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A little something-something is HAPPENING between M. Night and John Leguizamo!!!

first again. by professor mctoots	Jul 18th, 2007 03:12:30 AM
I'm on a role, er roll. Or is it roal?
FUCK`S THIS? SHYAMALAN-MANIA??? by The Artist Formerly Known as Man of Stool	Jul 18th, 2007 03:14:59 AM
Huh?
know what's cool about m. night? by professor mctoots	Jul 18th, 2007 03:15:44 AM
he makes movies that when you read the plots you think just sound retarded but then turn out to be better than you'd think. Still, better than you think shit aside, none of them have really blown me away since unbreakable. i hope those first couple of movies weren't just flukes.
Shalamaladingdong pwns teh suk. by The Artist Formerly Known as Man of Stool	Jul 18th, 2007 03:17:36 AM
Loved SIXTH SENSE and UNBREAKABLE. Liked SIGNS. Kinda liked THE VILLAGE. LADY IN THE WATER was an atrocity that surpasses even the Holocaust and 9/11. Decline in quality, anyone?
the character's name is by The Real MiraJeff	Jul 18th, 2007 03:20:02 AM
Julian. He enters on page 10. We do not see him again after page 44. Lke the protagonist, Mark Wahlberg's Eliot, Julian is a teacher. He buys train tickets. His wife goes to Princeton. He met her outside a coffee shop in New York. His daughter is important.
The plot for Lady in the Water sounded retarded by BenBraddock	Jul 18th, 2007 03:21:55 AM
and the movie turned out to be even more retarded
the script is by The Real MiraJeff	Jul 18th, 2007 03:27:46 AM
good but not great, i love that zooey deschanel is in this and i love leguizamo's casting. i think he's an underrated actor and submit The Groomsmen as proof, but not sure I see Wahlberg in this role. His casting sounded suspicious to me, likely because of his undeserved Oscar nom in Departed. I saw the lead as more of an Adrien Brody type. Anyways, as incomprehensible as Lady in the Water was, I'm a fan of his other films and frankly, think Night is every bit the eccentric genius that The Man Who Heard Voices painted him to be. It was a simply fascinating read. The sheer arrogance on display is jaw-dropping, and yet, I forgive the man for it because I hold Sixth Sense and Unbreakable in the highest regard. And I probably would've liked The Village even more if I hadn't read the script ahead of time. Signs was pretty good too but a bit too convenient for me. And I happen to think there are worse actors out there than Night, although that Entourage cameo was a bit grating, like a desperate grab for respect after a pretty significant flop. The Happening, formerly The Green Effect, can't possibly turn out as confounding as Lady in the Water, regardless of what kind of Mark Wahlberg shows up, the Boogie Nights kind or the The Italian Job kind.
Too Shyamalamalamalamalamalany!!!! by J-Dizzle	Jul 18th, 2007 03:29:13 AM
Hopefully this will be a good one.
please by erockwilly	Jul 18th, 2007 03:29:19 AM
email me finished script so i can make a sound judgment. thank you.
He's still allowed to make movies? by Dietrich	Jul 18th, 2007 03:35:12 AM
Shoot him.
He should ditch this and do AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER by MaxTheSilent	Jul 18th, 2007 03:40:38 AM
If he pulled his head out of his ass, worked WITH the creators he could have his LORD OF THE RINGS.
Unbreakable 2 by bender7	Jul 18th, 2007 03:48:02 AM
I really want to see a sequel. Bruce seems willing to do one
phoenix? by The Real MiraJeff	Jul 18th, 2007 03:51:27 AM
have i heard anything about the plot? no. i read it. it's basically what would happen if mother nature decided to fight back... the trees, grass, other chlorophyll-friendly things found outdoors release a deadly toxin that kills a lot of people. but really it's about love overpowering everything and mood rings. deal with it. nothing more needs to be said at this point, but i'm pumped to see that first teaser trailer because Night, or the trailer company, always delivers pretty solid teasers, even when they're filled with Narfs.
yeah, but come on . . . by andubatman	Jul 18th, 2007 03:52:02 AM
. . . I mean, come on. Night had a great run with Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, and to a lesser degree, Signs. But The Village sucked. It was terrible. I nearly walked out of the theater early because I was literally sick to my stomach that someone might actually like the movie. I haven't seen Lady in the Water, so I won't comment on that, but Leguizamo? Yeah, clearly he's made his way into Hollywood, but we're talking Luigi from Super Mario Brothers here. We're talking about the same guy that not only decided to act in, but also write The Pest! He got a lot of his credit for his one-man shows. Seriously. Have you ever seen a one man show? They blow! I like Wahlberg in certain things, but Leguizamo? Come on.
clarify by The Real MiraJeff	Jul 18th, 2007 03:52:42 AM
the toxin doesn't exactly kill people, but it makes people kill themselves. either way, not a fun way to go. but then again, what is.
in defense of leguizamo by The Real MiraJeff	Jul 18th, 2007 03:56:01 AM
Cronicas, Moulin Rouge, Summer of Sam. He was pretty damn good in all 3 of those. Do they give him a pass for Spawn? Probably not, but still, the guy is good when he gets a chance and a role not based on a video game plumber whose "brother" somehow looks like Bob Hoskins. can you think of a more unlikely pair of brothers besides maybe Schwarzenegger and DeVito. i don't think so.
I love the Village by Evil Hobbit	Jul 18th, 2007 03:57:05 AM
The ending not so much, but the rest is realy good. Not as brilliant as Signs or Unbreakable or the Sixth Sense but still a more original film then 85% of the mainstream output. I'll always look forward to a new M Night.
WHAT A TWIST!! by Mike_D	Jul 18th, 2007 04:00:57 AM
haha. heh.
Xiphos by MaxTheSilent	Jul 18th, 2007 04:10:16 AM
Just remember, anything less than two bowls of Mams's soup is a grave insult.
The Village is excellent by barnaby jones	Jul 18th, 2007 04:13:25 AM
as is Leguizamo, if anybody saw him in SOS or in his stint from e.r they know how good he is.
I don't hold Spawn against Leguizamo by bender7	Jul 18th, 2007 04:14:13 AM
I thought he was the most entertaining thing in that mess of a movie. Probably shouldn't have done it I guess
Quint felt his last couple lacking - ESP the Village?!? by newc0253	Jul 18th, 2007 04:26:39 AM
ESPECIALLY the Village? I thought the Village was pretty good, but even if you thought it wasn't, aren't you ignoring that one, wait, what was it called again, oh yeah, THE LADY IN THE WATER DIRECTED BY THE GUY WHO HAS CLEARLY GONE BATSHIT INSANE? I'll admit that the Village wasn't perfect but i actually thought it was one of the better Shyamalan films. The Lady in the Water? Dear God, where to begin? That was a self-indulgent trainwreck pretty much from the first 30 minutes, and it only got worse.
Twists - what twists? by Jansolo	Jul 18th, 2007 04:36:21 AM
All of the so called twists are so blindingly obvious which is why I liked LITW - just a simple fairy tale with no pretence! He should do more like that instead of trying to be "clever"
The Groomsmen by Ellms	Jul 18th, 2007 04:54:25 AM
Who ever tried to market as a hilarious frat-like comedy should be killed, twas a piece of garbage, and Leguizamo being gay and fighting his father was so dam cliche it was the last straw of anything holding that crap up. But The Happening sounds good though cant wait to see some infected suicides.
Leguizamo was even good in Spawn... by cornponious	Jul 18th, 2007 05:07:33 AM
I mean, he even put maggots in his mouth. He's good in anything he does. Honestly.
horrible script by CQuest	Jul 18th, 2007 05:13:01 AM
and this movie will be another stinker. oh no when plants attack! its a damn basic movie with a few turns, but mostly basic abc bullshit. airhead script. accessible for the masses. booooring.
Leguizamo? And no one mentions Romeo & Juliet? by PoweredUpPacman	Jul 18th, 2007 05:26:31 AM
He was a fucking rockstar in that.
shammi rules by El Borak	Jul 18th, 2007 05:28:00 AM
suckithaters.
MNS could be a one-trick pony... by MatDGZ	Jul 18th, 2007 05:36:20 AM
First time I saw Sixth Sense I nearly shit my pants. Unbreakable amazed me - i loved it. Signs is my personal favourite - the script is the best of all his films. The village - saw it coming...Didn't see LITW. But, you know his game - the inevitable twist...its getting old. He needs to do something new.
the village and litw by El Borak	Jul 18th, 2007 05:40:10 AM
are pretty good films. the problem is people goin expecting to get a free handjob and when they don't get jacked off by the movie they get all pissy-menopause-blue balls about it. "i was sick to my stomach that anyone could even like it." holy shit dude. be sure you have rolaids w/ you next time or you might "throw up in your mouth a little".
andubatman, you prissy little madam by Chief Justice Beef Supreme	Jul 18th, 2007 05:46:58 AM
See El Boraks post,you girl!
romeo and juliet by The Real MiraJeff	Jul 18th, 2007 05:50:45 AM
yeah, johnny was pretty good in that one too and there really isn't any big twist in the happening, and ellms, yes the groomsmen was horribly marketed but i thought it was a pretty funny, honest look at guys in their 30s
THE HAPPENING... CELL... THE SIGNAL... by brokentusk	Jul 18th, 2007 05:52:30 AM
Right, I realise that each film has a different CAUSE for humanity going insane and wishing to do harm to each other (or themselves), but they're all essentially the exact same concept. This film makes me worried that Eli Roth's CELL adaptation will fail because when audience's see the trailer they'll think: "Okay, this is exactly like that M. Night Shyamalan film that came out last year."
ha ha by El Borak	Jul 18th, 2007 05:57:48 AM
fuck eli roth.
