HTF Review: The Village (Recommended) - Page 3

DaViD Boulet · 01-11-2005, 04:54 PM

Patrick,

should we start a thread over there (is there already one?) and move movie-related posts over to it?

-dave

WilliamG · 01-11-2005, 06:57 PM

While I enjoyed The Village, I was one of the many who went in to the theater 'looking for clues' from the start. I think that spoiled the movie for me a little bit. I found I couldn't enjoy it as much. Don't get me wrong, I DID enjoy the movie, but only after coming home and thinking on it for a while. It was different. Different from what we've come to expect from Shyamalan as a writer/director. But I still was disappointed in a way. I'm hoping that he doesn't become (or ISN'T) a 'one-trick pony'.
My wife and fellow movie-goer loved the movie. She wasn't bothered by the reveal or the manner in which it happened.

As far as favorites, Unbreakable was not.

It's the only one that I had to explain to my wife. And I also didn't catch the 'superhero' thing until it was too late. Sitting in my seat as the credits rolled and piecing the story together right before the lights came up.

The Sixth Sense
Signs
The Village
Unbreakable

NickRHave · 01-11-2005, 11:26 PM

I have to say that I found this movie pretty silly. Maybe if I watch it again I'll enjoy it more. I have to say that Signs is my favorite of his movies. The way he tackles the whole faith issue is amazing.

Bobby Garfield · 01-12-2005, 05:40 AM

Excellent review of what I consider the worst film of the year (and I did see Catwoman). The acting (Bryce Dallas Howard aside) and dialogue were so laughably bad that it was impossible for me not to cringe throughout this entire disaster of a movie. William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Joaquin Phoenix, and Adrien Brody completely embarrassed themselves with this piece of crap as far as I'm concerned, and M. Night Shyamalan's reputation took a major blow as well.

I thought Signs was incredible. At the moment, I consider it Night's best film (though my opinion on that often alternates between Signs and The Sixth Sense).

Unbreakable is far from being his best film or a masterpiece, but I enjoyed it. It was good, solid entertainment. However, anyone who didn't see

Spoiler:

must be blind, because this was obviously

Spoiler:

from the get-go. Although, to be fair, I was pretty much looking for

Spoiler:

My Top 3 Night movies:

1. Signs
2. The Sixth Sense
3. Unbreakable

I refuse to list Village because it's not worthy of being on a "top list."

DonnyD · 01-12-2005, 07:42 AM

This WAS a great looking movie with excellent camera work and some significant dramatics at certain times in order to create and add to the suspense.

About substance, since I've been kinda letdown with previous Shyamalan work, perhaps I didn't expect much but I was pleasently surprised..... I did expect more "supernatural" stuff and was I got was certainly something else that grabbed me even better.

I really liked the camera work and shows someone went to great lengths to make it that way.

I have a 55" HD TV and sit approximately 10 feet away from the screen and this picture is very good and ranks up there with the best of them although I usually do not watch movies trying to pic out a bad transfer or something. While I do appreciate a well made and well filmed movie, I appreciate it more for its presentation and where it may lead us.

Signs is probably still my fav since it deals with some real "horror" subject but the Village is just as much a horror movie in its own right.

I, too, highly recommend it.

ToddJ · 01-12-2005, 07:55 AM

I think I am the only person here who thinks "the Sixth Sense" was overrated. I predicted the ending early on because it seemed like another movie I had seen awhile back called

Spoiler:

Ironically, the ending for "the Village", I never guessed.

Patrick Sun · 01-12-2005, 09:33 AM

David, my previous post referenced the discussion thread link for this film in the movie area. There's over 300 post in that thread, and this thread's post about the film just goes over the same points as that thread. Perhaps we'll move the posts in this thread to that thread, but, will need to ruminate on it.

Paul Padilla · 01-12-2005, 10:33 AM

Most people will figure out its "big secret" very early on...

Willing suspension of disbelief is my motto when sitting down to a movie. That's not to say that I prefer not to think at all in the theater, but working to figure things out every day in reality is tedious enough without it intruding on my entertainment.

When I sit down with my popcorn, or dim the lights in my home theater my mindset is to let the film/director take me where they want me to go. It isn't until the end that I will decide if I enjoyed the journey. I've gotten in actual arguments with my wife when she blurts out things that she's figured out during a movie. The fact that I didn't figure it out was more of a choice on my part.

Could I have divined the

Spoiler:

In retrospect I'm sure I could have, but I chose to let the story reveal itself to me. I'm already upset with myself for the suspense movie expectations that I had...though I blame most of that on the ad campaign.

I'll still look forward to MNS's next film.

Haggai · 01-12-2005, 10:42 AM

Paul, you should spoilerize that bit about the ending in your post. I completely agree with the bulk of your post:

Quote:

Willing suspension of disbelief is my motto when sitting down to a movie. That's not to say that I prefer not to think at all in the theater, but working to figure things out every day in reality is tedious enough without it intruding on my entertainment.

When I sit down with my popcorn, or dim the lights in my home theater my mindset is to let the film/director take me where they want me to go. It isn't until the end that I will decide if I enjoyed the journey.

My only disagreement is that I don't like popcorn.

DaViD Boulet · 01-12-2005, 10:42 AM

Hey all,

let's take Patrick's heed and try to restrict "movie discussion" to the thread in the movie's forum:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=206366

and keep this thread focused on technical issues regarding the DVD release from this point onward...that way the discussion will stay streamlined and we'll lessen the risk of spoiling the movie-watching experience for first-time viewers who are reading this review thread ahead of purchasing the title (Paul, you may want to revise your comments slightly...some of your remarks give a little too much away IMO about some key issues. BTW, agree with your thoughts on how to approach watching this movie)...

The disc should be in-hand now for many of you so let's hear it. I'd love to hear your comments about the audio especially. Any Front-Projection folks want to chime-in about the image quality?

Charles J P · 01-12-2005, 10:45 AM

Paul, I've never thought of it that way, but I think we have a similar philosophy. I guess I look at it this way... I'd rather enjoy 90% of the movies I see the first time (even if they have no rewatch value because they are nothing special) than nitpick them apart the first time I see them just to have the ability to feel more distinguished than the average Joe Blow that contributes (to the afficianoados chagrin) to the huge box office rake of lesser films.