"You! ....Soup-ah plusss!"
After work, my sister and I ventured to the world of cinema. Cut due to constant nerdage and analysis.
We saw M. Night's Lady in the Water. Overall, this movie was too cute. Minus the scary wolf creature. But it got Monkeys what was coming to him. Plus it was evil and breaking the rules.
Most of his movies consist of an overall theme that is introduced early on and later proven [or proven against] in the movie. For example, Signs questioned the idea of faith, the all-being and coincidences. In LITW, the idea of role is discussed and whether roles can follow stereotypes.
The premise of the movie is that people from the land once interacted with others from a different world, a world in the depths of the ocean. Over time, the people on land became less selfless...more greedy and driven away from water. Those from the water believed that those from the land have "stopped listening".
It makes me wonder because humans from the land got things from the sea nymphs. They could see our future...and we being the selfish, arrogant creatures we are want to know it. What I wonder is what did the sea creatures get out of our relationship.
Overtime, after the water creatures had given up...they became hopeful again. Trying with all their might, they attempted to contact us again with some of their younger children. Which leads us into the story of an apartment tenant named Cleveland who stutters and develops close relationships with all those in his building...in a stand-offish kind of way. He [after much plot] ends up in contact with a water nymph named Story.
I'm sorry if I skip details but I'm more concerned about analyzing than getting plot out there.
In the end, Story is a nymph who is most important to her kind [a maiden nymph] and needs a group of people to protect her. A symbolist, a guardian, a guild, a healer, a person with no secrets, and a man with highly respected views. All of these people flock to this place because of a vessel who is to write something of great importance for our [and their?] world aka M. Night.
The symbolist ended up being an interpretive child, once mistaken for his father who is good with crosswords.
The guardian ended up being a man named Renji - an odd man who only works out the left side of his body as he claims "for science", once mistaken for Cleveland.
The guild consisted of a band of seven sisters - four literal hispanic sisters, the young asian woman who helped Cleveland a ton, M. Night's sister and one other I forget. Once Mistaken for a band of hippies who talk about nonsense.
The healer ends up being Cleveland, once mistaken for a lady who is good with animals.
The best part about this is that while watching the movie, everyone assumes the healer is a woman. Even the child who interprets the story, they assume a female role because a healer is a nurturer...almost a mother figure. With the guild, people expect a band of young men...like sword wielding knights. In the end, it's a group of women.
The best part of the movie was Cleveland kept turning to this critic [newly arrived] because he viewed him as highly respected, a man with a label who knows his role. In the end, the critic's cynicism is what nearly kills Story and kills him.
My favorite line he says is roughly "There is no more originality in the world and that is something I have sadly come to live with."
It's weird because...I am one of those people. It's just how today is, which is an even worse way of looking at things. Why does it have to be "just how it is"? Why do we roll over and accept it?
Cleveland gets the hints of who is who from the critic...ultimately using what is known on the outside to interpret what is below. And like the one man who is good with crosswords said, who would be so arrogant as to assume they could predict how a person feels. The fact that these characters are so real and conflicting with standards is amazing.
They even accept this scheme they are thrown into, easily believing that this girl is from another world and they are there to help. They faithfully accept this as the truth.
One conversation in the movie that stands out the most is the intense interaction between Story and Cleveland when she reads his journal of his past. A constant, black reminder of his painful past he keeps hidden away but at the same time in view. They speak of his past: he use to be a doctor until he gave it up to sorrow when his family was slaughtered in their sleep while he wasn't there. He says he does a job that anyone can do and she says that everyone has a purpose they must fulfill. Not even a purpose "they must fulfill" but a purpose they ultimately fulfill.
That's one of the things that bothers me as any curious human. Why do people fear not fulfilling their purpose? Shouldn't they be more afraid of not finding it? Also...if we have something we fulfill in our lifetime, why must we struggle to find it so early on? Are we building towards something that will come anyway?
Also, Story talks about how humans assume themselves always alone but we are all linked together. This is shown through how the band of people come together. This is odd because I worship Joseph Conrad and I believe that with all my heart we are ultimately alone. We are born alone, we die alone. There may be people there physically but I live in a much more mental world.
Next, the quiet man who is highly respected asks Cleveland "Are humans worth saving?". He replies, "Yes". This makes the man surprised because of all Cleveland has been through.
Cleveland doesn't hold bitterness, only regret that he was unable to carry out his job as protector of his family. He was unable to be there when his family needed him most. As shown, Cleveland fails at protecting [with both Story and his family] because it is not who he is...no matter how much he wants to protect those he loves. Although there is hope in this because he does in the end protect Story so he satisfies a part inside of himself.
The idea that men are fulfilling women's roles and vice versa...
The idea that people might have purposes and the mystery of that purpose...
The idea that no one is aware of their role and that others cannot assume roles for them...
It is all so mind altering. I love movies that unseat my mind. This movie had more humor in it than I expected. Also a lot of people walked out during the movie. I don't know if it was because everyone in there was under 18 years old and had the maturity of those under 6 or if they really didn't like it.
The book that the vessel writes that will change the course of the world is called "The Cookbook". He knows it has "a lot of stuff that people don't want to hear" and that it will be his death since Story said he will be murdered by someone against his book. It makes me wonder if those who left the cinema really hated the movie...or if they just didn't want to face things like this.
It shows my lack of faith in humanity when the youth of the world ignores things like this. It's odd that only older souls have the knowledge but are unable to use it.
Anyways, that's it. Go see it. The meaning behind the story is good even if you think it is too story book hocus pocus. Unless you don't enjoy movies like that. Then save everyone else your negative vibes in the theater.
