The Bang Bang Club (2011) - Film Review

Written and directed by Steven Silver, The Bang Bang Club is based on the real life story of four photojournalists who documented the violent events in South Africa during the Apartheid period between 1990 and 1994.

The film stars Taylor Kitsch and Ryan Phillippe as two of the four male photographers, and Malin Akerman as a photo editor for a newspaper called "The Sun" who prints the controversial photographs. I had high expectations after seeing the trailer for this movie. I haven't really been a huge fan of Ryan Phillippe, who besides proving that he is a pretty boy has not done much to prove himself as an actor. I am a fan of Taylor Kitsch after seeing him in a few episodes of Friday Night Lights, and Malin Akerman is hilariously perfect in the comedies that I've seen her in (namely, 27 Dresses). That being said, I felt that Akerman's character was so unnecessary in this film. She was basically inputted into the plot by providing a love interest for Phillippe's character. Further, Ryan Phillippe's portrayal of rookie but daring photographer Greg Marinovich was neither bad nor good. In my opinion, he wasn't the least bit memorable. The true highlight in the acting department came from Taylor Kitsch as the drug-addicted Kevin Carter.

The movie was slightly interesting, but there was nothing outstanding about it. While I am not sure how much they stayed true to the actual story in which this film is based off of, The Bang Bang Club is at the most, a passable film.

The Social Network (2010) - Film Review

Widely known as “The Facebook Movie,” the film is more than just about the establishment of a popular social network platform. No, it goes beyond that. In fact, The Social Network also deals with issues regarding friendship, betrayal, acceptance and the costs that come with success. Boasting a sharply written screenplay by the writer of The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher whose previous works include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Fight Club the story follows real life entrepreneur Mark Zuckerberg, portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg as he goes from having a few friends to, well, none.

From beginning to end, Aaron Sorkin’s clever dialogue paves a clear path for a witty storytelling experience. In the film’s opening scene, Mr. Zuckerberg is told by his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend (Rooney Mara) that, “dating you is like dating a stairmaster.” It is in that moment the Harvard University sophomore begins his transformation from socially awkward computer nerd to snobby egotistical business executive. Along the way of his creation of Facebook, Zuckerberg destroys many more of his relationships, including the one with his best friend and CFO of the company, Eduardo Saverin and the Winklevoss Twins Cameron and Tyler (both portrayed by Armie Hammer) who claim that Mark stole the initial idea from them.

The outstanding cast paired with crafty dialogue instantly makes this film a hit, just like the website that the film based off of it is. And Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of the Facebook founder is impeccable, as he adds so many thick layers to the character that makes him likeable yet despised at the same time.

Other notable performances include Justin Timberlake as the reckless founder of Napster, Sean Parker, who breathes trouble into Zuckerberg’s life. Sean Parker ultimately becomes a thorn to Mark’s friendship with best friend Eduardo Saverin, a role played by British actor Andrew Garfield who dexterously displays his character’s vulnerability and pain from his best friend’s act of betrayal.

It doesn’t matter if this account of Mark Zuckerberg’s life is all facts or mostly fiction, Fincher and Sorkin have created an epic masterpiece for the tech-savvy generation, adding fast-paced drama and witty dialogue that will have the audience hooked to it just like they are to Facebook.com. And as Eisenberg demands in the movie that he “deserves recognition,” likewise, so does this film.


This is a film review assignment that I recently completed for my communications course.

The Devil's Double - Trailer

Plot: Based on a gripping, unbelievable true story of money, power and opulent decadence, Lionsgate's THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE takes a white-knuckle ride deep into the lawless playground of excess and violence known as Bagdad, 1987. Summoned from the frontline to Saddam Hussein's palace, Iraqi army lieutenant Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper) is thrust into the highest echelons of the "royal family" when he's ordered to become the 'fiday' -- or body double -- to Saddam's son, the notorious "Black Prince" Uday Hussein (also Dominic Cooper), a reckless, sadistic party-boy with a rabid hunger for sex and brutality. With his and his family's lives at stake, Latif must surrender his former self forever as he learns to walk, talk and act like Uday.


Directed by Lee Tamahori and featuring Dominic Cooper in the two lead roles, I am really excited to see this movie. The action-packed cinematography looks pretty good based on this trailer. Looking forward to seeing this when it comes out in theatres in July!

