Signs: A movie you can see with your parents?

[frogboy4]

Wow, not quite the film I expected, but quite a good one. Think I finally get writer/director M. Night Shyamalan (Sixth Sense, Unbreakable). A suspenseful film without many of the CG tricks we are so used to. Classic filmmaking with a good message.

PG-13 rated for suspense elements

[Jackie]

i loved the fact that there wasn't too many special effects, it was an all around GOOD film. Except Mel's acting was pretty bad LOL!

[Gonzo]

We enjoyed it, but not as much as say, "The Sixth Sense" or "The Others"....those were both much scarier, and much better. I really enjoyed Joaquin Phoenix in this one--but I don't feel like Mel Gibson's character ever really gelled. I'd give this one a solid B.


Quinnnnnnnnn

[beaker]

Do you guys remember the baker who would stumble and drop all his cakes on those experimental Sesame Street shorts?
Well thats the way I see M Night's films. I got to see Signs a few weeks ago for an advance screening, and had the same thought I did with unbreakable. Master precision pacing, great tense mood and score, great buildup...then boom! In the final 10 minutes...its like the great tiered masterpeice cake he makes...well the great baker ends up at the last step tripping and ruining the whole thing. Even after a third way through I didnt think he could possible mess up somthing this good...then boom! Right when ya think this is Oscar worthy with just 8 minutes to go, it turns into a freaking b movie that Ed Wood himself would be proud of. (ie: the scene after Mel gibson brings the tv back into the living room...my I never imagined how cheesey it would get after that)

Gosh...I liken it to a great game winning yardage run in the final seconds of the super bowl, only to get sacked or fumble just a yard from the goal line.

[Joseph]

Signs was one of my favorites this year. :-) GO SEE IT if you haven't already.

[frogboy4]

I suspect some felt this film would be a special effects gore-fest at the end and were disappointed. I'm sure glad it wasn't. Film gets a solid B from me, but I sure applaud Shyamalan's efforts. I don't see anything cheesy about the film - well Maybe Me's acting was a little stiff. The film just wasn't likely one that sci-fi buffs would appreciate and I enjoy that sort of twist. Something different! It's about time. :)

[Traveling Matt]

Originally posted by Beaker
Well thats the way I see M Night's films. I got to see Signs a few weeks ago for an advance screening, and had the same thought I did with unbreakable. Master precision pacing, great tense mood and score, great buildup...then boom! In the final 10 minutes...its like the great tiered masterpeice cake he makes...well the great baker ends up at the last step tripping and ruining the whole thing.
Yep, I hear ya. I thought "Unbreakable" was going absolutely nowhere. It kinda made sense, but nothing was really keeping you in your seat throughout it, and the ending made even less sense.

Haven't seen Signs yet, but it does look more promising.

- Billy :cool:

[Gonzo]

i thought the best part of "Signs" was the sounds--the sound editing was brilliant, and were by far the creepiest parts of the flick. My brother in law Andy is still scared by those clicking sounds the aliens make...

Quinnnnnnn

[frogboy4]

I'm still on edge from some of the film’s scenes while it also filled me with a feeling of warmth. Freaky.

[Gonzo]

Even better--Andy, like us, just had a baby (well, technically, it was his wife) and I know for a fact they use a baby monitor....

squawkle....hiss.....pop.....mrmble......click click click

MAN I should go walkie-talkieing over at their house!

Quinnnnnnn

[Jackie]

This one girl in the theatre screamed at one point and the guy sitting next to Joe and I was really scared, he kept putting his hand over his mouth and saying oh jeez LOL!!

[beaker]

>>>I suspect some felt this film would be a special effects gore-fest at the end and were disappointed<<<

Jamie, that is exactly my problem with the last 10 minutes, after such a great psychological ride M Night messes up and turns it into a west side story mono y mono with the green suit man.
Just totally blows it. The score, the effects...wow. Brilliant, everything...just that last 10 minutes he slips up, doh!