The last scene in the movie is a shot of Cleveland looking up, the camera's view under the water.
We saw M. Night's Lady in the Water. Overall, this movie was too cute. Minus the scary wolf creature. But it got Monkeys what was coming to him. Plus it was evil and breaking the rules.
Most of his movies consist of an overall theme that is introduced early on and later proven [or proven against] in the movie. For example, Signs questioned the idea of faith, the all-being and coincidences. In LITW, the idea of role is discussed and whether roles can follow stereotypes.
The premise of the movie is that people from the land once interacted with others from a different world, a world in the depths of the ocean. Over time, the people on land became less selfless...more greedy and driven away from water. Those from the water believed that those from the land have "stopped listening".
It makes me wonder because humans from the land got things from the sea nymphs. They could see our future...and we being the selfish, arrogant creatures we are want to know it. What I wonder is what did the sea creatures get out of our relationship.
Overtime, after the water creatures had given up...they became hopeful again. Trying with all their might, they attempted to contact us again with some of their younger children. Which leads us into the story of an apartment tenant named Cleveland who stutters and develops close relationships with all those in his building...in a stand-offish kind of way. He [after much plot] ends up in contact with a water nymph named Story.
I'm sorry if I skip details but I'm more concerned about analyzing than getting plot out there.
In the end, Story is a nymph who is most important to her kind [a maiden nymph] and needs a group of people to protect her. A symbolist, a guardian, a guild, a healer, a person with no secrets, and a man with highly respected views. All of these people flock to this place because of a vessel who is to write something of great importance for our [and their?] world aka M. Night.
The symbolist ended up being an interpretive child, once mistaken for his father who is good with crosswords.
The guardian ended up being a man named Renji - an odd man who only works out the left side of his body as he claims "for science", once mistaken for Cleveland.
The guild consisted of a band of seven sisters - four literal hispanic sisters, the young asian woman who helped Cleveland a ton, M. Night's sister and one other I forget. Once Mistaken for a band of hippies who talk about nonsense.
The healer ends up being Cleveland, once mistaken for a lady who is good with animals.
The best part about this is that while watching the movie, everyone assumes the healer is a woman. Even the child who interprets the story, they assume a female role because a healer is a nurturer...almost a mother figure. With the guild, people expect a band of young men...like sword wielding knights. In the end, it's a group of women.
The best part of the movie was Cleveland kept turning to this critic [newly arrived] because he viewed him as highly respected, a man with a label who knows his role. In the end, the critic's cynicism is what nearly kills Story and kills him.
My favorite line he says is roughly "There is no more originality in the world and that is something I have sadly come to live with."
It's weird because...I am one of those people. It's just how today is, which is an even worse way of looking at things. Why does it have to be "just how it is"? Why do we roll over and accept it?
Cleveland gets the hints of who is who from the critic...ultimately using what is known on the outside to interpret what is below. And like the one man who is good with crosswords said, who would be so arrogant as to assume they could predict how a person feels. The fact that these characters are so real and conflicting with standards is amazing.
They even accept this scheme they are thrown into, easily believing that this girl is from another world and they are there to help. They faithfully accept this as the truth.
One conversation in the movie that stands out the most is the intense interaction between Story and Cleveland when she reads his journal of his past. A constant, black reminder of his painful past he keeps hidden away but at the same time in view. They speak of his past: he use to be a doctor until he gave it up to sorrow when his family was slaughtered in their sleep while he wasn't there. He says he does a job that anyone can do and she says that everyone has a purpose they must fulfill. Not even a purpose "they must fulfill" but a purpose they ultimately fulfill.
That's one of the things that bothers me as any curious human. Why do people fear not fulfilling their purpose? Shouldn't they be more afraid of not finding it? Also...if we have something we fulfill in our lifetime, why must we struggle to find it so early on? Are we building towards something that will come anyway?
Also, Story talks about how humans assume themselves always alone but we are all linked together. This is shown through how the band of people come together. This is odd because I worship Joseph Conrad and I believe that with all my heart we are ultimately alone. We are born alone, we die alone. There may be people there physically but I live in a much more mental world.
Next, the quiet man who is highly respected asks Cleveland "Are humans worth saving?". He replies, "Yes". This makes the man surprised because of all Cleveland has been through.
Cleveland doesn't hold bitterness, only regret that he was unable to carry out his job as protector of his family. He was unable to be there when his family needed him most. As shown, Cleveland fails at protecting [with both Story and his family] because it is not who he is...no matter how much he wants to protect those he loves. Although there is hope in this because he does in the end protect Story so he satisfies a part inside of himself.
The idea that men are fulfilling women's roles and vice versa...
The idea that people might have purposes and the mystery of that purpose...
The idea that no one is aware of their role and that others cannot assume roles for them...
It is all so mind altering. I love movies that unseat my mind. This movie had more humor in it than I expected. Also a lot of people walked out during the movie. I don't know if it was because everyone in there was under 18 years old and had the maturity of those under 6 or if they really didn't like it.
The book that the vessel writes that will change the course of the world is called "The Cookbook". He knows it has "a lot of stuff that people don't want to hear" and that it will be his death since Story said he will be murdered by someone against his book. It makes me wonder if those who left the cinema really hated the movie...or if they just didn't want to face things like this.
It shows my lack of faith in humanity when the youth of the world ignores things like this. It's odd that only older souls have the knowledge but are unable to use it.
Anyways, that's it. Go see it. The meaning behind the story is good even if you think it is too story book hocus pocus. Unless you don't enjoy movies like that. Then save everyone else your negative vibes in the theater.
The last scene in the movie is a shot of Cleveland looking up, the camera's view under the water.