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the cast of characters .too many .too odd. didn't gell .we didn't get to know them or care about them. And when they let her down , US down it's the only genuine feeling that touch us. irritating. But still worth looking at. it is a FANTASY
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
There's a joke about when a character is 1-dimensional, but Lady in the Water is literally a movie about 1-dimensional characters. Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas range from medicore to great between scenes, but the rest of the cast is forgettable. Except for M Night Shyamallan's role, in which he casts himself as a writer whose purpose is to one day inspire a young man to change the world with his book... Yeah, he really cast himself as a "god" type character. There's a lot of subversion of expectations throughout the film, and the film definitely borrows heavily from Korean mythology (which I'll be honest, I don't think I can remember the last time I saw a movie which took inspiration from Korea?). A lot of people expected this particular film to have a twist like all of M Night's other films, but there's no twist. Supposedly this is a bed time story that he used to tell to his children. Could be true! As far as movies go, I much prefer Signs over this, and his later movies definitely top this one. But I don't think it's a BAD movie, perse, I think it's passable, but it definitely needed to take itself a little less seriously, and have a bit more going for it. And don't try to create the "unconventional girl" by giving her wacky hairstyles. I don't know why the heck they did that.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Okay, I couldn't give it an "Excellent" rating, because it's not Night's best work, but it's still a great movie. I think where Night fails is that the audience never really knows, understands, or feels for the Narf character "Story", played by Bryce Dallas Howard. And while Cleveland Heep (played excellently by Paul Giamatti) does evoke a great deal of emotion from the audience, the audience is never quite allowed to really get behind Cleveland and feel what he's feeling, except for the big scene towards the end - clearly Giamtti's best performance in the film, and possibly his best performance in any film. This is not Signs, it's not The Sixth Sense... it's a fairy tale. I think that Night studied the responses from Lady in the Water and used that to create The Last Airbender - a story people know from the beginning is not based in this reality.Read full review
At one time M. Night Shyamalan was an exciting film maker. With his first major film, The Sixth Sense, he crafted an interesting and engrossing tale that was well received by the public and critics alike. His next film, Unbreakable, was a bit of a let down, but still a solid effort. Unfortunately his films have continued to decline in quality. The low point in his oeuvre has to be his latest film, Lady in the Water, a bed time story that Night would tell his daughters before they went to sleep. It may have been interesting to a child at night, but as a movie it comes across as a muddled, self-indulgent, and ultimately unsatisfying film that fails on many levels. There were a lot of things that were wrong with this movie. The characters were flat and lifeless, the story was filled with more false endings than a dozen Spielberg films, and there were numerous plot holes that were hard to ignore. What it boiled down to though was that it's really hard to care what happens to any of the characters. There just isn't any context to place these people into. A good story to compare this to is another fairy tale, The Lord of the Rings. In Tolkien's work, the reader knows exactly where the heroes stand, what they have to do and the consequences for failure. In this film viewers never have that feeling. What happens if the Scrunt kills Story? Well, she'll be dead, but so what? Why did she reveal herself to Heep when she was hiding from him earlier? Why was she hiding? It's questions like this that make it hard to enjoy this film. Another deficit is Shyamalan's directorial style. I've enjoyed the way he shot other films, but this one looks like something someone fresh out of film school would shoot. He doesn't concentrate on telling the story but rather seeing how many fancy and unique shots he can incorporate into the movie. There are a lot of scenes where the interesting part of the sequence isn't shown in an attempt to build interest. When the acerbic film critic Harry Farber (Bob Balaban) is introduced to a new neighbor, Cindy Cheung, you see Farber's eye's nearly pop out of his skull as he stares at the Asian beauty, though on screen viewers can only see her back. It's cute once or twice, but eventually you start noticing all of Night's film tricks at the expense of the story. These are a constant reminder that you're watching a movie and that makes it much harder to get into the story and empathize with the characters. The acting was only mediocre at best too. In order to make Paul Giamatti's character more human, Night decided to give him a stutter. This may have looked good on paper, but in the movie it just seems oddly irritating. Bryce Dallas Howard's talents are not put to use either. She spends much of the film sitting in a shower, and when she talks she always whispers. She has a vague drugged look throughout the movie. Pretty much all she does is stare off into space. Night himself gives an amateur performance as the savior of mankind. The only character that I was really drawn to was Bob Balaban's as the arrogant film critic. His role was funny but suggests that Night needs to learn the meaning of subtlety. Please let us know if this review was helpful (click below) If you have any questions about this review please contact us at contact@ck-auctions.com Posted by CK-AuctionsRead full review
I think I need to take a stab at this one just so I can say I did. I've seen all of M. Nights films and this was just not my cup of tea. Whether You Believe It's Wonderful (or not) to fill children with good cheer and sentiment around the Holidays with stories of Santa, The Easter Bunny, and any other holidays. Whether it's Turkey Day, The Great Pumpkin, And St. Valentines Day, the only thing that I believed in about this movie was it kept many actors and film-makers busy for a few months. The best thing about this movie was I had force myself to finish this because, I had convinced myself that the movie might suddenly have ended in Neverland and I wouldn't have known the difference. The Gag Reel under special features were so funny that I had to watch them twice. It almost reminded me of a Monty Python film where everyone was so NOT into the movie that they almost had to laugh hysterically to keep from crying and hitting there heads, walking around and saying, "Wow, I could have had a V8" instead of this Role. I finally got the message that M. Night Shyamalan was trying to complete though through his efforts in completing this film. The message essentially is this. Sometimes you have to believe in things unseen. 2/5 Sorry M. Night. I really dug The Happening Though. CHECK OUT SOME OF MY OTHER REVIEWS. IF YOU LIKE THIS OR ANY OF MY REVIEWS, DON'T FORGET TO VOTE.Read full review