Leguizamo was even good in Spike Lee's by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 05:57:59 AM
Son of Sam. If there ever was proof that Spike Lee is a hack, it is that film. It's terrible on soooo many levels. At least he thru in a good orgy scene. Mira Sorvino is in the top 5 I chick I want tobang before I die. Oh yeah, the Village suck balls. "The happening" sounds like the sequal to "A mighty wind". How about Shamalading-dong doing a giant monster movie instead of scary "Wind" movie? You know, like "Cloverfield".
Oh great, another crappy movie from M. Night by Trazadone	Jul 18th, 2007 06:14:11 AM
Seriously, he made exactly one good movie and it doesn't hold up to repeat screenings. I'm still washing my eyes out from Lady in the Water. I'm not sure why so many of you give this guy a pass, he's on the level of Boll.
I'm reading CELL at the moment... by brokentusk	Jul 18th, 2007 06:32:31 AM
It's not so much a fear over Eli Roth's film failing (though I still don't see why people hate him so much on AICN and not Darren Lynn Bousman, or any other so-called "torture porn" director), it's more about Stephen King's story failing to be given a chance by audiences because they'd have seen something extremely similar before (twice).
remakes suck by rodneyfaile	Jul 18th, 2007 06:40:52 AM
Well at least someone is making original movies. I am tired of old movies bein g remade into nnew ones, and old tv shows and cartoon made into movies. Yes, I go and see Transformers and Oceans 11 and enjoy them, but I feel that most of the time these movies are made because no one can really create anything NEW anymore.
SHAMMA_LAMMA_DING-DONG by LORDRANDO	Jul 18th, 2007 06:44:30 AM
Who likes this guys movies? Twisty Twisterson. That shit is boring...and, in his one near miss, signs, he blew it literally in the last 10 minutes. The best thing about this guy is that he discovered Ron Howard's daughter, most likely after meeting Opie at a meeting of Hack Directors Anonomys HDA
sixth sense curse by rodneyfaile	Jul 18th, 2007 06:45:40 AM
Because the sixth sense caought most people by surprise, they expect the same thing every time. It just cant happen. People are expecting too much. Unbreakable was excellent. No superheroes in tights. This super hero has marriage problems like a real guy. I like the Village and Sign, not for any surprise twists, but because they both had a message about questioning things in your life. Lady in the Water was about life also. No one can tell you what mold you fit in. Dont let the trends in society tell you who you are.
Zooey D's in this? by LORDRANDO	Jul 18th, 2007 06:46:13 AM
Id Like to be in Zooey D....
Screw Unbreakable by LORDRANDO	Jul 18th, 2007 06:48:12 AM
If he hadnt deliberately cast Jackson as a glass man at the hieght of his BAD MOTHER FUCKER fame....the dude is just gimmick,,, its boring
Schlamayan fucked up with Giammati, Howard, Hurt, etc. by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 06:52:45 AM
What makes you think he'll do better with Wahlberg and Leguizamo? This guy ran out of steam as soon as Bruce Willis left the station. I like the premise of trees fighting back though. Just wish a talented director was doing this.
understand by rodneyfaile	Jul 18th, 2007 06:56:36 AM
people ridicule what they dont understand. the sith sense was very obvious but his other movies had less of a twist and more of a message.
I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO SEE SHAMALAN'S APPEARANCE IN THIS by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 06:57:28 AM
Maybe he'll play the hack when they hack the tree. Get it? Hack? Hack the tree? HEHEHHE fuck off.
transformers by rodneyfaile	Jul 18th, 2007 06:58:34 AM
transformers was a remake. it wasnt original. it wasnt a contuniation. they took the cartoon and changed the story a little and made it live action becasue no one knows how to come up with an orginial concept anymore
ZBOROBERTS you are on crack, yes? by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:01:55 AM
Bruce Willis was the ONLY actor he got/gave a great performance from/to. Mel Gibson gave a passable perfromance, but nowhere near career-defining, not by a long shot. He did better with Ron Howard in Ransom. And hello - Apollo 13? Howard ain't great but he's leagues above Shlockmayan.
No Shyamalan Award for you! by rreimer	Jul 18th, 2007 07:04:33 AM
It seems that if you had used the word Shyamalan in your single sentance more than four times, you might lay claim to the Shyamalan Award, but since I only counted... let's see... one Shyamalan , two Shyamalans, three Shyamalans--there are four Shyamalans there--I think you should refrain from future Shyamalan Award claims, since the Shyamalan Award clearly should go to some stupid talkbacker who really isn't that funny.
I want McG to do this by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:09:22 AM
Avenging trees with Matrix-ripoff EFX = Box Office Gold
I give you Toni Collette and Joel Osment by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:10:52 AM
but that's all you get. Sam Jackson doesn't count, he was just Sam Jackson with a crazy fro.
I disagree. Mel's best performance was in Braveheart. by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:15:33 AM
And speaking of Mel, as a director, he blows Howard and Schlockmalan out of the fucking water. Apocalypto and Passion are better than anything either of those two have ever done.
What's TIM? And also Braveheart ... Mel is the king by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:17:40 AM
of directors. He should do the next Superman movie.
I just can't believe people are funding Shamalan's by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:23:08 AM
movies. Hollywood producers make no sense.
M. Night... by micturatingbenjamin	Jul 18th, 2007 07:23:43 AM
MNS has been a thoroughly entertaining director, to me. Yes, he relies on the 'third act twist' as a signature, but hell, other than sucking what's Eli Roth's 'signature'? MNS comes off in interviews as a posturing gimbus occasionally, but he knows how to point and shoot.
Tim ... Interesting. Thanks for the info by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:24:42 AM
Gotta check it out. Mel rocks.
supercowbell, Spike Lee is a hack, here's why: by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 07:25:16 AM
She Hate Me, Bamboozled, Summer of Sam, He Got Game, Get on the Bus, Girl 6, Clockers, Crooklyn, Mo' Better Blues...... 25th hour was ok, I will watch anything with Ed Norton in it. Do the right, most overated movie of all time, sorry folks its the truth.
ZB - although after Lady in the Water by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:31:44 AM
I hope the movie-going public will stop feeding on Shamalan's turds. Plenty of great and better directors who deserve the funding, not this self-important hack. And The Bloop, I totally agree about Do The Right Thing about being overrated. The message was total garbage - destroy a man's life and business (the pizzeria) because he didn't put up with shit from asshole tards like Radio Rakeem.
Hey I never saw The River by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:33:51 AM
Gotta put that in the queue ...
giamanti by rodneyfaile	Jul 18th, 2007 07:37:38 AM
paul giamanti was awesome in lady in the water. his best work may be American Splendor though
zbobroberts, you LIKED girl 6? by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 07:37:39 AM
awful, as were all the films on my Spike Lee s hack evidence list. Do the right was pretty good, but people that hold it up as one of the great movies of all time are kidding themselves. Just from technical standpoint, it isn't that good. Looks like a student project. I recall when it didn't win the grand prize at the Cannes film festival, Lee threw a big time hissy fit, like he was entitled to win ot something. How about some modesty folks? He lost out to David Lynch. Lynch OWNS Spike Lee, you know this to be true.
The case against Leguizamo by BannedOnTheRun	Jul 18th, 2007 07:41:23 AM
Pyromaniac's Love Story. Case closed.
I didn't see Girl 6 by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:41:31 AM
I am not a Spike Lee fan at all. He ripped off Martin Scorcese's style. And Inside Man was so predictable and formulaic. Spike's another overrated hack.
Ahh ... David Lynch by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:44:03 AM
The man can put the fright in you with 3 seconds of film. Amazing director who gets no love from the same idiot populace that feeds Shamalan's inflated ego.
I really liked Shyamalan's early films... by rbatty024	Jul 18th, 2007 07:51:11 AM
but the man has been coasting for two pictures now. I hope he gets back on track. I still would like to see him film someone else's script because I think his greatest talent is directing not writing.
zbobrobertsm "Girl 6" was friggin awful by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 07:51:16 AM
Do the right thing was just ok, with a terrible message. BringingSexyBack is wise man, Spike Lee is a hack, that was my point. Stick to making Nike commercials, Spike. Here is my vote for the most underated film of the past 25 years, "paperhouse" from Bernard Rose, who also did the first "candyman" and "Immortal Beloved". Any one see that flick? Now that deserves some love, instead we have posers defending "The Village".
Speaking of Lynch whatever happened to Bill Pullman? by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:52:55 AM
He disappeared.
David Lynch should do something Satanic by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 07:53:10 AM
Like the Omen. Imagine his vision with that type of subject matter? SHIVERS!!
The Eagle at the end of Lady in the Water.. by StrokerX	Jul 18th, 2007 07:55:10 AM
when it flies down and picks her up, that shot from inside the pool....one of the most beautiful things ever filmed as far as I'm concerned.
I think all of Lynch's movies are his vision of hell by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:58:01 AM
At least they appear frighteningly Hellish. He should do a movie about trees taking revenge against humanity. Now that would rock.
Loads of different opinions on M. Night. by Jakes Nel	Jul 18th, 2007 07:59:05 AM
I guess that means there is something to the man's work. Personally, I think he's a good director and certainly knows how to build tension, but his writing is quite uneven. He needs to stop trying to impress everyone with how 'smart and original' he is and just tell a good story. He would be much better off if he just delivered a down-to-earth, no-high-concept drama. I never fall for any of his so-called twists. I think a lot of people don't, and that's because it's no better than your standard Outer Limits fare. Sixth Sense was okay. Unbreakable I liked a lot (minus that awful final scene), Signs had a good first half and then the tension was replaced with cheap profundity, The Village I really liked (even though most people didn't) and Lady in the Water was a bit of a mess. So far Shyamalan has taken on ghosts, superheroes, aliens, boogeymen and fairy tales. Enough, man. Give up the gimmicks and just make a solid movie with the quality suspense and performance you're so clearly capable of (and when I say performance, please don't think I refer to your own amateur acting skills).
