(Worldbuilding) Rules Are Meant To Be Broken

HELLO, blogging buddies!! It has been A WHILE since I've been around. *slaps wrist* No worries. This week, I kick off my return to ze blogging world! I'm aiming toward a 3-day a week blogging schedule, so let's see if I stick to it. *crosses fingers*

So. Today, I'm here to talk a bit about a movie I saw last week that ruled. My. World. And it did so by breaking ALL the rules. 

Folks, this movie is brilliant. Yes, it's a horror movie, complete with your cliche characters and frequent  (at times cheap) scares. But WHOA. It's not your average gorefest. The film, co-written and produced by the uber-awesome Joss Whedon (Buffy! Angel! Firefly! Dollhouse!), is so, so clever. You think the premise sounds familiar, and you think you know exactly what's going to happen.

You are wrong.

Why? Cabin In The Woods is that type of movie that's aware of the genre it belongs to. So aware, in fact, that it takes its rules and conventions, then twists them in a way that's never been examined before.  In appropriating the rules and conventions of the horror genre, Cabin In The Woods creates its own rules and conventions, the kind that no other horror movie's ever had, or probably ever will. 

This is why I liken it to writers worried about the next hot trend and whether they should pursue it or not. To me, you can chase after any trend you want, but if you spit out the exact same thing with different character/place names, nothing will come of it. You want to stand out? Snag an agent and editor? Study the rules and conventions of the genre you're writing in, then turn them upside down. Don't just challenge yourself as a writer, challenge the genre as a whole. Push it toward new, uncharted directions. That, to me, is what makes a successful story.

Now tell me: have you seen any movies/read any books that challenged their genre lately??? Recommendations are always welcome! 

Happy Monday :)