the box

'donnie darko' is one of my all time favorite movies. i love how many of the questions presented in the film are left open to interpretation, yet enough is resolved and comes together at the end where i left satisfied and intrigued. i did not harbor these same warm feelings toward director richard kelly's second film 'southland tales.' it was simply awful, and only god knows why dwanye johnson continues to act.

being such a huge fan of 'darko,' i was excited to see 'the box.' the premise seemed promising, and i had heard it presented some interesting topics for discussion (something i love when a film does).

it starts out pretty solid. the dialogue wasn't tremendous and some interactions felt awkward, but i had no major complaints at first. when the family is presented with the box and given the option to press it for a million dollars but someone they don't know will die, the story began to get rolling and i was enjoying it. the mystery of the presenter of the box, and whether or not the family was next in line to be killed seemed to be setting up for a really solid middle act. however, this is not what kelly delivers us. like an ADD kid on the way to the store to get some milk, this movie loses its focus and gets way off track. it happens so fast too, that i had to step back and wonder how the beginning of the movie led to this point, with an army of 'zombies' chasing people through a library. it really gets completely absurd during the middle of the film.

the nice twist at the end regarding the fate of the family was not strong enough to erase all the nonsense that had just occurred. i was very disappointed with this film, more so than with most bad films, because this could have been a very good film. if it would had stuck to the plot and rooted itself into some sort of foundation, then i might be recommending it right now. however, it ends up being just mediocre. it is definitely not the worst movie i have seen this year, but a very forgettable average one.

paranormal activity

this movie was scary, very scary. i don't often watch scary movies unless they are supposed to be exceptional, so i have seen movies such as the strangers, the shining, and blair witch project. the latter appears to be the film that this one is drawing from. a cast of no name actors shot entirely on a home camera, add to that a shoestring budget, and you have the scariest movie of the year (perhaps the past few years). this film is also a testament to internet buzz, as word of mouth helped it go from select theaters to a large nationwide release.

this film is surprisingly well done. it has excellent pacing and development as the hauntings grow worse and worse as the film goes on. there is a great atmosphere and unease carried throughout, and during the night scenes the unease becomes outright terror.

talking to people who have seen the movie, i find it interesting that most define different moments in the film as the scariest. there was however a consensus that the film itself was a terrifying experience. the few actors in this film were all great. the two homeowners had great chemistry, were very funny at times, and acted very genuinely during the supernatural scenes.

this film is definitely a highlight in a year where i have watched many new films. i am always a fan of watching films that elicit specific emotions from the viewer, and while excitement/anger/joy/relief/redemption are the ones that people usually like, i myself also enjoy the feeling of absolute terror when elicited by a well-done scary film

where the wild things are

i was not one who read 'where the wild things are' as a child (it was more my older brother's generation's book), but i was very familiar with the work and i am always interested in anything spike jonze does. he has such an inventive mind, and the group of directors/writers he associates with are all equally innovative.

being a short book that needed to be adapted into a full length film, jonze adds some great depth and background that does not compromise the story at all. it helps make the film much more than a mindless kid romp. deep inside it really is a story about adolescence and how kids interact with others in the real (and often unreal) world. parallels in the monster's personality's mirror situations he struggles with his regular life.

the film is very funny at times, very scary at times (i thought for a minute he really was going to get eaten!), and very heart warming at others, which is everything a thoughtful summer kids tale should be.

the world and the monster's look absolutely sensational. i credit jonze and his team with creating a perfect visual rendition of the book. the characters are greatly voice acted too, with the exception that k.w.'s voice is a bit too chill/surfish for the rest of the gang. other problems are that some of the interactions between the characters in the middle of the plot feel a little strange, and i didn't understand where the director was going with them; some situations were just a little wonky. another slight problem i had was that i felt the kid was a spoiled brat and was only likable in the most dangerous of situations when you didn't want him to die.

otherwise, i really enjoyed this film. it definitely made me reminisce about the days when me and my friends were create absurd wonderful stories out of our minds and then act them out as if everything was real. i look forward to building an awesome snow fort as a result of this film (though the fort in 'snow day' trumps the one in this movie). due to its scary parts and deep themes 'where the wild things are' is primarily suited for adults who need to remember their youthful days, though i do not doubt that kids will like this film too.