A wonderful, small movie

Rating: 10/10 (7 April 2006)

This movie asks two profound questions: Am I alone? Are we alone? It addresses them thoughtfully, with subtlety and restraint. The answers to both questions remain elusive, but Shyamalan leads us down a valuable pathway in this eternal search.
The strong direction brings out compelling characters, as expressed by a superior cast. Cherry Jones is fantastic. For that matter, so are Gibson, Phoenix and the rest.
Signs is NOT a B-movie, and it is NOT an action movie. It is NOT even a sci-fi movie per se. Rather, it presents a grieving family in the face of an existential crisis (or two, actually). This movie speaks to life's most basic questions with emotion and clarity.
It does not compete with Aliens (which I also loved) or Independence Day in any way at all. If that's what you are looking for, do not buy this movie.