The Box Trailer

Somebody Pushing Your Buttons

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (29)

Richard Kelly is back, folks. And I’m having some difficulty making heads or tails of the trailer for The Box. Based on a Richard Matheson short story (“Button, Button”), it’s about a couple played by Cameron Diaz and James Marsdon, down on their luck financially, who are approached by a creepy man (Richard Langella) and given a box. Inside the box is a button. The couple has 24 hours to decide whether to push that button. If they do, they will receive $1 million, but someone somewhere in the world will die.

Clearly, it’s some sort of morality tale, but it appears from the trailer, at least, that there’s something else going on as well (perhaps someone else also has a button, and one of them might be the victims).

Intriguing premise, and I like both Marsden and Langella, and it’d be nice to think that Southland was a small mistep for Kelly. But then again, Cameron Diaz’s Southern accent is grating as hell. Why? I can’t imagine that the character’s Southern upbringing has anything to do with the story, so why the need for the accent? It’s just distracting.

Anyway, check out the trailer. The movie comes out on October 30th.

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Comments

I dunno about this. After seeing Kelly's "director's cut" of Donnie Darko I pretty much lost all respect for his abilities as a storyteller. Also, this is based on a very short story, and it looks like Kelly's stretched the material to the breaking point and then gone off on some weird paranoid tangent.

But Frank Langella does creepy very well, doesn't he?

Posted by: Jerce at June 25, 2009 10:40 AM

it’d be nice to think that Southland was a small mistep for Kelly.

Nice, but unfortunately that movie felt like he really thought he was telling some amazing epic, opus of a story.

If nothing else, he gives me a good example of "imagine Charlie Kaufman. Now imagine a Charlie Kaufman who does everything wrong"

Posted by: twig at June 25, 2009 10:40 AM

Coming out on Halloween, is it? Gotta be a curse in there somewhere ...

Nice to see Langella getting more work. Can't say the same for Diaz. Someone else besides MM/JR who's coasting on a 15-year-old movie. And actually, one scene in a 15-year-old movie.

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at June 25, 2009 10:41 AM

Oh, wait, I'll give her "The Mask" too, but that cute-as-a-button thing sort of expires when you're, you know, not cute as a button anymore.

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at June 25, 2009 10:44 AM

You mean Frank, not Richard Langella I assume? Unless Frank has a twin who also acts! Maybe they can do the remake for Jean Claude Van Damme's "Double Team".

Posted by: Bd at June 25, 2009 10:50 AM

Dustin, the man's name is FRANK Langella. Your article says Richard. Movie looks like it could be good though. Although you're dead right about the accent...ugh.

Posted by: Toph at June 25, 2009 10:52 AM

I'm interested, but Diaz has a tendancy to immediately turn me off of anything she appears in. She should go back to hanging out with Drew Barrymore, then they can be shitastic together.

Posted by: admin at June 25, 2009 10:52 AM

lol...really? I found a place that many players are hoo king up with h ot mo dels, seems the club called: __BigTalls.com___, do you hear this before?

Posted by: Shirleyii at June 25, 2009 10:57 AM

Ya know, despite the fact Southland Tales was beyond a cluster-fuck of a movie... I didn't hate it, I actually thought some of it was hilarious.

And I think this trailer looks promising, I'm just sick of trailers using the Saw theme song.

Posted by: Colin at June 25, 2009 10:59 AM

This short story was previously turned into a "Twilight Zone" episode, though with a different ending. Nothing like stretching out a good (but short) premise.

Posted by: branded at June 25, 2009 11:00 AM

But Frank Langella does creepy very well, doesn't he?

I just watched The Ninth Gate again the other week, and I love him in that. So weird and crazy and intimidating.

Posted by: Snath at June 25, 2009 11:02 AM

spambot loves some langella.

