Most Unexpected movie of the Summer

Rating: 10/10 (3 August 2002)

Looking at the other comment on this movie makes me think about how people look at all the stuff in the movies and point out the bad stuff. Granted, this movie is not totally about UFO's or aliens or even crop circles. Rather the movie title alludes to different signs, signs that there is Someone working for us, not against us. I read the reviews of this movie and had a very small inkling of what I was to expect from this movie. I read about the parts about the spookiness of the aliens, the spirituality of the good Reverend Hess and the storytelling of M. Night. When I came out of the theater, I was totally content. This movie was worth it and then some. This movie was a long step from M. Night's twist endings, but if you see it again, not really. I don't want to spoil it for anyone if they are reading this. (If you haven't seen this movie, come back and read this when you have.)
SPOILERS--------------------------------------------------------------- One thing that has been a constant with M. Night's movies is his real writing that gets the humor and terror from everyday situations. When Merrill flinches at his taunter in the Army recruiting office, I can imagine my friends, who are also baseball players, do the same thing if someone was heckling them. I loved it. And when Isabelle, the dog is barking and then stops after a scuffle, that is way more terrifying than seeing the aliens come for you. In the end, this was a very uplifting movie and I'm GLAD IT ENDED THE WAY IT DID. If it went further, it would have ruined it. This was a story about a man in extrodinary circumstances wrestling with faith. Not about alien invasions. Very good performances by the kids, Mel and especially Joaquin. Even the Hitchcock cameo by M. Night was great. I'll never look at a pantry the same way again. But I will look towards the heavens and not for spacecraft, either.