I did watch most of Lady in the Water by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 07:59:34 AM
but I got so frustrated I stopped it and shoved it back in the Netflix envelope. Never did see how it ended.
What? Are people actually praising Mel Gibson as a... by rbatty024	Jul 18th, 2007 08:00:59 AM
director. The guy needs to, first of all, read a book or two about the time period he is attempting to portray. Bravehart and Apocalypto (even that name sucks) are the most historically inaccurate films of the last twenty-five years or at least in that list. Apocalypto had thirty minutes of a great chase scene and Bravehart had a couple of nice battles, but the rest of those movies sucked. The guy has some talent but he's far from great.
Bill Pullman sucks the life out of every film by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 08:02:07 AM
He is in, he should stay lost. This decade that honor goes to Josh Harnett.
Shamalan's movies MIGHT be bearable if he would just by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 08:03:20 AM
stop putting himself in them. He totally wrecks the movie as soon as his face - and his terrible "acting" - shows up. What an ass.
Bill Pullman was really good in Lost Highway by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 08:05:07 AM
and I liked him as the President who fought the aliens.
When Fire Walk With Me is on late at night by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 08:06:36 AM
I shut off the TV and turn on the lights. There's a piece of that movie that haunts my soul.
I'm all for an unbreakable sequel by BLWiseass	Jul 18th, 2007 08:07:08 AM
I mean, what comic book villain DOESN'T break out of prison for another go round with the hero.
Braveheart and Apocalypto might not be accurate by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 08:12:22 AM
historically, but damn they are great films. Apocalypto was more than about the chase. The chase was okay, and personally I thought it had a lot of logical flaws. But the performance from Rudy Youngblood was brilliant. And the depiction of the village and city lives made you feel transported to another time. I would stand by Mel as one of the all-time great directors.
Here's a better subject for M. Knight to film by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 08:13:13 AM
All the dead fighting dogs buried on Michael Vick's property rise from the grave to seek revenge on those who made them fight. Call it it "Who Let The Dogs Out: Pitbulls, from the Pit of HELL"........... PS: Bill Pullman=Life Sucker.
Shamalamadingdong by Stuntcock Mike	Jul 18th, 2007 08:14:46 AM
Unbreakable and Signs were great. What the fuck happened?
I absolutely agree with the Lynch fans. by Jakes Nel	Jul 18th, 2007 08:15:10 AM
The man is simply on a completely different level of filmmaking.
pffft... by mthrndr	Jul 18th, 2007 08:15:13 AM
Shyamalan used up all his good will putting out the last few terrible movies. I will go on record saying sixth sense is the only good movie he's made. Unbreakable was just retarded (I just remember Samuel L Jackson just yelling stuff about 'in the comic books!') Signs was a major disappointment (what kind of advanced alien race comes to a planet of 75% water and then fails to take even minimal protection against it), the Village was horrifically bad, and I didn't even bother with Lady in the Water. I won't with this one either. I'm willing to give directors the benefit of the doubt with one or two bad movies, but Shyamalan is arrogant, and his movies are arrogant and weak.
I'd like to see Lynch make a movie about cannibalistic by BringingSexyBack	Jul 18th, 2007 08:16:21 AM
humanoid underground dwellers in Hollywood.
David Lynch's CHUD, starring Don Murphy by Stuntcock Mike	Jul 18th, 2007 08:27:07 AM
Lynch is great. Even if you don't get 'em the 1st time around, it's always worthwhile to revisit them until you do.
Pullman was good in The Zero Effect. by Jakes Nel	Jul 18th, 2007 08:29:36 AM
Or maybe it was just the writing...
Shyamalan by JaPra	Jul 18th, 2007 08:29:49 AM
I have enjoyed most of Night's films, with the exception of Lady in the Water which I agree was the height of arrogance garnering him a much needed piece of humble pie. I loved The Village and believe it's a masterpiece, probably because I grew up the exact same way those kids grew up, in a commune, tucked away from reality, started by people who believed that they could make a heaven on earth. Most people blow off The Village as a ridiculous film, but it's true, it's happened. I do look forward to Shyamalan's next film, however I am quite cautious about it.
Twin Peaks Hotties by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 08:30:24 AM
Was it just me, or were the three chicks in Twin Peaks the best looking group of hotties on tv in one show? Should have been called "Six Peaks"
Leguizamo is a really good actor. by CherryValance	Jul 18th, 2007 08:40:59 AM
He's not one of my favorites because he seems like a punk but I think he's done some great work. Summer of Sam, Moulin Rouge, Carlito's Way, Empire. And did you see him on "My Name is Earl"? That was hilarious. I still need to see a lot of his films, like Cronicas, but I don't doubt his abilities. He's proved himself as far as I'm concerned. And I still love Shyamalan. I loved Lady in the Water. The only movie I wasn't 100% on was The Village. I guess the problem with LITW was that it was a fantasy film set in the real world and people couldn't get into that. Because I'd put it in with movies like The Neverending Story and The Dark Crystal. Those had weird creatures that looked weird, but in LITW the weird creatures were just humans, although they looked a little weird too. So I'm thinking maybe people had a difficult time getting into a fantasy world that didn't look like one. I don't know. I thought it was totally creative and was (and still am) surprised at all the hate it got.
Night by Cobbio	Jul 18th, 2007 08:54:47 AM
"Happening," eh? That's the name of M. Night's new flick? I really like Mark Wahlberg and John Leguizamo's work, so hopefully this film will be entertaining. But, honestly, I expect it to be another well-filmed but overcooked, poorly written stinker. I enjoyed "The Sixth Sense" when it came out (though you couldn't MAKE me watch it now), but every M. Night film since then has been paper thin masturbation. He's like a fourteen year old boy who thinks he's awesome, but his ideas are actually quite childish and unispired. "The Lady in the Water" was a perfect example of this. How this guy grabs A-list actors for his projects is the most astonishing part. Maybe he's a really nice guy and this goes a long way. Which is cool. I really hope "Happening" will surprise me with its inspired storytelling... but more likely it'll be M. Night's flavor of the week.
"They call me Mr.Glass!" by lost.rules	Jul 18th, 2007 09:05:13 AM
These were the last words, of his last good movie. Fuck the water allergic aliens!
Lady in the Water was incredible. by FirstPostersSuck	Jul 18th, 2007 09:18:37 AM
Great enough to be a REAL-LIFE FAIRYTALE. Get it people? It's the movies. If you want real life, go home. There's that fine line that has to be erased. Willing suspension of disbelief. Or do you think that the Transformers is ridiculous because robots would never come here from another world?
Lady in the Water was incredibly bad by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 09:26:00 AM
People don't shit on that film because it is different, but because it is avfilm were the director writer worships himself...self -centered arrogance on display folks.
Treebeard gets his revenge!!!!!!! by lost.rules	Jul 18th, 2007 09:31:57 AM
That's what the title should be.
Re: FuckMichaelBay by Cobbio	Jul 18th, 2007 09:33:18 AM
You make some good points about M. Night. He does film his movies with pride, care, and skill, and I suppose you could say he's an auteur for sticking to original material. I respect this about him. But the other part of being an auteur is making films that aren't paper thin twist-fests. James Cameron is an auteur with a great track record, as is Quentin Tarantino and The Coen Brothers. M. Night made only one movie that even approached the consistent quality these other filmmakers produce. My point is: he may be an auteur, but he needs to develop his storytelling and character writing big time before I'll think of him as good. Oh, and I can't stand Michael Bay either.
Hes a really cool guy by jester51	Jul 18th, 2007 09:40:58 AM
I was on set of the Kill Point with him for a few months as a featured extra, hes an interesting actor, he gets into character off screen but not in annoying method kind of way
Leguizamo? Fuck that! by Durendal	Jul 18th, 2007 09:41:27 AM
The guy is, at best, mildly annoying, and at worst, a fucking ham that irritates the living piss out of me. Maybe Shyamalan can get a good performance from him.
Shyamalan should be doing "The Ruins." by Christopher3	Jul 18th, 2007 09:42:49 AM
After the last debacle, you'd think he'd have learned his lesson. He's a highly skilled director, but as a writer, his well's running dry.
unbreakable may be one of the coolest movies by LarryTheCableGuy	Jul 18th, 2007 09:44:24 AM
ever. i still like sixth sense, but dont watch it that much. but i do think village is much better than people would say. some people out there are just hating it cause they think they were too smart for it and knew the ending, i don't like that, some people just wanted the creatures to be real, thats ok with me, some people just think people in the 1800's were gay. i think the movie was well written, acted and directed and for that i say it should never be put down as a bad movie. plus we need more twilight zone episodic-movies out there. as for signs i love aliens and clastophobic, martial law type situations in real life, like when there's a storm or tornado and you gotta stay inside, in this case it was aliens, and the 'big foot' alien party scene was awesome. hope this movie is good un-like water lady.
anyone who watches Entourage knows... by StovetopStuffin'	Jul 18th, 2007 09:47:49 AM
the twist ending involves a dove. wouldn't it be great if there was no twist, and everyone acted normal, not like they're on lithium and are one step away from suicide? I mean really. Lady in the Water was so god awful, and it could have been so much better with just a few changes. Not an overhaul. Just a little change here and there would have made it tight! Oh well. Keeping my fingers crossed that he can pull something new and amazing like Unbreakable. not rehashing the same "subtle" acting. It's not subtle if every character does it. Thank god Sam Jackson was in Unbreakable to bring the tone back up.
