M. Night

Written by Writer Dad on September 16, 2008 - View Comments
Categories: Movies

“Hold on, man.  We don’t go anywhere with “scary,” “spooky,” “haunted,” or “forbidden” in the title.”

~From Scooby-Doo

My daughter sometimes says, “Am I?” instead of, “Right?.”

Example: I’m really good at making jokes, am I?

This habit has faded; now it’s nearly gone.  I know she’s not your daughter, and so that’s probably pretty boring, but it’s relevant background so you know why I’m doing a post about, M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense.”

Last night at dinner…

Mia:  I’m good at finishing all my dinner, am I?

Me:  She hardly does that anymore.  I guess we won’t know when it’s the last time until we remember later.  Ramble, ramble, ramble…  

Daisy begins to clear the table…

Me:  I should do a post about “Am I.”

Daisy:  A post about M. Night.  Oh, I like that.  You could talk about “The Sixth Sense,” and how it totally got you.

Me:  I said, “Am I.”  I could do a post about how I’m really gonna miss it once Mia never says it again.

Daisy:  No words.

Me:  What?

Daisy:  It would be cute.  For maybe a sentence.  You should do a post about M. Night.

Upstairs, Writer Dad begins to write a post that is about neither “Am I” or M. Night…

Me:  I hate this post.

Voice inside me:  You should write about M. Night.  You could make it kind of funny if you start the post at dinner and tell the story about how Mia sometimes says, “Am I.”  

Me:  That’s kind of a stretch.

Voice inside me:  Well then hurry up, before you try their patience.

Onward.

It’s hard to believe that M. Night’s, “The Sixth Sense” came out almost ten years ago.  

1999 is my favorite year for movies.  Ever.  I could spend a week writing about the movies that year and I’d only be starting a category.  

Many of my favorite films came out in ’99.  Back then, Daisy and I were heading to the theater at least once a week.  I entered most movies with a bunch of background (anathema to a good time, I’ve since realized), so it was difficult to surprise me.

“The Sixth Sense” came from nowhere, and from no one in particular.

I’d seen the trailer (I used to gobble those like M&M’s), but didn’t think the movie looked particularly special.

Ooh, Bruce Willis is brooding…  BOO!

I was in the theater, opening night, watching a movie that felt a bit like the Twilight Zone, and a little like Hitchcock.  

Lots of red; I like.  Wow, this kid’s super good.  I knew he was going to say, “I see dead people,” and expected to see the fog to waft from his mouth, but the scene still gave me the chills.  

I’m swimming through the third act, which is surprisingly sharp, and the movie starts beating with this quiet, confident pulse.  Then, just before we fade to black, there’s that…

No way, you’ve gotta be kidding me, that didn’t just happen, because I always know the endings of movies and that wasn’t at all what I was expecting, and I think I need to go outside and buy myself another ticket so I can see the movie again, because I always know the endings of movies and that wasn’t at all what I was expecting….

moment.

I feel sorry for anyone who had that movie ruined for them, and bow to those who had it figured out.

I like M. Night.  A lot.  I hope he bounces back.  I’ve rooted for him (I’m the guy who liked the Village), but found myself making excuses for “Lady in Water,” and I’ve heard the “Happening” was a train wreck.

Still, I don’t think the guy’s finished.  I don’t even think he’s come close to his best movie.  

He probably just needs to remember what it was like to be hungry.

What’s your favorite movie of 1999?  

Writer Dad

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  • Writer Dad
    KittyTown: Oh yeah. Totally remember. Why'd you watch Lady in Water. Didn't you hate it ahead of time?
  • kittytown
    Okay, not precisely the Messiah, but it was inferred. More like the literary John Connor. In Lady In The Water.
  • Writer Dad
    Kittytown: When did he play the Messiah? Am I dim?
  • kittytown
    How can you defend a man who made a movie where he himself played the Messiah?
    M. Night is like the Billy Joel of movies.
  • Writer Dad
    Michael: That's what makes the movie more than a gimmick. It has no seems. I only saw the first Resident Evil, but I agree, it was the perfect kind of bad. I liked when the laser beams chopped that guy into chunks.
  • @Writer Dad - Hmm... I'll take your word for it. I only saw it once. I was really looking forward to The Happening: it looked sooo promising. I do take reviews into consideration, even though I tend to like films others don't, and sometimes I like films because they're bad... in the right way, like with the Resident Evil movies (I love those).

    Michael Martines last blog post..Remarkablogger Manifesto: What Do You Stand For?
  • Writer Dad
    Glad: Both of my children say, "Next day," instead of tomorrow. I will be so sad when they stop.