[frogboy4]

I don't think it slips up at all. I like the fact that there is no typical ending and it was intentional on the director/screenwriter's part. I think we get so used to the American movie formula that when something deviates from it we don't know how to react. I liked that the alien didn't look like the same one we keep seing in pictures. It was tall and somewhat different. The fear wasn't about how he looked it was about who he was and what he was going to do. I assure you that was no slapped on ending. If you had seen a bunch of FX like in all the other movies you may have liked it more? We've all seen that before, but this movie was about something different and I like that. I'm sorry you didn't. But I assure you there was no real "slip up" - everything had a reason in that film.

[Gonzo]

*opening my mouth to say something and then closing it again*

[beaker]

My Jamie, did you not read my reply? No, it was BECAUSE of the bltant alien effects at the end that put me off. That scene, when they showed the birthday party footage, the alien guy in the day...OH MY! That was the most frightening scene for me...but when Joaqin Phoneix is having a Jason and the Argonauts dual with a cgi rubber man I was like 'oh brother!'. M Night keeps the slight of hand and suspense going til then.

[frogboy4]

You barely see the guy though - not clearly. And it wasn't a great feat of FX. The guy didn't look magical - he looked organic. I like that. Movie still gets a solid B from me.

[beaker]

>>>You barely see the guy though - not clearly. And it wasn't a great feat of FX. The guy didn't look magical - he looked organic. I like that. Movie still gets a solid B from me<<<

A solid B? See, so that means you didnt quite love it. I just thought it ruined the whole mystery to show the alien fully in the daylight for some final dual, it was more effective to hardly show him...or in the case of the video tape they showed, very effective like that. Solid A movies Ive seen this year would be One Hour Photo, Storytelling, Waking Life, The American Astronaut, and Minority Report. Ok, so most of those are obscure indie films...but still...sometimes less is more in the film world.

[frogboy4]

Yeah, but he really wasn't ever seen that clearly - even in the "daylight". I reserve the solid label for few films and it didn't quite make the cut, though I did enjoy it.

Totally didn't like Minority Report. Spielberg's been on my bad side for quite some time. Blade Runner is the kick butt film for me. This was a luke-warm film IMHO. That was the biggest disappointment of the season for me. C Heck, gave AI a D- or F. Speilberg has just lost the heart of his films in my view. Know you may disagree, but even the crowd in the theaters reacted poorly to those films. Just empty. I don't commonly compare films though. They all have their own rules and stand alone as a piece.

[beaker]

>>>Speilberg has just lost the heart of his films in my view. Know you may disagree, but even the crowd in the theaters reacted poorly to those films. Just empty. I don't commonly compare films though. They all have their own rules and stand alone as a piece<<<

Minority had some huge plotholes...though I did like AI better. If they would have edited out the carnival half hour scene from AI, that would have been the best film of 2001 IMHO. Hey, you have to like how Spielberg is going towards edgier faire. I mean Minority Report really pushed the pg-13 MPAA standard.

Btw, do you like indie films? I find myself enjoying these more than big budget hollywood films, sadly most people dont like thinking or artsy films.

[frogboy4]

That was the only scene I did like about the film. LOL! I do like some indy films. I despise indy pics about people sitting around and talking. Few do that well - Metropolitan was enjoyable, but many are not. That's the part of indy films I don't like - and the new digital video trend. Just looks crummy to me.

[beaker]

>>>Few do that well - Metropolitan was enjoyable, but many are not. That's the part of indy films I don't like - and the new digital video trend. Just looks crummy to me<<<

Yeah, all those new dv indies like Annv Party, Full Frontal, etc look lame. I did like Richard Linklater's Waking Life and Tape, so thats my exception. But oh do I love me indie films...from Pi, Memento, Requiem for a Dream, and Ghost World to Swingers, Made, Gummo, Kids, etc. I also love visually astonishing films like The Cell, Matrix, Toys, Crouching Tiger, etc. I guess I would consider myself a pretty huge film fan(except for westerns and horror films, heh) I guess there is your average cineplex goer, then your all around big time film buff;)

[frogboy4]

Memento was wonderful! Requiem for a Dream was downright inspired. The kind of fresh filmmaking that makes me rave for days!

