The Box (2009)

[Spit_Fire]

Despite almost everyone hating this film. I was probably the few that really enjoyed it with its great concept behind it

Back cover:

The Box Blu-ray

[tatums1984]

Actually I believe it had over a 50% positive review on rotten tomatoes.

I can't get over how awful Cameron Diaz was.

[Valore]

Originally Posted by tatums1984

Actually I believe it had over a 50% positive review on rotten tomatoes.

I can't get over how awful Cameron Diaz was.

For rotten tomatoes to give this over 50%, it must not have been that bad

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Valore

For rotten tomatoes to give this over 50%, it must not have been that bad

Entertainment Weekly gave it an "F"...they usually like everything.

[tatums1984]

if a different actress would've played the lead, it would've been decent - still not great, but decent. the end was a little shaky though.

but she is seriously that bad. she's almost so bad that you have to watch it just for comedic value.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by Valore

For rotten tomatoes to give this over 50%, it must not have been that bad

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Entertainment Weekly gave it an "F"...they usually like everything.

Rotten Tomatoes had 44% from critics, 48% from fans. I know Entertainment Weekly hated it, and at least one Entertainment Weekly columnist had it on their worst of the year list.

I was surprised it was as high on RT because I hadn't heard anything positive about the movie. The only 2 people I knew that saw it said it was one of the worst movies they ever saw, but I might give it a rental. I really liked Donnie Darko but didn't like Southland Tales so we'll see about this.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1000...iews_users.php

[Cory Lendon]

Half way through the movie, it made absolutely no sense, much like any Richard Kelly movie. Take an interesting plot, then flesh it out with totally non-linear backstories.

[Spit_Fire]

Originally Posted by tatums1984

Actually I believe it had over a 50% positive review on rotten tomatoes.

I can't get over how awful Cameron Diaz was.

I didn't mean critical acclaim. I meant from the audience. Many of the friends I saw it with and even from the strangers on the street. They've pretty much hated this film.

[Dudley Dawson]

Originally Posted by Spit_Fire

I didn't mean critical acclaim. I meant from the audience. Many of the friends I saw it with and even from the strangers on the street. They've pretty much hated this film.

Because the majority of the american public does not like anything that isn't "mainstream". The Box is not "mainstream", hence people refused to think to understand it, hence they hated it.

[Spit_Fire]

Originally Posted by Dudley Dawson

The Box is not "mainstream", hence people refused to think to understand it, hence they hated it.

+1 That's what it is. Everyone felt confused afterwards thats where the hatred is coming from.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Spit_Fire

+1 That's what it is. Everyone felt confused afterwards thats where the hatred is coming from.

No, it's because I'd SEEN the 80's Twilight Zone episode (what, want me to link it again?)--which had a better ending than the lame on in the original short-story--and I'd also seen David Fincher's "The Game".
Problem is....so had Kelly.

Unlike chocolate and peanut butter, the two did not go together, and unlike fanboys, I knew he hadn't "thought either one of them up" by his own widdle genius self either.

[tatums1984]

Originally Posted by Dudley Dawson

Because the majority of the american public does not like anything that isn't "mainstream". The Box is not "mainstream", hence people refused to think to understand it, hence they hated it.

please explain

[dcowboy7]

Mainstream rules.

[Dudley Dawson]

Originally Posted by tatums1984

please explain

The majority of the movie-going public want cookie-cutter, formulaic films (aka mainstream). The Box is not a mainstream film. It takes some thought to understand everything, and for many people, that is too much to ask.

[StoogeFan1118]

I never got to see this when it was in theaters so I am going to check this out. I will pick it up on release day if i can get it for $20 or below seeing that it was released from WB there is a good chance this will street for $19.99 just like Final destination 4.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Spit_Fire

Despite almost everyone hating this film. I was probably the few that really enjoyed it with its great concept behind it

Then here's the "Twilight Zone" episode you liked:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6mUElrvpB0
(And half the critics thought Kelly had thought up the idea himself, and the other half complained about why not to do TZ episodes as feature films.)

So, Kelly's officially two strikes down--
Are we counting "S. Darko" for the three strikes toward his official One-Hit Wonder<tm> status, or are we all suddenly retroactively praising "No, Southland Tales was just misunderstood!" as stalling tactics to put off the inevitable?

[ufo]

You cannot blame Kelly for what was the disaster known as s.darko. The extent he was involved was them using characters he created.

The problem with southland tales is that it's the last half of a story. Parts 1-3 being found only as a graphic novel. I won't lie and say it was a great film, but it was compelling after finally getting some grasp as to what was going on. It's definitely a cluster**** on it's own film wise.

I really enjoyed the box though and thought he understood the elements that made so many twilight zone episodes engrossing. I'll definitely be picking it up.

[Dudley Dawson]

The Box is Richard Kelly's best movie BY FAR.

Southland Tales was awful, while Donnie Darko is decent but nothing special. The Box has a great premise (original or not) mixed in with Kelly's "weirdness", but it worked for me, much more so than his other films. The ending was satisfying too.

I didn't think Diaz was bad in this, I actually thought Marsden was the weak link, he just seemed kind of boring.

[Spit_Fire]

Originally Posted by Dudley Dawson

The Box is Richard Kelly's best movie BY FAR.

Southland Tales was awful, while Donnie Darko is decent but nothing special. The Box has a great premise (original or not) mixed in with Kelly's "weirdness", but it worked for me, much more so than his other films. The ending was satisfying too.

I didn't think Diaz was bad in this, I actually thought Marsden was the weak link, he just seemed kind of boring.

+1 I certainly agree with everything you just said. Diaz's character was very compelling and believable IMO. I think Marsden was miscast but he wasn't terrible either. Langella as always, very good.

[iam1bearcat]

I'm definitely interested in seeing this. Hope the price is cheap, I don't really want to wait for a price drop - and I absolutely hate renting.