M. Night Shyamalan is the cinematic genius that brought us the shocking "Sixth Sense", provoking "Unbreakable" (about superheroes that are real), "Signs" and "The Village". While some felt "The Village" was his first "cinematic let-down", I defended it. I had felt "The Village" had the pace, direction and tension to deliver; (even though I feel/felt, we were let it on the secret of "The Village" too early in the film). -- Mr. Shyamalan's new "Lady In The Water", I'm afraid, is non-defendable. -- Perhaps direction, tension and Shyamalan's cinematic gift of intensity was "NOT" meant to be in this movie., in which case he has therein succeeded; however the end-result has suffered badly. Shyamalan's real gift of storytelling with deeply-drawn twists are his true talent and his success came from that., why change your formula? If the tension and gift for storytelling, with a twist, WAS intended, then he clearly missed the target on this film, sadly. -- Marketed as "A Bedtime Story: From M. Night Shyamalan" we are introduced to a "Narf", (female Nymph"), who has come onto land, from underwater in the swimming pool?? (Nobody noticed this underwater cavern designed to fit about 3 comfortably in a pool about 20 ft x 20 ft??). The Narf is to meet and bring out the future's best in the residents of an apartment complex with characters who all seem lost in the world's maze of life. After "seeing" a man who will write and produce a future major historical leader; (a writer's-blocked writer played by Shyamalan himself), she now must return to her world by having a mystical Eagle/Hawk lift her there, while a demonic "Creature of Grass", similar to an oversized Wolf, stalks her as prey to ensure she doesn't return to her Nymph-World where she will reign as a Queen now. -- Yeah, it's even too absurd for Shyamalan material!!!! -- The apartment complex residents all "Buy Into This Way Too Easy" !!!! And they jump in to assist, as a human "Dungeons & Dragons" game plays out., Without ever-questioning this "Old Fairy Tale Come True"; they all believe it instantly; and without a single seconds hesitation, rally around the "Nymp". Are you kidding me? -- The only features that even attempt to save this film are in fact "The Creatures of Grass". The Wolf is wildly evil and fast....but it needs to be put in his next film., the one he will have to make to save his reputation in Hollywood after this collapse in judgement. -- Don't bother seeing it. Read "Elmo" as a bedtime story., it's far more entertaining. (Fans of Shyamalan: Stick to "Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable", "Signs" and "The Village"., -- "Lady In The Water" is an honest failure. (Mr. Shyamalan, please return to the tension-filled beautifully slow storytelling you mastered. We miss it). -- Skip This In It's Entirety!!!! AWFUL PLEASE SEE MY OTHER REVIEWS FOR GREAT FILMS !!!!Read full review
The disc was frozen in the middle therefore I was not able to watch the whole thing. It was not as good as the other review. I was very disappointed about the main actress' look. And the oriental actress' are hard to understand.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Maybe I'm still expecting great movies from Shyamalan such as "Sixth Sense" and "Signs" but after watching "The Village" and then this huge disappointment, "Lady in The Water," I doubt I'll watch any of M. Night's movies again. I can't grasp how you can go from such great works to bombing? My best guess is that he's trying too hard to get a bit artsy...and the average American veiwer isn't looking for art, but for thrill. This movie could barely hold my attention. The only reason it did is because, in the lull of television while awaiting the new season premiers, there was nothing else to watch but this lame film I had paid to rent and decided to hang in, at least in hopes of getting SOMETHING for my money. Unless you like something similar to "The Village," don't waste your time or money.Read full review
An apartment building superintendent named Cleveland who discovers a magical sea-nymph named Story who's been transported to this world and is living in the building's own swimming pool. As this bizarre revelation sinks in, Cleveland becomes enraptured by her other-worldly charm. As he shelters her in his apartment, other inhabitants of the building begin falling into place as representations of characters from an Eastern myth in which these mermaids, or "narfs," co-exist unhappily with more beastly and violent characters. In human reality, the forces of darkness that threaten the heroes of a fairy tale prove to be much more terrifying, and the victory of good over evil is by no means guaranteed. "Lady in the Water" has a wonderful cast, the script is well written and at times funny, the plot is very simple and straightforward but towards the end of the movie is quite touching. This movie doesn't talk down to its audience but its content is fantastical and fairytale-ish. A grown-up "bedtime story" that is fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable.Read full review
Lady in the Water Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard are absolutely spectacular, and the rest of the supporting cast does a great job as well. A lot of M. Night fans that I've talked to were dissapointed that Lady in the Water doesn't feature a twist ending, I was at first, but I realized that a story this great doesn't need a twist ending. Lady in the Water will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, and the way all the characters tie together is absolutely fabulous. It might not be M. Nights best work, but he proves once again that he is one of the best Storytellers in Hollywood. Final Verdict: 5/5 Rent or Buy?: Any M. Night fan will want to own this one, as will any fan of a great fantasy story. IF YOU FIND THIS REVIEW HELPFUL PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE. Thank you.Read full review
