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As you may have noticed from the trailer, the Box is about, strangely enough, a box, which is delivered to a young couple in America in 1976. The owner is a strange, disfigured old man named Arlington Stewart (Frank Langella) who delivers the device. It is plain black, with a single red button on top and comes with a creepy proposition. Push the button and 1 million dollars will be yours on the condition that 1 person you dont know will die. Either way, when you are done the box will be reset and the offer presented to someone else.
What would you choose?
For the first half of the film the couple must struggle with this burdensome decision as does the audience. The husband, Arthur (James Marsden) works for NASA and recently suffered a setback to his career when his application to become an astronaut is refused. Norma (Cameron Diaz) has recently been retrenched from her job as a teacher and so the couple are facing some tough financial times ahead. But what to do? Push the button and the 1 million dollars could get them out of debt; set them up for life. However, they will then be responsible for the death of another human being. However, if they dont press it and the offer is passed on to someone else, that same person may still die only the couple wont have made a cent from it. Could it be a trap?
Obviously a decision is made and when Arlington comes to retrieve the box he delivers one great line as he leaves that turns any opinion you may have had about the box, on its head. I will mention this line right at the end of the article but it will be clearly marked as a spoiler so read on until then.
When the couple makes their decision, the film takes a very strange Twilight Zonesque turn, which really does capture the mood of the original show that this film evolved from. Arthur and Norma are thrown into a surreal new environment with strange people and diseases that cloud minds and cause nose bleeds. It gets very weird and I think confuses even itself at times with some plot lines that just seem to be forgotten and disappear. The gaps were frustrating because some stories were just left unfinished; some things just didnt make sense. The film does finish very well as a new offer is made to the couple and the decision is far more personal and damaging than the original offer.
While The Box feels very long and despite some plot lines disappearing, it is very entertaining, suspenseful and thought provoking. If you like a film that challenges you with a tinge of supernatural wonder about it then this is definitely one to watch. Not great but it is interesting.
3.5 Thrilling Choices/ 5
SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
You literally spend the first half of this film tossing and turning over the decision. Would it matter to you if someone, who you dont know, was to die? Could you live with that for 1 million dollars? After all, you dont even know them. However
When Norma and Arthur eventually decide to push the button, Arlington promptly shows up on their doorstep. The money is presented and the box is retrieved as was agreed.
What are you going to do with it now? the couple quizzes.
It will be reprogrammed. He pauses and looks at them with a wry smile. But dont worry, Ill be sure and give it to someone you dont know.
And then it hits you; they are next. The film then becomes about the couple trying to beat the system and save their family. In the end their son is captured by Arlington and is locked away in a bathroom. The child is made blind and deaf and a new deal is presented to the couple. If Arthur shoots his wife in the heart, killing her, then their sons eyesight and hearing will be returned and the 1 million dollars put away for him until hes 18 years old while Arthur goes to jail. If Arthur doesnt shoot her, they all live but their son will never see or hear again, imprisoned in silent darkness. I love the film for these two tough decisions if nothing else.
September 16th 2009 03:12
There are many secrets in District 9 and I dont want to begin by giving any of them away. The film is a semi-documentary style sci-fi thriller that skilfully combines nail biting suspense with short but impressive action sequences and, most importantly a plot that really makes you feel for and take interest in the characters in a way I have not seen since Slumdog Millionaire.
The film is set in modern Johannesburg where, 2 decades ago, an alien vessel came to rest just above the city. Its 1 million inhabitants were malnourished and dying, like a boatload of refugees, and so we took them in. Now in a region where racial prejudice has run rife for years between the blacks and the whites, they must now learn to cope with a new racial class cleverly introduced by director Neill Blomkamp, which doesnt necessarily unite humanity but, at the very least, gives them a common enemy. The prawns, as they are derogatively known for their unique crustaceous skeletal structure, are moved into a localised refugee camp after long failing social integration attempts succumb to political pressure. Unlike every other alien film to hit the screen, the aliens are portrayed almost exactly like us. They form communities, live in huts, they speak and they are peaceful for the most part unless driven by fear or starvation to protect themselves. Aside from their physical appearance, the only real difference is that they lack leadership. Workers without a boss and so they are pushed around with little resistance by the humans.
Of course one must question just how intelligent they are if they could build such a large ship to travel here with millions of passengers, and so throughout the film we see glimpses of their true potential. Their scrap metal bio weaponry is coded only to be used by their DNA, useless in the hands of humans, but has enormously entertaining power when wielded properly. (explosions are short but oh so sweet) We also meet Christopher and his son, two vastly intelligent creatures that certainly break the mould of his species first impression.
Christopher has been collecting fluid for the past 20 years, from power cells and utensils scavenged from fallen parts of the mother ship with a great plan in mind. However just as it nears fruition humanity begins a large scale relocation process of District 9s shanty town residents to the nearby concentration camp, District 10. He meets the man in charge, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) who comes across as very knowledgeable and possesses a good moral compass if only lacking in the strength and conviction to enforce it. As circumstances unfold, the two form an unlikely bond and embark on a quest to save the Prawns from the ruthless Nigerian gun smugglers and money hungry white powerbrokers. Good vs evil vs evil vs themselves!
