M. Night Shamalama

[Boomtown13]

I just have to say here that the guy has sped his way into my top 5 favorite filmmakers. I might have a trace of sappiness in me, I admit, but SIGNS was everything I wanted it to be.

The Sixth Sense is a great movie. On my list of favorites, it got a little bit buried that year what with Blair Witch, South Park, and The Matrix. But watching it again later, the genius of it hit me. Don't ask me why I had a delayed reaction on that one.

Unbreakable, though, spoke to me and hit me immediately. It's a masterwork! What a brilliant movie!

And now, I'm psyched to say SIGNS is the best movie of the summer! Okay, it would have to arm-wrestle with Spiderman, but that's just cuz I've had a Spidey obsession since I was 3.

Anyway, I know there are those who will disagree, but Boomtown gives SIGNS two thumbs and two big toes up.

Boomtown & Roeper

 

[BigJim]

I have to ask a question of all film fans right now. Am I the only person in the western world who thought that Blair Witch was the most boring piece of shite ever to pointlessly grace the screen?

All it was was a home movie of a minging camping trip, looking for paranormal stuff, that we saw jack shit of on screen. All masterminded, by some mindless bint who even kept her camera rolling when she took a dump. By the end of the film I wanted to shove that camera where only customs officers dare to probe. The only remotely chilling bit was when right at the end, we saw that guy facing the corner and then the camera fell to the ground. All that talk of theirs about weird noises in the woods was distinctly un-chilling, because the piece of s*** camera mic didn't pick hardly anything up.

The most pointless £4.50 I ever spent in my life.

Anyway, now all that venom is out of the way, I'll bugger off and let the more constructive posters restore some dignity to this thread.😀

 

[TicklingDuo]

I have to ask a question of all film fans right now. Am I the only person in the western world who thought that Blair Witch was the most boring piece of shite ever to pointlessly grace the screen?

Nope. It stunk!

Ann

 

[Deleted member 2452]

gee jim don't hold back, tell us how you really feel, lol

you're right, blair witch was the most nauseous piece of efluvium to flow through the sewer.
how anyone was scared by that movie still amazes me.
i too have greatly enjoyed the works of mr. shamalama (ding dong)
steve

 

[Boomtown13]

Golly. Well, the point of this thread was to laud Shamalama's new movie, which I'm STILL thinking about, 3 days later.

BUT, I need to mention that I'm very aware Blair Witch oversaturated the media that summer, and by the end of it EVERYBODY was sick of it. But I have to tell ya, I saw Blair Witch opening night here in LA, before it opened anywhere else in the country. We didn't know anything about the film at all. The directors stood up and said a few words before rolling the movie, and the mood was all very ominous and spooky.

When I was a kid, I made almost a dozen home horror movies with my friends, where we would use the video camera, the Halloween and Fog soundtracks, karo syrup and red food coloring. We also took the video camera with us whenever we'd go on excursions.

Watching Blair Witch that first night, with that first audience, was an amazing experience for me. It felt like I was watching us as kids, PLUS I loved seeing these three researching a witch legend, PLUS the creeping dread that accumulates in that film worked effectively and sublimely for me.

Also, I know I'm in the minority (obviously), but I actually LIKE the bare-bones guerilla filmmaking. I like how the actors didn't know what they would face in the next hour. And I like the realism low-budgetude. No opticals, no digital effects, no costumes.

Not a Hollywood movie. Just a simple ghost story. I like that.

Now, Blair Witch 2, THAT was a stinky time-waster.

- Boom from Burkittsville

 

[BigJim]

I've only seen it once (that was enough!😡 ) and didn't listen much to the hype. That being said, my impression was as close to being un-saturated by hype as you could get.

 

[R. Davis]

The man is a great director. Sixth Sense and Unbreakable were great with the surprised endings. Many viewers had to watch these movies again to get it. Often he leaves clues in the movie leading the climax. What's refreshing about his movies, he makes you think! Unlike most movies out today, the industry worries more about profit on opening weekend than quality of movies they put out.

 

[Longbaugh]

I saw "Signs" tonight, It's a good movie. Now I'm replaying it in my head to try and see where I noticed his(Shamalama)trademark clues.

I didn't care for the "Blair Witch" eithier. Chris Rock said it best

"Everybody's talking about how the "Blair Witch" only cost $60,000 dollars to make. Only $60,000. Have you seen it? Somebody's walking around with $59,000 dollars in their pockets."

 

[Strelnikov]

Blair Witch sucked like an Electrolux. Mrs. Strel and I rented the video. She gave up on it after 30 minutes. I watched it through to the end, getting my $3.00 worth. I should have followed her lead, not only was the money wasted, but about 2 hours of my time as well.