Finally saw Lady in the Water... by Big Bad Clone	Jul 18th, 2007 09:55:21 AM
and most of the time my jaw was hanging open while me brain was screaming "What the fuck am I watching?!!" It would be one thing if it just sucked but there are enough small moments and good performances to make you hate how terrible it turned out.
Signs by Tiki-421	Jul 18th, 2007 09:56:38 AM
Water is hydrogen (the most common element in the universe) and oxygen. Seems like he could have easily come up with something better. The air didn't hurt them did it?
It's at times like this... by DocPazuzu	Jul 18th, 2007 10:02:51 AM
...when the sudden, inexplicable disappearance of ChildeRoland is felt the most. His habitual dismantling of Shyamalan and his fans is as entertaining as his demolishing of Eli Roth and Tarantino and their sadly faithful ejac-pack of sycophantic followers.
Lynch may be great but Inland Empire was not by Lovecraftfan	Jul 18th, 2007 10:18:11 AM
What a total disaster. 3 pretentious hours filled with endless dull scenes.
Anyone slagging off Lynch by LORDRANDO	Jul 18th, 2007 10:21:37 AM
That guy craps better art than M Night...not even in the same league...
I like Shyamalan whan Shyamalan is good by kafka07	Jul 18th, 2007 10:27:34 AM
We'll have to come up with a nickname for this guy, like Shy. Oh and I like Leguizamo (Leg? Leggy?) when he's good too.
Sixth Sense not overated by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 10:28:59 AM
It is as influential to suspense/supernatural films as Alien was to sci-fi/horror. Give M. Knight his due on that one. Hollywood producers were saying it was too "Slow" to do a lot of business with today's audiences after seeing it at test screenings. All it did was becoming the highest grossing fright film of all time, with little pre-release hype. And a critic's darling as well.
LOL@ spike lee being a hack by CQuest	Jul 18th, 2007 10:29:31 AM
inside man, do the right thing, school daze, Malcolm X, 4 Little Girls, When the Levees Broke are all GREAT. top notch shit. malcolm x should have won best picture but the voters are too white.
ambivalent about Inland Empire by kafka07	Jul 18th, 2007 10:31:59 AM
I actually thought it was great in some respects. It was mostly the long, drawn-out way of a lot of scenes played that ruined it. Other than that it was nicely surreal, and really freaky. Laura Dern was very good playing someone who just goes completely schitzo.
I didn't hate the village because of the twist by mthrndr	Jul 18th, 2007 10:35:25 AM
I hated the hamfisted morals of the story. it was also incredibly boring.
Shyamalan fucking rules by memento108	Jul 18th, 2007 10:41:56 AM
The haters can suck it. Lady in the Water was surprisingly strong after repeat viewings, and I love everything else he's done.
M. Night's worst film, by Guy Gaduois	Jul 18th, 2007 10:43:40 AM
whichever you deem 'worst', is nowhere near as bad as any of the truly bad films I've seen this year. Netflix sent me 'Premonition', Sandra Bullock and Julian (there is nothing organic about my eyebrows) McMahon's movie. Yee-ikes. That was a mess. I always hated grading on a curve, but you gotta say that Night's weakest film is a must see compared to other movies. Pick an "Ocean's ##" movie -- can you honestly say that snide, insidey jokey joke, wink wink 'the studio paid for us to hang out and pretend we're hip and cool' b.s. is anywhere near the quality of a Night movie? You might not like the story, but at least he's telling one. Compared to what is being offered to us (which in itself should incite violence and upheaval) we should take a breath and evaluate Night's work in context of the other Crap that is being shoveled our way. There are a lot of horrible, horrible films out there, and I don't think any of Night's would even cast a shadow on the worst 1000 films of the past 10 years. No way, no how.
The Village by SKULL1138	Jul 18th, 2007 10:43:49 AM
Quint knows nothing, the village is the only picture I have been to see in 10 years (UK, people dont clap or cheer films in UK) where people got up and clapped at the end of it, its not supposed to be like the other 2 films, you were supposed to see the twist coming, his films do not all have to mislead you and give you soem twist at the end, that would be dull. The village was an excellent idea and a well told story apart from the fact that there are far too many people around the elders age to have all been born there, that didnt make sense)I liked the Village better than both Sixth sense and unbreakable (Lady in the water was for kids and is kind of OK at times as well) You either like his films or hate them, thats it. Whats this one about anyway?
Signs by SKULL1138	Jul 18th, 2007 10:48:06 AM
Is Shit though, doesnt make any sense, but as soemone said earlier on, the home movie bit made me shit myself when I saw it first, and you are expecting it as well, still a shit film though, only one of his films I dont have on DVD.
CQuest pulls out the race card.... by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 10:54:21 AM
I wondered when then was going to happen. I call FOUL on anyone who says School Daze was a great film. Right off the bat, you're outta of here. Disney's "High School Musical" looks like fucking "Citizen Kane" next to the pile of shit. Looks like it was done on an old Super Camera on under-exposed Etchachrome stock. Now get out of here. Al. Sharpton,
Most overrated film maker by grendel69	Jul 18th, 2007 10:57:32 AM
on the planet. Really.Even more than Tim Burton. Only good film was Unbreakable, everything has sucked hard. Deal with it M Night buttmunchers
lady in the water by spiritualgorila	Jul 18th, 2007 11:06:25 AM
was just about the worst movie ive ever seen. even his kids were like, "seriously?" and i love his other work. even signs which i guess most people don't care for that much.
When are we getting our Sixth Sense sequel? by hank henshaw	Jul 18th, 2007 11:07:47 AM
We deserve it. In this movie we see Haley Joel Osment character grown-up, maybe in his 30s (for no reason). He works channeling ghosts, getting people in contact with their dead relatives. He's all cranky and depressed because of the nature of his job. Then random creepy stuff happens. Now, what about the twist in the end you ask? Simple, he was delusional since childhood and he never spoke to ghosts (since ghosts don't exist), he ends the movie in a nut house. I tell you this is brilliant.
Bruce Willis in Sixth Sense sequel... by hank henshaw	Jul 18th, 2007 11:12:32 AM
...makes a glorified cameo. Speaks only through gunshot sounds.
Adrien Brody was negative in THE VILLAGE by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 11:13:46 AM
One look at that nose of his and I wanted to bunch it.
Shama resonates, everytime... by Billyeveryteen	Jul 18th, 2007 11:14:32 AM
SS: Kid tells mom, that dead grandma still loves her. U: Dad silently slides newspaper to son, confirming heroic deeds. S: Faithless priest desperatly praying for his dying son. V: Innocent optimist stabbed by jealous lunatic. LiW: Damaged widower saves Narf with an apology to dead family. I, for one, look foreward for more.
AND THE TWIST IS.... by connor187	Jul 18th, 2007 11:22:38 AM
Its not the plants and mother nature doing this, its the goverment releasing these chemicals to make people understand the importance of climate change. No shit.
Are all his films actually sold as having twists in? by MrJJonz	Jul 18th, 2007 11:25:28 AM
Because I never really followed any promotion for Signs and Village and hey don't have twists. I just thought this was somethng that followed him round after SS
its all the damn money by professor mctoots	Jul 18th, 2007 11:59:23 AM
that ruined him. everyone knows the best horror/suspense flicks are made on low budgets. these last few movies of his have had too many special effects, and he's just trying too hard to be "different" so it all just looks dumb. I say someone should take his money away. i'll volunteer myself. i'm already ruined.
Wasn't Unbreakable originally supposed to be a trilogy? by Cellar Door	Jul 18th, 2007 12:07:19 PM
I remember reading that somewhere. And I agree that Shyamalan is a HUGE distraction acting in his own movies but there's no question that Unbreakable has a high spot in my favorites list. But only that movie and not his others. 6th is kinda not very re-watchable tho a good flick. Signs is indeed too convenient and not very plausible at that...does Shyamalan realize that aliens allergic to liquid water would still be in trouble the moment their skin came into contact with most any air on the planet outside of the driest desert air? Humidity? Hello?! They're smart enough to build ships to get them here but not to protect themselves against a planet covered in what would be like acid to them? (remember Alien Nation?) And don't rag too much the Richie C; lest you forget Opie's 'Cinderella Man' imo one of the top boxing films. And Leguizamo is like Will Smith, Robin Williams, etc...given a good director who will reign him in, he can do an amazing job, but allow him to do his "schtick" and it becomes unwatchable.
THE TWIST by fignootin	Jul 18th, 2007 12:09:28 PM
Shyamalan should make a movie called "The Twist", as a nod to the nerds who call him out. He could show the twist of the movie at the very beginning, and you realize it's a twist, but don't know why. Then the rest of the movie could be a flashback leading up to the twist. Wait, I think I'm channeling Lost. Nevermind.
Lady in the Water is the worst movie of the past decade by ScamsAndFlams	Jul 18th, 2007 12:27:36 PM
Wow, he invented a shitty mythology and then had characters explain it to us. "HAY WE NEED TO HEAL THIS WOUND THAT WE JUST LEARNED FROM EXPOSITION EXPOSITION IS POISON!" ... "EXPOSITION EXPOSITION THIS MUD SHIT HEALS THE WOUND" ... "WHERE CAN WE FIND THIS MUD SHIT? EXPOSITION EXPOSITION. OH, THERE." Fuck you Shyamanfdsjk the only good thing that came out of that movie was my hourlong stoned rant that apparently entertained a bunch of people who hadnt seen the film.
HOLY FUCKING BARNACLES ON MY ASS by ScamsAndFlams	Jul 18th, 2007 12:31:14 PM
Some of you LIKED Lady in the Water? What in the FUCK!
