weekend movie

every weekend, be it friday, saturday or sunday, i'm going to start posting and talking about a favorite film and why i love it or how it stands out amongst the rest.

this weekend: 'The Village'

written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan

because of the plot twists and surprise ending, i won't talk too much of the whole story, but here's a good excerpt from wikipedia -

'The date is 1897. As the story progresses, it is revealed the villagers live in fear of nameless creatures in the woods that surround the village. They have built a barrier and watch towers that are constantly manned to keep watch for "Those We Don't Speak Of". It is explained that the villagers have a long-standing truce with the monsters; the villagers do not go into their woods, and the creatures do not enter their village.

Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix) asks the village elders for permission to pass through the woods to get medical supplies from "the towns." The villagers describe the towns as "wicked places where wicked people live." The Elders seem to keep dark secrets of their own in the form of black boxes, the contents of which they keep hidden from their own offspring.'


that's all i feel obliged to tell you without ruining it! it's such a wonderful and simple film..yet strangely complicated. personally, i loved it after my first viewing, but for some it takes a few different sit-throughs to like it.

the ending is disarming, somewhat shocking and beautiful. that's all i'll say.


bryce dallas howard became one of my utmost favorite actresses after seeing this movie and she does an amazing job as ivy walker; who eventually becomes the heroin of the story. the character, ivy, is blind and howard doesn't overplay that handicap the way other people might (or have in the past). the way she speaks the dialogue and her subtle gestures are perfection, i could never imagine anyone else playing the role.

roger deakins, the DP (or cinematographer) did a brilliant job; it's not only one of my favorite films, but one of the most visually stunning and heartbreaking i've ever watched. he did a wonderful job capturing the time period and the costumes created for it. and the different camera angles or rather how the camera would just stay in one spot for a scene, never really wavering is so perfect..goodness, i love it.

and, of course, there is the AMAZING m. night shyamalan. truly, i was a skeptic of him and his films for a good time because i HATE really scary films; but while they are frightening and make your heart jump up and down, it's not the entire point of the movie. what it's there for it to trick your mind in different directions as to what you SHOULD think and figuring out what's to come next. it's just...amazing. shyamalan writes these incredible stories and turns them into stunning, mind-bending films. this film in particular along with just the inspiration that m. night shyamalan's writing is, is what helped me get back into creating the stories i would like to see on film and not just be a screenwriter, but also a director.

what will probably stand out to some of you lady readers, is the love story; between ivy and lucius. one of my favorite quotes from the film comes from the scene on the porch, when they become engaged:

Ivy Walker: When we are married, will you dance with me? I find dancing very agreeable. Why can you not say what is in your head?

Lucius Hunt: Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? If I want to dance I will ask you to dance. If I want to speak I will open my mouth and speak. Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak further. Why? What good is it to tell you you are in my every thought from the time I wake? What good can come from my saying that I sometimes cannot think clearly or do my work properly? What gain can rise of my telling you the only time I feel fear as others do is when I think of you in harm? That is why I am on this porch, Ivy Walker. I fear for your safety before all others. And yes, I will dance with you on our wedding night.

it's such a beautiful and thought-provoking film, i hope that you'll give it a good watch sometime. definitely in my top 5 recommendations and i hope it will be in yours as well someday.
- L