It is a great film that is pleasing on so many levels. It has strange looking aliens with stranger technologies that create powerful explosions. Government agents get killed in suspenseful battle scenes; there are chases and love interests and cute kids. Yet the defining characteristic, I believe, which sets this apart from many action films this year is that all the action has a purpose, the chaos makes sense and a decent plot is clearly evident throughout the entire film. Also, despite how good a film is, the ending must work for me if Im to leave the cinema feeling satisfied. Needless to say the film builds to an incredibly suspenseful, visually appealing end thus completing one of the best films of the year.
Its a well balanced film and I couldnt find fault.
Rating: 5 gruesome intergalactic crustaceans/ 5
It's who you know.
Knowing is a mildly suspenseful film much like Armageddon, The Day After Tomorrow, The Core and other such films predicting Earths destruction through some impending disaster; however, while the action, at times, is as good as the aforementioned films, the tempo is never quite as swift.
Some have criticised Nicholas Cages acting here; labelling him as monotonous and depressing but if you place yourself in the shoes of his character; a manic depressive, self loathing, alcoholic, recently widowed single parent with the ability to predict but not prevent every major disaster ever to hit the planet including its impending apocalyptic demise while fending off mysterious stalkers hell bent on kidnapping your only child
(pause for a breath)
can you think of any other mood you might be in? Under the circumstances he does a great job. The haunting whisper people, the kidnappers to which I refer, add some fantastic suspense as they ghost their way through the scenes. Their calm, quiet demeanour makes them all the more threatening and you cant help but feel they are just about to explode into action at any moment. Even the musical score does its bit to contribute; I fell for the oldest trick in the book, jumping merely at the sudden screech of a violin despite no action taking place on screen.
The story is interesting with just enough happening to keep the plot ticking over but little else and while it was enough to entertain me, I have heard others tell me they were bored. The safest place to keep your drink would be on the edge of your seat because this film certainly isnt capable of getting you there.
The ending is, for lack of a better word, depressing. Of course it is visually quite impressive however the experience is bitter sweet. Cage finally learns to understand and appreciate his life and his family but unfortunately its all too late as they are cruelly snatched away from him. Where most films will leave you with something to smile about; this one doesnt and your heart will sink down to a place somewhere amongst the kicked over popcorn boxes on the floor. So watch your step on the way out.
Endings are so important for me and this one just let me down.
2 smouldering planets/ 5
The first instalment of this epic Transformers saga was hailed as a fantastic new addition to cinematic history. It had action, humour, emotion and huge destructive, robotic aliens. Its only real criticisms were a few plot holes that emerged through budget and time constraints (i.e. Barricade disappears en-route to the final battle) and that people wanted to see more of the colossal invaders. So Michael Bay took this on board when making the sequel. All the original characters return, minus the signal analysts who make room for a hell of a lot more Autobots and Decepticons. We wanted to see more of the robots in action and Michael Bay delivers with more fights, and more destruction, while still retaining Transformers unique style and humour. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is bigger, funnier, more explosive and non-stop action packed. It is a great film.
Some reviewers have criticised this film for lacking a plot but you be the judge. Revenge of the Fallen takes place 2 years after Megatrons death. Starscream has gladly assumed control of the dark robot army which has now gone into hiding across the Earth as they search for a way to revive their leader. Meanwhile the Autobots and humans have begun covertly hunting down the fleeing Decipticons until a dying villain reveals a message from their past. We gradually learn that a powerful ancient race of Primes (ancestors to Optimus) once travelled the universe destroying the suns of uninhabited and unnecessary solar systems requiring their power to keep them alive. One day, one of these Primes decided to attack the sun of an already occupied solar system and, with this being a great Primal no no, the debauched would-be dictator was stopped by his brothers. The fallen Prime (you see where Im going with this?) was exiled and awaits his inevitable return to Earth to finish the job
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For anyone still unsure of what to make of this film just think of Shrek, if youre a fan of that big ugly monster, then your going to love these ones in Dreamworks latest family fun run Monsters vs Aliens.
As is becoming increasingly more common with these animated kids films the creators have included (along with the slapstick comedy for the little ones) a lot of clever film references and jokes to keep the adults entertained just as much
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Take the Good With the Bad
There was once a time when classic horror and thriller movies didnt rely on super enhanced digital graphics, big budget explosions or excessively gory violence. Instead they needed only the aid of some basic props, a poorly tuned string quartet (or other haunting orchestral tones) and, of course the wild imaginations of its impressionable audience. Such Directors of this golden age include Hitchcock with Psycho in 1968; William Friedkins The Exorcist in 1973; and, of course, Spielbergs Jaws in 1975. These men possessed a suspenseful awareness that could asphyxiate the viewer with fearful anticipation for hours on end; rarely producing the shocking climax until the exact moment his captive dared to draw breath. Only then would they pounce on the partially relaxed muscles of their victims for maximum effect and airtime. Good times, good times
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So what would happen if, one day, the Earth really did stand still? Well probably nothing if this film is anything to go by.
