The Box (2009)Directed by: Richard Kelly
Written by: Richard Matheson; Richard Kelly
Starring: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella, James Rebhorn, Holmes Osborne, Gillian Jacobs, Celia Weston, Deborah Rush
A creepy old man offers a suburban couple one million dollars if they simply push a button in a box. The catch is that somewhere in the world, someone they don't know, will die. After a bit of contemplation the button is pushed, and soon after things get complicated. What could have been a really creepy thriller is bogged down by tons of needless exposition and some really bad acting. 'The Box' is a film that tries to be thought provoking but just ends up being stupid. D-
Where The Wild Things Are (2009)Directed by: Spike Jonze
Written by: Maurice Sendak; Spike Jones + Dave Eggars
Starring: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper, Lauren Ambrose
An obnoxious little boy runs away from home because he doesn't get enough attention from his single mom, and finds himself on an island inhabited by giant unpleasant mascots. They declare him their king and then they run around breaking things and arguing for the rest of the movie. A kids book is stretched out into a long, unpleasant, boring movie that only masochists would enjoy. F
Nine (2009)Directed by: Rob Marshall
Written by: Mario Fratti, Maury Yeston, Arthur Kopit; Anthony Minghella + Michael Tolkin
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Sophia Loren, Stacy Ferguson
An acclaimed director is trying to come up with a script for his new film, which has already begun production in Rome. While following this man as he goes through a private development hell, we meet a group of women that have either inspired him in the past or complicate his life in the present. All these women have a big song, but the only memorable one belongs to Marion Cotillard, who plays the wife. Other characters are jammed in haphazardly, particularly Nicole Kidman as the directors muse and Kate Hudson as a reporter, and all the big production numbers fall completely flat. The whole movie is disjointed, way too long, and ultimately a big mess. C-
The Wolfman (2010)Directed by: Joe Johnston
Written by: Curt Siodmak; Andrew David Walker + David Self
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Art Malik, Geraldine Chaplin
In this remake of the 1941 cult classic, a man named Lawrence Talbot returns to his ancestral home on the English moors after his brother goes missing. When he arrives he discovers that his brother's body has already been found, and it looks as if he was torn apart by a wild animal. Soon, Talbot is bitten by a giant wolf and before we know it, he himself transforms into a hulking beast when the moon is full and goes on a rampage. Also along for the ride are his creepy father, his dead brother's former fiance, a Scotland Yard detective and some gypsies. The only things that make this absolute mess watchable are the cinematography and production design, which create a wonderfully foreboding atmosphere. We have fog shrouded forests, vine encrusted edifices, long dark hallways, cob-web covered walls, and tons of gore. What's missing here is a good script, decent pacing and some actual suspense. There's absolutely no reason to care about Lawrence Talbot, and the only scares in this are the cheap jump scares. Avoid. D-
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Listening to: Icehouse - Crazy
via FoxyTunes
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