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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

The Cabin In The Woods

Starring: Bradley Whitford, Richard Jenkins, Amy Acker, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, and Kristen Connolly

Synopsis: Few genres have encountered the titanic shifts in format that horror films have over the last 40 years. Early slash films were, in their own way, morality tales. In the 1990s, the new wave added a layer of character sophistication and clever dialogue while morphing the formula. More recent entries have split into two camps — those that are focused on gore and spectacle driving the story and those that have kept costs low and tensions higher through the found footage phenomenon. But that’s what makes “The Cabin In The Woods” so fascinating. During a time when horror films have degenerated to low concept, cheap to produce franchises for mass consumption, “The Cabin In The Woods” offers a vision of a high concept film. Though it’s too soon to tell if this is a trend or merely a one-time exception, the film offers a glimmer of hope for those who are fans of horror that are seeking something a bit more substantive. That being said, “The Cabin In The Woods” is a hard film to describe. There are all the trappings of a basic horror plot — five college-age coeds travel to a mysterious cabin for a weekend of fun. The typical archetypes are among them and the story seems to be aiming toward a fairly standard trajectory. Except that in this film nothing is as it seems. And that is exactly the way that Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard want it. The pair, who co-wrote the screenplay (Goddard also directed), are clearly fans of the genre. They understand the genre and what makes it tick. But they are also clever enough to do a little something different. Whedon is no stranger to genre mashups. He’s the creative force between “Angel” and “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” and also created “Firefly,” which is best described as a space western. He helps bring that same kind of creative force to this project, working with Goddard, who worked on several of Whedon’s shows and several shows from J.J. Abrams, including “Alias” and “Lost.” That gives both a firm setting for telling a layered, multi-dimensional story. And that’s what you get with “The Cabin In The Woods.” There is little that can be said about the plot without giving away the best part of the viewing experience. In fact, it could be easily argued that the trailers and TV ad campaign already give away too much. “The Cabin In The Woods” is the kind of film that is meant to be experienced with as little foreknowledge as possible. And the film works for a couple key reasons. First, it builds up the characters and the world. This is a horror film. Blood is spilled. There are brutal slayings. But the film spends the first 30-40 minutes building up the characters and the world in such a way that you’re invested in them. It’s not like the modern trend where characters are disposable props in the never-ending chain of carnage, these characters matter. They serve a specific purpose. Second, the whole enterprise is infused with humor. That may sound like a small thing, but it’s really key in breathing life into the genre. The film is even clever and layered enough to come up with some running jokes that pop up at unexpected times to enhance the viewing experience. There are dozens of small little touches that help raise the level of production and experience to keep the audience hooked and engrossed. And, finally, this is a creative approach to the genre. This doesn’t follow the typical formula of “Saw” or of the “Paranormal Activity” franchises, and it doesn’t try to replicate something from the past. This is a new take. This is a film that comes from people familiar with the genre that want to do something new. It’s an original idea in a genre that has become far too stale and predictable in recent years. For that reason, it’s not only exciting as a single film but for the possibility of ushering in something different. But whether or not that happens remains to be seen. Suffice to say that “The Cabin In The Woods” is great because it offers something different and original. It presents that original story in a clever way and takes its time to get you invested in the characters and the process. It is easily one of the first cinematic gems of 2012, and a rare treat for fans of the horror genre.

Rating: R for strong bloody horror violence and gore, language, drug use and some sexuality/nudity. Enter with caution.

Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Lockout

Starring: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, and Lennie James

Synopsis: This is not a deep or complex film. But, then again, it's not a very good film either. It's set marginally in the future — 2078 — but it's got a plot that seems like it should be set further. It's about space stations, that are prisons, where we keep violent prisoners in a deep freeze. This should, and does, lead to a logical question. Sure, they serve 30 or 40 years, but they're frozen. When they thaw out, it's as if no time passed for them at all. How, exactly, does that work? But this isn't the kind of film that wants you to consider those questions, and it certainly doesn't answer them. It is strictly an action film, and it does that fairly well. There are some creepy characters. There are some good lines. Pearce seems well suited to the role, and Grace does a nice job in her part too. There are worse movies, but "Lockout" is implausible to say the least. It's not a great or memorable film, but it's moderately entertaining.

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and language including some sexual references

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Starring: Ewan McGreggor, Emily Blunt, and Kristen Scott Thomas

Synopsis: This romantic dramedy from director Lasse Hallstrom is a nice little independent film that didn't get a lot of publicity. It has a few bankable stars, it's well made, but it doesn't have a big, mainstream hook. However, it's a beautiful little story and it features great performances from McGreggor and Blunt. Both do excellent work in the lead roles, and it's a fun, heart-warming story. This is one of those movies that gets a limited release, is overlooked by most of the movie-going public, but is a true gem. We need more films like "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen." If you want a fun, well-made, and engrossing story, this is one to see.

Rating: PG-13 for some violence and sexual content, and brief language

Verdict: Three stars out of four.