Boxwalla is a really unique subscription box service that offers four different types of subscriptions: Food, Beauty, Books, and Film. Subscribers can subscribe to multiple boxes, or can hop around among the four boxes from shipment to shipment. Fun! I love movies! Boxwalla's website states:
'Art Cinema is Boring.' The Film Box challenges this notion by demystifying the work of the best filmmakers, by creating a context within which to view them.
Boxwalla kindly sent us this box for review purposes. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of the Boxwalla Film, $49.95 every other month, box.
About Boxwalla Film
The Subscription Box: Boxwalla Film
The Cost: $49.95 per shipment (every two months)
The Products: Two films from The Criterion Collection plus an insert are mailed to you. Additional material is emailed to you before and after you have watched the films.
Ships to: U.S. for free, Canada for $11.95, Internationally for $18.95
Boxwalla Film April 2018 Review
Boxwalla's packaging is beautiful! The box is really high quality and very sturdy. It could easily be used for storage or gifts. This month's theme is "Mothers." Boxwalla typically sends out their film box at the very end of the month, and in this case I received my box just in time for Mothers' Day! It took me quite a while to watch these, however (details to follow). This letter was included with information about the films that I was sent. I never read it before I watch the movies because I hate any kind of spoiler! I always read it afterwards, though, and it is always helpful.
Film #1: Mamma Roma (1962) - Retail Value $39.95 (found here for $31.96)
I found both of the films this month somewhat difficult to watch for a variety of reasons. The theme, Mothers, has an unusual twist as both films this month deal with middle-aged mothers who are (or were) prostitutes. It's an odd juxtaposition with Mother's Day, which is typically a day to honor mothers. Nonetheless, the watch-ability of the films does not diminish their importance to cinematic history. Sometimes the most difficult films are the most important! I found the actual cinematography of this film pretty disconcerting as if the very visuals presented are meant to unseat you. This film deals with a mother who has changed her ways and is trying to start over with her teenage son and a vegetable stand. But of course, her past returns to haunt her.
Film #2: Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) - Retail Value $39.95 (found here for $31.96)
This film was also difficult to watch, but for entirely different reasons. It was very long, and the vast majority of the film was very lengthy shots of the main character doing what mothers do - washing dishes, hanging up laundry, going to the store to buy some buttons, etc. These shots were very detailed. At one point I actually thought that this was the entirety of the film (remember, I do not read the spoilers). It took me several sessions to eventually watch the whole thing! But all this monotony is punctuated by very short scenes in which truly bizarre, atypical things happen. I can see why it is considered a masterpiece.
Boxwalla is no longer sending a post-film discussion. They have sent various email communications over the past few shipments, but they have not really standardized anything yet. I will keep you posted.
Both movies are part of The Criterion Collection, which is an organization that works to preserve and restore classic and modern films that are considered important. The films are published in editions that offer the highest technical quality as well as fantastic supplemental material.
Boxwalla Film has a discussion group on Facebook! Subscribers can now meet up online to chat about the movies!
The Verdict: Every box I have ever received from Boxwalla Film is very thoughtfully curated, and the films taken as a whole are striking, both independently and together. I feel like the movies are all really important pieces in the history of film. That doesn't always make them easy to watch! It's often just the opposite. Boxwalla Film is a great way to feed your brain if you enjoy independent cinema!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you will receive the August 2018 box.
Value Breakdown: The retail value of the box's contents is $79.90. This box costs $49.95 shipped. This represents a discount of 37%.
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What do you think of Boxwalla Film box? Which film did you prefer?
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