The Player (1992) - Film Review

A satirical film that makes fun of the Hollywood Movie-Making Business, The Player is directed by Robert Altman who brings to life an intriguing and witty story that boasts a screenplay by Michael Tolkin. The film is based on Tolkin's own 1988 novel of the same name about a Movie Executive, Griffin Mill (portrayed by Tim Robbins) who after receiving death threats from an unknown source jumps to conclusions and murders who he thinks is threatening him. What comes as a result is a major guilt-trip as Griffin tries to hide the truth regarding what he did as the authorities attempt at uncovering the culprit behind the murder.

The mystery behind who is sending the threats to Griffin consumes most of the film's plot. But amidst the mystery plot, Robert Altman has managed to lightly criticize and mock iconic films and actors of Hollywood fame. Movies like The Bicycle Thief and Stand and Deliver and actors like Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts and Bruce Willis all make cameo appearances in the film. I thought that it was a brilliant idea to take what was there and make a fun play at it. I also thoroughly enjoyed the sharply written dialogue and talent in the movie's cast. The thing that at first really upset me was the film's ending. We never actually find out who the person that is threatening Griffin is. Rather, the film ends with Griffin receiving a phone call from the mystery person pitching him a movie concept and in a way, blackmailing him. But after walking out of the screening, I then realized why Altman chose to end the film the way he did. The film ends with Griffin walking into his house happy with his lover who is pregnant with their child, and escaping the murderous crime that he committed at the start of the film. It's portrayal and mocking of a stereotypical picture-perfect "Hollywood Movie Ending" was genius and looking at it from the perspective of how the film is a huge satire of Hollywood movies, this ending was indeed sheer perfection.

The Player was highly entertaining and engaging, and I most definitely recommend it to any film buffs out there who haven't seen it!

Rio (2011) - Film Review

Hands down the best animated film that I have seen since Pixar's Toy Story 3 last year, Rio is most definitely this year's standout animated flick. Not only is it performing well at the box office, it also boasts an all-star cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, George Lopez, and singers will.i.am. and Jamie Foxx.

Set in the beautifully exotic Rio de Janeiro, the film follows an exotic blue macaw, Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) who is the last male breed of his kind. After growing up among human beings, particularly his owner Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann), Blu faces a huge culture shock when he arrives in Rio to mate with the last female of his breed, Jewel (voiced by Anne Hathaway). As a group of Hispanic money-hungry pet sellers tries to capture these two close-to-extinct birds, what comes out of it is a fun-filled adventure that takes viewers through the many tourist locales of Rio de Janeiro.

Although Rio's story and script was mostly predictable, it didn't mean that the movie wasn't fun. In fact, the colorful and exquisite beauty of the film's setting worked to the plot's benefit, allowing viewers to pay more attention to the breath-taking flight sequences and adventures of the movie's two main protagonist, Blu and Jewel. I thought that Anne Hathaway's voice was absolutely perfect for her character, and Jesse Eisenberg is at his best with his role as the geeky Blu. But the film's true defining aspect was the animation, which is best defined towards the end of the film at the Carnivale Parade. At the festival, luscious floats of color, bright lights, and intricate designs made me gasp in awe at how beautiful it all was.

Rio was a fun adventure, with a few laugh-out-loud moments, and is definitely a film that both the parents and their children can enjoy in unison.

Scream 4 (2011) - Film Review

11 years after the Scream Trilogy ended, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson are back with a fourth edition of the popular horror movie franchise! I myself was very excited to see this movie, though I have not seen the previous three before. This excitement, was mostly coming from the fact that this movie stars Emma Roberts in one of the lead roles.

Featuring three of the original characters from the first three Scream movies, David Arquette, Courtney Cox and Neve Campbell reprise their roles in this fourth installment. Mixing the old generation with the new, Wes Craven was smart to add a whole new cast featuring young talents like Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin and Nico Tortorella to draw in the younger crowd.

Like the previous installments, cameos are featured in the opening of the movie, with Kristen Bell, Lucy Hale, Anna Paquin and Shenae Grimes being the first victims to go. After the bloody opening, the audience is informed that Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has returned to Woodsborough, the town where the iconic Ghostface murders happened. It has been 11 years since any serial killings have occurred, and she is back to promote a book she has written that is about her "moving on from what has happened." However, all hell breaks loose when Ghostface begins to claim innocent lives once again, threatening Sidney to kill off all of her loved ones.

