Signs: A Contrived Deus Ex Machina

This movie was selected by our Patreon Supporters over at the Cinematic Doctrine Patreon. Support as little as $3 a month and have your voice heard!

Shirleon joins Melvin to discuss another early M. Night Shyamalan success, Signs! Many consider this another knock-outta-the-park, while others look back and say, “It’s all downhill from here.”. Regardless, there’s plenty to discuss from this semi-spiritual alien-invasion flick.

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 24-minutes discussing how 20% of Americans regularly get their news from influencers rather than old-media institutions, as per the Pew Research Center. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Shirleon liked the movie, and felt it was easily digested. Melvin, however, felt it was the beginning of the end.
• Mel Gibson left a lot to be desired even if a few of his scenes were decent.
• Melvin see’s what people love about Signs but feels it’s flip-flops between Shyamalan at his best and Shyamalan at his absolute worst.
• Discussing the usage of doors, doorways, framing, and staging.
• How a PG-13 rating may have made Signs hugely accessible to filmgoers and families, and how that may have helped make the “Brazilian Birthday Scene” so frightening (…even when it’s not that scary).
• How the ending feels both rushed and sluggish.

Recommendations:

• Vampire Survivors (2022) (Video Game)
• Arcane (2021) (TV-Series)
• The Fog (1980) (Movie)

Signs is Rated PG-13 for some frightening moments. It features Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, and Cherry Jones. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Signs is available here.

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Melvin Benson is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief, and Lead Host of Cinematic Doctrine. Whether it’s a movie, show, game, comic, or novel, it doesn’t matter. As long as it’s rich, he’s ready and willing to give it a try! His hope is to see King Jesus glorified as far as the east is from the west!

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