[OT, don't move] Go see Signs.

[RangerWickett]

Some more (mild, really minor) spoilers

Tetsubo, are you going to be at GenCon? Because if so, I'll promise to reimburse you if you go see Signs and don't enjoy it. I'm serious. I think you're missing the point of the movie, judging it to be something it isn't, before getting a proper view. The point isn't about the crop circles, and the characters in the movie do indeed discount the whole thing, because they also know that crop circles are made by people with boards.

 

[Tetsubo]

Re: Some more (mild, really minor) spoilers

Tetsubo, are you going to be at GenCon? Because if so, I'll promise to reimburse you if you go see Signs and don't enjoy it. I'm serious. I think you're missing the point of the movie, judging it to be something it isn't, before getting a proper view. The point isn't about the crop circles, and the characters in the movie do indeed discount the whole thing, because they also know that crop circles are made by people with boards.

Thank you for the offer RangerWickett, but I won't be attending GenCon. I've never had the chance. My current finances discount any kind of trips. Heck I'm buying myself the MM II as a birthday gift in September and that will be tight. But I do appreciate the thought.

Signs might be one of those films I "discover" after it goes to video or hits network TV. If I ever do see it I'll tell you what I think.

Rather oddly I tend to dislike things (TV shows, movies, books, etc.) in direct proportions to how popular it is. The more popular, the less interest I have. It's one of the reasons I like to see films opening weekends. Before I hear what others really think about it.

 

[Bran Blackbyrd]

No crop circle has ever been made except by human hands (feet actually...).

So you have a record of every crop circle ever made and proof of it's origins? Amazing. Your sources must be impressive.

I just can't make the leap beyond that. I'm sorry.

With an imagination that impaired it is miraculous that you can role play at all. I applaud your triumph over this adversity.

Guys with boards and ropes may have nothing to do with Signs. But the film is ultimately based on those performance artists with those boards and ropes.

The movie is based on Shyamalan's imagination, and our culture's fascination with the concept of aliens, as far as I know.

Those guys with boards and ropes have NEVER produced a quality crop circle within the time constraints that most crop circles appear. Funny how these supposed "performance artists" can't seem to get the job done when there are witnesses and a deadline...

I don't know what crop circles are all about, but it's annoying when people use, "Well I just don't think so.", as proof.

After taking part in the recent crop circle thread I read more about them and their relation to harmonics and "sacred" geometry. This inspired me to create a deity of logic and mathematics in my campaign who first makes his existence known to the PCs by manifesting one of his sacred symbols as a crop circle.
Knowing that there are hoaxers out there didn't impair my imagination in the slightest.
Knowing that there are people out their that climb buildings and call themselves human spiders didn't ruin Spiderman for me. I think some people just like to complain.

Edited for redundant redundancy

 

[I'm A Banana]

Dude, calling Signs a movie about crop circles and alien invasions is like calling The Sixth Sense a ghost movie and Unbreakable a superhero movie.

The guy who worte and directed these things (darn me for not beling able to spell his eccentric last name!) is one of the modern "artists" of the medium of film. Just like the American Beauty dude (who I just can't remember, but Road to Perdition is also his).

The "alien invasion" is just a platform for telling an evocative family drama and story about one man's tragedies and human feats.

Just like The Sixth Sense was a platform for telling an evocative drama about one man's acceptance of the truth and the drama of the child's family.

The guy is great at building suspense, maintaining it, and giving every little thing a creepy edge. He's not unlike a less surreal Tim Burton. He can take the mundane and make it superhuman.

It could just be that I'm an arthaus fanboy (okay, I am), but the fact is that the movie's not *about* aliens invading the earth or crop circles. Sure, that happens, but that's not the focus of the movie.

It's not a creepy horror rendition of Independance Day.

Just like The Sixth Sense wasn't a creepy horror rendition of Casper.

Just like Road to Perdition isn't *about* 1920's ganstas.

Most of the time, with a movie, you can judge it by it's cover. Y'know, stuff like The Croc Hunter: Collision Course, or a new Halloween movie.

