I was thinking that the people were all afraid of something good that was coming, like god. And that the whole point of the movie was to show how humans work things up in their heads and get carried away. But the cupboard thing eliminated that thought pretty quickly. Ironically, the movie demonstrated exactly the opposite. That humans have an innate sense of what is coming, be it good or evil.
I'm pretty sure the movie was poking fun at itself. I loved the movie, but I thought Mel Gibson (except for the run around the house scene) did a pretty bad job and that Phoenix' character wasn't developed nearly enough. Other than that, very suspenseful and well-timed comic relief.
Interesting thread. My wife and I were in Toronto last week (charming town---I see what Hakeem likes about it---we talked about moving there) and caught it. Suspensful. I guess if you thought ahead you knew what was going to happen, but Shymalen built so many back stories into it and I was so wrapped up in what was going on at the time that I didn't bother to try to think ahead. Each turn came in its time and thats good writing. Someone tell me---why do people put so much effort into trying to outhink the story, director, and author when they're watching a movie? If it's blatently obvious and you can't help but see it coming---fine. But why think ahead and then be disappointed at the end? My wife does this. She's really, really smart, so maybe thats just the way some people process a story...but it seems pointless to me. If you're gonna do that, watch half the movie and then leave and do something else with your time. There really are no new stories anymore. Just the old ones told in different ways. I was content to enjoy the characters and their stories and the suspense as it built. In the end, I found that I had enjoyed myself. I have a concept for a story...mebbe I'll take time one day to flesh it out...
Agreed Sonny and gettinbranded. One of the reasons why I love going to the movies is because it takes you away for a couple of hours. To me, if I enjoy it, it's a good movie, period.
It was scary and then funny which was great. I haven't been in a theatre w/ a bunch of people where the dudes were jumping and screaming as much as the girls. I mean, I went w/ my girl and a couple of my boys and their ladies and it was the most fun I had at a theatre since I saw Kings Of Comedy last year. MNS is on the way to becoming the top writer/director in Hollywood this side of Speilberg. Like Sonny, GB, and Rocketman95 said he makes a movie thats engrossing enough for you to just sit back and get caught in the moment istead of trying to think ahead. Great movie!
I'll take a stab at this, since I do this on many occasions. Having seen the previous 2 M. Night Shyamalan movies, I expected a surprise ending to Signs. Believing myself to be a generally smart person (with an Ivy League degree), I was pissed that I couldn't guess the almost-obvious-when-you-think-about-it ending to The Sixth Sense, even though the "signs" were everywhere. That movie made me feel stupid. Yeah, sure, I should just learn to sit back and turn my brain off, but I enjoy guessing endings to movies (depends on the movie, though). If I'm right, I get a self-congratulatory pat on my back and the feeling that I'm King of the Freaking Universe. (Plus, I get to call the movie "predictable" and maintain my Movie Snob Membership.) If I'm wrong, I either feel stupid, feel incredibly stupid (see Sixth Sense), feel confused (see Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), or feel delighted that someone was able to outsmart the general masses (rather than just tacking on a generic Hollywood ending). An example of being pleasantly surprised is The Usual Suspects. Great movie. Great and unpredictable ending. Do I like predictable movies? Sure. Do I like unpredictable movies? Only when they don't confuse the hell out of me. Do I turn my brain off during Michael Bay films? Um, you kind of have to, plus you have to suspend all laws of physics. Michael Bay directs brainless fare. Do I turn my brain off during M. Night Shyamalan movies? NO. His movies are smart, and I see him as the kind of guy who wants people to think during his movies. Back to Signs: I was dissapointed because everyone said there was a surprise ending. During the show, I kept guessing and waiting for it. And... I was having fun doing it, too. I looked for clues to the ending in Signs, because I knew they would be there. All of Shyamalan's movies do. However, the ending came and went, and all of my detective work was for naught. There were no signs. There were no clues. Just Mel Gibson, aliens, and a message about faith. So, did I enjoy Signs? You bet. Am I dissapointed about the ending? Yep. Did I enjoy Signs more than I was dissapointed? Absolutely. Will I continue to guess endings of movies? You guess the answer to this one... Me thinks I read one to many Encyclopedia Brown books as a kid...
Then you don't want to see a movie---you want a puzzle, a challenge, a problem. Why not try to find a cure for HIV, or figure out Stonehenge, or how to make Guiness taste as good in the states as it reportedly does at it's place of birth?