My thoughts on David Lynch and M Night by liljuniorbrown	Jul 18th, 2007 12:37:56 PM
I paid to see Sixth Sense several times and everyone I took with me had a geat time at the movies. It was scary, filmed practicaly flawless (Philly never looked so good) and the performances were all Oscar caliber. I liked Unbreakable,alot and I think Night is a talented director.I think that because hiis last two movies stunk up the box office he is being nailed as a hack prematurely. My point is this, imagine if no one had ever seen or heard of Lady in the Water,it just didn't exist. Right after making the Village , M. Night went hard to work on the Unbreakable trilogy and hadn't worked on any other scripts or anything since. Then a movie comes out directed by David Lynch ,it's called Dark Blue Motel. If that movie was really Lady In The Water,no changes,nothing different ,just the same movie with a different name and the words "Written and Directed by David Lynch" at the top of the poster,it would be heralded as the best movie of the century by this site and others. No offense to Lynch fans, i'm just saying that movie had some of the same weird shit in it that Lynch uses in his movies, when Lynch does it he's hip and artistic. Just sayin..... I know i'll be hated on for not being a loyal Lynch follower but I gotta be me.
Sounds like a Signs/Attack of the Killer Tomatoes by Yeti	Jul 18th, 2007 12:40:45 PM
hybrid. I think M Night was a two trick pony (Sixth Sense & Unbreakable) Signs was ok but the Village and Lady in the Water left much to be desired.
THIS SHIT IS ABOUT KILLER TREES? by ScamsAndFlams	Jul 18th, 2007 12:44:58 PM
CHLOROPHYLL WHAT MAKES YOU GO CRAZY????? No, Mr. Shyasmnmfdanan, YOU make people go crazy and kill themselves. I'm removing myself from this talkback because IT'S ABOUT FUCKING TREES. TREES. TREES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Signs...aliens master intergalactic travel... by StudioPlant69	Jul 18th, 2007 12:48:48 PM
but have trouble with doors and die from water...aint we about 70% water? Yeah I want to "swing away" at Shammy and demand my money back! If he wants to put himself in What's Happening (hey hey hey) then have him being ass raped by a tree... gOODfORyOU
First! by MagicPhone	Jul 18th, 2007 12:49:05 PM
This thread is all out of order...
El Borak and Chief Justice Beef Supreme by andubatman	Jul 18th, 2007 12:52:05 PM
El Borak - yes, maybe I should have some rolaids next time if Night is gonna put that kind of trite on the screen. thanks for the heads up. Chief Justice Beef Supreme - oh my gosh, you totally got me. I'm gonna go ahead and shut up now, cause there's no way, in my simpleton mind, that I could ever come up with something as clever as referring someone to someone else's post. You sir, are a genius among men.
KILLER TREES!! by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 01:04:09 PM
The theme song will be "the trees" by rush. All you wiggers can fuck off if you are going to dog on rush, at least they can really play. "Signs" was great, minus the ending. Super build up though, and there was a great dynamic between Mel and his family in that one. The night scene in the corn field is a good example of how to build suspense without gore. Lady in the Water IS the worst film of decade. Because of the wasted talent, behind and infront of the camera. We bitch because we care, M. Knight.
two things by Halfbreedqueen	Jul 18th, 2007 01:09:32 PM
one, i'm not a lynch fan but he would never make a movie like lady in the water. he's not as obviously arrogant, and the whole thing with the movie critic just isn't Lynchian. and secondly, the ideas of the Village were interesting, but they were poorly handled and worked into the story, and basically the second half of the Village seemed like a first draft. sixth sense IS great, Unbreakable is his best, and Signs I love despite one of the stupidest endings of all time.
god, Zooey Deschanel in an M Night Shyamalan film by BadMrWonka	Jul 18th, 2007 01:16:52 PM
what a fucking punch to the gut... my biggest celebrity crush, coupled with my biggest celebrity ball of hate... the only way this could be worse is if somehow my mom acted in a Paul Haggis scientology documentary... and anyone that describes The Village as merely being a small disappointment, you are being WAY too generous. that movie was horrendous. for a good laugh, read Roger Ebert's review: http://tinyurl.com/47tdx the best part is when he refers to the ending and says, "To call it an anticlimax would be an insult not only to climaxes but to prefixes." fucking hilarious...M. Night has to get out of his own ego-bubble or he'll never make a good film again.
Unbreakable was pure shit by Ray Gamma	Jul 18th, 2007 01:24:18 PM
Quint you have gone down in my estimation. I liked 6th Sense, Signs, but Unbreakable was just Unwatchable. Stupid, predictable, childish filmmaking and I couldn't see the point of it at all because it was so clunkily put together, like a student film, in terms of the story. Terrible, cheesy and boring.
The village in Apocalypto... by bloodysam	Jul 18th, 2007 02:01:51 PM
is called Camp Sugar Tit!
A Harry Knowles blast from the past... by BGDAWES	Jul 18th, 2007 02:08:43 PM
Remember this one ladies and germs? It's from Harry's glowing review of 'Lady in the Water': Can you play like a little girl talking to a best friend naked in the shower?
They called me Mr. Glass! by versatol	Jul 18th, 2007 02:17:29 PM
(applause and credits roll). I remember it like it was yesterday.
TheBloop, by Tiki-421	Jul 18th, 2007 02:18:58 PM
Don't start the Rush debate!!! O.K. I'll put in my two cents, so we can restore the balance. Screachy and preachy! that's what I said. "if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice." give me a break! Some people have called Rush "the thinking man's Zeppelin" not true in actuality Led Zeppelin is the gettin' laid man's Rush. There.. got that of my chest.
leguizamo and another wahlberg by tbender	Jul 18th, 2007 02:22:52 PM
thought this was funny, leguizamo is also starring alongside marky mark's brother donny, who was in sixth sense, in "the killpoint"
Not Breslin! by MrFloppy	Jul 18th, 2007 02:26:15 PM
:S :S
penus by BGDAWES	Jul 18th, 2007 02:56:28 PM
( . Y . )
Sugar Tit 2: M. Night Boogaloo by Stuntcock Mike	Jul 18th, 2007 02:59:16 PM
Walter B is BACK!!!
You have to be shitting me... by StarskyandHushky	Jul 18th, 2007 03:10:08 PM
I love Leguizamo in everything he did. He's one of those guys that when he shows up, you go 'hey, thats cool'. I also just watched the Lady in the Water only 2 days ago, and my eyes are still crying blood. M. Night Shalamalaykum is a talentless hack, with a misconception about his own skills as an actor and director of Ed Woodian proportions. He should never be allowed near a camera again, and Leguizamo should only take the part to throw a bucket of piss at him on the first day of shooting and walk off.
HERE IS WHAT I STAND BESIDE by knowledge1027	Jul 18th, 2007 03:17:41 PM
I stand beside Spike Lee, Mel Gibson, Unbreakable,Signs...that is all
I'm amazed that I'm in the minority that hates Inland by Lovecraftfan	Jul 18th, 2007 03:20:29 PM
Empire. I mean honeslty it was a 3 hour art film that he made up on the fly with dull passages and not one single thing to care about. I love Luara Linney but if anyone else created something that self-indulgent for 3 HOURS then you guys would be all over him.
Tiki-421 , Rush isn't Led Zepplin by TheBloop	Jul 18th, 2007 03:24:47 PM
But I love them both. I admire Rush for the fact they play what they want, don't sell out, look like the are having fun, and if you ever hear them talk they are all pretty smart. Plus, unlike other bands that I like, say Tool, they have a great sense of humor, in their music and on stage. Any band that would get SCTV's Bob and Doug (Great white north) and Count Fucking Floyd to introduce a song in concert is all right is my book. "Dr. Tongues's House of Pancakes" in 3-D smello arma...Ahhhhhh OOOOOOOO, Count Floyd!
I love every one of MNS' films, except.. by clockpolitiks	Jul 18th, 2007 03:57:41 PM
Lady in the Water. I really did not enjoy that movie. It wasn't horrible, but it was a big disappointment for me. I love all his other films though. The Village is actually one of my favorite movies. Sure, there are some plot holes, but I thought the whole thing was brilliant. I saw it more as a social commentary. I enjoyed it a lot. I had no problem with the ending. I honestly figured out that they were in present day about halfway through, so I wasn't disappointed with that. I really liked the story, and didn't find it boring or pretentious. If the morons who wanted a monster movie were disappointed, I feel for them because they obviously didn't understand the movie. M Night's movies are never really about the supernatural. They are about human studies that just so happen to be set in a supernatural/horror environment.
apocalypto by Halfbreedqueen	Jul 18th, 2007 03:59:00 PM
The Spanish didn't arrive when the Mayans were in their "heyaday," if you will. A lot of Apocalypto actually seemed more Aztec oriented. The Spanish came, made allies with the Tlaxcalans and then destroyed the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs were more about human sacrifice as well (though both practiced it, the Aztecs were the real bastards about it.) With the Mayans it was much different. I've heard even a lot of the make-up and costuming is Aztec and not Mayan, though I myself am not an expert. And I liked Apocalypto, own it on DVD, but I saw your post and thought I'd comment. And please don't start going into how The Passion was "as it is."