Cartoon Network (you Brits, that's a cable television channel) did a takeoff on Blair Witch using the Scooby-Doo characters. It was FAR superior to BW - a fine work of satire.

Strelnikov

 

[Boomtown13]

Yes, there were dozens upon dozens of parodies of Blair Witch, and all of them were tired EXCEPT for the Cartoon Network Scooby Doo stuff! I'm glad you saw it too, Strel. I thought I was the only one. I watched that station all day (to my kids' delight), and caught every Blair Witch segment. Some REALLY funny stuff.

Longbaugh, though SIGNS didn't really call for "clues" the way his last two movies did, I definitely DID notice what I can now call "Shamalama trademarks." I'd love to discuss them in this thread, but I'm afraid of spoiling the movie for those who haven't had a chance to see it yet.

Anyway, I'm dying to discuss this movie with someone! Is very good!

- M. Night Boomalooma

 

[BigJim]

Cartoon Network (you Brits, that's a cable television channel)
Strelnikov

Oy mush! The UK isn't in a time warp you know. We get Cartoon Network too. 😀 Come to think of it I spend nearly as much time watching it as as I spend on the TMF.

I really should get a life...........😉

 

[BellaRisa]

Blair Witch Fan (put down your torches)

Anyway, I'm dying to discuss this movie with someone! Is very good!

- M. Night Boomalooma

We're seeing 'Signs' this Wednesday night, for our 9th anniversary. Renting 'Unbreakable' too, prolly tonight. I've seen one of Eminem Shamalama's flicks, Stuart Little, waaayyyy too much since my 4 yr old got it as a gift🙄

Um, I LIKED Blair Witch. I totally understand why some people found it wanting, but I'm a New Yorker born and raised, and I went to college in Vermont. (can you say 'culture shock'??)I have a nasty fear of being lost in the woods with something heinous right behind every corner, and that movie really spoke to me. It was very easy to envision myself and a few of my doofus friends from those days getting into such a situation, and I found myself unsettled for days after-the hallmark of a good scary movie, IMO.

Bella

 

[Dave2112]

I just saw "Signs", and I am becoming more and more convinced that M. Night Shyamalan is our generation's answer to Alfred Hitchcock. The entire film was engrossing and the epitome of suspense. Once again, Mr. Shyalaman has gotten excellent performances out of child actors, and once again Mel Gibson turns in a wonderful performance as a suffering father.

I like the subtle references that Shyalaman puts into his films, like the opening of Signs, where we see a spot on the wall where a crucifix used to be. The dark spot around the cross-shaped section of original-color wall lets you know that it hung there for a long, long time before being recently removed. You know right off the bat that the antagonist has a faith issue. So many "filmmakers" are relying on special effects that they've forgotten the classic art of storytelling. As a film buff, I love watching this man's productions, as he's one of the few directors who can tell a great, multi-layered story visually, the real reason for film in the first place.

I also liked the small cast involved in this production. It brought home the feeling of isolation and developed the characters more intensely than a bunch of high-priced cameo walk-ons.

This is one director and writer whose work I will continue to take time out to experience. 😎

 

[BigJim]

So many "filmmakers" are relying on special effects that they've forgotten the classic art of storytelling. As a film buff, I love watching this man's productions, as he's one of the few directors who can tell a great, multi-layered story visually, the real reason for film in the first place.

I agree with that wholeheartedly Dave. Sadly, I think George Lucas is one of them. AOTC suffered from the same disease that Armagheddon did. So many flashy things happening on the screen at once that the main story was too hard to follow. I hope to God that he tones visual effects down for the third installment.

 

[kwildoctr]

(IMHO) To quote Robert Schumann's comment about Chopin - "Hats off, gentlemen......a genius!"

BTW: Thank you Dave2112 for spelling his name correctly.

R

 

[dvnc]

I enjoyed Signs immensely. Saw it wit' my sweetie the other weekend, and was impressed with the good storytelling and compelling action. M. Night Shyamalan hasn't been affiliated with one bad film that I've seen. I'd see somethin' he did, now, just 'cause he did it.

I can't say that about most anyone in that end o' the film biz anymore.

Good call, Boom. Good t'see you posting, too!

 

[BellaRisa]

Signs was excellent, just wish I could SEE

Last night was incredible, I just wish I wasn't BLIND. My hubby took me to see SIGNS for our 9th anniversary <yay!!> but he accidently got tickets for the big huge IMAX theatre.

Oh. My. God.

I love Mel Gibson but even he shouldn't be that big, don't even get me started on Joaquin Phoenix's eyebrows

Bella