Wes Craven brilliantly delivers a frightening new installment to his iconic franchise, and Kevin Williamson's script is both hilarious and scary at the same time. The Scream movies never took itself too seriously, and neither does this one, as it pokes fun at the horror genre as well as itself. And what shocked me the most was the big reveal of who Ghostface is in this installment. All in all, Scream 4 was a fun new take on the popular series, giving an update to the previous movies that will definitely not disappoint the die-hard fans.

The Piano (1993) - Film Review

An Australian drama written, produced and directed by Jane Campion, The Piano is about a mute pianist Ada(Holly Hunter) and her daughter(Anna Paquin) who are sent to New Zealand where the mom is forced into an arranged marriage with a frontiersman, Alistair(Sam Neil).

While there is much to praise about this film, there is also not to like about it as well. The plot, though mildly engaging was a bit bland in my opinion, although the film has a lot going for it to make up for its loss. The superb acting performances across the board, from Holly Hunter's portrayal as the mute pianist, Sam Neil as the stern frontiersman, to young Anna Paquin who also serves as the narrator, the actors of this film is what made it enjoyable. I especially enjoyed Paquin's performance, as it was nice to see her do something else other than play the annoying slut Sookie Stackhouse on True Blood. I was never a fan of Anna Paquin to begin with, but this film actually made me see her as a decent actress.

In addition, the cinematography was absolutely stunning, as was the gorgeous soundtrack. Literally every time the background piano accompaniment began, I sat in the movie screening with a wide smile on my face. The music was not only fitting, but so beautifully orchestrated and in tune with the film itself.

So while the story itself was a bit subpar to me, I still enjoyed The Piano to a certain extent, with the cinematography and acting making up for most of where the story lacks in substance.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) - Film Review

An old-fashioned timeless romance mixed with science fiction elements is what becomes the Matt Damon starring The Adjustment Bureau. Written, Directed and Produced by George Nolfi, the film is a sci-fi thriller with a story about man who tries to escape fate and find free will.

Matt Damon stars as David Norris, a senator who meets and falls in love with Elise, portrayed by Emily Blunt in the film. Damon and Blunt's chemistry is impeccable, though the overall plot of the film isn't. David Norris soon learns after his unlikely encounter with his love interest that there is a bureau who monitors and makes sure that people follow the "plan" that is predetermined for their lives. Apparently Norris' encounter with Elise is suppose to be a one-time thing, though he wants it not to be, thus beginning a wild goose chase to stop time and change fate. In the end, one of the bureau members, Harry (portrayed by Anthony Mackie) delivers a beautiful line which sums up the entire film's theme: "Free will is a gift that you'll never know how to use until you fight for it."

I am a huge Matt Damon fan, and when I first saw the trailer for this movie I wanted to see it. In fact, I wanted to see it badly. But I must say that after watching it, I can't exactly say that I loved the movie nor can I say that I hated it. It was good, yes. And Matt Damon is, well, Matt Damon. However, the film felt like a not-up-to-par version of one of the Bourne Trilogy films, and that may partly due to the fact that George Nolfi wrote The Bourne Ultimatum. While the story was decent, and the film intriguing and not the least bit boring, I can't say that I walked out of the movie theatre calling this film the "Best Movie of 2011!" The Adjustment Bureau was good, but it doesn't need to be at the top of your "Must-Watch List".

Rango (2011) - Film Review

A wonderfully-made animated feature, Nickelodeon capitals on Pixar's success in making animated movies with Rango, a Western about a chameleon whose love for acting allows him to play numerous personalities just like his species' ability to change skin colors to blend-in with its surroundings.

Johnny Depp voices the title character and brings life to the clumsy character Rango, who after falling out of his owner's car ends up stranded in the Mojave Desert. He then finds himself in an Old Town called Dirt, where the citizens (comprised of an assortment of critters) are all struggling to find fresh water to survive. The movie also features the voices of Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, and Timothy Olyphant. Rango ultimately fakes and pretends to be the town's hero after accidentally killing a giant hawk. As he tries to help the town restore its supply of water, Rango winds up in an adventure that is both engaging and emotionally captivating at the same time.

While it is a rated PG and targets children, the movie is most definitely for adults as well. With a few curse words and some rather crude adult humor, the movie definitely serves both of its audiences well. Sure, the animated creatures and adventurous tale may be suitable for children, but some of the story's underlying themes of one's identity and purpose in life may pass by over children's heads.