The Village by Halfbreedqueen	Jul 18th, 2007 04:03:41 PM
One question I have to ask to Village fans... no matter how deep or whatever it was to you, what about when M. Night reveals his hand too soon and then tries to back pedal? We are shown there are no monsters, she goes into the woods... WHOOPS gotta be scared, so voice over about "well maybe there are monsters cause... uh... they were based on legend! Yes! So maybe that's not just the guy from the pianist stalking her!" And how the hell did he find her in the forest? And what was the point of the whole "I can see your color" (really the only supernatural thing in the movie unless that is taken as more emotional moment.) And why did they CG the monster for that one shot if it's just a guy in a suit? Ugh... sorry. That movie coulda been brilliant but it fucked it up on such an epic level. It felt like a first draft written in pencil and without an eraser. Whatever came to mind went to the page and regardless of whether it worked THERE IT WAS. And what the fuck was up with Sigourney's character who went nowhere? How exactly is the Village anything more than some interesting ideas?
one thing... by Halfbreedqueen	Jul 18th, 2007 04:04:35 PM
...I will give the village though is the opening shot, with the crowds rolling so that the trees in the background start as completely black outlines and then reveal themselves completely. very dreamlike, interesting shot.
WHAT??!! by Halfbreedqueen	Jul 18th, 2007 04:29:46 PM
Your kidding me. I haven't listened to the commentary yet, I should do that. COLUMBUS??? The classic period only lasted till like 900-950 AD, so they are like 500 years off. The Mayans were at their height then, so trying to say that a civilization destroys itself from within yada yada, they're like 500 years off. By the time Columbus would have reached the Mayans they woulda been way more spaced out. That's another thing, the Mayans never had as central a hub as the Aztecs (Tenochtitlan.) It was more like communities. Even the biggest places, it wasn't like "and here's the center for the MAYANS!" Wow Columbus... that kinda invalidates some of the "point" of the movie then. Also, I've heard that the meeting of Columbus and the Mayans isn't 100% known to be the first contact, and that there are disputes that it was the Mayans or simply those who knew the Mayans. Either way the classic Mayans with their temples and human sacrifice were pretty much not around at that time, as they had long past their prime and had split up way more (and again, Mayans are still around today.) If Gibson's quote about a society destroying itself from within is supposed to have any weight, then maybe he should have picked a time period that matched more so the Spanish showing up to a Mayan society that existed 100's of years earlier wouldn't cause a problem. Honestly this makes Apocalytpo even more fictional than I first thought because it makes the main thrust of the movie not really make sense.
a quote by Halfbreedqueen	Jul 18th, 2007 04:38:10 PM
There was a quote that talked about this that I found: "Maya civilization in the Central Area reached its full glory in the early eighth century, but it must have contained the seeds of its own destruction, for in the century and a half that followed all its magnificent cities had fallen into decline and ultimately suffered abandonment. This was surely one of the most profound social and demographic catastrophes of all human history." —Michael Coe, The Maya
and again by Halfbreedqueen	Jul 18th, 2007 04:39:58 PM
I like the movie! I really enjoyed it, and beyond the base message that doesn't work with the timeframe, I thought a lot of the ideas of it were worked into the story well, and the pace was great. I'm just saying it's not a textbook and the end definitely doesn't gel with what has been shown.
Lady in the Village / The Water... by digdug2009	Jul 18th, 2007 05:06:16 PM
I'll always watch his movies, hes the closest thing to hitchcok we've seen since his demise. I think everybodys stuck on the "twist". overall all M. Knights movies are good its the surprise ending that left most people unhappy. I wont knock down old ladies and children to get into the theatre to watch his latest offering but I'll watch it just the same.
Don't forget "Hangin' with the Homeboys" by Neo Zeed	Jul 18th, 2007 05:13:18 PM
One of Leguizamo's earliest and best.
know what's cool about m. night? by Duke of Hurl	Jul 18th, 2007 05:15:04 PM
Absolutely nothing.
"Shy" Haters by pizzatheface	Jul 18th, 2007 05:46:24 PM
I like "shy" as an alternative to everyone wasting my time with "Shyamalamadingdong" as if we haven't heard that EVERY SINGLE TIME there's a Shyamalan story. Plus, "Shy" kinda has an ironic slant to it. But anyway, I'm with Mirrajeff on this one: I think he's a very talented and bold director, willing to try out new things, but I did think LitW fell flat on its face. I mean, isn't there a more creative and visual way to give us exposition than having a bad Korean actress talk us all the way through everything? Bo-o-o-o-ring! But I really am probably in the minority on this site when I admit that I liked The Village far more than I liked Unbreakable. It had such an awesome build up, and although I know he wasn't going for anything other than a superhero origins story, I feel the potential was wasted on a ho-hum ending.
awesome build up? by Duke of Hurl	Jul 18th, 2007 05:51:23 PM
I had it figured out when I saw the first watchtower on the edge of the woods. The guy is a hack and his movies are shit.
Todd, c'mon broheim... by Duke of Hurl	Jul 18th, 2007 06:01:51 PM
The village was as predictable as its director's lame-ass cameo. Don't blame Drew.
M. NIGHT still got it? by Logan_1973	Jul 18th, 2007 06:33:03 PM
The Sixth Sense was a masterpiece, only to be bettered by Unbreakable. Signs was excellent. The Village suffered from a script that didn't know what to do at the end, and the Lady in the Water made no sense whatsoever.
Mountain-Dew Nation knows what's up by Duke of Hurl	Jul 18th, 2007 06:56:57 PM
To say M. Night's movies don't follow any sort of Hollywood formula is rediculous - you are in denial, mr_sinister. He is the poster boy for modern Hollywood formula, as evident in his formulaic hackery. Hitchcock and Serling are rolling in their graves.
And yes by Duke of Hurl	Jul 18th, 2007 06:58:30 PM
I realize rediculous is spelled ridiculous... the extra "e" is for "excrement".
You God damn haters! by Sappers Forward	Jul 18th, 2007 07:37:53 PM
Now that I have your attention...M. Night does it like no other (these days). He came to the scene fresh with new ideas that work. He's not afraid to stray from all that cookie cutter B.S. that I refuse to spend anything other than my monthly cable access bill on. Yes, 6th sense, Unbreakable, and signs were fucking amazing works of multi leveled story telling. Guess what? The rest of his work, although not as stunning, was awe inspiring. I'll have no problem dropping my hard earned green to see his flicks on the big screen. Oh and for all those idiots hoping to see an unbreakable 2, let fucking john woo or some other half rate action movie director do that. You're obviously looking for another shitty superhero flick. Unbreakable was much more than that. Now, to all you fucks that hate M. Night, STOP SEING HIS FUCKING MOVIES! Go waste your cash on retarded shit like Fantastic 4, or X-men 3. Oh, one more thing, if anyone tries comparing him to the literary greats of old, GET OVER IT. They're dead and gone. Start living in the now. Aaaagggghhhrrrrr...I'll crush you all!
I did stop Sappers by Duke of Hurl	Jul 18th, 2007 07:50:58 PM
Because they inspired apathy more than awe. But I just can't stand by while innocent people are being fooled. M. Night is as pretentious as they come. "Awe inspiring"? Gimme a break...
Johnny Leg's is the shizzDOUBLEnit! by S-Mart shopper	Jul 18th, 2007 08:33:37 PM
and the only way Signs could have been worse is if M.Bay directed it.
mr. sinister by BadMrWonka	Jul 18th, 2007 09:14:43 PM
you wrote: "M. Night's movies don't follow any sort of Hollywood formula. They have a pacing all there [sic] own, and it proves too much for Mountain-dew Nation to wrap their mind around." that gave me a huge chuckle. thank you kiddo. arguing that M. Night is amazing, because he's not as shitty as Eli Roth...that's like saying you'd rather eat moldy bread than a bowl of diarrhea. well, sure. I'd rather eat ANYTHING than that. and I'd rather sit through a Shyamalan marathon than watch Hostel part 2...but that doesn't make him GOOD... seriously, read the Roger Ebert review of the Village, that I posted above...it's truly spot on, and also almost as hilarious as your post.
Twice the pain! by Lornsorrow	Jul 18th, 2007 09:16:05 PM
M. Night Shyamalan and John Leguizamo! Holy crap, twice the punishment in one single film! Durendal said it best above about Leguizamo "The guy is, at best, mildly annoying, and at worst, a fucking ham that irritates the living piss out of me." Yeah, he's an annoying prick. Sometimes he pulls off some decent stuff, but honestly he comes off as a little hammy prick much of the time. As for Shyamalan, there isn't enough time in the day for me to describe how terrible this guy is. Mr. Twisty should also be called Mr. Message after that shit piece of film signs where he craps all over science, skepticism, and rational thought for the sake of his film and promoting "faith" and blind reasoning. Go back to shooting movies with your childhood friends you hack looser, and screw you for being stupid enough to try and teach religion in a film about fucking aliens! The only thing surprising about signs is that Mel wasn't in some sort of crucifixion or torture position in it somewhere, involving a rectal probe or something. How I miss the young Mel days and the awesome films he did.
Roger Ebert's review is way off the mark... by TiVo1138	Jul 18th, 2007 09:36:30 PM
Movie reviews are supposed to judge a film by what it intends to do. Shyamalan was creating a story about deception. The movie was supposed to end full circle like that. It's a dark ending. However, using Ebert's The Village review doesn't really make a case against him anyway considering he referred to Shyamalan as "a director of considerable skill who evokes stories out of moods..." and of The Village, "this time, alas, he took the day off." Don't forget that he gave Signs a four-star review, calling Shyamalan "a born filmmmaker able to summon apprehension out of thin air."
TiVo, that was my point by BadMrWonka	Jul 18th, 2007 09:41:14 PM
Shyamalan needs to get out of his own ego shell. the less constraint put on him, the more he's allowed to do whatever he wants, the worse his films are. The Village is a classic example of an ego-driven artist mistakenly thinking that any idea he can crap out is intrinsically going to be amazing. instead of forcing himself to refine his ideas, and god forbid, allow other people's opinions in, he simply takes his idea, produces it, and sits back, thinking, "there, they must love that, because I'm a genius"... he's not a genius. he's a writer and director, he had a great movie that had great word of mouth and was very succesful. his ego is too big for his talent. Ebert basically called him on it. plus, it's just funny to see a reviewer tear apart a really horrendously bad movie. it's schadenfreude, sure. but it's funny as hell.
