New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

The Box

post #1 of 34
7/10/09 at 9:25am
Thread Starter 
From the arguably-brilliant-yet-wierd mind of Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko, Southland Tales) comes a new interesting film. A couple with financial debt is posed with an opportunity.. press the red button in a mystical box and get a million dollars. The only cost is that someone, somewhere, that you dont know - will die.

http://www.themoviebox.net/movies/20...he/trailer.php
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 34
10/29/09 at 9:52am
Thread Starter 
Cant believe this hasn't generated more interest.. this movie is highly anticipated! Anyway, new film clip released:

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/10/28/...car-ride-ever/
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 34
10/29/09 at 10:02am
Maybe because its a old Twilight zone episode?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button,...Twilight_Zone)
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 34
10/29/09 at 10:28am
I don't think this movie is as highly anticipated as you think it is. The trailers look very dull.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 34
10/29/09 at 10:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh Z View Post

I don't think this movie is as highly anticipated as you think it is.

No way, no how.
There isn't anyway to forgive the DC of Donnie Darko and the ridiculous Southland Tales.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 34
10/29/09 at 10:58am
Thread Starter 
It's garnered quite a bit of interest, and it might not be as anticipated as, say the latest Blockbuster film, but it's definitely has more going for it than a thread of 0 replies! (which was my point)

Also.. Donnie Darko was excellent especially for a debut, havent seen Southland Tales. Kelly has talent and I'm very interested to see what he does with a real drama.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 34
10/29/09 at 11:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lwright84 View Post

Also.. Donnie Darko was excellent especially for a debut,

Donnie Darko is excellent. It's the Director's Cut of Donnie Darko that's a giant stinkbomb.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 34
10/29/09 at 12:55pm
I just watched Donnie Darko last night for the first time and I though it was really well done. Hopefully The Box is atleast close to what Darko was. I'm attending a press screening on the 5th. Hope I have good news for you guys after watching it
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 34
10/29/09 at 1:10pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh Z View Post

Donnie Darko is excellent. It's the Director's Cut of Donnie Darko that's a giant stinkbomb.

What are the differences? I'm afraid to ruin my love for DD if that's the case.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 34
10/29/09 at 2:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lwright84 View Post

What are the differences? I'm afraid to ruin my love for DD if that's the case.

You know how Donnie Darko leaves a lot of its questions unanswered and ambigious? Well, the Director's Cut answers all those questions, and the answers are generally stupid.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 34
10/29/09 at 2:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lwright84 View Post

havent seen Southland Tales. Kelly has talent and I'm very interested to see what he does with a real drama.

Southland Tales was his opportunity to "do" something with what should have been real drama.
Unfortunately, it is a waste of acting talent.
The script is utterly laughable and seems like a film school project.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 34
10/29/09 at 2:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by oink View Post

Southland Tales was his opportunity to "do" something with what should have been real drama.
Unfortunately, it is a waste of acting talent.
The script is utterly laughable and seems like a film school project.

Trailers made it seem like a Sci-Fi\\Fantasy\\Comedy.. not the case?
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 34
11/13/09 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 
Good interview with the man himself, Richard Kelly:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/42994

Notable excerpt:

Quote:


Beaks: ...Before coming here, I read Amy Taubin's review of THE BOX. And I agree with her when she says the film stays with you long after you've left the theater. A lot of this is due to your refusal to make this a simple parable ala "Button, Button". I'm honestly not sure what you want us to think by the end of the film. And this is actually true of all three of your films. You enjoy inducing cognitive dissonance.

Kelly: It's a constant, ongoing discussion. I'm always trying to be more accessible. And that was certainly a very specific agenda with this film: trying to reach a wider audience while trying to hold on to the way I like to tell stories. I wanted to make a film that, like DONNIE DARKO, knocks you for a loop and leaves you with your head spinning, but sticks in your mind and leaves you wanting to revisit it and experience it again to search for more clarity. It's trying to have the best of both worlds. The last thing I want to do is make a film that is so crystal clear that there's never any point to discussing it again. (Laughs) Like, "I got it! Delete from system and move on." It's a balancing act of trying to connect with enough people to where they're saying, "Okay. I got it, but I'm still thinking about it."

