...and now for something completely different!

Rob and I went to the movies today.

Spiderman 2 was great - a lot of fun, big comic-booky stuff. Yay good guys! Boo bad guys! Lots of things 'sploding! Much fun was had.

Not up for more explosions, we decided that a contrast was in order, so we snuck into The Village. If S2 was drawn with big markers, this film was painted with a single-hair brush. Much has been made of the "surprise ending", but if you look back afterwards, it's not a surprise at all - you can tot up the little clues, and you go "Oh of course! Why didn't I figure it out!". And frankly, it becomes much less about "What is outside the Village", and more about a character's psychological journey. I agree completely with rillaspins that it's not for everyone, but Rob and I liked it and talked about it all the way home.

Mean Cuisine for dinner and a nice night's sleep before Faire tomorrow.

UPDATE - I'm really trying to keep these posts spoiler-free, but the comments to this post are getting perilously-close. Click the link at your own risk.

Okay I figured it out..

I have now seen three reviews and heard from three people who have seen The Village.

It looks like this is a movie where there is no middle ground. You either really really like it, or really really hate it. I have seen reviewers say it is one of their favorite films of the year, and those who say it is a one-note piece of trash with an obvious ending.

I think the main problem is that of expectations. The trailers make it out to be a big scary "What's in the woods" movie. It's not. Now, I have seen neither Signs nor The Sixth Sense, and maybe that helped. I went in with no expectations, and took the film as I saw it on the screen, and I enjoyed that very much.

The people I know of who hated it seem to all be of the type that "had been looking forward for ages" to it, or who "Well, I expected more from him", and I think those expectations are getting in the way. It's sort of like the people who get all excited to see the Mona Lisa and then when they get there all they can think is "it's rather dingy and small, isn't it?"

Now, I won't say this film is a Mona Lisa by any means. It's good, maybe not great. But if you can check any expectations you may have at the door, I still think you will enjoy the experience.