But certain directors, wriiters, etc. can use this medium as true art.

That's what Signs makes a stab at doing. So don't judge this book by it's cover, mate.

Oh, and if possible see it with an attractive woman like I did.

 

[Krug]

It's being discussed in the SF/Fantasy forums actually. Or are there exceptions to the rule..

 

[JCLabelle]

Signs

Loved it, good entertainment. Much funnier than I thoughtit would be, I laughed harder than during Goldmember ( and for those who have'nt seen Signs yet -- Yes I laughed at the appropriate moments, not because the movie was bad .

As for reviews, it's got 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is pretty good.



While we're talking about films, for those having liked Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon, check this out, might turn out to be interesting : http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news-16791/

Edit : About that movie premise thing, that's something I never concern myself about. I'm willing to give a movie it's chance, no matter how weird, bizzare ( or ordinary ) it's premise might look like. For example, Disney are thinking about adapting Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to a HK setting, replacing the Dwarves by Shaolin Monks. Might sound downright idiotic, but behind that weird sounding idea might lay the best script for a kung-fu movie, ever, so who's to judge before seeing the final product.

 

[Tetsubo]

So you have a record of every crop circle ever made and proof of it's origins? Amazing. Your sources must be impressive.

Any reason you've made this personal?


With an imagination that impaired it is miraculous that you can role play at all. I applaud your triumph over this adversity.

I have a great imagination. I have the capacity to have great faith. I also have the ability to think some things are down right silly.


The movie is based on Shyamalan's imagination, and our culture's fascination with the concept of aliens, as far as I know.

I think a film based on the concept could have been made without basing it on something that I find silly. This is my opinion. Ignore it if you will.

Those guys with boards and ropes have NEVER produced a quality crop circle within the time constraints that most crop circles appear. Funny how these supposed "performance artists" can't seem to get the job done when there are witnesses and a deadline...

This is still a better explaination than aliens.

I don't know what crop circles are all about, but it's annoying when people use, "Well I just don't think so.", as proof.

I'm not allowed to hold such an opinion? I never said I had proof. I have said from the get go this is my opinion. It's the simplest explanantion that's all.

After reading more about the phenomenon during the recent crop circle thread I read more about them and their relation to harmonics and "sacred" geometry. This inspired me to create a deity of logic and mathematics in my campaign who first makes his existence known to the PCs by manifesting one of his sacred symbols as a crop circle.

Cool idea. And based in a fantasy world I don't have a problem with it. I (me, no one else) just can't buy it when based in the real world. Not even as a film.

Knowing that there are hoaxers out there didn't impair my imagination in the slightest.
Knowing that there are people out their that climb buildings and call themselves human spiders didn't ruin Spiderman for me. I think some people just like to complain.

That's it. You've found me out. I confess. I'll return the money that my opinion cost you. Oh, right... it's just my opinion. You could have ignored it...

 

[I'm A Banana]

The reviews, I can probably see why....I mean, as great a movie it is, it's like the Monk -- it does something different than what peoplpe expect.

As a movie about aliens and invasions and wierd creatures that we beat back with good ol' fashioned American know-how, it falls very short.

Because it ain't aboot that, yo. Sure, there's nothing saying it couldn't have had that *too*, but...well, it was superfluous to the story, really.

And, just because someone has to....all at once now:

(ace of base)

"I saw the siiiign/And it opend up my eyes, I saw the sign!"

(/ace of base)

 

[Twin Rose]

Yes, ONE guy ONE time was able to show how he could make a 10 foot radius crop circle with 5 other people helping him AND leaving a series of tracks through the whole field - in wheat. They later found some of the stocks were broken, when closer examined, but noone has yet been able to show how they made intricate mathematical puzzles - in one case a hundred miles apart - in a single night. With no lights.

Yes, people with boards can emulate them, but not very well.

Especially not the ones that mimic nazca desert paintings and the like .... In a single night.

 

[Tetsubo]

I apologize. I never meant to call anyone elses belief in crop circles into question. I don't believe they are anything but human art. And as art many are astounding. If others believe they are more, great. I really didn't mean to upset anyone.