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Signs (Vista Series)

Signs (Vista Series)

List Price: $14.99
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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Write A Good Story First.
Review: I expected to love this film. I expected to smile with glee as the story unfolded in M's characteristic (if not now formulaic) style. The Sixth Sense captivated me, as it did so many others. And I was one (of few I guess) who thought Unbreakable even better. What happened here? I still have faith in Shyamalan's cinematic future, but this movie didn't do a thing for my faith in anything -- contrary to what we were told was the point all along.

Signs wants to be more important than it is. It wants to be profound, instead of science fiction. M should've taken cues from Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko. A profound science fiction movie that never tries to be anything but science fiction, and becomes so much more in the process. Kelly embraces and respects the science fiction aspect (as M. Night embraced comic books in Unbreakable) and goes with it. M seems to be apologizing for being a science fiction movie the whole (excruciatingly drawn out) time. If you want to use a genre story to tell another story, fine. More power to you. Write a good genre story first. If you don't believe me, watch DONNIE DARKO, which should've gotten 1/100th the exposure of SIGNS.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Neither entertaining nor profound
Review: Whereas M. Night Shyamalan's previous two major films The Sixth Sense (1999) and Unbreakable (2000) used implausible ideas to try and entertain, Signs (2002) uses far-fetched ideas in an attempt to make a profound statement. The attempt fails, and the film is neither entertaining nor profound. Warning: This review, like most of the ones here, contains spoilers. So, if you haven't seen it then probably skip my review.

The first major idea presented is that crop circles are of extraterrestrial origin. The true, hoax origin of crop circles is acknowledged in the film, and then quickly brushed aside by the fact that in a mere 72 hour period, 18 crop circles were made in India. Surely that is beyond the possibility of human behavior! Just do the math! In the film it says it would take a 2-3 person team 1 night to make a typical group of "circles" in a field. So over 3 nights, that would require 6 2-3 person teams, or a total of 12-18 people in on the hoax. This, in India, which has a population of over 1 billion people. Also, we are told that the crop circles are being used as "markers" for the extraterrestrials to use when their invasion begins. This, from extraterrestrials who are obviously very technologically advanced, being able to travel at very high speeds through space, and to remember where they want to go on Earth they're still relying on forming patterns in crops which will only be visible about half of each day.

Next we are told that the extraterrestrials are probably here to take over the world in order to exploit its natural resources, having depleted their planet's natural resources. This is believable enough, as if the film was set 200 years in the future, I can easily see it being turned the other way around, with humans as the invaders of the extraterrestrial world. But it's all for not as the extraterrestrials traveled across the galaxy and forgot to bring any serious weapons, as the only threat they present to us is their ability to emit a small amount of poison out of their wrists. So the extraterrestrials, without having made any real attempt to take over Earth, go back home just as quickly as they came.

This film does raise some interesting points and questions, though.

When space ships are seen hovering over Mexico City, the comment is made, first by the young son, then by the TV newscaster, that "Everything people have written about in science books is going to change." This is a rather profound statement, but it is probably false. While information from an advanced civilization might give a few insights and refinements that would have taken us a few more decades to find out, the bulk of chemistry, physics, geology, and even cosmology and astronomy would be unaffected. Biology would probably be the most heavily affected science, as studying intelligent extraterrestrial biological organisms that evolved completely independently of life on Earth could provide great insights on common principles of Evolution throughout the universe.

Also, while much attention is given to human beings and religion, the subject of religion is ignored in relation to the extraterrestrials, which is another source for many questions. Were the extraterrestrials theists? While they were above the major cities in their cloaked space ships, were they praying to their God(s) for success in their invasion in order to claim what's left of Earth's natural resources? Or, if the extraterrestrial invasion had nothing to do with our natural resources, then was it a cosmic proselytizing mission, in which the extraterrestrials, with empirical evidence for their God(s), were simply trying to share this evidence with us so we can stop worshiping our false Gods and start worshiping their true God(s)?

And perhaps most importantly, was "swing away" good advice, let alone so good to think it was of divine origin? That is, is there any good evidence to suggest that a God would have a man fall asleep at the wheel and kill an innocent woman so that she could utter the last words "swing away," which would be interpreted by her husband Graham (Gibson), 6 months later, that this meant Merrill (Phoenix) should beat an extraterrestrial in their living room to death with a baseball bat? I don't think so. Merrill owned 5 records in minor league baseball, one of which was the record for the most strikeouts. He probably would have made it to the major leagues if he didn't recklessly "swing away" as he did. It is not plausible that without those last words Graham and Merrill would have been unable to defend their family. Indeed, it is amazing Merrill didn't grab the baseball bat much earlier in the film. An ideal time for Merrill to "swing away" would have been when the family was in the basement by having Graham open the door suddenly and shine the light in the extraterrestrial's eyes while Merrill swung away at the extraterrestrial's head with the pickaxe.

