I enjoy watching movies but among my favorites are ones like “Cabin in the Woods” and “Deadpool.” Both take a familiar/hackneyed genre and break its norms. In “Cabin in the Woods” the main characters are forced into stereotypical roles. The movie satirizes the common stupidity displayed in horror films by making them very competent. By the end the protagonists actually triumph over most of their malicious forces.
“Deadpool” criticizes a lot of the tropes in the superhero genre, which has really become just a way to make summer blockbusters. Instead of being released during the summer months like the majority of superhero movies, this one came out in February (really the dead months for movies because it’s after the holiday season and not in warm weather) already setting it up in contrast to the other films in the genre. The movie constantly makes references through jokes to other superhero movies creating a different type of watching experience. Instead of being fed the same cookie cutter plot of an origin story, viewers are engaged by recollecting movies from the past. There really are a lot so if you turn away for a second you might miss something. The main character also breaks the fourth wall, which is not commonly done. This opens up a dialogue directed toward the audience, that not only criticizes the genre but the movie production process as well.
Both of these films use comedy as a satirical tool to generate criticisms of their respective genres. They do break traditions and in doing so offer an alternative to the typical watching experience.
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