“The Box” tells an intriguing story of the mysterious title object

In “The Box” St. Louis writer/director Doveed Linder masterfully merges science fiction with numerology through the puzzling manifestations of a mysterious box. Connecting disparate locations, four personal stories begin with numerologist Trevor, a savvy technologist aware of the abduction and replacement of individuals by interdimensional beings ingeniously disguised as those for whom they substitute.

From a basement room to an office, from a kitchen to a jail cell, individuals struggle to understand, accommodate, or control the occurrences. Meantime, the mystical channel delivers aliens while government scientists and agents struggle to keep up. Juxtaposing home and work locations, contrasting those who believe in the events with individuals completely puzzled by and rejecting them, the story progresses through excellent pacing and effective compositions, especially the multiplicity of camera angles and framing. Close-ups convey emotional dismay, shock, and astonishment in equal measure, taking viewers along on the suspenseful paranormal ride. Jerry Rabushka’s music and sound add substantially to the unnerving initial appearance and repeated intrusion of the box.

Reminiscent of “The Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” “The Box” amplifies that classic film’s disconcerting body swaps with a clever portal gateway. That access permits entry into St. Louis only on November 11, 2011, at exactly 11:11 p.m., a tantalizing specificity and reliance on an exact date and time, all the more pleasing to numerologists. Moreover, the film itself was eleven years from concept to completion, adding eerie resonance to the entire context. Given recent, real-life U.S. government testimony concerning hundreds of UAP(unidentified anomalous phenomena) encounters, “The Box” comes at an opportune time to invite indulgence in imaginative entertainment.

“The Box” is available for streaming now on multiple platforms, including Apple TV and Amazon Prime. Plus, full disclosure, Doveed Linder was a student of mine but decades ago, so all credit for “The Box” goes to him.