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March 06, 2003
signs
i saw signs again recently when i was sick and i have to say that upon second viewing my faith in m night shymalan has actually been restored. all of the issues i had before were blown away by the sheer amazing writing (not that it's good and not that it's bad but because it's so ORDINARY which is AMAZING), directing, and cinematography. sure the alien still looks stupid, but whatever i can get past that. and most importantly the huge gripe that we all had with it became as flax in the breeze because the whole aliens coming to take over our planet and its resources WASN'T WHY THEY CAME AT ALL. that's one of the theories mentioned in the middle of the movie but at the end it comes out that really the aliens only came to earth to harvest some humans and take them away again. so the whole, "what the hell this is dumb why would aliens take over a planet made up of mostly a liquid which kills them?" detraction is kind of moot. my point is: try watching it again and you might really appreciate the understated elegance of it all. or you could agree with ian and still think it sucked ass. i'm almost tempted to watch unbreakable again which i DESPISED because maybe it's better on a second viewing too.
Posted by michele at March 6, 2003 09:09 AM
Comments
Posted by: holohan at March 6, 2003 10:35 AM
I’m telling you, Unbreakable is a goddamn winner. Tell me what you think after your second viewing, I’m curious.
Posted by: jason at March 6, 2003 11:23 AM
one thing about unbreakable, in addition to its completely unsatisfying payoff, is that they mis-identify the type of bone disorder sam jackson has. also, in signs, if a kid that size took as many inhaler puffs as the kid actually does in the movie, well, he’d either be extremely hyper, or dead, or both.
join us next week for another exciting episode of factual innaccuracy theater.
but in all seriousness, i think that MNS’s movies are fun to watch, but not fun to think about. he’s strong and style and weak on script.
Posted by: holohan at March 6, 2003 12:03 PM
jason! it’s like you went away for a whole couple of days and have now risen from the dead again or something. come back to commenting full time, you ungrateful wasp baby. screw your jobs.
Posted by: michele at March 6, 2003 12:03 PM
Posted by: jason at March 6, 2003 12:30 PM
I’m right there with you, Jason. I saw it on sale the other day and almost bought it right then and there. They called him Mr. Glass, fer cryin’ out loud!
Posted by: Jacob at March 6, 2003 03:52 PM
Posted by: ja at April 17, 2003 08:13 PM