wing").

My major complaint with this Blu-Ray is the outer packaging. The front of the outer slipcase has a hologram that shows the theatrical poster, but when it is turned it reveals something else, which somewhat ruins the actual events of the movie. I'm really not sure why they would do that. If you're planning on buying it, avoid looking at the cover until after you watch it.

The Blu-Ray has a bunch of great special features:

-Audio commentary with Writer/Director Drew Goddard and Writer/Producer Joss Whedon

-"We Are Not Who We Are: Making The Cabin in the Woods" Featurette

-"The Secret Secret Stash" Featurette

-Wonder-Con Q&A with Joss and Drew

-"An Army of Nightmares: Make-Up and Animatronic Effects" Featurette

-"Primal Terror: Visual Effects" Featurette

-"It's Not What You Think: The Cabin in the Woods" Bonus View Mode (Blu-Ray Exclusive)

-Obligatory Digital Copy of the film

If you're sick of the standard horror movie fare, definitely check out this amazing, genre-bending film!

The Cabin in the Woods Blu-Ray deserves a 9 out of 10 Cabins!!

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HUGE Avengers 2 News

Joss Whedon 

WILL

WRITE and DIRECT Avengers 2!!!

SOURCE

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Movie Trailer: The Cabin In The Woods

The trailer for the highly anticipated oft delayed (due to MGM financial issues) Joss Whedon/Drew Goddard project is finally here.

I for one cannot wait to see this.  We're finally getting our chance this April.



This trailer is nuts and just makes me want to see this movie even more than I already did. 

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Joss Whedon's New Movie?

No idea what this is or where he found the time to shoot it considering his Avengers duties but there it is.  The plot is unknown, whether it's an adaptation of the Shakespeare play is also unknown.

Look at that cast list though.  It's a who's who of Whedonverse.

More info as we get it!

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Dollhouse Closes Its Doors

In a move that probably shocks no one, Fox has canceled Joss Whedon's Dollhouse.

Sure this is one of two shows Fox has that is even worth turning the TV on for, the other being Glee, but it's ratings were low and hey, it's Fox and it's Joss Whedon. We're lucky we even got a season two. Early word is that the show will finish it's 13 Episode run and Joss will be able to give it a proper send off.

Hopefully the repeated beatings Fox gives Joss will keep him from returning to the network in the future.

RIP Dollhouse.

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Feel the Glee! JOSS WHEDON DIRECTING AN EPISODE!!

TV Spoiler mastermind Michael Ausiello has an uber scoop. It seems that lord and savior Joss Whedon is directing an episode of super show GLEE!

The episode is one of the show's back nine so it will air sometime next year.

Two much amazing in one show.

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Blu-ray Review: Dollhouse - Season One

Dollhouse: Season One

Joss Whedon returns to television, and the network that screwed him over, with Dollhouse.

From the box:

From Joss Whedon, creative mastermind behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, comes the provocative Dollhouse, a sexy suspenseful thriller starring the stunningly talented Eliza Dushku.

As an "Active," the mysterious Echo (Dushku) serves as an unwitting agent of Dollhouse, an illegal underground organization that provides its elite clientele with programmable human beings. Actives receive personality imprints allowing them to temporarily become anyone or anything - the perfect burglar, lover, spy, or assassin. Now, with the FBI and her own shadowy past closing in, Echo must face a rogue Active who will stop at nothing to bring Dollhouse down - forever.

Click the Rawr! for the full review.

It's not the Buffy spin-off everyone was dreaming of but Dollhouse is probably the next best thing.

I was ecstatic when I heard the news of a new Joss Whedon show. I was even more excited when I heard it would star Eliza Dushku. I thought for sure we were getting a Faith series. Alas, that was not to be (yet?) instead we get Dollhouse, a sci-fi series full of typical Joss magic: angst, excitement, and a helluva story.

The show starts off great but hits a few bumps in its early episodes. In fact, it gets almost tedious. I don't know what was happening behind the scenes but I suspect Joss had taken a step back to concentrate on another project.

At episode six, Joss gets the show back on track by exposing the lore of the show and really kicking the story into high gear. From that episode on, Dollhouse becomes the type of fantastic television we've come to expect and love from Joss Whedon.

