Signs, 2002

Signs, 2002
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Mel Gibson, Rory Culkin

Stage: Home theatre, TV selection of a Saturday night


Signs in short:In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a five-hundred-foot crop circle is found on the farm of Graham Hess, the town's reverend. The circles cause a media frenzy and test Hess's faith as he journeys to find out the truth behind the crop circles.

Preps: None in perticular. But I am aware of the content.

Reality: Wooow, another episode of X files. This time in roles with Joaquin and Gibson. The Ceasar from Gladiator and the man who saves the world for xxx times. Joke aside, I truly feel I have stepped into another episode of X files and I am missing Scully and Mulder. Gibson as an ex priest (not really convincing), Phoenix chasing his life and beliefs. The children that believe in god and aliens. The dogs driving crazy all around them with barking and attempts of violence.

Now, the signs have been intriguing the minds of people for decades. And they aren't easy to be explained. Therefore they are usually said to be a work of aliens and there we have a chase after the designers of this perticular sign. In some sense, this movie isn't something new or won't reveal something we haven't seen in some of the other attempts of this genre. But it has an interesting insight into the philosophy of kids and the way they are feeling about the alien presence. The father figures here aren't neither convincing or they are resolving something. So no upgrade whatsoever from the known movies. The figure of the protective father and brother. The figure of an uncle that isn't as smart as the father. The signs that aren't explained after all. And remain to the viewer to be interpreted.

Not really something to die for, I mean the movie. Easily thrown away into the recycle bin. And easy money for both main protagonists. As said, the genre is easily sold to the crowd. But the movie is not for people that demand more. After all, if we didn't get the Stonehenge and similar signs for centuries, why think you can get the ones that are fresh and made in corn fields :)

My personal rate: 2,0 (a bit amusing at the beginning, with the development, loses its pace for sure).

Signs on IMDB

The Last Airbender, 2010

The Last Airbender, 2010
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz



Stage: Summer theatre under the stars

Airbender in short: The story follows the adventures of Aang, a young successor to a long line of Avatars, who must put his childhood ways aside and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations.


Preps: I got two tickets as the result of a winning game. I didn't know about the movie, and after I won, I got on the net to see the trailer and a bit of a background. Seemed cool enough and was anxious to see it.


Reality: The live version of Nickelodeon TV series - animated one. One of very popular ones indeed, and in this sense, ungrateful to put it alive. At least to some extent it is impossible to imagine how a live scene could be taken anyway, because the movie must be filled with special effects. Reign over water, fire, wind and earth cannot be filmed live, therefore a big bow to the special effect unit, because they must have been working truly hard.

The movie lacks a true story you can easily follow. The battles and the martial arts part can be breathtaking, although the movie cannot consist on this alone. The cast is a bit wet behind the ears, in a sense, they didn't show a lot of acting - the scenes seem to be unpersuasive and shallow. Also, a big bucket of movie mistakes - for instance getting burned by the fire, or wet because of the water - in this field, the director fails big time. Also in terms of making the ride smooth (story fluent)for the viewer.

A big bow also to the fragment unit - or shall I say, the team, that takes care of the scenes and the little things worth remembering. The scenery of the town, the copy of the boats, the weapons used and the costumes - truly amazing. It will bring you to a mixture of the Labyrinth, LOTR, and some similar ones. Didn't you always want to have a pet like this, to ride on your way to vacation? A good way to dream away..



My personal rating: 6,0 (in its genre, one of solid (not good) ones. Has a messy story, though and amarican way - a good ground to have sequels. Filled with childhood fantasies, brought alive. A decent way to spend your evening).


Airbender on IMDB

Airbender home page

A bit more on Airbender series