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Posts tagged as “Movies”

The Box (Script) – Review

I read last night the script for The Box, the movie adaptation from a short story by Richard Matheson published in the 70s and then adapted in a Twilight Zone episode in the 80s.
I have read the short story and saw the epi a few months ago. Loved them, even though the Twilight epi is somewhat different in its ending.

The movie is going to star James Marsden and Cameron Diaz as the young couple, and Frank Langella as the creepy visitor.

The original story went something like this:
A young couple receive a visitor with a box, a briefcase, and a mysterious offer.
The visitor, a man, gives them the box which has a button on it.
The man tells them that if they push the button, two things will happen:
1) Someone, somewhere in the world, that they do not know, will die.
2) They will receive a large sum of money.
The man then opens his briefcase, revealing the cash.
They have 24 hours to push, or not, the button.
After that, the man will come and take the box.

The plot might sound ridiculous but what is lost now is the original context.
It’s the 70s (or 80s) and the Cold War is still in full swing. Everyone is afraid that someone is going to “push the button” and release nukes everywhere, leading to the creation of WWIII.
The original title for the story is actually Button, Button!.

The tour de force of the original story was all about the tension that lied behind the decision to push or not push, as well as the great resolution (especially the short story’s).

If done well, a good movie take on the idea, IMO, would have been a story revolving around that decision, the 90 minutes being almost in real-time with the couple coping with the dilemma.

Unfortunately, like I was afraid of, the movie goes way over the original story, trying to explain everything about the box, the man, and everything else. Even trying to connect all the dots.

Also, the couple now has a kid.

Without giving too much away, the end of the Twilight Episode is basically the middle of the movie.

Everything ends up being waaaayyyyy out there, literally. And to be honest, the story is quite laughable. Really too sci-fyi for something that should be more psychological.
There’s even some kind of ridiculous metaphorical connection with Jean-Paul Sartre’s No-Exit being made throughout the second half of the movie.

The movie is set in the 70s, and besides no Google nor cellphones, there’s another important reason why it is set during that time.
And that reason is linked to that previous “waaaaayyyyy out there” story I was talking about.

Although it might be good on screen, some things are definitely problematic on the page.
20-30 minutes of introduction to the characters who, page after page, have more and more problems, just so you can empathize with them.
Yes, I get it, you need to feel for the characters, and emphasize their financial dilemmas, but most of it ends up being actually pretty useless.

Ultimately, I’ll probably watch the movie just to see Frank Langella’s portrayal of Arlingtown Steward that will definitely be worthwhile.
Speaking of, the character in the movie reminded me a lot of the character Andre Linoge from Stephen King’s Storm of the Century, a great TV mini-series.

The end isn't here

A Nielsen rating comparison published yesterday revealed what shows are Dems or GOP viewers watching the most.
The data seems kind of all (Tin Man -a 2006 SciFi mini- is in there) and to be honest not really accurate for me:
I watch zero show from the “Bipartisan” list, 2 from the “Republican” list (South Park & Damages) and 2 from the “Democrat” list (Philly & Colbert).

And what’s that about the “Deadliest Catch” being number 2 on the Dems list? :)

I also saw that Knight Rider got a full-season pickup.
Not to be mean but: what the fuck?

In movie news, /Film has revealed that the Watchmen movie ending might be different from the graphic novel’s.
A test screening was done and as one might expect, infos got leaked.
I read what this “new” ending is supposed to be and am quite disappointed in it.
Nothing is confirmed yet so this info might just be fake, but still.
If it holds, this new end basically ruins what the “real” Watchmen ending, and actually the whole book, is about. It goes in a completely different direction unfortunately.
I’m even starting to wonder if the Watchmen movie is still set in the 80s during the height of the Cold War…

I’m really hoping I’m just wrong on the whole thing but you have to wonder…

And if you haven’t yet read Watchmen, be ashamed.

This was another useless post brought to you by tiredness.

Just cut it

An NBC Universal memo that Zucker sent yesterday told the NBC employees that $500 million out of the budget is going to get cut next year.
Interestingly, NBC Uni’s profit grew by 10% this year.
CBS is also making cuts in its staff it seems.

Most of the NBC $500 million slash will be cuts in “staffing costs” (read job loss), although expect diminution in “promotional expenses” and other entertainment spending, ergo less money in the long run for TV production.

Is the economical crisis forcing “idea number 5” on the networks?

Television being primarily a business, Writers and other artists have their art dictated by their means, especially in the TV business.
Less money might mean more down-to-Earth/dialoguey shows…

In other media:
Fortunately for my depressive readers, I won’t be talking about this week’s B.O.
Max Payne numero uno and Chihuahua still on the loose.
CANNOT COMPUTE.