    Rosie: How about his other endings; did you guess those before you got there? Sixth Sense is the only time he got me.

    Rita: No offense, but you deserved the couch for that one.

    Michael: I hear what you're saying about the Sixth Sense, but if you watch it closely, there are no mistakes. Bruce Willis is never around when anybody else is, he only catches the kid alone. It works well, because it's unbelievably tight.

    J.D.: I felt danced with.

    Jim: Yes you are, and thanks for making me smile.
  • Very good post. Some force pulled me to it...

    I'm better for reading it, am I?

    ~ Jim
  • Wham. I love that feeling you get when you suddenly put the puzzle together -- and you're right there feeling the full impact, just like the director planned. Powerful stuff.

    J.D. Meiers last blog post..SIGN - The 4 Signs of a Strength
  • OK, Sixth Sense was massively creepy in a way nobody had done for a long time, so props for that, but... the impossibility of the Willis and the kid going through that much stuff without even once somebody (like, um, I dunno, the kid's mother?) saying, "Who the hell are you TALKING to?" kinda got to me.

    I loved the Village and Lady in the Water. Especially Lady in the Water, because it was such a modern day myth. It was unapologetic and apocalyptic fantasy. Giamati was just freakin' amazing.

    I don't think I'll see Happening until it comes out on video, am I? :)
  • Writer Dad,
    It took me a long time to figure out "the Sixth Sence." I figures it out as soon as Rene Zallweiger said "You had me at hello." No, wait, wrong movie...I had it figured out the first scene after the kid said "I see dead people," and next scene, Bruce Willis was there. I made THAT mistake - whispered to my husband ("Bruce Willis is dead"). Somebody got the couch that night, and it wasn't HIM!

    Still, it was a good movie.

    Rita
  • Sixth Sense was the only M. Night movie I've seen. I tend to stay away from scary/freaky movies. I watched so many as a teenager, and now I don't like them much.

    Hubby had seen the Sixth Sense at the movies, and he rented it for us one night. He said:"You'll *never* guess the ending." You see, it is almost a game for us. I have voraciously read books, and particularly loved mysteries all my life. Hubby gets very annoyed because either I give a way better twist to movies, or I guess those really weird endings. If the author/moviemaker puts a few hints along the way, anyone can guess. But, I have to admit, the Sixth Sense took longer to guess than a regular movie. It was brilliantly done. :)
  • I love your post and I love M. Night.

    I loved "Signs" - and every time I watch it, I like it more. I liked "Unbreakable", even though I had to watch it twice to get it. I was the one person who liked "Lady and the Water" and "The Villiage". And like you, I was so impressed when I realized he "got me" in "Sixth Sense" because I figure movies out, too.

    Loved you "Am I?" tie in. My son used to say "next morning" in place of tomorrow. For example, "Are we going to school next morning?"

    It was precious.

    Glad Doggetts last blog post..Ray of light
  • Writer Dad
    Dee: I'm very glad to have you. Stunning is the perfect adjective. Thank you.

    Blogger Dad: P.T. Anderson is in my top five. The guy can make a movie. It is magical, nothing else like it. He said in an interview, about a year ago, that he didn't think he'd ever be able to top it. That's bullocks, I think. What did you think of "There Will be Blood?"

    Benjamin: '99 was so good, I don't know if I could trim it down to ten, though after today, I'm kind of inspired to try.
  • Hey WD, I'm a bit of a fan of M. Night's stuff too, especially The Village, though don't know movies well enough to be able to say which ones were in 1999 and which one was my favourite. Though I can certainly say movies around those years were more likely to be decent that the movies lately.
  • Obviously, I meant talk, not take. Should probably proofread my comments PRIOR to hitting "Submit".

    Blogger Dads last blog post..Friday Funnies Sept. 12, 2008
  • Magnolia! Wow, we COULD take movies for hours. I LOVED, LOVED, repeat LOVED Magnolia! I saw it in a theater, first show (noon) on opening day, to be specific. That movie is nothing short of magical from start to finish.

    Unfortunately, I made the mistake of buying a jumbo Diet Coke, not realizing how long the movie was. Without giving anything away, let's just say I felt a lot like the kid on the game show.

    Another great movie to add to your list, if you've not seen it yet - 1990's Avalon.

    Blogger Dads last blog post..Friday Funnies Sept. 12, 2008
  • Dee
    Yes - found you through Copyblogger
    Yes - loved sixth Sense and NO - hadn't worked it out until the end which was stunning.
    Yes - have subscribed.

    You are indeed a writer new friend!
  • Writer Dad
    Luis: If you don't know the end of The Sixth Sense, then you need to watch it this weekend. Download it off itunes if you must. It's really good, and you won't regret it.

