The Box (2009)

[Johnny Unusual 525]

With Richard Matheson's recent passing, this might be a good time to remember that The Box exists, which even the positive reviews say makes little sense logically and is just flat out bizarre. But mostly, it's considered a non-good movie. It is also probably easier to watch than Richard Kelly's magnum opus Southland Tales.

 

Kelly basically took a very simple story that Matheson wrote and made it a bizarre mess.

 

[seanotron 2307]

This made for a nice 30-minute Twilight Zone, but I can't imagine how they'd stretch it into a 2-hour movie.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

With Richard Matheson's recent passing, this might be a good time to remember that The Box exists, which even the positive reviews say makes little sense logically and is just flat out bizarre. But mostly, it's considered a non-good movie. It is also probably easier to watch than Richard Kelly's magnum opus Southland Tales.

 

Kelly basically took a very simple story that Matheson wrote and made it a bizarre mess.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFm-6N4QbBQ

No, sir! Your clever attempt at trying to pull the HDTGM crew off the tracks of the "Southland Tales" crazy train will not work! It HAS to happen! I fear Jason may not survive, but it will be so, so worth it!

[RyanSz 3140]

This made for a nice 30-minute Twilight Zone, but I can't imagine how they'd stretch it into a 2-hour movie.

 

It somehow involved aliens, a giant government conspiracy, and a crippled Cameron Diaz.

[jarrycanada 2483]

I liked Richard Kelly's movies, so I should really watch this movie at some point. as I never got around to it, because I remember seeing the original Twilight Zone version. Not a big fan of Cameron Diaz's movies. shes doesn't really do anything for me. She's done some good movies but she didn't bring anything good to the table as far as being in the films.

 

Is this movie really that bad or crazy that it really really needs to be added to the collection of HDTGM flix?

 

Ryan did you say aliens are in this ? I got so burnt on that Southland Tales movie. I was so looking forward to that being good. it was ok at best but. was no Donnie darko, I really love that movie.

[thestray 361]

I only saw half of this late at night before I fell asleep. It didn't really seem HDTGM worthy crazy-bad in my opinion, just boring and kinda weird in that way that horror movies are. I didn't really understand what was going on, but then again I only saw half of it. Maybe I'll watch it again.

[imhatch 271]

This made for a nice 30-minute Twilight Zone, but I can't imagine how they'd stretch it into a 2-hour movie.

tbh those involved with the movie seemed to find it difficult to imagine also

[RyanSz 3140]

I liked Richard Kelly's movies, so I should really watch this movie at some point. as I never got around to it, because I remember seeing the original Twilight Zone version. Not a big fan of Cameron Diaz's movies. shes doesn't really do anything for me. She's done some good movies but she didn't bring anything good to the table as far as being in the films.

 

Is this movie really that bad or crazy that it really really needs to be added to the collection of HDTGM flix?

 

Ryan did you say aliens are in this ? I got so burnt on that Southland Tales movie. I was so looking forward to that being good. it was ok at best but. was no Donnie darko, I really love that movie.

 

Yeah if I remember correctly, and quickly browsing through its wikipedia page, the whole thing was an experiment by "those who control the lightning" so it's up for the viewer to decide if that is an alien or heavenly force. For the most part nearly everything that was done in the Twilight Zone episode is in the movie: family gets box and are told if they press it they get money and someone they don't know dies, they contemplate that difficult choice but ultimately press the button, they have the box taken and are told it will be given to someone they don't know. It's all of the superfluous additions that make this a lame movie. It worked in the Twilight Zone movie as they were small sections that gave just enough to keep the audience happy, stretching a 23 minute show into a just shy of two hour movie proved to be excruciating.

 

I would have been happier if the movie was honest like this:

 

[jarrycanada 2483]

I got around to watching this the other night it's not really all that bad, it's two movies glued together is what it feels like. you've got Twilight Zone meets donnie darko. it's not as over the top crazy as say Southland Tales is. I would place my bets on that film for a HDTGM of all of the Richard Kelly's movies. Thanks Ryan Sz..