I'VE LOVED ALL HIS FILMS, BUT..... by Playkins	Jul 18th, 2007 09:48:09 PM
He's gotta stop with the narcissistic stuff. It's getting old seeing him play (sometimes pivotal) characters in his films. Just tell us a solid story, Shammy! Forget the self-promotion!
and that phrase by BadMrWonka	Jul 18th, 2007 09:54:41 PM
"Movie reviews are supposed to judge a film by what it intends to do." I don't think, as rule, ANYONE should judge a film solely by what the filmmaker intended. an editor here in LA that I met, who has worked with Michael Mann and a bunch of others, told me a story about a director who was unhappy with her rough cut of his film. he was going on and on about what he intended to get across, and how she had changed the meaning of this and that. so she tried, in the second cut, to get across what he wanted, but at the test screenings, no one could follow it, and the whole cut was reviewed badly. the director was still upset, and wouldn't relent, until finally she had to tell him, "look, I have the footage that you FILMED, not the footage you INTENDED to film. if you failed to get me, as an editor, enough footage to get across what you intended, then you have to modify your expectations, so that we can make the best movie we can, with what we have." I give credit for good intentions, in my personal opinion of a film. but that's not, as you suggested, what I think a reviewer should be basing their judgment on. to do that would be a disservice to filmmakers that had a specific vision and intent, AND turned that into a successful film. I can intend to be a sprinter on the US Olympic team. is that as impressive as the guy out there running with the baton and a US flag on his shirt? No. M. Night may have intended to scare us, creep us out, or awe us with The Village, but its dismal reviews, and drop off in box office after the first week, show that he pretty much failed. to credit his intentions is to credit his ego, which thought he could phone it in and still amaze people. not so much...and that's why Lady in the Water was even more poorly reviewed, and made less money than any of his films to date. a genius can do what he wants. a filmmaker has to work at it, and he's just not working hard enough when editing himself. Shayamalan can no longer get by on his "genius" intentions. he's gotta produce. and unless people call him on his failings, he's never going to live up to the promise he showed with The Sixth Sense. his ego is so big, he's been able to live inside it for years. here's hoping he climbs out of it soon.
WONKA: by Playkins	Jul 18th, 2007 10:00:49 PM
Dude, you kinda just gave up your friend. I mean, how many A.C.E. female editors have worked with Mann?
The extreme views on Shyamalan are both... by rbatty024	Jul 18th, 2007 10:06:03 PM
far off. He's not a genius and he's not a hack. I really liked his first three films. Yes, even Signs, but goddamn The Villiage was awful. There were so many terrible plot holes in it and characters acting for no reason other than to push the plot along. The only reasoning behind the retarded guy's actions is that he's retarted. In fact, I'm surprised there wasn't some sort of Rights for Retards group out there that wasn't offended by that film. Anyway, the guy is a great director that started believing his own press release. After two shitty films I really hope he turns things around.
For a director that supposedly one of the worst ever by Lovecraftfan	Jul 18th, 2007 10:10:59 PM
I always find it funny how it inspires some extremely long talkbacks. Nobody can stop talking about him even if most of you hate him.
erm...not many, I would assume by BadMrWonka	Jul 18th, 2007 10:47:16 PM
but I didn't say which director she was talking about... (obviously not Mann)
rbatty, I agree by BadMrWonka	Jul 18th, 2007 10:49:44 PM
well, I didn't like Signs that much, but only because I loved the first 1/3, didn't like the middle 1/3, and hated the last 1/3... but I agree I don't think he's a hack, I just think his ego is writing checks that his talent can't cover.
James Newton Howard's music... by Osmosis Jones	Jul 18th, 2007 10:49:44 PM
...is the ONLY thing getting me to see Shyamalan's movies at the point. Lady In The Water was HORRENDOUS (reading clues off the backs of cereal boxes?!), yet Howard's score was subime.
Shyamalan is a victim of his formula by TVguy4566	Jul 18th, 2007 11:06:00 PM
I admit I never saw the Lady in the Water, but I think Night has been trapping himself into having to have a twist at the end. I thought the first 3/4 of Signs was great, but the twist at the end seemed more obligatory than really intrical to the plot. I think the twist in the Village was, as have been said before, too much like a bad Twilight Zone movie. I don't think Night's heart has been into creating a halfway interesting twist since Unbreakable. At this point, I just find it gimmicky. I think he will revive his credibilty if he just dropped the ending plot twist. People spend the whole movie trying to figure it out anyway and what made it work so well in the Sixth Sense was that it smacked you in the face in the end. Night uses his twist endings as a crutch at this point and should just stop. I think he would be a much better filmmaker for it.
mr_sinister7381 by TVguy4566	Jul 18th, 2007 11:12:17 PM
I agree that M. Night doesn't follow the Hollywood formula, but his movies have become too formulaic. He has his own overused Shyamalan formula. To be a great film maker he will need to break free of using the ending plot twist gimmick. You can't name a single great film maker who uses the same gimmick film after film. I like most of his movies, but I hate how he has been forcing bad twist endings recently just because it worked so well with the Sixth Sense.
BadMrWonka, I see what you're saying with Signs, but by rbatty024	Jul 18th, 2007 11:25:15 PM
for me the first 2/3 was good enough for me to overlook the convenience/faith ending. Although Signs wasn't really a twist ending like some people keep on saying. It's just things fitting together, and while it does leave something to be desired (message over story) I still think the majority of the film is pretty good. I will admit to being a huge fan of the Shyamalan character on Robot Chicken. "The TWIST!"
BadMrWonka by digdug2009	Jul 19th, 2007 12:48:50 AM
do you have friends outside of the intertron? and if you do... are you sure that they like you? or have they just known you long enough that they pretend to? I mean I appriciate your cander on most of the things you've posted over the last six hundred years on aint it not-so-cool news but you always seem to carry such a negative opinion about pretty much everything. Is there anything in the film world you like? do you even like Ghostbusters? or could you deftly point out every single fucking one of its flaws? "how could you build up a little boys hopes? and smash them all to pieces?... YOU'RE AN INHUMAN MONSTER!" -Grandpa Joe "I SAID GOOD DAY SIR!" -The Real Wonka
BULLSHIT YOU FUCKS-- This is about LADY IN THE WATER by ScamsAndFlams	Jul 19th, 2007 12:52:51 AM
It ain't about Shyamanafgv in his own movies, it isn't about the reliance on the twist, it isn't about "atmosphere", or any garbage about breaking hollywood conventions. Are you people fucking serious? Lady in the Water is hands down the worst movie of the decade and easily one of the "top" 10 worst films ever made. It's an insult to anyone who lays eyes upon it. Fuck your bullshit about "it's for kids" or "it bucks convention"-- PSHAW, what a lot of crap. If you think Lady in the Water is in ANY way redeemable, if you think any aspect of the film mitigates its unbridled awfulness, then you are a piece of shit and your "taste" is to be reviled and forever made an example of how NOT to think, feel, or be. In other words, FUCK OFF!