    Beth: I'm laughing with you, not at you. I loved what Chris said too; it might've been my favorite comment so far today. And I love what you said about Tarantino. He's definitely one of my all time faves.

    Ellen: He is a groovy director. Have you seen Magnolia? That came out that year.
  • I loved that movie Writer Dad! I should buy it some time. I rarely buy movies, just my favorites.

    I think M. Night is a groovy director. I'm sure he's not washed up.

    I can't think of anything from 1999. Besides the song from the X known as Prince. But oh yeah, he switched back again.

    Ellen Wilsons last blog post..Clean the Toilet and Become a Writer
  • Chris, that was just brilliant. It made me wish I'd thought of it.

    James Wind, if it's your friend's job to be a movie critic, he probably can't help comparing it to other movies. That can be a source of great fun, though, to see how one director has reinvented the works of another. A lot of the fun of Tarantino is seeing what he's done with the genre he's currently infatuated with.

    WriterDad--I don't know if I can! Seriously, Sixth Sense kept me up at night for weeks. It's embarrassing but true. But I do want to see it again.

    Beths last blog post..Chocolates for Breakfast
  • Writer Dad,

    It may sound like I've been living under a rock, but I haven't seen The Sixth Sense.

    I feel lost --- kind of.

    I should rent it.

    Netflix here I come.

    Wait, who rents movies anymore?

    Gees, I need to get out more.

    Luis Grosss last blog post..StumbleUpon Do’s and Dont’s
  • Writer Dad
    James: You're right. Expectations play a HUGE role in how we feel about a movie. Had I seen Lady in Water first, I might have a totally different outlook on it. I know there have been countless movies that I haven't enjoyed near as much as I'd like to, simply because I haven't kept my expectations in check. I often enjoy a movie the second time through for this very reason.

    Superk: Thank you, I surely will.

    Tara: M. Night is suffering from the law of diminishing returns. Yes, we have bonded over Iron Giant once before (we actually watched that again this weekend... so awesome!) All of your picks for '99 are awesome. It is difficult to argue the supremacy of the Matrix.

    Stacey: Thanks for taking the time to not only comment, but to look up the movies of '99. Wow. Analyze this, is very funny.
  • I, too, loved The Sixth Sense and was very surprised by the ending - I hadn't figured it out. Remembering movies/years is not a strength of mine, so I just googled "movies of 1999" and found a list, so I will add Analyze This as one of my favorites from that year.
  • I loved Sixth Sense and totally didn't see it coming either. And I love it even more for that. I thought Bruce Willis was great in it.
    I thought he was great in Unbreakable, which I have to agree with Blogger Dad was a great superhero movie. I know a lot of people hated it but I thought it was beautifully conceived.

    However. I thought Signs was an absolute abomination. Great build up and then the pay off - purrrlease! The Village, hmm Ok, I kinda liked it. The idea was great but just too many plot holes.
    Everything he's done ever since, utter pants. I go in hoping for the best, thinking to myself this is the man who brought us Sixth Sense, who gave you a real excitement about movies again.
    But no, fails every time. And then I saw a couple of interviews with him and I like him even less! Head the size of something very large.

    But fav film of 99? Hmm, could be Iron Giant (which we've bonded over before, I think!), or The Matrix for pure boxoffice fun, or Run Lola Run for ingenuity, or Fight Club for Ed Norton, or . . . No, I can't pick.

    Tara@From Dawn Till Rusks last blog post..Check your sanity in at the front door and join the party
  • Good post Sean!

    Just read your post on Copyblogger and was intrigued by your writing. You really ha ve a knack for it, keep it up!

    superks last blog post..Vu d'ici de Mathieu Arsenault... au théâtre
  • James Wind
    Hmm.. I liked Signs, The Village and even The Lady in the Water. Maybe this post should have been about expectations.

    I have a friend who is a movie critic. He rarely enjoys movies. Primarily because he goes in with pre-existing expectations of what the movie should be about. As he watches it he is constantly comparing it to other movies, typically movies he sees as great.

    "Oh, this is just like XXX. Oh, they did that in XXXX. Oh, the acting isnt as good as XXXX. Oh, the story line isnt has good as XXXX."

    Its maddening. He cant seem to clear his mind and just watch each film and judge it based on its own merits. The Lady in the Water is a perfect example.

    Taken alone, with no expectations it was a pretty good movie. I rarely shed a tear but the ending had me dripping like a leaky faucet. I've watched it a couple times on HBO and rented it once on NetFlix.

