LADY IN THE WATER....- Page 4

[Roscoe]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 8:30am

I've never seen what the big deal is about THE SIXTH SENSE. The kid sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he talks to his mom. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he talks to Bruce Willis. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared. Then he sees dead people and gets scared.

A bore. I saw that alleged "surprise ending" coming from a mile off. Of course I did, because the movie wasn't giving me anything else to think about. Basically, it's a 20 minute movie in a 2 hour package.

I've not seen any of M. Night Charlatan's other films. I was thinking about seeing LADY, only to see the sublime Giamatti and the sublime Jeffrey Wright and the magnificent God On Earth Bill Irwin. But the uniform badness of the reviews will probably have me wait for cable.

Of course, considering the state of movie reviews lately, it might be a masterpiece after all.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 9:42am

Roscoe---Giamatti gives a good performance (although in this movie, his style and mannerisms remind me SO much of Richard Dreyfuss from 30 years ago!), Jeffrey Wright is a wasted talent here, and Bill Irwin's performance is laughable, unfortunately. And not intentionally.

A couple of nice (but again wasted) moments come from Mary Beth Hurt, Bob Balaban and Tovah Feldshuh as well.

And I agree with BSoBW2 that the racist stereotypes for the Asian and Latin families in the film are wince-inducing. Ouch.

And Bryce Dallas Howard is not much more than an interesting, "reacting face." I would still like to see if she can really act. Can't tell yet.

Updated On: 7/22/06 at 09:42 AM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 1:17pm

Giamatti needs to work on his stuttering. Everyone in the audience was hysterical laughing. I felt bad, but the nuanced effect would have been better.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 1:31pm

True. I couldn't tell whether or not he was going for the laugh with that.

I thought it was intentional on his part, but when there is so much around you that is "unintentional" laughter, you'd better be careful about initiating laughs at your character's handicap.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 1:38pm

Check out MANDERLAY when it comes out on DVD...I think Howard is actually fixing up to be quite an exciting talent. Rather like a young Genevieve Bujold. Lets hope she doesn't sell out the "romantic comedies".

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 1:45pm

Good to hear. I was thinking more of a young Mia Farrow, after seeing this movie.

She'd be great in a remake of "Rosemary's Baby" (not that I'd really want to see that done).

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 1:49pm

The movie made about 7 million on Friday. The Village made about 20 million the Friday it opened.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 1:51pm

And the whole cereal box thing...Shyamalan needs to dispose of some of his ego and replace it with a sense of humor.

I felt like there was a lot of comedy in the movie, but was unsure if I should laugh because of how the comedy was played out.

[fflagg]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 7:36pm

Does anybody over the age of 25 like this guy's films? He is trying hard to pitch himself as this generation's Alfred Hitchcock.

Mr. Hitchcock is the finest English-language film director of the 20th century. M. Night is a commercially successful film director. For now. It is fine that he has Philly pride but there is nothing profound about his films either in story or in execution. He is Brian DePalma with more special effects.

And as much as I love Howard Stern, he has no taste whatsoever when it comes to films. His interviews this week with M. Night, Luke Wilson, and Ivan Reitman were embarrassing. The only things I learned were that Luke Wilson is boring, Ivan's son is the film director of THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, and that Paul Giamatti, also on Howard this week, is a class act and great actor.

[zepka102]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 12:14am

just got back from it. i asked my friend if he saw a point in the movie. i don't think he did either.

[Kevo711]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 12:35am

I really enjoyed this movie! Aside from that, I went in thinking it was going to be very freaky, but instead I only got a little creeped out and I laughed a ton! It was very flawed, but quite enjoyable!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 8:16am

I'd rather watch a porno starring my Grandmother than sit through yet another M. Night movie.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 8:43am

fflagg, I am 44 and I love his films. The Village is one of my all time favorites, and I think the only problem with it is that it was marketed as a horror flick, when it was really a film about the human condition. I am really looking forward to Lady In the Water. I, for one, will suspend my disbelief.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 10:30am

One of the few films I have ever sat through where I was actually embarrassed for everyone involved. The dialogue is absolutely painful, the symbolism heavy handed and preposterous (M. Night actually appears in the movie as a writer/prophet who's work will inspire global change after his death - feel free to wince at any time) and the script a complete shambles; crossing into incoherency before the end of the opening credits.

I like the "ideas" behind a lot of M. Night's films, but this is just one of the most perfect examples in movie history of ego run completely amuck. Watching it, it's hard to believe any studio would have funded or let this movie be released (Disney - you score big points for passing on this one); it's like a script manufactured by a junior high student. M. Night needs to be reigned in. Total control ain't working for his craft.


Updated On: 7/23/06 at 10:30 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 10:43am

He needs a good collaborator. One that will challenge him and inspire him to get to the next level creatively. Someone to take his unique and interesting basic ideas and actually develop them, instead of him slapping a first draft (or even his chicken-scratched notes!) up on the big screen as a "final product."

It's almost as if he figures everything that pours out of his head, free-form, is ready to go before the cameras. It isn't... not even close. This is a prime example of that.

It's story-telling in a vacuum.

I'm not saying he didn't work hard on this... but he tries to go it alone... and it's not working. He isn't objective enough "solo" to pull that off.

I would still rank him as one of the most unique and promising film makers out there today... but if he doesn't start playing with the other kids in the yard, he's never going to get beyond his initial potential.