digdug2009 by BadMrWonka	Jul 19th, 2007 01:57:46 AM
I'm sorry I seem to be so negative to you, I certainly can be sometimes, but I think I'm pretty balanced. as I pointed out with M. Night, I do hope that he can make some great movies again, and anyone that considers Raiders of the Lost Ark their favorite film isn't all bad in my book. but I came out of the Village truly upset that I had been subjected to it. it was that bad, in my opinion. but I also said that the ahtred of him in reviews, and on here, has a strong element of Shadenfreude. he was the golden boy, and now he's falling, and people love that. I REALLY hate The Village, and I saw half of Lady in the Water before giving up. that said, I hope he can bounce back. as for endless negativity, I can't defend myself other than to say tht I don't FEEL intensely negative about much in the entertainment community. I've been here in LA only a few months, and by my estimation, I've been much more succesful than I had hoped to be, and much faster. but I've also seen all the negative sides to the industry that I thought were exaggerations of abstractions. and they turned out to be neither, they are very real. but I think you're referring to my opinion about movies in general. maybe I've more vocal in my opposition to things I have a problem with, and I'll take that into account. but there are a great many things I love about movies. hell, that's why I got into the business. such as it is. I'm not a studio head or anything, lol. I jsut love innovation, I love individuality, I love people taking chances on film and television. I love Charlie Kaufman, I love Michel Gondry (I actually may get to have dinner with him next month, he is probably going to be the guest of honor at Visionfest, hosted by the DGA, and I have a short film playing there, so the 6 of us that have films playing get to have dinner with the honoree. I'm truly excited, I've been brushing up on my French!. I know he speaks English, but I thought it would be nice to say something nice to him in his native tongue). I love steven soderburgh...Out of Sight, is probably my second favorite film, after Lawrence of Arabia. even though I think soderburgh has made maybe 10 "better" films, Out of Sight is just so perfect as a film, and so entertaining. I watch it maybe once ever 2 months, and it always delivers. Steve Zahn is a genius in that film. and my favorite straight comedy film of all time? ghostbusters. I had to take in a breath at the thought of me, or anyone, giving that movie shit. I have the anniversery edition, with the MST3000 style commentary with ramis and reitman, and it's so painfully funny, it makes my eyes water. that movie is so great, the characters are so great, and it's so unashamedly WEIRD, that I think it had even more effect on comedies than people give it credit for. and that's saying a lot, because anyone with a brain gives it a LOT of credit. I just think the smalelr winks to the audience, the jokes you might not get til the 3rd time through, the willingness to let the characters being themselves be the joke. (I collect spores, molds and fungus...print is dead...stuff like that) rather than simply a setup and punchline. it was really influential. and I see evidence of it in every Judd Apatow movie out there (I like his stuff, in general, too)... I also like it when films can take an established genre, and make a film that fits easily within the boundaries of it, but do it SO WELL, that it makes you simply proud of the medium. a good example is "Return to Me", starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver...Carol O'Conner, too. and directed by Bonnie Hunt, who I think is one of the funniest and sexiest women ever. it's kind of an odd premis, but basicall, it's a straigh forward romantic comedy. boy mets girl, they like each other, circumstances occur to keep them apart, they overcome. (sorry for the spoiler, but come on...). it's so funny, it's very romantic, very touching, it's just a perfect little film. did it break any rules? did it extend the idea of what the medium of film could be? any awards? lasting legacy? no on all counts. but it's a tremendous movie. I suppose the reason I come off so negative on AICN is 2 fold... 1. I have a BIG problem with people saying things that are logically or factually incorrect, and assuming they can get away with it because of the anonymity and perceived carelessness of online forums like this. I'm not religious, I'm very liberal politically, but I can handle a lot of disagreement on those fronts. but I'm one of those people that would rather here a 20 minute sermon by a creationist, than a 20 second soundbite from someone about "Intelligent" Design. my church is the church of logic and reason, and I can't stand people pissing on my church. often times on AICN, people simply state things that are untrue as part of a persuasive argument. and though I should let it go more than I do, it's tough for me. the 2nd reason, is that I really LOVE film, and even television (scrubs, the office, the west wing, the daily show). I love what it can be. and unfortunately, I hate the fact that the creative portion of film is overshadowed by the mechanical economical force behind it. speaking as someone who wrote 2 scripts recently that were sold for peanuts, simply because they could be SHOT for peanuts (by my design), I HATE the fact that money drives movies. I'm not an idiot. I know that business is business. but there are organizations out there (The filmmaker's alliance, in LA, is one of them) and people interested in just making great movies, not worrying about money except to make sure everyone is paid for their time, and they make great stuff. there are also movies made for $100 million that are great. but they are EXPERIENCES, not really just films. and on here, movies like Transformers (which I saw in advance and wrote one of the only negative, but logical, reviews of for AICN) , Bad Boys, etc. are so contrary to me from the idea of movies telling STORIES, real stories. it's just merchandising and marketing, and selling toys, and happy meals, and it's so sad. I still get excited about movies all the time. I love movies. maybe I'm negative because there are so many people in the position of being able to make films, and they do nothing to further the art form. I hope the first time I get to make a film (cross your fingers, well...cross them if you want me to make a movie...because I might get a shot come september) I can do justice to all these lofty comments I make. maybe I'll get bogged down in reality and make one of these films I am so negative about in the talkbacks. or maybe I'll never make a movie, and every script I sell will either never see the light of day, or get so twisted around I can't stand to watch the finished product. and then I'l be disenfranchised, and go back to teaching, and move away from LA. and I'll spend even MORE time in the AICN talkbacks hating on everything, and everyone that makes a grammar mistake. who knows? but I do fucking love Ghostbusters...
also, I have lots of friends by BadMrWonka	Jul 19th, 2007 02:10:23 AM
dude, I have like 200 myspace friends! ;o) but most of them are from europe, or from seattle, or other places that are not LA. here, I have a girl I'm dating, and maybe 3 friends. it's pretty isolating here, I just moved here without knowing anyone, so, you know. and I guess no one really knows if their friends like them or not, but we can always hope. at any rate, I think if you met me, you'd be surprised. I wonder what you must picture in your head, if you've already developed such a complete picture of my negative internet self... I probably have a lot more tattoos than you imagine...
Syhamalanadingdong is a very good director... by Seph_J	Jul 19th, 2007 02:28:19 AM
... his stories are crafted, his shots are framed inteligently, he doesn't overuse CGI, he doesn't just use big stars... he actually casts real actors, and his films do have a point and a message, along with entertainment. He has his faults, and maybe at the moment his ambition exceeds his grasp, but the guy certainly puts the time into his directing. If you dont like his stories, or his cameos, or his casting thats cool, but dont just lump them all under the term DIRECTOR. The guy can direct very well. His directing in 'Unbreakable' was subtle, yet brilliant. Pretty much every shot is framed. And I dont mean framed as in 'a well composed shot'... I mean framed as in something frames the action... everything on screen happens within a box or border of some kind. You should check it out. I personally believe its a subtle version of the editing used in Lees 'The Hulk'... every shot designed to work as an almost subconscious comic book page panel. Shymy has faults, but yes he is a far better filmmaker than the people churning out the recycled crap that 'sets the box office alight' every week. And whatver you think of his writing, casting, acting etc. the guy can direct the majority of mainstream directors out of the park.
no one gets lady in the water by El Borak	Jul 19th, 2007 07:55:39 AM
it was supposed to be simple. it was a story with all explanation and context thrown out the window and it pokes fun at this the entire film. people are too jaded to take something SILLY instead of SERIOUSLY.
FUCK YOU ASSHOLE by El Borak	Jul 19th, 2007 07:59:55 AM
"If you think Lady in the Water is in ANY way redeemable, if you think any aspect of the film mitigates its unbridled awfulness, then you are a piece of shit and your "taste" is to be reviled and forever made an example of how NOT to think, feel, or be. In other words, FUCK OFF!" WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD LIKE? GO BACK TO TRYIN' TO REACH YOUR OWN DICK WITH YOUR BABBLING, PUSS-FILLED MOUTH!
M. Night is NOT a hack. by Neo Zeed	Jul 19th, 2007 08:33:22 AM
C'mon get real. Sixth Sense and Unbreakable could not come from a "hack." Why do geeks feel this need to exaggerate when true hacks like Uwe Boll and Paul WS exist.
Why us "Morons" shout unwatchable. by Stuntcock Mike	Jul 19th, 2007 08:45:23 AM
Because the shit is unwatchable.
It would be interesting... by PezQ	Jul 19th, 2007 08:48:36 AM
..to see him directing someone elses scripts.
The Village is not Lost! by Tiki-421	Jul 19th, 2007 09:22:28 AM
I'm not suprised some people didn't like it if they watched it thinking the whole time " maybe they're ghosts, maybe they're actualy on another planet, what if it's all a dream, maybe they're really robots!" Seriously, It's not about the twist, it's a symbolic drama.
Tiki-421 by BadMrWonka	Jul 19th, 2007 10:19:49 AM
that made me chuckle, thank you...I think if you have a movie that supposedly build suspense throughtout its running time, and then the reveal at the end is so pathetically derivative and uninspired that everyone groans, a good way to skirt around it would be to go, "no, it wasn't supposed to be suspensful or mysterious! you weren't supposed to be thinking about what the creatures might have been! silly you! it's all symbolic!" that, sir, is ludicrous. it was simply an attempt at a suspenseful thriller, with a patented twist, only it failed to be suspenseful, and it failed at its twist. in the sixth sense, when the twist was revealed, everyone said, "holy shit! I didn't see that coming...that adds a whole new element to this whole thing. I need to see this movie again!". after the twist at the end of The Village, people said, "that's it? what the fuck was that? I want my fucking money back." Ebert said as much, and I applaud him for it. Shyamalan is capable of great things, but his ego convinced him he could fart out a screenplay, and shoot it, and it would inherently be masterful. well it wasn't. "symbolic drama", lol...
Billyeveryteen by Wee Willie	Jul 19th, 2007 10:35:49 AM
I agree with you. And for the record, Lady in the Water is fantastic. It's just that the people on this thread are jaded, have seen waaay too many movies, and probably don't get out much. And you're probably fat! HA! So there!
Sunshine by CrichtonAstronut	Jul 19th, 2007 10:50:18 AM
okay, this is off topic, but I figured this would be an appropriate place to raise the question. Anyone else heard anything on this Sunshine movie by Danny Boyle. All of the sudden the trailers are popping up all over the Rotten Tomatoes site has rave reviews from critics and I've never heard of it beore. Looks pretty kick ass though hand it's directed by Danny Boyle, and has Cilian Murphy in it. Any chance of a Talkback aboutb or AICN review of this movie. Or has there been one and I missed it. BTW still think Symalan has it in him to curl our brains back. And that might be his best 11th hour twist yet.
Sunshine in the Village is like a Lady in the Water... by Bone-In Foray	Jul 19th, 2007 01:41:15 PM
The Village, while flawed, is easily M. Nights best looking film - most films shot by Roger Deakins tend to be a pure joy just to watch - but in this case I thought it really helped insofar as establishing a mood and building suspense. Perhaps that is what Tiki meant? Meanwhile, Lady in the Water has little redeeming value. Any movie that explains the entire "plot" within the first 5 minutes is doomed. After watching that hunk of junk, I've little hope for M. Nights cinematic future. Meanwhile, CA - check imdb for the new Boyle flick. Can't wait to see that one. Since the sun won't be dying out for another 5 billion years or so, this one will have to be a leap of faith - but with Boyle at the helm I'm not overly concerned.
Boyle's easily one of my favorite contemporary... by rbatty024	Jul 19th, 2007 03:03:48 PM
directors. I just read a Rottentomatoes interview and he mentions that most of the audience goes to a film because of the stars, not the director and as a director you kind of have to get over yourself. There's a lesson to be learned there Shyamalan. Anyway, I'll definitely see Sunshine this weekend.
I liked the Village by hktelemacher	Jul 19th, 2007 05:27:51 PM
and so did cahiers du cinema. However I have no use for Signs or the Sixth Sense.

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