While most of 2002's eagerly awaiting audiences are anxious for the battle of the terrible twos (Blade 2, Matrix 2, Star Wars 2, Lord of the Rings 2, and more than I have fingertips left to type with), Touchstone is taking a unique promotional approach to slip us what may be the blockbuster of the year - Signs.

If stories about seeing dead people or real life comic book heros haven't sent enough shivers down your spine, then how about a creepy tale about crop circles?

M. Night Shyamalan (writer/director of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable) teams up with Mel Gibson this time in Signs, a sci-fi thriller about enormous crop circles plaguing the poor Hess farm family in a rural community of Pennsylvania. Mel Gibson plays the father and head of the Hess clan, and also features Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator) as brother, Merrill. Folks should know by now that he is younger sibling to famed brother, River ... but he's been kicking around films since early childhood as Leaf Phoenix, which you might recall him as young Max in Space Camp. Of the trademark youngsters that the filmmaker adds to his pictures, one of the infamous Culkin's, Rory to be exact, will give that extra punch to an already powerful film.

For more information, and to kill a good hour or so out of your day, you really need to visit the official web site for Signs (there are actually two, but there is no reason to post the older url):

http://signs.movie.com/

This site continues to evolve, and one of the more true interactive flash movie web sites around. This is one that you'll need to keep returning to as the movie approaches release date, since there are hidden codes that unlock more video clips than the more-teaser-than-trailer that was shown during the Super Bowl (groan, what happened to my Rams!?!?). Of course, I already figured out how to get those clips without codes, but hey ... I've been in this game a looong time. Anyway, half the fun is the process, and far be it for me to spoil the blast you'll have with their homepage. And if you missed the trailer during the Super Bowl, it's available in it's many forms on their site.

And there is even a really cool unofficial web site dedicated to the upcoming film you should check out here:

http://www.signsmovie.co.uk/

Now, you'll hear and read a lot of "spoilers" regarding the spiritual meanings behind this story, but don't let these rather benign tid bits of info sway your early impressions of this movie. Keep in mind how The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable thrill-coasters played out ... and the gut-wrentching realizations the endings provided just before fate played her hand for-the-best at the end. I think I know what the movie will dish out, but in case I'm wrong or spoil it for others if I am correct, I'll keep it to myself.

Release Date: August 2nd, 2002 (one site countdowns to the 20th, go figure)