Filled with lots of humor and an exhilarating adventurous tale, Rango is certainly one of the few animated films outside of Pixar's enterprise that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Catch Me If You Can - Performance Preview

I know that I mostly post about Film and Television on here, but I am also a huge fan of theatre. I especially love musicals and have performed in numerous of shows since I was a child and throughout high school. Besides the critically-despised Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, numerous of other shows are opening this spring on the Broadway Stage in New York. Of the many shows, I am especially looking forward to seeing Catch Me If You Can, starring Aaron Tveit, Norbert Leo Butz and Kerry Butler. The show opens this Sunday, April 10th and I will be seeing the show in May (rest assured, a full-length review will be posted). Below is some just released footage for the production, and it is making me all the more excited to see this!

Red Riding Hood (2011) - Film Review

From Twilight's director Catherine Hardwicke comes a retelling of the classic Grimm's fairy tale "The Little Red Riding Hood." Starring Amanda Seyfried as Valerie, a young girl living in a small medieval village called Daggerhorn, and Shiloh Fernandez as Peter the woodcutter, the film will leave Twilight fans with plenty of similar comparisons which is not exactly a good thing.

The plot itself is similar to the fairy tale itself: Red Riding Hood, is Valerie. There is grandmother who gives Valerie her infamous red hooded-cloak, the delicious baked goods, and the infamous forrest in which Red Riding Hood must journey through to get Grandmother's House. Add into the mix a broodingly handsome woodcutter, Peter, and another broodingly handsome wealthy young man, Henry (portrayed by Max Irons) and you get a Twilight-esque love triangle à la Jacob/Bella/Edward.

The film begins with Valerie and Peter as children, as Young Peter brutally murders a white rabbit. Fast forward several years, as Valerie and Peter are now teenagers frolicking in a beautiful meadow (kind of like that other meadow that Edward Cullen glitters and shines in). But their romantic moment is soon cut short with the arrival and announcement of Valerie's engagement to Henry. Valerie is less than happy to find out that she will be forced to marry someone that she doesn't love, but lucky for her trouble hits Daggerhorn not long after. "The wolf is back!" cries one of the villagers. And by wolf, I am not talking about the Big Bad Wolf from the fairy tale. No, Catherine Hardwicke chose to make Jacob Black make a special guest appearance in this movie. Well, not really. But the "wolf" referred to by the villager is actually a werewolf. Turns out the first victim to bite the dust is Valerie's younger sister, Lucy. It is also revealed that it's not only just a full moon, but a blood moon, in which any villager bitten by the wolf then will be turned into a werewolf themselves. Enter Gary Oldman's character, Father Solomon who decides to come and seek a vengeance he has against the werewolf as well. To make matters worst, Father Solomon adds that "the wolf is someone who lives in this village." Thus begins the mystery of who the wolf is, and who is to be trusted.

I must admit that I initially went to see this movie because I wanted to know who the wolf is. The trailer obviously pits the wolf as Valerie's love interest, the dark but good-looking Peter. But the only other character heavily featured in the previews was Max Irons' character, Henry, so I thought that maybe the wolf was him. Nonetheless, I went in to see the movie expecting it to either be extremely obvious as to who the wolf was, and was proven to be wrong. Though I was able to guess who the wolf was halfway through the movie, it was still a fun ride to watch the wolf terrorize the villagers of Daggerhorn and watch Valerie's struggle to figure out which person in her life is the murderous creature.

While engaging, the movie was not exactly great. The script by David Leslie Johnson wasn't exactly memorable or good, and the plot was a bit flimsy in my opinion. Shiloh Fernandez did a decent job at playing the role of Peter, but Amanda Seyfried was a complete disaster. I feel that she does the same exact thing in all of her movies. Flash those big frog-like eyes of hers and mumble a few lines and call it a day. The true star of this show however, is Max Irons. The son of Jeremy Irons, Max is a relative newcomer and true breakout star of this film. I enjoyed his performance and thought that he was the one redeeming factor.

Red Riding Hood, though engaging, was only so because of the mystery as to who the wolf is. And those viewers who have the mystery all figured out halfway through will find themselves sitting there asking "When are they just going to reveal it already?!" With subpar performances (besides Max Irons), and a lackluster plot, this movie is passable.

