You've made a powerful enemy today, bbobb.
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I actually agree with Compass 100%.
Nothing beats Unbreakable. I think I like Lady in the Water more than The Village just because it pisses people off so much. One of my co-workers was like, "I get the movie, but why make it when the average person won't be able to figure it out?" Hehe.
Hoo-boy, M. Night talk. I waited to rent this movie because of all the negative reports. I eagerly popped in the DVD (I liked all M. Night's prior films to some degree) and tried to keep an open mind.
After it was all over, I have to concur with the haters. The film seems interesting for a while, and it has great cinematography IMHO, and I liked the sound effects and music. But it grew more and more absurd and pointless by the end. Nothing in the film that was supposed to reach me, actually had any impact at all. The guy who exercises half his body, in one of the final scenes with the wolf creature ... I suppose that is supposed to be one of those awe-induced OMG kind of scenes? It isn't though.
I liked all the prior ones. Sixth Sense = very good story, very good actors, truly surprising and startling at times. Same with Unbreakable. I also liked Signs, thought it was nice and suspenseful on 1st viewing and had great choice of actors yet again, and I very nearly tear up w/lump in my throat every time I see the "Swing Away" scene leading to Mel's revelation and the VERY ANXST-RIDDEN SCENE where the family waits to see if the boy is alive or not. (I also laugh every time at the foil hats). Village's story is more predictable IMO but has awesome cinematography, use of sound FX and music. And Bryce Dallas Howard shines along with Joaquin. I rank LitW dead last, can't imagine what I'm missing that makes others like it?
A soul?
Lady in the Water is pretty much a movie I would have created, given the resources and talent and Chrisopher Doyle, when I was 13.
There's no way to win. You're not smart enough to understand the movie. If you're not aware there's a twist, you're not smart enough. If you are somehow aware there's a twist, you're not smart enough to figure it out. If you figure out the twist and its significance (and why it makes the movie great), you're not smart enough to appreciate it.
In other words, he made the movie to make you look dumb in one of those ways. Otherwise, you're smart, and you liked the movie.
The stare-down between the dog and the critic was the moment Shyamalan jumped the shark for me. His next film is gonna have to have some incredible buzz for me to give it a chance and I liked all his previous films, yes even the Village.