The movie "Signs"

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Aug 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Kismet	03 Aug 2002
I saw this movie last night. I expected something totally different from the previews shown on TV. I thought it was going to be more about the crop circle phenomena and aliens. After watching the movie, and for me it was a thought provoking, I feel it is more about faith and your faith being tested and wheather things happen out of coincidence or for a reason, questions I've had reason to express and wonderful of lately myself. Has anyone else seen this movie? What was your opinion?

RedWood	03 Aug 2002
No i have not seen the movie..but since you mentioned faith and thought provoking not just aliens..I really want to see it now!

Kirali	03 Aug 2002
I just saw this movie earlier. It was very thought provoking. I found it spooky, hilarious and very sad. I didn't focus on the faith aspect of it very much because I tend to shy away from very religious people, being a former catholic and all. The faith bits did make sense at the end but it didn't make me have a religious breakthrough or anything. ;) I loved it and would see it again though. :)

truthsayer	04 Aug 2002
so it didn't scare you half to death? i'd like to see it just b/c mel gibson is in it but i don't like movies that are really scarey. after taking me to see jurassic park, my husband swore he'd never take me to another scarey one. what about the scene w/ the little girl? **there's a monster under my bed. can i have a drink of water please?**i'm not going if an alien eats her. she's too adorable. hhmmm...i don't want mel hurt either--even if it's pretend! he's too adorable,too!! :* :* :* when you say thought provoking and about faith and convictions, did it remind you any of stigmata?

Minderwiz	04 Aug 2002
I've not seen the movie either but do tend to like these kind of movies. On the faith thing I'm a contiuing douter - that is to say that whilst I recognise the existence of something greater than me, and the continuity of Spirit after death, I'm not sure exactly what form this takes and I'm very suspicious of people with pat answers. They can't possibly know either. Faith is belief beyond the basis of evidence available. A person may have faith in God or other being whilst not being able to prove that God exists. I respect such faith, where a person themselves knows the distinction between evidence and faith. The problem people are those who believe that their faith is factually true and others who choose not to believe are wilfully evil or in need of being coerced. Minderwiz

Marion	04 Aug 2002
I saw it yesterday. It was completely different from what I expected. The aspect of the Mel Gibson character losing his faith, and how it all fit together was the part of the movie that really lifted it above the 'aliens from outer space/thriller' domain. There some pretty good humour in it, too.

Sam	04 Aug 2002
I though it was was a remake of independence day, with white people and no strippers.

Starfish	04 Aug 2002
DH and I want to go and see it. I'm not into really scary movies but I am INTO Mel (love those big blue eyes). Having read these posts, my interest in the flick is definitely more peaked. :TSTRE Starfish

Kismet	04 Aug 2002
truthsayer, the movie had maye one or two moments that were scarey to me, but what scares me and what scares you may be two totally different things :) Neither Mel Gibson or the little girl are hurt by Aliens. :) And I'm sorry to say I haven't seen Stigmata. It was thought provoking for me because his character had lost his faith, was having his faith tested due to a situation that had occured a few months previous to the aliens arrival, won't tell you what so I don't blow the movie for those still wishing to go :) This event that occured...hum, well, things were said by other characters in the movie that it was as if the event were meant to be. Do things occure because they're fated to be, predestiny? coincidence, freewill, a bit of all of the above? The things said during the event that cause Mel's character to lose faith later are extreemly important, was said later actually saves them. Those that know my situation would see why it is thought provoking to me. In love and light, Kismet

lunalafey	04 Aug 2002
I saw the previews for this a awhile back, have been wanting to see it. My schedual is quite full and to see any movie I have to drive over an hour away......Ahhh. WANNA SEE IT>>>

Violet Gargoyle	04 Aug 2002
I really like M Shamalyan (I am completely sure that I am misspelling the name) stories, though I was slightly let down by the acting in Unbreakable. I really want to see Signs. I just can't convince the husband to go. He doesn't like "those type of things". I might go with some coworkers. If it gives you an idea, this is the same man who fast forwarded "Braveheart" the first time we watched it so that he wouldn't have to watch the kissin' and he could get right to the fightin'.

the hermit	04 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Violet Gargoyle If it gives you an idea, this is the same man who fast forwarded "Braveheart" the first time we watched it so that he wouldn't have to watch the kissin' and he could get right to the fightin'. AAAHHH! a true romantic... there's nothing like watching a hollywood re-creation of medieval warfare with close-ups! unless maybe it's a hollywood re-creation of WWII warfare, or roman warfare or revolutionary warfare... with LOTs of close-ups! Kissin'? eeeuuuuuu, how icky! it's a guy thing :D

Kazz	04 Aug 2002
I haven't heard anything about this movie at all yet! but i guess we must be behind the "8 ball" when it comes to movies. I absoloutly LOVE those kind of movies, so now i will be looking out for it when it hits here.........can't wait!:) Cheers Kazz :TQC

divinerguy	04 Aug 2002
Just saw Signs with my wife. Very scary. My wife nearly ripped my arm off during scary parts.