Dollhouse becomes an exciting and addicting sci-fi thriller with a deep and mysterious storyline. By the end of the first seasons episodes you'll be clamoring for more.

The cast is great all around. Highlights for me are Fran Kanz as the tech guru Topher, Olivia Williams as the matriarch of the Dollhouse, and Amy Acker who will be amazing no matter what she does. Eliza Dushku of course is the main draw here and it's quite fun to see her in the different scenarios and personalities she is equipped with. Overall, we have a great cast with fantastic chemistry all around.

The blu-ray set includes the entire season in hi-def which looks and sounds incredible. Special features include the Original Unaired Pilot (which was dissected to make up the first episodes), Audio Commentary on Selected Episode, Deleted Scenes, and Featurettes: Making Dollhouse, Coming Home, Finding Echo, A Private Engagement, Designing the Perfect Dollhouse.

The best feature on this disc is the unaired final episode "Epitaph One" which gives us a glimpse at the future. This is a fantastic episode, my favorite of the season, and makes me eager to see how the show ends up at this dark future.

Dollhouse is of course a must own for any fans of Joss Whedon as well as those who are new to his work. If you're a sci-fi or action fan, then Dollhouse will suit you fine also. Don't let the first few episodes throw you though. They're not great but once you get in, it really gets great.

Dollhouse is available on DVD and Blu-ray now.

Season Two premieres on Fox on September 22.

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Dollhouse - Epitaph One clip

Check out this clip from the much discussed un-aired episode from Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. The episode, "Epitaph One," is available exclusively on the upcoming DVD/Blu-ray release of the shows First Season.

Dollhouse arrives on DVD/Blu-ray on July 28.

Fans heading to Comic-Con this year can preorder a special limited edition set of the show for pick up at the convention. The set includes a letter from Joss himself.

Dollhouse's second season will begin on Fox on Septeber 25.

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Buffy Movie sans Joss Whedon?

Reports are swirling that there are plans for a new incarnation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Plans that do not involve series mastermind, and god of awesome, Joss Whedon.

The article states:

Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Entertainment are working with original movie director Fran Rubel Kuzui and her husband, Kaz Kuzui, on what is being labeled a remake or relaunch, but not a sequel or prequel.

No Thanks. I am not on board with any incarnation of Buffy that does not have Joss involved. No way. No how. Doing so is sacrilegious to the franchise.

Joss fans are an extremely loyal bunch and I cannot see them not flipping out over this.

Sure, it's great to be able to have movement on a franchise we love, but without Joss' involvement, it's not that franchise.

Sorry. No thanks.

Read the entire article here.

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Whedonites Rejoice!

It is official! Dollhouse is being renewed for a second season!

The show will likely return this fall (as opposed to midseason) for 13 episodes, with an option for more. The shows budget has been cut and the episodes will be eight minutes shorter (going from 50 minutes to 42).

Joss fans fan celebrate this minor victory. I guess Fox isn't completely dumb, unless of course they maroon this show on Friday's again.

Show Fox your gratitude by picking up Season One of Dollhouse DVD or Blu-ray on July 28!

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RIP Andy Hallet

Andy Hallett, best known as the green skinned, red horned demon Lorne from the brilliant TV series Angel, has passed away from heart failure. He was 33 years old.

He had been fighting Heart Disease for five years before finally succumbing to the disease on Sunday.

Our Deepest condolences to his friends and family. Rest in Peace.

Andy Hallett
1975-2009

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Dollhouse Theme Song

Jonatha Brooke??!?!! I had no idea!

Jonatha Brooke + Joss Whedon = Awesome X Infinity.

Dollhouse premieres this Friday at 9pm following Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Due to Fox's stupidity it will probably be canceled shortly thereafter.

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Grindhouse Fox Style

This is a pretty clever ad for Fox's new Friday Night line up of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Joss Whedon's latest work of art Dollhouse.

Hats off for some creativity over there.

Let's hope it's a success.

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Dollhouse Sneak Peak!

It's been far too long since you've had a show on TV Joss. Let's hope this is the beginning of a Whedon Renaissance.

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New Dollhouse Promo!

January...so close yet so far...

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Dollhouse Trailer and Pic!

Joss Whedon's Dollhouse hits the airwaves starting in January if I'm not mistaken. I cannot wait!

