SIGNS
Released: August 2, 2002
Mel Gibson follows in Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson's footsteps and does a glitzy showcase role in M. Night Shyamalan's third high profile opus "Signs". Like "The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable" before it, "Signs" maintains the director's definite sense of style which uses details and long shots throughout the run time to establish and prolong the tense plot. Joining Gibson in this crop circle alien movie is Joaquin Phoenix and yet another pre-pubescent Culkin kid (Rory). They (plus little Abigail Breslin) make up Gibson's family, living on the farm and confused new owners of a crop circled corn field. There's a grim back story involving why Gibson's character isn't a reverend anymore with more added acting from director Shyamalan himself than in his previous two films. This isn't no cute "E.T." alien movie and nor is it a "who made the crop circle" X-Files rip off. It's quite unique and the way Shyamalan presents it in a really convincing - and scary manner.
110 Minutes
Touchstone/Buena Vista