The Cabining

This movie was pure brilliance! 10 out of 10 for sure! I saw "The Cabining" at the 2014 Dances with Films festival in Los Angeles and was blown away by this clever, sharp, and hilarious horror-comedy.

Since that time, I've been anxiously awaiting the DVD release, and just got my own copy from Amazon yesterday. Yay! I can't wait to share this film with my friends, who've heard me yapping enthusiastically about this "amazing indie horror-comedy flick" for several months. It's one great, big, fun-poking jab at the horror genre through the eyes of the bumbling writing team of Todd and Bruce, It riffs on a lot of horror clichés: a cabin in a woods, a who-done-it crime, creepy characters, etc, which are "just so derivative," because as Bruce says, "It's horror, of course it's derivative!" Great fun. Gotta love a film that simultaneously laughs at and celebrates its own wonderful horror genre.

Bo Keister, Mike Kopera, Melissa Mars, and Angela Relucio and the entire cast are great in their roles -- all are very, very talented. The writing is sharp, the production value impressive. I can't wait to see director Steve Kopera's next project, though it will be tough to top this film!

I found The Cabining very entertaining, although I feel it is more of a murder/comedy than horror/comedy. I believe the interaction between the two male stars carries the movie nicely. They work very well together, with Todd being the ultimate straight man and Bruce the comic relief throughout the story. The remainder of the characters all do an excellent job. The story itself does what good screenplays are supposed to do; i.e., present a basic theme and provide solutions to identified issues, all the while maintaining the audience's attention. I felt the balance between horror/mysterious killings and comedic relief is well proportioned leading to an ending which many viewers may not expect. Bottom line: I am not a big fan of horror, but fully enjoyed the film. It retained my interest throughout.

I caught this movie on a friend's recommendation, and I was not disappointed. It was a really great comedy! "The Cabining" was absolutely hilarious and brilliantly clever -- a perfect, tongue-in-cheek inside joke for any viewer who's seen their share of horror flicks. A very solid spoof, it's a straight-up comedy, which skillfully pokes fun at all of the typical, derivative clichés so common in the vast majority of horror films. The production value was surprisingly high, the acting strong, and the cinematography impressive considering this is an independent film. Keister and Kopera have a great on-screen dynamic, and the fast-paced plot-twists and turns keep the viewer on edge until the very end. The epilogue, by the way, was totally unexpected and awesome. A little more blood, and a little more eye-candy for the ladies would have been nice, but a solid 8/10. I really enjoyed this film and I hope to see more of these guys on screen soon!

As is expected for films in the horror/comedy genre, this indie gem starts a tad slowly. However, once the premise is set, the screen explodes into a roller coaster of perfectly timed one-liners, nuanced camera work, and effectively gruesome SFX.

I especially enjoyed the writing - the interplay between the two male leads made the film fly, and the rest of the cast was incredibly impressive - especially for an independent film.

An unexpected pleasure was the original music, (especially the closing) great work.

And a plea to Todd and Bruce: More, please!

The Cabining is a dark horror/comedy in the vein of "Knives Out". Two down-on-their-luck screenwriters take a trip to a wilderness retreat that becomes their worst nightmare. Soon people begin turning up dead, and as the night drags on, the mystery of 'whodunnit' intensifies. Acting was decent, with generally good perfs by the two leads, and Angela Relucio and Melissa Mars as their love interests. This is an indie film with varying lighting and sound in some scenes. The tone is inconsistent and I would've preferred it being played more for keeps as far as the terror/humor balance. A punk rock band performance is tacked onto the end, maybe as the final scare? Fun to watch - give it a try.