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Buffy Season 8: Issue 16 Cover

Nuff said.

ok, for those of you who can't tell: It's Buffy and Fray.

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Welcome to the Dollhouse

Variety is reporting that Joss Whedon is heading back to TV with none other than Faith herself Eliza Dushku. Fox has ordered seven episodes of Whedon's new show called "Dollhouse." The show will follow a group of secret agent types who are programmed with different personalities, memories, and abilities depending on the mission they are sent on. After the mission their memories are wiped clean at a laboratory called Dollhouse.

Dushku will play Echo, an agent who starts to become aware of herself which will begin to impact her missions.

It may not be the Faith series us Buffy freaks are eagerly praying for but it's something.

"Dollhouse" will begin airing next year on Fox.

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Must Own DVD

One of the greatest science fiction films in years is coming out with a collectors edition DVD today.

Joss Whedon's masterpiece "Serenity," based on the criminally short lived TV series "Firefly," is a 2 disc set containing extended scenes, documentaries, and commentary with Joss and cast members Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, and Ron Glass.

This is for sure a MUST BUY DVD. Especially for those of us hoping for more whedonverse movies.

Pick it up at amazon, it's currently listed at $17.99.

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Days 2 and 3

What a crazy couple of days. Yesterday the PCB crew (and by crew I mean 2 of us) decided to take a chance and skip the WB panel and instead joined about 100 other people in the Jokers Army as requested by whysoserious.com. The Joker was looking for someone to join his crew and we all wanted the job.

As instructed, we arrived at the small part across from the convention center and awaited our instructions. Sure enough, just a moment or so after 10AM we notice planes above writing out a telephone number and then "Ha Ha Ha" across the sky. We all dial the number and here a recording of a man being forced to read jokes and clues and eventually is killed. A small matter because we were on the hunt. We spent about 2 hours running around downtown San Diego following clues, painting our faces to look like the Joker, stealing cookies from a Gotham girl scout and finally making it back where we started to get our rewards. One of us was taken away in a black truck, beaten and eventually killed by the joker. The rest of us were given replica clown masks from the movie, The Dark Knight. Those people helping at home were rewarded with the first official teaser trailer for the film.

Great fun. Very cool event and well put together.

After the scavenger hunt, we made our way to the Dimension Films panel where we were treated to Rob Zombie talking about Halloween and taking questions from the audience. They showed off the new trailer which you should be able to see online any minute now.

After the Rob Zombie fans were finished professing their love for him we moved on to the next panel. The cast and director of The Mist, the adaptation of the Stephen King novella about a group of people trapped in a supermarket after a monster-filled fog envelopes the town. The film is directed by Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption) and stars Marcia Gay Harden and Thomas Jane, who insists this is the best work of his career.

They showed a couple clips and I think we might have ourselves a great great movie on our hands. Darabont assured us this is a hard R rated horror movie.

After that we milled around for a while and then went to see The Simpsons Movie. I'll have a review of that in a couple days.

Saturday brought my most anticipated panel: Joss Whedon. I was in geek glory as he is exactly what I want to be in this business. Writing Movies, TV, Comics. If I ever had to say who my idol was, it is most assuredly him. Anyway, on to his big announcements:

-Ripper, a new chapter in the buffy-verse, is almost assuredly happening in the form of a 90 minute movie for the BBC for next year.

-He has no plans to take on any new popular comics like his recent X-Men and Runaways stints.

-There will be new Angel and Firefly comic series coming.

-He has written "The horror movie to end all horror movies" with Dru Goddard.

-Odds for a true Buffy or Angel movie are slim to none.

-He plans on bringing us a lot of stuff in the next year. So Joss fans can be excited to know he is determined to bring us some entertainment in the coming months.

Other news worthy items include Marvel Comics announcing Ultimates 3 written by Jeph Loeb as well as a major Ultimate universe cross over event called "Ultimatum" which they revealed exactly nothing beyond the fact that it will be crossed over between Ultimate FF and Ultimate X-Men.

Tomorrow brings Marvel's X-Men panel so hopefully we'll get some Endangered Species and Messiah Complex info.

Again no pictures until I get back to LA. I do have pics of the Joker event, Rob Zombies Halloween panel, and some pictures of a bus displaying character art for Spaceballs: The Animated Series which I have yet to see online anywhere so hopefully I'll get that up first.

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