Totally didn't like the Cell - loved the visuals, but the actors looked like children in a pageant - pretty with a lot of dressing around them but completely bored. The Matrix was an all around much better film with a plot that made sense and had a real pay-off. Not much of an independent film, but I like Go a whole lot. Just reminds me of my misspent youth.

[beaker]

>>>Memento was wonderful! Requiem for a Dream was downright inspired. The kind of fresh filmmaking that makes me rave for days!<<<

see, those are the kind of films I wish more people would see. A film that costs 1 million can be light years beyond one that is
over 100 million.

Totally didn't like the Cell - loved the visuals, but the actors looked like children in a pageant - pretty with a lot of dressing around them but completely bored<<<

Oh jamie...when I saw the Cell, I was blown away. Never had I seen such a lush canvas on film...finally the shock visuals of the avant avant garde art world had been sprawled onto the silver screen...to me it is one of th egreatest pieces of cinema I have ever seen.


The Matrix was an all around much better film with a plot that made sense and had a real pay-off<<<

aw, one of my fave films of all time! Man, I cant wait for the sequels next year!

. Not much of an independent film, but I like Go a whole lot. Just reminds me of my misspent youth.<<<

I liked that too, by the Swingers director. I just love films like that...whether they have an attention to detail or show emotion
that most Hollywood films cannot define. I would highly reccomend you see One Hour Photo wich is coming to the Brige Theatre in a couple weeks in SF. It is one of th emost astonishing and remarkable films Ive ever seen. I am also really excited about
Red Dragon, as well as a few other films out this Fall.

[frogboy4]

<<when I saw the Cell, I was blown away. Never had I seen such a lush canvas on film...finally the shock visuals of the avant avant garde art world had been sprawled onto the silver screen...to me it is one of th egreatest pieces of cinema I have ever seen. >>

Agreed on the visuals, I just felt the script totally bit - had no purpose or value than to show the visiuals. No core. Just put me in a bad icky mood for the rest of the day - and not in a good way, but the visuals were stunning! Can't deny that.

I really want to see One Hour Photo. Insomnia was pretty good too, not nearly as good as Memento, but still a darn good film! B.

One of my top 10 has to be The Grifters! Now that's a film I can watch several times a year!

[beaker]

>>>Agreed on the visuals, I just felt the script totally bit - had no purpose or value than to show the visiuals. No core. Just put me in a bad icky mood for the rest of the day - and not in a good way, but the visuals were stunning! Can't deny that.

I really want to see One Hour Photo. Insomnia was pretty good too, not nearly as good as Memento, but still a darn good film! <<<

yeah, not as original as Memento, but I loved the score and ambience to it. Youve really gotta see one hour photo, unless Lucas releases a Episode Two with a good ending...or Red Dragon happens to be as good as Silence of the Lambs...One Hour Photo has to be th eyear's best film. I got to meet Robin William's recently, and it is astonishing how night and day this performance is. Oh, theres this GREAT trailer site that updates daily: www.apple.com/trailers Has the brand new full trailers
for star trek nemesis, red dragon, one hour photo, the good girl...as well as teasers for Terminator 3 and Dare Devil.

One of my top 10 has to be The Grifters! Now that's a film I can watch several times a year!<<<

Never seen that one. My top films would be everything from the original ninja turtles, jedi, MTM to the matrix, se7en, and clerks.

arghh, youre pushing me ever so closer to member seniority than I want....hehe

[frogboy4]

Gotta see the Grifters! I thought you liked ep 2. I though the ending was okay. It was like the Empire of the new trilogy. Can't have a big ending because it's coming in the next film. Still liked Spiderman better - though I know you didn't. Problems but for what it was it gets an A- from me. Can't wait for DVD.

Seen all those previews - pretty good. I live next to an AMC remember? LOL!

[Jackie]

Originally posted by beaker
My Jamie, did you not read my reply? No, it was BECAUSE of the bltant alien effects at the end that put me off. That scene, when they showed the birthday party footage, the alien guy in the day...OH MY! That was the most frightening scene for me...but when Joaqin Phoneix is having a Jason and the Argonauts dual with a cgi rubber man I was like 'oh brother!'. M Night keeps the slight of hand and suspense going til then.

LOL I loved that birthday party footage. That was soo cool and sooo unexpected.