Landon	04 Aug 2002
Wife Riversea and I went to see this today. We loved _Sixth Sense_ and never made it through _Unbreakable_. This one is somewhere in between them. The acting is excellent, with lots of subtle humor and Joaquin Phoenix playing a very different sort of role- ordinary minor league baseball guy- than I've seen him in before. The story, however, was a little disappointing. I was hoping for some sort of twist that never came. The ideas about faith and its absence are interesting but they are played out with such an utter lack of subtlety that I felt a little cheated. It's not a movie that lends itself to discussion- it kind of hits you over the head with its point of view. That said, it is very skillfully made and entertaining. Certainly worth the price of admission. __________________ Landon

truthsayer	04 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by divinerguy Just saw Signs with my wife. Very scary. My wife nearly ripped my arm off during scary parts. see that's what i do to my poor husband during the scarey parts. i don't want to bruise his arm like i did during jurassic park. there should be a rating code for this problem. maybe something like WG-21 wife guidance for over the age of 18. there should be a disclaimer immediately before the movie starts: this film has scarey scenes. we are not responsible if your wife rips your arm off during the show. ;)

amyel	05 Aug 2002
Just went to see this movie tonight - a little adult time with hubs. First off, I'm a whimp. Second, I'd read about this movie at aint-it-cool.com, so I kinda had a vague idea about the premise before I went. This was the only way I would have gone (see point 1). Anyway, I did not find it disappointing. I think the whole elemnet of faith and how Mel's character's loss of it impacted his whole family was very subtle and well done. Lots of unanswered questions at the end - which was good. Lots of subtlety in this film. Don't want to say much more, except "Merill, swing away".

Sam	05 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by divinerguy Just saw Signs with my wife. Very scary. My wife nearly ripped my arm off during scary parts. this movie wasn't scary at all! it was sooooooooooooo predictable! i actually LAUGHED because it was so stupid!

Laurel	05 Aug 2002
My roomie and I went to see it on Saturday. The first part of the movie had me tense, caught up in the suspense. As the story enfolded, I became more and more interested in the family dynamics of the main characters and impressed with it all. The rapport between Mel & Joaquin's characters was just astounding. The issues of faith made the movie for me. I still don't think it had the impact of "6th Sense", but I'm really impressed by this director in general... and his willingness to not only be in his own movies, but this time one of the supporting cast important to the overall story (the vet; the one who killed the preacher's wife). Laurel

divinerguy	05 Aug 2002
Very Hitchcock like in its direction. Shaymalan is in every movie at some point. Like his previous movie, the Sixth Sense, a child dispenses wisdom to adults in a believable way. This movie is suspenseful and scary without being gory. Nobody dies in this movie (other than one alien), and the suspense is a slow buildup. The scary moments are unusual, because they involve ordinary human acts. The aliens are not invincible, nor do they appear to be any smarter than humans. They don't have superhuman strength or impenetrable armor. The characters actually find a safe haven from the bad guys, and character faults don't result in death of good guys. This movie comes full circle for the Mel Gibson character - I won't ruin for those who haven't seen it. This movie is worth the price of admission and more.

destinyawaitsme	05 Aug 2002
Yeah, I usually don't get scared by movies, but this movie made me completely nervous! I liked how it just started with the plot right away. I didn't have to watch 30 minutes of build up into the story. It's really good. There are some pretty funny parts, but it's really thought provoking like a lot of people already said.

divinerguy	06 Aug 2002
divinerwife has been talking about seeing Signs a second time. Very rare for her. I can't wait.

truthsayer	06 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by divinerguy divinerwife has been talking about seeing Signs a second time. Very rare for her. I can't wait. divinerwife--that's so cute, endearing, and funny! i've referred to my spousal unit as mr. truth sayer before. i guess i could call him truthhusband...hhhmmm, has potential! LOL ok, i'm convinced that i will see this movie if truthhubby accompanies me. he'll probably want to wear a long sleeve shirt to keep me from accidentally scratching him if i get too "nervous" during the movie. ;)

Yogi Cat	14 Aug 2002
This movie just opened in NZ last week - I went last night and didn't feel it was as good as the previews on tv showed it to be. I thought the Sixth Sense was was far better. I also thought it would be more about the crop circles - the aliens I found a bit far fetched in that surely they would have had the power to get into the rooms in the house if they could form the crop circles. Still I did enjoy Mel Gibson and the 2 children acted well - I would still recommend it to people interested in the psychic.

Umbrae	14 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by the hermit AAAHHH! a true romantic... there's nothing like watching a hollywood re-creation of medieval warfare with close-ups! unless maybe it's a hollywood re-creation of WWII warfare, or roman warfare or revolutionary warfare... with LOTs of close-ups! Kissin'? eeeuuuuuu, how icky! it's a guy thing :D Dude! Like the Chariot Race in Ben Hur! One of the greatest movie sequences EVER! You can watch it over and over and over IT ROCKS! No movie sequence (except for THE chase scene in 'Bullet" and...Wha? The topic? Oh. I haven't seen it yet. Someone already said that nobody dies, I figure 'rental'! More'n likely no automatic weapons fire, no full frontal nudity, no car chases...'rental'! Wha? Maybe they were joking? Maybe the Alien lives and destroys the whole town? Cool, big screen. But the Chariot race dude...

RedWood	14 Aug 2002
OMG that chariot race...There are mostly men in my dads side and I swear i saw that movie like 100 times when I was younger..every other weekend..it was that movie!! That scene still runs thru my head whenever the chariot pops up in a tarot spread!!

Jenny-Li	15 Aug 2002
Hm... I had marked this one with a big *NO!* in my mind after seeing the previews, but now that I hear you guys talking about it, I might just go after all...! I like faith-themed movies (if that includes movies like Contact...? I loved that one!), and since my bf is totally spiritually challenged ... Gosh no, that was a nasty way of putting it... let's just say he hasn't started his Journey yet. Anyway, with him it doesn't matter if it's a bit over-explicit - as long as it gets him thinkin...! }):)}) I like to give him an occasional kick in his spiritual butt - if there is such a thing...! :D Jenny :)

divinerguy	15 Aug 2002
My wife and son saw the movie a second time, and knew when the scary parts were about to happen. They nearly wet their pants giggling at the other movie watchers when they expressed their fright.

The The movie "Signs" thread was originally posted on 03 Aug 2002 in the Chat board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Chat, or read more archived threads.