    Someone else might think.. "well the ending was expected. Its a M.Night movie so it should have been surprising, it should have been a greater twist. The ending wasn't as good as The Sixth Sense."

    Thats just like life. People are always comparing themselves and their lives to some ideal notion of what life should be like instead of just taking each moment on its own merit. People would be much happier if they didnt have such unrealistic expectations for themselves (and their movies).
  • Writer Dad
    Motivate Thyself: I'm hoping that he takes the criticism, and the box office beating, and comes back with something that makes us all way "WOW " again. It should've happened after the village, it really should've happened after Lady in Water. I'll be disappointed if it doesn't happen now.

    Dereck: You are welcome. I wish I could do more.

    Hayden: There's something to be said for slow and steady. Too big, too fast, seems to be quite the ruiner.

    Steph: Lady in the Water was good, but with M. Night, I want great. Maybe I'm greedy, but when I know what someone is capable of, I expect them to rise.

    Kyddryn: Good on you for unraveling The Sixth Sense. I loved everything about it, even the ending, and even though I knew it midway through the first act. You're not a lazy sod; you have excellent taste.

    Graham: '99 was the best. I never caught End of Days, but it looked abysmal. Eyes Wide Shut is not a good film, but it does have some gorgeous sequences. The Talented Mr. Ripley I liked, but didn't love. Being John Malkovich, I adored (sorry. it caught me at the right place at the right time). American Beauty and Fight Club, perfect.

    Friar: Unbreakable was 2001. Also awesome.

    Mark Salinas: Glad to have you.

    Sal: Short Circuit 2 was 1988. Try the Matrix. It's much better.

    Beth: If you can hold your breath, try it again. It's a good movie the first time through, but it gets amazing on the second. Knowing what you know, then witnessing the perfect craftsmanship is a joy for a film lover.

    Vered: I agree with you, a hundred percent. It's funny because I correct my children's words all the time. I want that to have great vocabulary, and I love that they're articulate, but there are definitely the little phrases I let slip through the cracks because I so selfishly enjoy them.

    Bamboo: I'm foggy lately, but from '94 to '2004, I could definitely identify a movie with a year. I don't know if there hasn't been another year as good as '99, or if I no longer have the time to find out, but it was really, really good.

    Blogger Dad: I've seen them all on opening day as well. Even Lady in Water, and that was after my theater experiences had been reduced to a handful a year. I'm excited to see what he has next. I have faith it will be good. Blogger Dad, I get the feeling we could talk flix for hours.

    Nicole: Yay! Thanks for commenting. Never be shy; it's fun down here, below the Writer Dad equator. I'm going to say he's going to hit the next one out of the ballpark. Spielberg bounced back from "Hook" with the two for one of Schindler's List and Jurassic Park. If there's an artist inside him, and I believe there is, then he's probably hungry.

    Chris: You made me laugh out loud. That's not only a great compliment, but highly original. Thank you. It'll stay with me all day.
  • I see blogging people, they are everywhere. They talk about everything and anything under the sun. They are pretty nice and cool most of the time. Some however, talk about the same crap over and over again but some give you a fresh look everyday, like Writer Dad. Maybe he doesn't know that he's a blogger...
  • Score. You not only kept my interest, but prompted me to comment for the first time since I started reading. :)

    I'm right there with you on M. Night. I watch Signs all the time. The Sixth Sense surprised me (but some movies do), so did Unbreakable. I liked The Village. Actually bought it and watch it once in awhile.

    Lady in the Water I bought before seeing. Mistake. I barely made it through watching it once. I was disheartened, but I had heard it was sort of a pet project, and I know those can go awry. So I gave The Happening a chance. It was... OK. Better than "Lady", so he's headed back in the right direction.

    Nicole Brunets last blog post..Mum & Dad go boating
  • Wow, someone else who still likes M. Night. I LOVE his movies. I saw each of them in the theaters on opening day (except for the last one, because I wasn't able to go that day). Yes, even The Sixth Sense.

    I loved Sixth Sense (my favorite movie that year hands down), Unbreakable was a superhero movie the way they OUGHT to be made, The Village was an incredible story (which completely falls in line with my thoughts on the pitfalls with certain organized religions), I LOVED Signs and the way it worked a familiar story in a personal way, I thought Lady in the Water was a beautifully (if not a bit goofy) story which was indeed a fairytale.

    As for the last movie, The Happening. I enjoyed it. However, something didn't ring true. I won't go into detail so as not to spoil the movie. It just didn't click in the same way.

    However, I am in no way writing M. Night off. All the bandwagoners can move on to the next hot writer/director/etc...

    I still believe in M. Night.

