Late to the game here; but yowza, that was a film. Stupendous, I say.

Which film was that? 

I'm quite surprised we don't have an Age of Ultron thread. Awesome film. 

Given my experience watching anime, my guess would be the subtitles are basically an English translation of the script provided by the studio, not a translation of what's actually said on screen. So, anything ad-libbed on the day won't be subtitled. A cheap way to release a foreign film.

The Village (2004) - 8/10 (6.5)

Rewatching this and I always forget how utterly mesmerizing some moments are. I have to feel that this is still Shyamalan when he was at his best. Not necessarily the peak of his storytelling, but his filmmaking instincts in general are still very sharp here.

Don't mind the twist ending. Seeing it again knowing it's coming, there is still very effective and moving storytelling underneath that grabbed my attention. My only true quibble in the film is Shyamalans cameo scene. It's junk unnecessary exposition interrupting an emotional climax of score and tension.

This film has some of the absolutely gorgeous sound design Shyamalan employed in Unbreakable. The artistic use of echo and reberb on certain sounds is very effective, and other techniques, like leaving only low frequency rumble and atmospherics to put you into the mind of a character, can really turn what on paper is a pretty flat scene into a real attention-grabber.

Acting is actually pretty great overall, though I can see how the dialogue as written could come across as unappetizing. Scenes have Shyamalans early trademark of feeling quite stilted, but that also yields an uneasiness which also keeps your attention.

Add to that Roger Deakins exceptional visuals. Truly wonderful in their understated beauty. Together with James Newton Howards hauntingly beautiful score they both collaborate to really steal the show. If you remove some of the visual flair and the score, what's left is probably again pretty flat and drawn out, but the devil is really in the details here. Shyamalan really manages to make pretty much every scene interesting by virtue of either the score, the lighting, uneasy tension, effective camera work, or great atmospheric sound design. It's just really tight and controlled. Everything feels intended. With a purpose.

It can be a truly hauntingly beautiful film, and one scene in the film (my guess is you will know it when it happens) is still one of the most effective I have ever seen.

The cheesy-feeling elements could get in the way of enjoyment for some. However if they do, I feel you are missing the deeper meaning. This isn't so much a supernatural thriller, as an almost Malick-ian poem to nature and love and loss. I almost wish there was even less plot than there is, leaving me free to infer events further and really make the film more my own in that sense.

If you haven't seen it, really recommend it. Maybe check out Unbreakable first as a primer to Shyamalans particular style. If you saw it a long time ago, might be worth a rewatch for the visual and aural experience.

Last edited by TechNoir (2015-05-29 19:24:58)

I watched that when I was younger.

Quite traumatizing at some points

Absolutely a must see if you have not seen it. Glad it is still around

Last edited by fireproof78 (2015-06-13 06:42:24)

So random...Just last week I took a bunch of samples from this movie and put it in a song. 
It was one of those movies I saw a ton when i was little...I have a vague memory that there's a chase scene along the river walk in San Antonio.
and I agree with Eddie...Dabney Coleman was all over my childhood...in a non creepy way.

Recently rewatched one of my childhood family favorite movies:

Baby's Day Out:

This movie is an absurd premise, taken to 11, and I love all of it. You do have to buy in to the premise, and it is a lot of slap stick humor, but it is such a fun film that I love it for the absurdity of it all.

It features an incredible cast with Lara Flynn Boyle, Joe Mantega, Joe Pantoliano, Fred Thompson, and Cynthia Nixon.

If you want a fun movie, enjoy this one

To be entertained I guess. It's not an unrealistic expectation with these sorts of films. That this series fails is a testament to how bad they are.

That said, Extinction was more entertaining, mostly due to Stanley Tucci, than the utter shite that was the third film.

So you missed the part where after the climactic destruction battle of Chicago, the movie decides to migrate to China and has ANOTHER SOLID HOUR of destruction action scenes for no reason.

What I'll say in its defense, is it does have the most coherent action of the series, and it also has the least amount of obnoxious humour. Still as incoherent as ever story-wise, but it would be kinda watchable if it wasn't THREE HOURS LONG