100 MOVIE CHALLENGE!
1/100: Bird Box Directed by Susanne Bier
There may be spoilers ahead, but I tried not to spoil anything.
This is [sort of] a long text post.
I am not a film or movie expert and I don’t know any technical terms, but I do know whether I enjoyed a movie or not--Bird Box was really good, by the way.
I watched Bird Box on January 1st, 2019 so I could start the new year with my 100 Movie Challenge. My friend joined me in the viewing--I’ll admit I took advantage of her being with me because movies like this kind of freak me out. Jump scares and the impending doom of the situations presented make it really hard to watch alone.
Yes, I am a chicken.
Anyway, I really enjoyed Bird Box. I haven’t read the book and I definitely want to so I can have a wider understanding of the characters.
For simplicity sake and because I’m new to this kind of post (and I don’t want to set a precedent for future posts), I’m going to do a pros and cons list.
Pros:
Addicting and hard to look away from the screen. I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next and who was going to die next. It’s really awkward when you guess right.
The kids were adorable and holy crap, that little girl actress was AMAZING! Every time the camera was on her, she completely stole your attention. Plus, her little voice was the cutest thing ever.
Sandra Bullock did great in her role and her character growth was incredible. From someone completely jaded to someone who could be a fighter for the people she loves.
The snippets of conversations between the characters were really well done because they allowed us to learn a little more and become more invested. They also all played into the emotional aspect of rooting for them when they faced life or death situations.
I watched a YouTube video that has some amazing insight into the imagery and symbolism of the movie. (If you want to watch it, the YouTube Video is here--Spoilers Ahead). It helped me really notice how well everything is planned out and how easy it is to miss certain key points while watching the movie.
The story itself is super interesting and the way that it is presented is intriguing enough that it made me want to keep watching. By going back and forth between the past and the present, I really wanted to know what would happen next--it was like experiencing short cliffhangers every time. It adds to the anxiety and mystery featured in the movie.
How the “monster” is presented is really smart--what do these people see? What would you see?
The emotion in some of the scenes is palpable. I felt the desperation, the grief, and the love represented.
Cons:
There were some plot holes. Several events happen that kind of die out when the scene ends and are never revisited and certain characters took paths that are never explored again. I understand that we need to focus on the main character, but the curiosity never really left me. Perhaps the book goes into further detail.
The feeling that certain things were rushed, while others took too long to develop. I can’t go into much detail because spoilers, but I felt like some connections between the characters were forced because of the short time span and they became a little too unbelievable to me.
Sandra Bullock’s hair at the beginning of the movie. AHA! I told you I’m not a technical movie reviewer. Okay, her hair was, to be frank, one of the first things I noticed when I started watching Bird Box. I know it’s silly, but man, it was like the wig was on a little too high?
I’m going to stop now before I try to reach for something that isn’t true.
Bird Box was really good! It was entertaining and worth the hype. Is it an Oscar winning masterpiece? No, but it is a great way to entertain yourself on a Friday night if you’re staying in.
I give Bird Box 7/10 Birds
Did you watch any movies last week?
Happy viewing/reading!