    Blogger Dads last blog post..Friday Funnies Sept. 12, 2008
  • I don't know what my favorite movie is in 1999. But I find it interesting that this year stood out to you. That really means you're very cognizant of the movies that come out each year, which is a testimony to your love of them.

    Bamboo Forests last blog post..A Little About Me
  • I'm not enough of a movie lover to answer your question, but wanted to say that when they start speaking correctly, when they stop making those endearing mistakes... it's sad. Not even bittersweet. Just, sad.

    Vered - MomGrinds last blog post..Hate Mail: Apparently, I’m a Bad Mom
  • I liked The Village too. Sixth Sense was a milestone, but I can't watch it again because ghost stories scare me too much. When the kid was in the bathroom and that lady walked behind him down the hall, I shrieked and my husband laughed at me.

    He had it figured out too. I'm glad I didn't--it would have spoiled it for me.

    My favorite movies are usually old ones, like The Seventh Seal or Days of Wine and Roses. Most movies today are so unsubtle. Another favorite is The Princess Bride. If Graham Strong hadn't posted a list of movies that came out that year, I wouldn't have been able to remember any. I still haven't seen Mr. Ripley--I'd like to.

    Beths last blog post..MonHaibun: Observer
  • Sal
    See, this is where I have a slight problem. I don't even know how old I was in 99 without doing the math, much less remember the movies that came out that year. So, I am going to have to say....Short Circuit 2?

    Sals last blog post..A Man's Gotta Do....
  • Great post! First time here!

    Mark Salinass last blog post..Music and Health by Andrea May
  • Oh, Man, I suddenly realize I've gotten old enough, that I can't keep track of the years.

    Did that movie come out in 1999? Or 2001? I dunno...it's roughly around the same time.

    But I do remember, at least, that it was a "talkie". :-D

    Village was okay. I didnt' mind it. I really liked the Sixth Sense.

    Friars last blog post..Motivating Yourself with More Inspirational Quotes
  • Wow. I had to go back to find out what movies came out in 1999 to remember my favourites. I didn't realize how many good movies came out that year!

    Favourites: American Beauty, Fight Club, Runaway Bride, Notting Hill
    Worst: End of Days, Eyes Wide Shut, The Talented Mr. Ripley (I know, a controversial pick...)
    Biggest Disappointments: Being John Malkovich, Star Wars, Random Hearts

    There are others I liked too -- I'll always have a soft spot for Austin Powers -- but as you said, great year for movies!

    ~Graham
  • I liked Sixth Sense, but I'm afraid I had it figured out early on. Didn't keep me from enjoying it, though.

    I think we may be the two people on the planet who liked The Village. The young woman who played Ivy was brilliant, wasn't she?

    The evening of the day I saw it (I try to attend matinees since I don't like funding my entertainment with a car payment), I purchased the soundtrack - the viola was especially evocative, and almost from the first of the movie, I knew I wanted that music to carry with me.

    I haven't seen anything else he's produced - it just hasn't caught my interest. I DO hope he bounces back from this latest film disaster - apparently he was aiming for a "b" movie and may have been rather more successful at being awful than he intended.

    Shade and Sweetwater,
    K (Who should be running errands right now, but instead is reading Writer Dad)(Oh, and...yeah, that's why I didn't do laundry yesterday - totally Writer dad's doing)(OK, no it's not...I'm a lazy sod. Sigh)

    Kyddryns last blog post..You May Be Spending Too Much Time Online When...
  • Oh man!! I loved Lady in the Water!! It had such short-story quality...oh! I'm a fan of M. Night!

    stephs last blog post..Thoughts on a Friday Afternoon
  • Hayden Tompkins
    Apparently, he is a big egomaniac. I wish both he and Kanye West would humble down so I could fully enjoy what they create.

    Hayden Tompkinss last blog post..How to Escape a Vampire
  • I completely agree with your sentiment. The Sixth Sense was fabulous. It will take a lot of failure after that before I could declare him dead and gone.

    And thank you Writer Dad...

    Dereck Coatneys last blog post..Writer Dad Enters the Ring
  • This is a great post! There's humor with humanity and some great insight into a subjects that we all can relate to and enjoy.

    I too am a fan of M. Night and liked the Village. I think you hit the nail on the head, though. He's forgotten his 'Unknown' director status where he could surprise everyone with his fresh perspective and excellent ability to create an atmosphere that we were all so quickly and completely drawn to.

    I'm afraid that this part of him may be gone for good as it's hard to 'un-become' a famous director. But I think he will mature into something even better as he re-finds his voice.

    "Motivate Thyself"s last blog post..Finally Got My Contact Form Working Again…
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