[seanotron 2307]

It's worth noting that Matheson hated the Twilight Zone episode, because they changed his ending. It's a rare case where I actually prefer the changed ending, as I think Matheson's ending didn't have quite the same impact. In the original story, the husband dies as a result of the wife pushing the button, and the guy says 'Did you really think you knew your husband?' It always felt a little awkward to me. I thought the TZ ending was more ominous, because they'd live out the rest of their lives wondering if they'd die from someone else's choice.

[jarrycanada 2483]

I like the idea of Fear will keep the local systems in line, idea of movie making. rather then the reality of their actions.

 

I not sure if I ever have seen the original Twilight Zone episode button button, I only ever saw the 80's remake..

also like how in the Twilight Zone version they don't try and explain the box owner and who made it or how it came to being. we just except the idea and the price paid for pushing it. don't need no explanation for it.

[seanotron 2307]

I like the idea of Fear will keep the local systems in line, idea of movie making. rather then the reality of their actions.

 

I not sure if I ever have seen the original Twilight Zone episode button button, I only ever saw the 80's remake..

also like how in the Twilight Zone version they don't try and explain the box owner and who made it or how it came to being. we just except the idea and the price paid for pushing it. don't need no explanation for it.

 

The 80's version is the only version.

 

And I agree, the premise works best without a lot of background detail.

[jarrycanada 2483]

I sorta wondered that after the fact, but i didn't look it up. Sorry about that, I guess that's why I could not remember a 50s black and white version..it didn't happen. that's what happens when you get older.

[RyanSz 3140]

I sorta wondered that after the fact, but i didn't look it up. Sorry about that, I guess that's why I could not remember a 50s black and white version..it didn't happen. that's what happens when you get older.

To be fair there have been so many revamps and new versions of the Twilight Zone it is hard to remember what happened when.

[jarrycanada 2483]

and they are making more from what I've heard

[Johnny Unusual 525]

More buttons?

[DeathToMikeyBay 130]

Yeah this was definitely a WTF movie. Only 25 minutes of material that they had to pad out with TOTAL NONSENSE. Father wander into a library that just happens to house interdimensional portals? WHY NOT?

 

What struck me about this movie was just how hollow it felt as a morality tale. The alien with the box wasn't proving that people value money over human lives. You always got the sense that people pressed the button because they didn't believe his ridiculous story and just figured "Hey if this crazy man wants to hand me a million dollars cash let him."

 

There are plenty of ways you could have portrayed people turning an apathetic eye to atrocities in the name of luxury. This movie did none of them.

[jarrycanada 2483]

More buttons?

 

i talking about Twilight Zone, I heard they are making another one.

 

But if they did make a sequel that would be a good name for it. "more buttons" LOL

[RyanSz 3140]

The Box 2:Press Harder

[seanotron 2307]

The Box 3: No Whammy No Whammy STOP

[Jimjam 0]

The Box fits all the criteria for HDTGM:

 

1: Makes No Sense!

2: Is disturbing

3: One or more charachters may be on "the spectrum"

4: Its fucking Garbage!

 

Here is a quote from an IMDB review that i wholeheartedly agree with;

 

"The film is art-house science-fiction of the worst kind dressed up as a Hollywood blockbuster. The trailers draw you in by showing you what appears to be a cohesive plot, but is actually just a tiny part of a wilfully baffling series of events which are never properly resolved."

[Rattrap007 52]

You want to see the film but only have 30 minutes? Watch the 1980s Twilight Zone episode "Button Button". Same story. Both are based on the same short story.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

I swear there was a thread for this already, but I didn't see one. Maybe it got talked about a bit in the "Southland Tales" thread. Holy shit, do they ever need to do "Southland Tales"...

[PhillipMedoc 648]

Yeah, I think we got sidetracked in one of the Southland Tales threads and it was mentioned in passing.

 

But for sure, Southland Tales is still top of the list for me.

[seanotron 2307]

I knew we'd done this before:

 

http://forum.earwolf.com/topic/12308-the-box/