An Education (2009) - Film Review

Starring Carey Mulligan and Peter Sarsgaard, An Education is a British coming-of-age film directed by Lone Scherfig and featuring a very well-crafted screenplay by novelist Nick Hornby. It is based on a memoir by Lynn Barber and follows the story of a young school girl, Jenny who is well-educated, beautiful and smart. However, Jenny wants to indulge herself in more than just books and learning. She wants to experience culture in a society that is rather boring. In one of the opening scenes of the movie, Jenny is instructed by her father (portrayed by Alfred Molina) to focus on her education. "Then what about my hobby?" Jenny asks. Her hobby, by the way, is playing the cello. "Well, hobbies are hobbies. There is no need to practice them!" her father replies. Then after orchestra practice one fateful afternoon, a heavy downpour of rain is the set-up in which Jenny is introduced to Peter Sarsgaard's character, David Goldman. David, an older man who too has a love for music immediately charms Jenny and captivates her with his love for music, books and cultural excitement that Jenny longs to experience. What follows then is a movie which leads Jenny on a major detour from her schooling down a path of weekend getaways, art auctions and city excursions of beautiful places like Paris. In the end however, Jenny realizes that education, as boring as it can be, is important and ultimately provides stability for one's life. But of course she realizes that after several mishaps that I will not reveal so that I won't spoil the movie for anyone.

The movie is beautifully shot, with an antique classy 1960's tone to it that made the cultural environment all the more appealing and believable. Carey Mulligan gives a top-notch performance, one that makes you feel for the character and become emotionally attached to her, which is no doubt why she got a Best Actress nomination for this role. I cannot express how much I loved the script as well. The writing was simply captivating, and the story, a beautiful masterpiece. I also loved the costumes. Jenny's transformation from the book-smart school girl to a culturally sophisticated woman was masterfully displayed in her wardrobe. The soundtrack was also very fitting, with a plethora of Jazz Age tunes and a notable song by Duffy ("Smoke Without Fire") featured as well. An Education was a artistically magnificent film, and goes down as one of my top films in the year of 2009.

Chinatown (1974) - Film Review

Directed by Roman Polanski with the screenplay written by Robert Towne, Chinatown stars Jack Nicholson in the lead role of J.J. "Jake" Gittes, a cynical private investigator who is caught in a web of deceit after being set-up in the opening of the film. The movie is a film noir set in 1930 Los Angeles, California with a backdrop in the land and water disputes during the time.

After receiving a phone call from Evelyn Mulwray(Faye Dunaway) to investigate and see if her husband Hollis Mulwray(Darrell Zwerling) is having an affair, Jake Gittes(Jack Nicholson) does what he does best and snaps a few photographs of Hollis with his mistress. But after it is revealed that the woman who propositioned Jake to expose his husband's affair was not the actual Evelyn Mulwray, Jake finds himself caught in a massive string of lies and deception, especially after Hollis is found dead and murdered in a local dam. Determined to uncover the killer of Hollis, Jake finds himself on a wild adventure as he tries to unravel the mystery behind Hollis' death with a long list of suspects that include Noah Cross(John Huston), Hollis' mistress Katherine(Belinda Palmer) and Claude Mulvihill(Roy Jenson) to name a few.

The scenic locales of the movie was gorgeous. I couldn't get over how wonderfully shot each scene was, and the backdrop was just so fitting and added to the experience. The plot itself was very complex, and took me a while to figure it out and get into it. Being a murder mystery however with a noticeable face in the role of the detective (Jack Nicholson himself) made the movie intriguing however. I really enjoyed how the mystery played out, and the ending definitely does not disappoint. The only complaint I really had with this movie was its length. Exceeding 180 pages in its script, the movie is long. It ran for an approximate 130 minutes and I found myself at times checking my watch to see how much longer this movie was going to be. Though the last 1/4 of the film picked up its pace in terms of action and excitement, I still felt that the movie could have been slightly shorter.

Jack Nicholson's role in this film was what made him a Hollywood leading man, and I must say that his acting was indeed very memorable. The plot is thick and intriguing all together, and I must say that I did enjoy this film a lot. One thing to take note of also is the script's sharp dialogue. In what may be one of the most widely known lines from this movie, "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." The screenplay was very well written and the dialogue, perfect. I did however leave after watching this film to ponder on the thought as to why the movie is called "Chinatown". Given that only the final scenes are set in Chinatown, the movie received the title for metaphorical reasons. Chinatown is a place of Jake's past. It is a place and state of mind that will always come back to haunt him. Chinatown is a must-see, especially for any fans of Jack Nicholson and film noir.

