10 Brilliant Movies With A Terrible Concept

The Concept: Contained thrillers have been around for decades - some hits, some misses - but Buried appeared to be taking the sub-genre to a ridiculous level.

Pitched as a movie set entirely within a coffin buried deep underground, Buried's concept raised several big issues - how is it possible to shoot a movie from inside the same box without boring the viewer? How is it possible to stretch that core idea out for a full 90 minutes?

Add to that the fact that star Ryan Reynolds was known for his comedy and not his deeply emotional drama, and Buried seemed like it would be dead on arrival.

The Movie: Though director Rodrigo Cortés had very few options available to him, Buried might be one of the most creatively-shot movies you'll ever see.

The director winds his way around Reynolds and the coffin, shooting it from top-down, side-on, and every other way imaginable. He pulls back for wide shots, gets right in on his actor's face for close-ups, and even manages to fit in a small-scale chase sequence involving a snake.

The craftsmanship on display here is undeniably impressive, and it's matched by a powerhouse performance from Reynolds, who convincingly acts every emotion you could possibly think of - joy, grief, frustration, a glimmer of hope - and holds your attention throughout.