The Box

Starring: Saturn Award Nominee Cameron Diaz (Vanilla Sky), Saturn award nominee James Marsden (Superman Returns), Oscar nominee Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), James Rebhorn ("White Collar"), Holmes Osborne (Unthinkable), Gillian Jacobs ("Community"), Indie Spirit nominee Celia Weston (Dead Man Walking), Deborah Rush (Julie & Julia)

Written & Directed by: 2X Indie Spirit award nominee Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) based on the short story "Button, Button" by Richard Matheson (Woman & What Dreams May Come)

Plot: A married couple recieves a mysterious box and are told if they push the button in the box, they will receive 1 million dollars and someone they don't know will die.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFHa-ygkF_M

Review: This movie was mind-bending and provocative. Then came the ending. After going through this maze, when you get to the end it just pisses you off because you see how it could've ended differently but didn't. It just wasn't necessary. Everything else about the movie is great. In fact, that's the reason why the ending was so upsetting to me. It's because everything up to that point was brilliant. It is a morality play played out in a very complicated manner in a very visually interesting way. If the DVD had an alternate ending, I'd be singing a different tune, but I don't even get the option of watching an alternate ending and pretending as if it's the ending that was chosen. I still say to check out this movie because the ending might be brilliant to others. It is still very well-written up until the ending, visually brilliant, and well acted (except for Ms.Diaz's awful southern accent). It is simply my opinion that I can't divulge more of without spoilers. I've given you fair warning so maybe it will soften the blow a bit if you do not like the ending.

Rating:

Writing-C

Acting-B-simply for that God-awful southern accent Ms.Diaz

Directing-A

Music-A

Cinematography-A

Editing-A

Costumes-B

Art Direction-C-the sets seemed right out of a 70's commercial rather than an actual home.

Hair-A

Makeup-A- eww Frank Langella's face in this movie. very eerie.

Visual Effects-A-Richard Kelly continuously amazes me with his imagination

**1/2 Stars