The Avengers (2012)
I talk a whole lot about spatial clarity on this blog, especially in regards to modern action movies. Continuity editing, that most common style of editing in narrative filmmaking, which seeks to make the surroundings and full movements of the characters legible (and, hopefully, enjoyable) to audiences, has been lost to a new style where fast, discontinuous, and ultimately confusing cuts signify the action alone, not the actual, physical goings-on. Thankfully, Avengers is a straight-forward, clean action movie, one that's exciting without inducing headaches. Sure, the plot is the usual Marvel nonsense, but the special effects sequences are fantastic and logically organized. This is the kind of blockbuster I can always get behind.
Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Now this was something of a surprise. Indeed, I had heard absolutely nothing about this one going in to the theater. Matter of fact, just going by the title, I fully anticipated a wholly conventional horror flick. Not that I would've minded, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I got to see instead. Cabin is the epitome of the post-modern, hyper-reflexive genre film. What starts out in the most typical fashion (five dumb kids take a trip out to the mountains to get friendly with each other) becomes more Charlie Kaufman than Friday the 13th. What you get is one of the most original, surprisingly brainy movies so far this year.
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