The Making of Walt Disney Picture's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

An interesting video a friend showed me of how the popular Walt Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs came into existing, detailing all its production work from soundtrack to special sound effects to the animation itself. Just thought I'd share...

Somewhere (2010) - Film Review

Somewhere, starring Stephen Dorff as Johnny Marco, a Hollywood actor caught in an aimless lifestyle of fame and fortune.

The movie opens with Dorff's character Johnny driving in circles on an open field in his black Porsche convertible. At least four minutes pass by before he finally stops the car. At first, I was wondering what the hell was going on, but it all makes sense at the end of the film.

With a very retro cinematography in the movie, I was confused as to what the setting of the film was. Yes, the Porsche was indeed the latest model, but Stephen Dorff's old-fashioned sunglasses paired with shots of Los Angeles in ways that was unfamiliar had me confused at first. But thankfully, it all started to make sense when the characters were playing Guitar Hero and texting on their Blackberries.

The plot itself is simple. A successful actor living an aimless lifestyle amidst all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, which actually isn't all that glamorous from an actor's perspective (as if we didn't know that already). The actor has a daughter (played by Elle Fanning) who his ex-wife leaves with him saying that she will be "gone for some time." And through spending time with his daughter, the actor is able to give up his lifestyle to start a new beginning.

I thought that the film was decent; the script, simple; and the actors acting just enough to make their characters believable. It was nice to see Stephen Dorff in something other than an action film, though there is nothing special about his performance here. As for Elle Fanning, I can't say there was anything special about her performance either.

I couldn't emphasis enough how simple this movie was meant to be. The soundtrack was at its bare minimum, as was the dialogue. But like I said, it did what it needed to.

But what annoyed me was the plot. The movie is only 91 minutes long, and it took 46 minutes before the wife calls. Then again however, there wasn't exactly much to the plot so had they revealed that scene earlier, there probably wouldn't have been much else to fill the remainder of the film with.

Somewhere was more of a authentic look into an actor's life, and though the story was not perfect, it was still entertaining at the least. Bottom line: There is a reason why this film almost went by unnoticed at the Box Office.

Buried (2010) - Film Review

Directed by Rodrigo Cortés and featuring a script written by Chris Sparling, Buried is a dramatic thriller starring Ryan Reynolds. Chris Sparling, was a former lecturer at Boston University's College of Communication which I thought was an interesting piece of information when I discovered this film.

What you may want to know before watching the movie, is that this is practically a one-man-show. Besides Ryan Reynolds, viewers do not see any other person in appearing physically in the film. And the premise of the entire film? A man stuck inside a box buried beneath the ground somewhere in Iraq as he struggles to survive and escape with only his Blackberry and a lighter accessible to him. The man, Paul Conroy, is portrayed by Ryan Reynolds, who gives a stunning performance giving that he has to entertain a movie audience for 94 minutes within a wooden box.

The film starts out in pitch black darkness, as a muffled noise of Reynolds' character Paul wakes up and discovers his current whereabouts. Crying out loud for help and failing to receive any response, he turns on his lighter, giving the audience a sense of what his small surrounding looks like. Though the movie starts out a bit slow, the story becomes more and more intense as it progresses. Paul's Blackberry begins to ring with his kidnapper telling him to follow specific instructions to survive. He also continues ongoing phone conversations with numerous of people in hopes of them locating his current location and getting him out of the box.

In one of the most intense scenes that had me at the edge of my seat, a snake slithered its way into the coffin that Paul is in, forcing him to use the little amount of space and tools he has to get the creature out of the box before it attacks him.

In summary, I thought that film had a really clever idea. And the fact that the concept of the entire movie was spent inside a box documenting one man's struggle to survive was strange. At first thought, one might think to oneself, "how on earth can an entire movie be spent in a box with one man and be interesting?!" And that was my thought exactly before watching this movie. However, my initial perception of this film was proven wrong as I was kept at the edge of my seat for most of this movie, and found myself connecting with Paul Conroy on an emotional level, rooting for him to survive in the end.

And without giving the ending of the film away, let's just say that I absolutely hated this film, not cause I didn't enjoy the concept and story, but solely because I hated the ending. But without judging the movie by how the plot ends, I must say that I did enjoy it and would give it an 8/10.