Lady in the Water - Latest by M. Night Shyamalan

myself | 7/22/2006 | Pyro7480

[Pyro7480]

Last night, I went to see the new movie written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, "The Lady in the Water." The critics almost universally panned it, and since I am a big fan of his movies since "The Sixth Sense," I decided to go see it.

As with all of his movies since "The Sixth Sense," the movie was really well-produced. Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard gave really good performances.

The plot, on the other hand, was probably the worst of the movies I've seen by him (my favorites being "Unbreakable" and "The Village" actually). It was definitely contrived at times, though it had thoroughly entertaining parts to it.

The movie opened in third place for the Friday box office figures, behind "Pirate of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Monster House."

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Alien: We just wanted a cup of sugar!

M. Night: What a twist!

[Pyro7480]

Desperation? ;-)

[Cyclopean Squid]

And they were undone when people in the Middle East learned how to fight them. Using water. They were defeated in the most hostile region on Earth with its most scarce commodity. What an ending.

[Pyro7480]

LOL! Let's not go there, because this discussion can quite possibly become a long one.

[Ditter]

I was thinking about seeing it while watching the preview but when I saw it was by M. Night S......... I decided not to. The Village had one of the stupidest plots I have ever seen. [Why don't we send a blind girl out into the forest to find out if there is a monster out there, or something like that.] M. Night won't get me into a theater to see one of his movies again.

[Rex Anderson]

I'm with Pyro, mostly because I read the reviews, and wasn't expecting much.

The Sixth Sense was a perfect movie, and I don't think it was 'just a fluke', as some critics say.

I'm hooked, and on board for any M. Night movie that comes along.

[Edit35]

How could it be worse than Signs?

Ditto that.

Signs has to be the worst movie I've ever seen. It was filmed here in my home county of Bucks County, Penna., which I thought would make me like it.

But the 'space aliens' were so inane, and the characters so boring and non-realistic, I had a hard time even continuing to watch it.

The only reason I did was in hopes of recognizing scenes that were filmed locally.

[mysterio]

I saw it tonight. I thought it was his best since the sixth sense. It's trendy lately to bash Shyamalan's films. This one was good, and I would recommend it to anyone.

[Pyro7480]

It's trendy lately to bash Shyamalan's films.

Yeah, I agree with that statement. I think there are a lot of egos in the Hollywood scene that don't like that fact that he doesn't play by their rules. He makes movies that appeal to the populace, have generally done well, and he films exclusively in the southeastern Pennsylvania region.

[mysterio]

I didn't like signs much. It was ok. But "Lady in the Water" is much better. He translates really well when using childlike characters.

He acts in the movie as well, and he's not half bad. Just my two cents.

[mysterio]

He has opened himself up to it by being egotistical. But the bashing leaves a sour taste in my mouth. And the latest movie actually made me care about the characters. So I think it was well worth the money spent to see it.

I think it would be ok for kids to see this movie. I didn't notice anything too adult in it. There were some mildly scary parts, but no adult (sex) kind of stuff.

[Pyro7480]

He has opened himself up to it by being egotistical.

How do you think so?

[mysterio]

Well, apparently, he has allowed a book to be written about his struggle against Disney that makes him look like a creative sacrificial lamb. The reviews I've read paint him as one who has no doubt of his own brilliance. But his latest USA Today interview doesn't put him in that light. I have to admit, I'm really pulling for him to get some recognition for this latest film.

Also, my friends hated "The Village" for its twist ending. I pretty much felt like they didn't get it. Everybody wants him to keep making "The Sixth Sense" over and over again. I'd rather he stay passionate, because that comes across in a film. If his ego is part of that, then it's fine by me.

[Pyro7480]

I'd rather he stay passionate, because that comes across in a film. If his ego is part of that, then it's fine by me.

He earned a lot of respect from me by his answers in this interview.

Brook: Ultimately, though, a studio is your paymaster. Don't you have to obey the paymaster?

Shyamalan: I've said this many times: I believe that this relationship between artists and business works best when the artist inspires the businessman. When a businessman says 'you know how we can make a lot more money with Lady In The Water is if you cut out that scene,' that's not going to fly with me. But if that same person said 'I get lost in the movie at this point and it's because of this scene and this is why I got lost creatively,' I would seriously consider cutting the scene. You need to come from an artistic point of view. Because ultimately I believe, and a lot of people don't agree with me, that the audience is smarter than we are and the better product that we put out the more they're going to come.

[mysterio]

Great interview.

I think the previews are what will hurt this movie. The first teasers accurately portrayed the magic of the film. But the later ones painted it as a cheaper horror film, which it isn't.