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Review: Netflix’s ‘Bird Box’ is an Ambitious Post-Apocalyptic Adaptation
Based on Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel of the same name, Netflix’s Bird Box is a post-apocalyptic tale of family, sacrifice, and survival.
In Bird Box, the world is suddenly thrown into chaos with the arrival of new and mysterious beings. Anyone who sees one of these creatures will immediately lose their mind with fear, causing deadly harm to themselves and others. The film follows Malorie (Sandra Bullock, Gravity) as she takes refuge in a house with a group of strangers, all trying to adapt to this new and horrific reality.
Part of what makes Malerman’s novel so effective is that the book challenges our other senses as a reader. Malorie can’t see what’s happening, so the most horrific scenes rely on her description of what she senses, hears, and feels. Our imagination runs wild to create our own idea of what the creatures might look like.
It’s a phenomenal story that’s brilliantly written (you really should read it), but it’s a difficult book to adapt to a visual medium.
Writer Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Lights Out) and Award-winning director Susanne Bier (In a Better World, Brothers) find some creative workarounds to keep the momentum going. For example, the housemates black out the windows of a car and use parking sensors to navigate a supply run. But when you’re relying so heavily on the actor’s reactions to what they hear, it’s hard to maintain that tension.
One of the film’s strongest scenes is the sudden, chaotic societal unraveling as this strange epidemic sweeps through the city. The fear is palpable as panic sets in — no one knows what’s going on.
This scene is followed by the introduction of several characters all at once, which presents a different kind of chaos. The strangers talk over each other and speculate on what exactly is happening. Admittedly, this scene feels rushed and cluttered, and ends on a bit of a confusing note as the group suddenly lands on an explanation for these catastrophic otherworldly events.
As far as exposition goes, it’s like a whack to the back of the head with a baseball bat; it’s blunt, it’s fast, and you’re not really sure where it came from.
The cast is stacked with strong performers including John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich), Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story), Trevante Rhodes (The Predator), Lil Rel Howery (Get Out), Danielle Macdonald (Patti Cake$), Tom Hollander (Gosford Park), and the aforementioned Sandra Bullock,
As is expected with a large cast in a horror film, many are there for the purpose of being written out. Which is – again – expected, but the way they make their exit doesn’t always make a ton of sense.
Of course, as with any adaptation, scenes and timelines need to be condensed, and certain beats need to be hit for the story to progress. But it’s another element of the film that really feels rushed, and arguably, this is an area that shouldn’t be.
Another challenge of adaptations is the pacing, and Bird Box is a tricky film to pace. Each scene is an alternating “chapter” in the life of Malorie, switching between the events of the present (as she navigates rough terrain with her children in the search for safe haven), and memories of the past (that explain how they got to this point in their lives).
The transitions between the scenes – for the most part – are pretty smooth, though it does throw a bit of a wrench into the momentum of the film. However, the time slip does give a breather between events, which helps smooth out the storytelling and stretches the intensity.
Though Malorie is very pregnant, she’s neither invested in nor prepared to be a mother. Bird Box puts a focus on Malorie’s identity as a mother and how her cautious survival mindset has affected her children and their relationship as a family.
When you get down to it, Bird Box is all about this concept of family. It’s about what we learn from them, and how we relate to each family member. It challenges the idea of what makes a family and how those bonds are formed. It highlights what it means to be a family.
Malorie – as a character – is consistently strong. She’s outspoken, confident, and comfortable wielding a shotgun. Bullock embodies the character with ease, bringing her relatable charm and candor to the role. And in a time where there’s an industry double-standard for the age differences in on-screen relationships, it’s great to see Bullock turn the tables on that trope. Take that, Tom Cruise.
Book-to-film adaptations are always tricky, and – as previously stated – this is a particularly difficult book to adapt for a visual medium. As a two-hour movie, Bird Box rushes some scenes while others linger a bit too long.
That said, these lingering moments flesh out the film with a realistically complex humanity. Under Bier’s direction, the film is enriched with strong emotion and some well-executed moments of tense horror.
Bird Box is an intense ambitious, creeping thriller about survival and sacrifice, and the lasting effect they have on family. It’s a serviceable adaptation that doesn’t quite meet its full potential, but – to pull a lesson from the film itself – there are far worse things you could see.
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‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt
Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.
In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.
This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.
Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.
“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”
The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”
The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.
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Movies
‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time
It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?
It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.
Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.
Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.
The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.
It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.
The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.
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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween
Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.
The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.
This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.
This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.
“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”
But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.
This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.
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