[zepka102]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 1:11pm

after thinking about the movie, i agree that it was like a slap int he face to critics... he really did do whatever he wanted. however, i'm not seeing the emotional aspect you mentioned.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 3:10pm

theatretrash - It wasn't just the fact they were the guild, but the way they were represented. We first see them screaming and chattering away. He used stereotypes to represent them. The same he did with the Asian grandma and her granddaughter.

I was enjoying this film until Howard said she was looking for a writer. The person I was with and I looked at each other and just KNEW what was coming. But when M. Night came on screen we just couldn't believe he did that! Then to say how GOOD a writer he one day becomes...his ego just ruined the film for me.

I like the story, and they should have left it at that and left him out. He added NOTHING to it.

[Phantomerik15]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 4:37pm

I saw the movie yesterday and....I DID NOT GET ANYTHING IN THIS MOVIE. Maybe it was because I was falling asleep. There was no point in this at all, if there is then I'm sorry I missed it. Is this movie only about getting this "lady in the water" back into the water?!
And, plus, was M. Night thinking?--making himself appear in the movie and the great writer in which, in the future, will change the world?!
Everyone was laughing in the theatre.

[zepka102]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 4:38pm

whoa bso... i didn't even think about that about the writer thing... you're so right!

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 5:11pm

It was also pretty ballsy, or tacky, to have the stoners talk about Martin Luther King, Jr...a man who was killed for his "movement."

Then to have Shyamalan's character get killed for his writing - which starts a "movement."

Talk about a fantasy world...

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 5:22pm

Loved every frame of this film. My favorite movie of 2006, thus far! Beautiful, engaging, engrossing and fun!

[Dabadoll]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 5:53pm

I really had high hopes for this movie which in hindsight were misplaced. I experienced absolutely nothing from this movie; the story was flat and uninspired. It was at the most a nice escape from the rain. I’m hoping Clerks II can wash away the remnants of this summer blockbuster (or lackluster) from my psyche.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 5:58pm

The film, according to Box Office mojo, has been doomed by bad word of mouth: the film suffered huge drops from Friday to Sunday, and only ended up with about 18 Million, which is less than half of what THE VILLAGE made opening weekend.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 4:22pm

I saw this last night.

BSO, I find a lot of your comments to be absurd.

Why are people preoccupied with racist notions, and "this is racist," "that is racist." Just take it for what it is. I felt that he was trying to incorporate a myraid or races to represent a people greater than those simply living at THE COVE. To say that the depiction of the 5 sisters was racist is, I believe, absolutely assinine, unfounded, naive, and just plain damn annoying. What, were you also offended by Tovah's performance? Was it too "stereotypical" for you? Please. Ease up. I thought she was hilarious. I also thought the Asian girl (who is absolutely not a prostitute, by the way) and her grandmother were hysterical. Not a great actress, but I thought the girl was a riot.

Some of the writing in this film is undeniably weak - though it has generally across the board fantastic performances. Paul Giamatti was, once again, brilliant in the role and he brought tears to my eyes several times. What a fine actor.

I resisted this film to the max, until about 45 minutes into it. I was so taken in in the story, the characters, and the dark whimsicality of it that I was taken completely off guard. I loved this film. Absolutely loved it. I think those of you that hated it really have some sort of vendetta against Shyamalan himself.

Now, I will admit that casting himself in the film as a character who will inspire the next leader of the country was not only sickeningly narcissistic, but just stupid. Bad, bad idea. The whole film critic thing was a humorous thing on the side, but it quickly grew obnoxious and preachy. Had Shyamalan not been featured in the film, it wouldn't have been so terrible in that respect. However, I was able to separate the man from the character. Whether that's what he intended or not, that's what I subconsiously did. I didn't watch the film and say "Oh, there's M. Night!" If I would have, I probably would have hated the film just as much as all of you did. When Story was telling him his future (that his writings would inspire, blah blah blah) - I thought it was a very emotional moment. Again, I didn't look at him up there as Shyamalan. I looked at him up there as his character.

Anyone going into this film expecting a horror movie is just setting themselves up for disappointment. It was not advertised as a horror movie, it was not marketed as a horror movie, and if you were disappointed due to the genre, I'm sorry, but that's your own fault. It is nothing more than a bedtime story.

I found the story heartwarming, beautiful, and - for the most part - very well done. There are some stunningly gorgeous visuals here, and some really really nice moments. When Giamatti was crying and holding Story in one if the final scenes, I thought his monologue was beautiful- and yes, it made me tear up.

Also, at the very end when he tells Story that she saved his life - wow. I admit it, I was crying at the end of this movie. I was. I don't care if I'm the only one, but I will proudly say that I thought this was a wonderful, wonderful, wonderfully enjoyable and breathtakingly moving story. It's not really the film that's anything special - because it is as flawed as can be - but the story is something that's really just plain beautiful - and there's NO disputing that.

Racial stereotypes, please. Go get a job.

If you are on the fence about seeing this film, do go see it. I was so prepared to hate it - and I was pleasantly surprised. Think of it more along the lines of BIG FISH than any of Shyamalan's past films. And, to be quite honest, I liked LADY IN THE WATER a hell of a lot more than I liked BIG FISH. It's a fairy tale. It's a bedtime story. And it's a damn good one.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 4:25pm

lmao. i clicked on this thread ready to scream, we get it munk you hate it! ok, maybe that's only funny to me.

interesting assessment if the film, munk, thanks.