M. Nights next film "Lady in the Water' (1 Viewer)

[Holadem]

Unwavering MNS fan here, even I have to say this one left me scratching my head. Unlike with his other work, this time around I kept waiting for a punchline to make sense of all this... and it never came. The origin of the source material makes it hard to ignore the stench of self-indulgence. I basically wanna ask him: "What makes you think this thing you created for your kids would be of any interest to the rest of us?".

In any case, his aesthetics remain strong, the acting is good and the score is pure heaven. MNS is still a fantastic director, has a rare, artifice-free talent for creating tension, and one of the very best storytellers around. I just wish this story was... interesting. As was suggested earlier in this thread, perhaps it is time for him to direct someone else's script.

Disappointed... but nothing MNS can do at this point will take away from his previous masterpieces. The guy is in his mid-late 30s I think, and the prospect of an MNS film every 2 years or so (that seems to be his rhythm) for the next few decades (I hope!) is exciting. Can't wait for his next work.

:star::star:1/2

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H

 

[Lou Sytsma]

I found it interesting. All fairy tale movies require a suspension of disbelief. The premise for this tale was easily palatable.

 

[TravisR]

That's exactly how I feel about it.

 

[AlexCremers]

Personally, I find it his best film yet. Okay, I admit, it's the first MNS I didn't find pompous or ostentatious. I'm glad he dropped the self-importance attitude. The twist ending, a rather gimmicky device his previous movies were always build around, is also gone. That he made a pure atmospheric fairy tale with real people and humor is a sign that MNS is finally maturing. I hope this is only the beginning of a new direction MNS hopefully has taken.


Alex

 

[BarryS]

I agree completely. He's a terrific director, he just can't seem to write a decent script anymore. If he would get someone else to write his screenplays and flesh out his ideas into full-fledged stories, his films could be really great.

 

[Frank@N]

I'm a Dylan fan, so when I hear three or four Dylan songs in a movie I know something's up.

But I'm not exactly sure what the reasoning was...

What seemed interesting was the description of the 'boy from the Midwest' who could be interpreted as a Dylan-like figure (if not Dylan himself if you set aside chronological issue).

Although the description mentioned something about 'entering politics' that could be loosely interpreted to include political songs/protests.

Given Dylan's longstanding nature/god/humanity/anti-war focus, it's interesting to consider him (or someone like him) in the fiction of the movie as being the catalyst for changing the world after being awakened...

 

[Seth Paxton]

I agree with Holadem as well.