lucis

I generally trust imdb’s movie ratings quite a bit. A rating of 6.5/10 generally indicates an average/below average. This is what kept me from watching M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village for a long time. I finally got around to watching it, and oh boy, I dont think I’ll ever blindly trust imdb’s ratings again!

I would The Village better than Shyamalan’s more popular Sixth Sense, and in the same league as Signs. I think too many people want him to do an encore on Sixth Sense in every movie. Too many people watch The Village expecting a horror movie, or a story with a twist in the end, and are disappointed on both counts. In fact, the main twist The Village has is that it keeps the viewer guessing what it really is about till almost two-thirds into the movie. I have to say that I really liked the story and the setting, and even the little twist that it had.

The acting and direction is absolutely brilliant. In particular, I think Bryce Dallas Howard deserved at least an Oscar nomination. But then we all know how bad the Oscars are at identifying real talent! The cinematography, lighting and the use of yellow and red to contrast the humans and the “monsters” was really amazing. The music was really good and suited the story perfectly, and did end up getting nominated for an Oscar.

There were a few flaws in the movie though. It is a little slow for the average viewer. Also, there are a few small loopholes in the story here and there, but most of it is quite consistent and coherent.

Its a real pity that most people (even too many “film critics”) go in expecting a horror movie, or another Sixth Sense, and are dissatisfied and disappointed when it is not. Watch this movie without any expectations, and I am sure you will like it for what it really is. Highly recommended, in fact one of the best of 2004!

After two back-to-back paper deadlines, and weeks of 16-20 hour days, finally got a small breather. Luckily the International office was organizing a ski/snowboarding trip this weekend (just a day after the paper deadline), and it sounded like a great way to unwind.

I chose snowboarding because many people said that it would be more fun than skiing. While it was a whole lot of fun, I seriously doubt skiing involves as much falling over as snowboarding atleast on the first day. And at a place like the Alpine valley which makes new snow every night, this means that you fall on ice rather than fresh and soft snow most of the time. I am not sure how many days before I can move without crying!

One thing I find very hard to understand is the lack of the safety concerns with skiing. While everyone is super careful while riding a bike, and helmets and other protective gear is almost mandatory, I dont think I noticed anyone wearing a helmet while skiing. Another alarming thing was the lift to get to the top of the slope. The lifts never stop, and require you to jump on and off as it slows down slightly. While getting on it was only a minor challenge, getting off was almost impossible with the snowboard strapped to the feet. There was always a pile of people down on the ground in front of the landing area. What was even more surprising was that there was no rail or something to prevent slipping and falling on the ground 20-50 feet below on the lift. It almost felt like a disaster waiting to happen.

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