Posted by: tf breakher at June 25, 2009 11:21 AM

Twig:
If nothing else, he gives me a good example of "imagine Charlie Kaufman. Now imagine a Charlie Kaufman who does everything wrong"

that means the standard Kaufman awkward sex scene would be worse?

Pass.

Posted by: "luker" the barbarian at June 25, 2009 11:29 AM

Well, fuck it, I'm sold. However, I'm still siding with admin on this one, as Cameron Diaz's voice is already annoying enough without her throwing on some half-assed accent.

Posted by: Jeremy Feist at June 25, 2009 11:30 AM

Anything Cameron Diaz touches turns to shit.

Posted by: ChristianH at June 25, 2009 11:59 AM

Honestly, I do really want to see this, as it's somewhat different from the norm. But, can somebody do a little digging and let me know if the button gets pushed and if Diaz dies? That would be the clincher.

Posted by: admin at June 25, 2009 12:16 PM

the premise seems promising enough, but diaz turns me off-especially with that accent. maybe it'll get rented one day, depending on what 'jiba has to say in the review.

Posted by: gem at June 25, 2009 12:21 PM

Um, this looks idiotic.

Posted by: Cindy at June 25, 2009 12:40 PM

I love Frank Langella, but like other people have said, Cameron Diaz is just bad. It's so hard to picture her in anything serious or that's not a romantic comedy. I'm still wondering what the fuck Scorcese was thinking when he cast her in Gangs of New York.

Posted by: figgy at June 25, 2009 12:42 PM

Cameron Diaz' "distressed" acting face annoys the crap out of me. You can tell the poor girl is trying so hard but just can't quite keep up with everyone else around her.

Posted by: Austin asking for trouble at June 25, 2009 1:11 PM

There needs to be a moratorium on bringing Matheson's works to the big screen until someone can show the material some respect. What Dreams May Come and I Am Legend, UGHHHHHH. Richard Kelly does not have the talent to pull this off.

Posted by: Koolicke at June 25, 2009 1:29 PM

It made a nice Twilight Zone episode, but a full feature?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Button,_Button_(The_Twilight_Zone)

I suppose it's possible to flesh it out to feature length, but why? The Dark Knight had a similar scenario (the two ferry boats with bombs), but that was an element, not the entire story.

Posted by: Corvus at June 25, 2009 1:59 PM

Sorry, but video games have taught me to always push the button. I would've punched it before they even told me I'd be getting paid.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at June 25, 2009 2:08 PM

There's always room for 'Gella.

Posted by: PissBoy at June 25, 2009 4:18 PM

I would've punched it before they even told me I'd be getting paid.

Seriously! I knew I wasn't the only one. Hell, it takes me ten minutes just get out of a Staples because of all those damn Easy buttons. It's a big red button in a mysterious unmarked package. The only way to make it more enticing would be to cover it in danger and hazard symbols. That thing would get pressed in the opening credits.

Posted by: jM at June 25, 2009 4:46 PM

Southland Tales was not a misstep.

Ain't subjectivity great?

Posted by: Recondite at June 25, 2009 5:20 PM

A treat for JM and Optimus:

REN Now, listen, Cadet. I've got a JOB for you. See this button? (Stimpy reaches for the button) DON'T TOUCH IT! It's the HISTORY ERASER button, you FOOL!

STIMPY So... what'll happen?

REN That's just IT! We don't KNOW! Maayyyybeeee something bad?... Mayyyybeeee something good! I guess we'll never know! 'Cause you're going to guard it! You won't TOUCH it, will you?

Posted by: Yossarian at June 25, 2009 5:50 PM

I like seeing Marsden get work. I feel like he should be more famous.

He's handsome. And charming.

Posted by: Daniel Hall at June 25, 2009 8:01 PM

Yep.

Frank Langella.

Says so, right there is the trailer.

Who the fuck is Richard Langella?

Posted by: gforcetwo at June 26, 2009 1:25 AM

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Somebody Pushing Your Buttons

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