M Night Syamalan

[JayKeeley]

Which is your fave and why?

EDIT: Of course, I would misspell his name wouldn't I?

Halling, Salling, Falling.

 

[NAD]

M Night Samiam? What?

I think I'm going with Signs, because unlike damn near everyone else I talked to, I loved that movie. Even the opening credits of that movie kicked ass.

I actually didn't like Unbreakable after seeing it in the theatre, but each time I thought about it afterwards I liked it more and more. Still haven't seen it a second time though.

 

[JayKeeley]

Unbreakable gets better with each viewing. I thought it was so-so the first time, and by the third time, I thought it was better than Sixth Sense.

Sixth Sense is a great one-time movie. You can't see it more than once.

But guess what? My vote goes for Signs too. Joaquin Phoenix is very cool in pretty much anything he does, and I just liked the way it fell together. Sure, a few loop holes here or there, but otherwise they pretty much captured what it would feel like to be invaded by little green men.

 

[NAD]

Everyone I knew who saw Signs bitched about it, especially the ending. I loved it because it was a great way of showing a family overcoming adversity, no matter how absurd the idea really was (or was it?). Even if Mel Gibson did turn back to organized relgion at the end.

Actually, Maddox has a pretty hilarious write-up on the movie, regardless of whether I disagree with him or not:

http://maddox.xmission.com/signs.html

 

[JayKeeley]

Everyone I knew who saw Signs bitched about it, especially the ending.

Well, people complained that these aliens could design ships to travel light years out in space, and yet couldn't break their way into a wooden shack. Also, people complained that he gave away too much by showing the alien (the anti-Ridley Scott masterful recipe), but he had to do that in order to fulfill the "swing away" punchline.

EDIT: I just clicked on the Maddox link. What a dull cunt.

 

[Demonspell]

I'm the overrated vote...while most people agree that the War of the Worlds ripoff ending of Signs sucks, I wasn't too impressed with The Sixth Sense either. I remember reading a comment in a film magazine: 'So in all the time he spent treating the spooky manchild, he never thought of starting a conversation with someone else?"

 

[J.]

Unbreakable, hands down. My favorite movie. A fascinating movie all around. A lot of people find it slow and boring, but then again, these people probably like Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion.

Sixth Sense sucked. I guessed the major twist (what a joke) before the end.

Signs was real good, but it baffles me that so many people didn't like the ending simply because they don't agree with the ideology.

 

[bloodfiredeath]

I thought Sixth Sense was very mediocre and I didn't understand the hype. Moreso that I didn't bother seeing Unbreakable at first. When I finally saw it, I was shocked how much I loved it. I thougt Signs was dreadful.

So... Unbreakable, easily.

 

[NAD]

Signs was real good, but it baffles me that so many people didn't like the ending simply because they don't agree with the ideology.

I thought people didn't like it because the aliens were easy to kill. I was joking about the going back to organized religion bit, I actually thought that really sealed up the ending perfectly.

 

[jimbobhickville]

I love all three movies, but Sixth Sense is still my favorite I think. Still, hard to choose between it and Unbreakable. Signs wasn't about the aliens, people need to realize that. The aliens were merely a plot device.

 

[J.]

I thought people didn't like it because the aliens were easy to kill.

WHat the hell did they want? The Predator?

 

[Black Winter Day]

what kind of asshole has a middle name "night"? how shitty...

 

[NAD]

what kind of asshole has a middle name "night"? how shitty...

Yer just jealous because yer middle name is Proinsias.

 

[ChiefB]

My vote goes to Unbreakable.

A comic book that pefectly translates onto the silver screen telling the story of an imperfect being looking for his opposite - a perfect being. This simple theme widens its focus and looks at the personification of both good and evil which in this case has the imperfect being exacting evil deeds in order to seek out his opposite. If you think about it, the actual end of the movie is the start of something so much bigger - the true battle battle between Good Vs Evil.

The Sixth Sense is a classic film. Signs is very good (after watching it a couple of times) but the Mel Gibson character is badly rendered especially when he finds his faith. This is a huge character change and one in which the film asks that audience to make a 'leap of faith', one that I simply don't buy.

 

[J.]

My vote goes to Unbreakable.

A comic book that pefectly translates onto the silver screen telling the story of an imperfect being looking for his opposite - a perfect being. This simple theme widens its focus and looks at the personification of both good and evil which in this case has the imperfect being exacting evil deeds in order to seek out his opposite. If you think about it, the actual end of the movie is the start of something so much bigger - the true battle battle between Good Vs Evil.

Well put. Did you know that Shyamalan planned to have two Sequels to Unbreakable? However, it probably will not happen due to the fact that Unbreakable didn't garner the cash that Sixth Sense or Signs did. And all because American audiences are too damn fickle to sit through a well thought-out movie, instead of a no-brainer like SIxth Sense.

It really amazes me how everyone was surprised to find that Bruce Willis was dead at the end of 6th Sense. HELLO? HE WASN'T TALKING TO ANYBODY!!!!!!!

Anyway, I really hope Shyamalan at least considers doing the two sequels.

The Sixth Sense is a classic film. Signs is very good (after watching it a couple of times) but the Mel Gibson character is badly rendered especially when he finds his faith. This is a huge character change and one in which the film asks that audience to make a 'leap of faith', one that I simply don't buy.

This is what I was speaking of when I mentioned the reason a lot of people didn't like Signs. It is not a huge character change. he was a minister/priest/what have you before his wife died. He then lost his faith after his wife died, because of the "God took her away, what a bastard" cliche. At the end, he regains his faith because he finds that "there is someone watching over us" and "everything happens for a reason". So it's really not a drastic character change, but simply an evolution of his character. A "leap of faith" is exactly what it is. And one that worked quite well.

 

[JayKeeley]

Bump.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Sixth Sense is a great one-time movie. You can't see it more than once.

I loved Sixth Sense, but this is absolutely correct. I also loved Signs and thought it was vastly undeserving of some of the criticisms lobbed at it.

Never seen Unbreakable, so I can't comment, but it seems like a cool concept.

 

[JayKeeley]

If I went back to vote in this poll again, I would change my vote to Unbreakable. Although I like all three, it is Unbreakable that really does rule them all. If anything, it has the most replay value in that you're always noticing new aspects, twists, and angles each time you see it (including the relationship between Bruce and Samuel Jackson, his son, and his wife), whereas Sixth Sense and Signs are both 'one hit wonders'. Unbreakable is a solid character study that relies less on ghosts and aliens, and more on the spectrum of human relationships.

 

[J.]

Yep, Unbreakable is still my favorite movie ever.

 

[ChiefB]

Unbreakable is a solid character study that relies less on ghosts and aliens, and more on the spectrum of human relationships.

This is the exact reason why I adore this film. And to take the point further, those relationships are explored against a canvas set within a comic book genre.

I read that Unbreakable was considered a flop at the box office. I bet that too many 'Mall Rats' couldn't figure out the movie.