Bird Box/My best movie of 2018

***May contain spoilers***

So, today regular readers of my movie blog you are in for an end of year treat as, as well as reviewing the last new 2018 movie I'll see this year I'm also going to reveal my best movie of 2018 and tell you why. It wasn't a hard choice this year.

Onto my last review of the year. The words 'straight to Netflix' worry me when it comes to movies. I always think why hasn't it gone through the cinema first? But then the recent Netflix movie Roma (Which had a very limited cinema release as well) is supposed to be the best movie of 2018. Not to me it won't be. I have no desire to see a black and white movie (I don't like black and white stuff), or an actress I haven't really heard of, although she is rumoured to be amazing in the movie. But the point is that maybe 'straight to Netflix' for a movie doesn't always mean rubbish.

It was with great excitement, therefore that I started watching the new Sandra Bullock movie, Bird Box. I love Sandra Bullock movies, I think she is one of the best female actresses around, however she does do too many 'chick flicks' or 'romantic comedies', but I do enjoy her action stuff, the recent Oceans 8 was alright for example, and Gravity was epic.

Bird Box also co-stars a very distinguished and talented actor in John Malkovich, another favourite actor of mine. Being John Malkovich is just an outstanding, if slightly disturbing movie. Unfortunately he was rather under used in this movie and the main focus is on Bullock.

The trailer for this movie also looked epic, plus I did enjoy the sound, e.g when they were being chased and it built up to a crescendo and I enjoyed the skipping between 5 years ago and now, that was a class directional touch. The only issue I have with that is you see them all 5 years ago when it all happened and you see them now, but you don't see how they got from point a to b, e.g babies to five year old kids, and you don't see how they got to the cabin in the woods they were living in. This was dissaponting and a flaw in the story as you can't get there by magic from a city location! It should have been included .

However, what shouldn't have been included for such a long period of time was their lives in the house in the city. It was great to see, and to see the attack by humans that instead of killing them selves when they open their eyes, they turn into homicidal maniacs, determined to get others to open their eyes, which would of course be fatal to them. That scene was needed, but during their time in the city so much could have been cut out, for example when they are just talking to each other. It just wasn't needed but, a summary of how they got from the city house to the cabin in the woods over the 5 years, was. It was needed for continuity reasons for the audience.

The biggest flaw in this movie though is clearly the writers decided to copy A Quiet Place but with sight impairment instead of not being able to make loud noises. It's as if the writers watched A Quiet Place and just said 'Let's copy that'. I think without A Quiet Place coming out earlier this year this would have been a 4 star movie, but you can't just blatantly rip off another movie that has been out far less than a year and call it your own. No wonder it went straight to Netflix. Have the film makers not heard of originality?

It is also a movie that doesn't fit squarely into a genre. Is it horror or is it a thriller? We just don't know and that is confusing in itself.

There are some good elements to this movie, it's exciting in parts and bits of it are thrilling to watch, but they are ruined by too much sitting around talking in the town house scenes that just isn't needed.

In summary this is a fraction above average movie, you can watch it easily as it's on Netflix, but bring a sleeping bag in case you nod off during the less exciting bits. It's a blatant rip off of A Quiet Place which doesn't help. See it if you want, 3.5 stars awarded.

Right, onto my movie of 2018! Up until Widows came out it was A Quiet Place, an excellent movie full of the excitement that the above rip off of that movie lacks. However, Widows changed all that. For the message on racism, for the message on female gender equality, for the incredible acting skills especially of the lead actress, and the amazing supporting cast, Widows is BY FAR the best movie of 2018!!! Congratulations to all involved, a hugely deserved winner and an absolute must see movie! Just see it!

All that leaves me to say is I wish all my blog readers and their family and friends a Very Happy New Year and best wishes for 2019! Happy New Year!!! :)

*May contain spoilers, this review is all my own work, please don't reproduce without my permission but please visit my advertisers pages as they help keep the blog going thankyou :)

Comments

Popular Posts