In the end, the film isn't really about crop circles or extraterrestrials but rather about using coincidences as the basis for belief in God. This makes the entire plot with extraterrestrials not only superfluous, but also detrimental. If Shyamalan's goal was to make a film about using coincidences to establish faith in God, then resorting to saying that a hodge-podge of hoaxes and unlikely ideas are also real diminishes this goal. Instead of using extraterrestrials to give "swing away" divine significance, it would be better to have a human burglar or a disgruntled parishioner break into the Hess home, at which point Graham tells Merrill to "swing away" with a bat to protect the family. This would still be weak and desperate, but it would be better than the scenario presented. As is, Signs provides nothing but silly, even if fanciful, ideas and scenarios about crop circles, extraterrestrials, and God.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: War of the Worlds
Review: If you liked this film, congratulations! You just saw War of the Worlds, bastardized and stolen, without so much as credit. But wait - replace corals with water, subtract decent plotline and add cheesy humor and M. Night Shyamalan's questionable appearance and bad acting. While you're at it, disable your brain's logical unit. NOW you have War of the Worlds.
H. G. Wells' classic novel is ruined in this unadmitted adaptation, which does a great job at tricking the viewer with a promising trailer, but instead subjecting one to a story that doesn't really tie together (aliens are deathly afraid of water, yet don't mind romping around in the cornfields, which god knows are damp with dew).
Read War of the Worlds instead - it's a much more interesting novel that doesn't insult your intelligence.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: GOOD MOVIE IF YOU HAVE AN ATTENTION SPAN
Review: You see audiences these days are so use to watching the quick cutting of MTV and mind controling commericals that they/we have forgoten what its like to watch a film. Mmmmmmm film what does that mean. A film is when someone takes the time to make what we see on that big screen at the movie theater. And a movie is when someone tries to make money. Triple X with Vin "I can't act" Disel is a movie. Saving Private Ryan with Speilberg making Disel look good is a film.

So the point of all this is Signs, my friends, is a film. I acutally liked it. And it was very scary, turn up the sound and try to use your imagination.

JB

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not great, but not bad either....not bad at all
Review: The movie provides enogh suspense to be interesting, but the ending leaves you a bit flat. That's it in a nutshell. The movie itself provides enough distraction to keep your mind off holes in the plot. Overall, a good little thriller that tries hard. That makes it a little easier to overlook the somewhat lame ending. Not bad though...check it out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best Movies I've seen in a LONG time
Review: Signs was by far, one of the greatest movies I have seen in a LONG time. It was excellently written, and told from a point of view no other "sci-fi" movie has doen before, that of a single family experiancing the event as it was happening. It doesnt even have a clear genra either. It was part sci-fi, part thriller, part suspence all rolled into one. It was especially personal in the scene with Joaquin Phoenix sitting watching the TV waiting for something to happen. After 9/11 we all know what that feels like. This movie was down-right incredible, and anyone who didn't like it is simply retarded. Nuff said. Go out and buy this movie, it will be the best $20 you spend.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An all to familiar film that tries to reinvent alien films.
Review: M.Night Shymalan's Signs could have been a great film had it not been for the portrayal of the aliens as being moronic and his
messages about a spiritual beleif in higher power come on now if
I, wanted to learn about that I, would not go to a movie I would
go to a church it's useless frival that never makes sense because
it's the last thing people would think if an alien invasion was
taking place they would be thinking about survival and staying
alive.In a rural town a family(Mel Gibson,Joaquin Pheonix,Abigail
Breslin,Rory Culkin).With Mel Gibson playing a preist trying to
come to grips with his wifes death and taking care of two kids
as well,they all notice strange things when mysterious giant
crop circles appear.The family notices it and ignores it for
awhile until they find out that more of these circles show up
nationwide and the family finds out that visitors are here from
another planet to invade,The preist does not beleive it until
he confront's one in the very house that the man that is now
involved in his wifes killing but the only way to fight the
aliens is in faith of himself wich even though he's not a
preist anymore by choice cannot overcome his loss in faith
but he has to for his family so that they will come out of
this battle alive and save his family wich he eventually
gains faith in.

The religious aspect of the film is not so much that is terrible or horrible it's just not done well and the aliens
M.Night Shymalan makes them as vulnerable as the charchters
of his movie.Im sorry but the Alien in Ridley Scott's ALIEN
was much scarier and smarter a lesson Night should learn
from , if an Alien had the technology to travel in a flying
saucer would it just stand there and get hit by a bat and
when the Alien climbs the rooftop as it waste's it time
making a racket and obviously let's the family know it's
presince it's a waste of filmgoers time because we know
these things.M.Night Shymalan does the classic Speilberg
move with not revealing the aliens until almost an hour
into the film but by that time you've already predicted
how the movie will end it's just to predictable of a
film the good thing about The Sixth Sense is that noone
even the best film plotters couldn't figure out the ending
it's just not so in this movie but it is fun I, will give
it that but just does not live up to all it's hype.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I love this movie
Review: This is my favorite movie! I saw it three times in the theater. It scared me and moved me. I thought it was most awesome!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Why do only the cynical write reviews
Review: I have read the other reviews that are available for this film and I am left feeling a bit confused as to why only cynical people write reviews. It is important to remember that film is a form of entertainment! As such you will not find a better film. If you are looking for a good time-a film to watch with friends late at night when its raining, this is your film. Does this film challenge the soul or the intelligence-no! But that is not its purpose. Get this film because it is a fun ride and very entertaining. Leave your literary criticism aside for the two hours-relax and have some fun!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Terrific Movie!
Review: I thought this movie was great! It was a thilling movie with actually funny comedy, not the usual cheesieness. Shamalayn did a great job keeping the suspense without ever really seeing what was terriorising Earth. It reminded me of getting scared with all my friends as a kid over something one of us thought we saw out of the corner of our eyes. The kids were absoultly hilarious! It got even funnier when the adults started to get caught up in all the alien stuff with the kids. I saw it 3 times in the theater and have it on reserve for when it comes out on dvd. I would defiently recommend this movie. It was a nice change of pace from the typical alien movies where the only way get rid of them is to blow 'em up.


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