In a time when Hollywood remakes are all the craze, it seemed inevitable that a digitally revamped contemporary edition of this 1951 classic sci-fi thriller would make its way to our screens. The Day The Earth Stood Still is not a bad film; the effects are ok; Keanu Reeves performance as Klaatu is solid; and the story is interesting enough but there are just too many errors weighing it down to give it a chance of outshining its predecessor
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How to Lose Friends and Alienate People is a comedic backstage tour of the entertainment industry that picks at the faults of both our shallow celebrity icons and the sycophantic reporters that struggle to keep them in the spotlight. Based on the real life adventures of author Toby Young and his 2001 best selling novel, How to Lose Friends
is the story of a struggling entertainment writer in the US trying to work his way up the social ladder and make a name for himself without succumbing to the monotony of mainstream journalism.
The inspiration for the novel came when the British journo, Young, was excommunicated by the American magazine, Vanity Fair, despite not long being rescued from anonymity in London. He subsequently witnessed the steady demise of his once promising career until all employment opportunities had completely evaporated. During this time he witnessed the true face of evil in the entertainment industry and grew to despise it, using this hatred to fuel his creativity
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Not as young as they used to be
Its mid-life crisis time in Hollywood as some of the greatest actors return to reignite the old flames that once made them famous and let everyone know they still know how to kick ass. Sylvester Stallone, at age 60, gave Rocky Balboa one more round in 2006 and two years later saw Rambo don the camo gear once again as he did back in 1988 for Rambo III. In 2003, a 58 year old Arnie also turned back the clock in one of his final films before a self imposed exile to politics; rounding out the terminator trilogy as the lovable cybernetic assassin almost 20 years after first famously proclaiming hed be back. Last year John McClane, aka Bruce Willis, was out to Die Hard for the 4th time since his characters conception back in 1988. Understandably it was a much older, wiser hero than we were used to this time, even cutting back the trademark swearing for the cinematic release.
The list goes on with Harrison Ford cracking the whip once again as the 66 year old treasure hunter returning for a fourth Indy instalment. Even the Ghostbusters are making progress towards a return after spending 20 years delaying the inevitable. Dan Aykroyd has been pushing the idea for a third film for years, as have the fans, but some of the old crew, Bill Murray in particular, were reluctant to get on board. But now everyone is looking keen to get things moving again. The writers from The Office have begun work on the script and its rumoured that the old boys will be adding some new talent to their team of proton powered spiritual exterminators so we could even see a 4, 5 and 6
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Eagle Eye has received a lot of criticism about its poor storyline and implausible visual effects and if you scan the internet, you will no doubt see what Im talking about. But if you go to see an action film, and the character is faced with the need to escape a large building, would you prefer to see a massive 10 storey crane crash through the building forcing him to jump to a seemingly inevitable death, defying all logic and reason to land heavily on the ground, injured but still able to carry on the chase? Or. Would you rather he throw a chair at the window and look out over the edge, only to reconsider the jump and instead sit back down to wait for his captors peacefully, spending the remainder of the film in a jail cell? When it comes to action films they need to be approached with a very open mind. Massive explosions are entertaining but nearly always hard to justify so if you try and over analyse, youre only going to ruin it for yourself.
This is a film to be enjoyed if the Open Mind policy is employed while viewing. Eagle Eye sees actor Shia LaBeouf and his adopted film-father, Steven Spielberg, reunite for their 3rd film in just two years. Since their meeting in 2007 for the production of Transformers, the two have been jointly involved in Indiana Jones 4, Eagle Eye and, next year, Transformers 2, all starring LaBeouf and presided over by Spielberg. This latest endeavour sees them returning to their native roots; LaBeouf is, once again, occupying the familiar role of the misguided teen, turned world class hero; Spielberg is telling his favourite tale about fugitives running from a corrupt government and the audience is provided with a non-stop action adventure that places completely unbelievable stunts into a satisfyingly acceptable environment. Its like a combination of Enemy of the State meets Die Hard 4 meets I,Robot. Interestingly LaBeouf scored a supporting role in I,Robot as well, so his current performance should be merely revision
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Comment by LuckyWill
on DISTRICT 9: Not Since ET Was An Alien So Loveable
CINEMATRIX
NRL, Tennis, Soccer - In sport. In here
I think it is definately set up for a sequel if only to utilise the name of their new holding centre, District 10.
I wonder if the temptation to go blockbuster with an intergalactic war will be too great. I love the low key, down to Earth nature of the first film but I can't help but think, if the aliens do come back in a sequel they will be pissed because of the atrocitices inflicted upon them by humanity (experiments and mistreatment) and if the film isn't done properly I can see action overriding the plot.