It's an ongoing discussion, and I'm definitely aware of it. We certainly tried with this film to, particularly in the conclusion... it draws itself back into the emotional intimacy of what this film was ultimately about, which is this husband and wife and their child. It's a microcosm of the nuclear family. That is what has been put in the crosshairs by Mr. Steward and his employers. It was trying to find a way to make sure that we were able to hopefully create a conclusion that people will have a strong emotional connection to, one way or another. If we can succeed in doing that, the greater debate of some of the more complex science-fiction in Act Two, that can be discussed. But the hope was to make sure that we were arriving at a conclusion that had a very specific emotional statement.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 34
11/13/09 at 5:02pm
Forgot to post my review. Understand that I thought Donnie Darko was fantastic.

The Box(2009)
2.3/5
A box with a button provides a couple with the opportunity to be financially free, but the cost is the life of someone they've never met. This is a very tedious film to watch. Richard Kelly, who wrote and directed the it, decided to make a film without any payoff. You are taken on a ride of slow build ups, one after the other with minor revelations at best. At certain moments, I thought to myself, this will have major significance at the end, but nothing does. The film just leaves one thinking, "This story could have been told in 30 minutes, without all the stretched out nonsense." I will hope you avoid this god-awful film and maintain your sanity by doing so.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 34
11/17/09 at 11:46am
Cameron Diaz's Box Is One Of The Worst Of All Time

Ouch
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 34
11/17/09 at 1:22pm
^^^

Yes, but 3 of 4 stars for the headline.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 34
11/18/09 at 8:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wytchone View Post

Cameron Diaz's Box Is One Of The Worst Of All Time

Some headline writer was having fun.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 34
11/18/09 at 9:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Salmoneous View Post

Some headline writer was having fun.

Would have been worse if he'd said that it was a stinker.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 34
11/18/09 at 11:21am
Josh FTW.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 34
11/18/09 at 11:33am
Lol!!
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 34
11/18/09 at 12:26pm
Yet to see this, will wait for rental

Southland Tales was....odd....but still did not feel it was 2 hours I wanted back - but glad it was a free rental .

Actually enjoy both Darko cuts - nice to have 'em both on the Bluray. If anything, I prefer the reshuffled music in the DC - but keeping stuff ambiguous makes the original a "better" movie to some extent.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 34
11/21/09 at 9:54am
i liked the way this was shot, and the pacing...the suspense build-up is good, kind of like "knowing"

but there wasn't really much to the movie itself...3 out of 5.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 34
11/21/09 at 10:26am
So a renter then. Oh well.
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 34
3/12/10 at 9:05am
I saw this last night on DVD. All I can say is WTF!!! Now I see why this thread is so old!
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 34
3/13/10 at 12:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wytchone View Post

Maybe because its a old Twilight zone episode?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button,...Twilight_Zone)

Thanks for the link. It's interesting that neither the Twilight Zone version or this movie are faithful to the original storyline.

For what's it's worth, I thought the Twilight Zone version was fantastic, in both acting, plotting, and the ultimate reveal. A great example of what TV can do with the equivalent of a short story, despite the changes being disavowed from the author.

The movie, on the other hand, wasn't very good. The essence of the story is told in the first half hour, without the same striking, and sinking feeling that the TZ version had. The rest of the time is spent trying to flesh out the story in some kind of meaningful way that ends up just feeling like filler. I'm not sure if there's enough meat in the story to justify a feature-length movie, but if there is, this film didn't have it.

Scott
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 34
3/15/10 at 9:22am
Wow. No love for this movie on this thread. I thought it was fairly good, not oscar worthy but very interesting.
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 34
3/15/10 at 11:23am
Well its out at netflix on 3/23 will take a look at it then.
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 34
3/15/10 at 2:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wytchone View Post

Well its out at netflix on 3/23 will take a look at it then.

It's definitely worth a look. Don't let these other guys sway you.
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 34
3/15/10 at 5:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rach View Post

It's definitely worth a look. Don't let these other guys sway you.

Agreed. It's no TRIANGLE but it's not an unmitigated disaster either.
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 34
3/16/10 at 1:49pm
Thank goodness I didn't waste my projector lamp for this rental. Too weird.

6/10

Victor
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

AVS Top Picks