movie review of 'the box'


February 26, 2010

The Box is one of the most suspenseful, sometimes creepy, movies I have seen in a while. Although this movie got bad reviews by most critics, I am with the ones who liked it. Despite some plot flaws and a somewhat weak ending, it kept me intrigued and tense throughout.

 The Box with Cameron Diaz and  Frank Langella

SPOILER ALERT
The movie stars Norma Lewis (Cameron Diaz, There's Something About Mary) and Arthur Lewis (James Marsden, X-Men) as a 1970s couple (with all the orange, brown and glorious wallpaper of the era). Diaz plays a school teacher with a Southern drawl and a disfigured right foot with only one toe. She finds out that teachers have just lost 'tuition assistance'. Marsden is a NASA worker who worked on the Mars project and loses his job.

Cue in the mysterious and ominous Arlington Steward (Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon) - a man with half his face missing. He appears one day at the Lewis residence with a strange proposition: Here is a box with a button built into it. If you press it you will receive $1,000,000. The catch is someone in the world will die because of it. You have 24 hours to come to a decision.

The financially strapped Lewis's battle over the morality of the decision but ultimately give in a press the button (there would not be much of a movie if they did not). Strange events start to unfold - nosebleeds, spying strangers, laughing lunatics, missing persons.

Mr. Steward appears to be of a higher power than humans - is he the devil? is he alien? What is the purpose of this experiment he seems to be conducting? There are many questions presented on the film journey, some of which are left unanswered.

This film is not for everyone. But if you like watered down (you can actually follow along) David Lynch strangeness, conspiracy theories, suspense and the 1970s, give this film a try.


comments

Olympic fever in full force


February 23, 2010

The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver have been going full force for a week and a half. If you are a resident of Canada you cannot help but get caught up in some of the drama. The games are filled with drama, exuberance, and a mix of disappointing and thrilling moments.

Vancouver 2010 Olympic LogoMy favorite sports to watch so far have been the disappointing men's hockey team (I still have faith though - and Brodeur is a great goalie, but I think it is Luongo's time, so I am happy he is starting tonight against Germany), curling, snowboard cross, speed skating and a bit of the figure skating.


comments

Tech Lull

Tech Lull is a new site presenting PHP, Drupal, OpenGL and other tech topics

tech_blog_item
03/03/2010
win7 keyboard language hotkey removal
tech_blog_item
02/23/2010
Drupal 7.0 Alpha 2 released
php_tip
02/13/2010
PDO traps to avoid
php_tip
02/13/2010
limit use of error suppression, @
drupal_tip
02/12/2010
drupal 'gotchas' to avoid

 

What I'm Listening To

artist: casey baker & the buffalo sinners
album: linwell
year: 2009

very earnest songs from the former bandmate of dallas green.
 

Writings

stop me before i send the sentiment

i do not mean.

everyman needs a woman