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Harry says, 'This Ain't HAPPENING'
Wow. I'm M Night's undying supporter and fan. When the script for THE HAPPENING leaked everywhere - the online world hated it, but I read it and dreamt of the best version of the tale. A movie about the environment shrugging off the nasty parasites known as man. Nature conspiring to reduce our numbers to such a degree that we no longer posed a threat. It reminded me of classic films like NO BLADE OF GRASS - a film of atmosphere, sadness and a degree of melancholy. The scenes in the script of death were brutal. He even had children killing themselves - and it was horrifying. The weight of seeing that felt earnest and real. He cast the film with actors I like... scratch that, I love Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel. It was looking to me like another case of bitter M Night haters pissing on another wonderful film... Until I saw the movie. Jesus, God... What went wrong? Just about everything - and on an M Night film - Everything is upon his shoulders. M Night is one of my favorite modern directors, and I really don't understand what happened here. This isn't merely an off film - but an incompetently shot and directed film. In a film where death could be on every change in the wind... How is it that he created no tension. No fear. No sense of doom. No atmosphere. This is the day where mankind is dying. First - he limits the horror. Scaling it to just the East Coast. He allows communication to continue - via Radio, Television, iPhones, etc. This should have been a Global happening - where the characters have no place to run to. No chill zone. No rescue centers. No attempt to find an army supply store for Gas Masks. No attempt to hit a scuba shop for Oxygen equipment - to cut one's self off from the natural air. There's just endless exposition with little sense of how to survive. But let's leave that behind. I feel the script and this cast could have made a great film called THE HAPPENING - just not with this particular version of this director. There are scenes, so clumsily directed - that you can imagine that the characters are walking to marks, where they were instructed to turn and look at one another and cleanly deliver the immaculate dialogue that was prepared for them. There's no life. No realism or naturalness to the scenes. It really is amateur hour for these professionals - and it's kinda grotesque to watch. Seriously. Then there's James Newton Howard's score - there's no menace, nothing to ramp up the sensations one should be feeling throughout the film. With an unseen terror, SCORE is incredibly important. Whatever was HAPPENING - should have been HAPPENING musically. The film is terrible. That said - there is an entertainment value in its awfulness. This may become a film that folks MST3K.... no, no may about it, it will happen. The film as is, is ridiculously incompetent. So much so, that poor Wahlberg and Zooey - they're left humiliated by how they were directed. And the actors they're matched with... like that Nursery couple - with the guy that loves Hot Dogs. MY GOD - I couldn't help but snicker at everything that character did. He was beyond awful. And his epiphanies... ya know, I wonder - was he the M Night character for the film? Cuz he apparently had a direct line to what was HAPPENING - even though it certainly wasn't Happening for us. This is a film that would be best served by a remake in 15 years by somebody that understands the Hitchcockian rules of suspense. Something I thought M Night might have understood - but if he does - he exhibited none of that knowledge here. Even the big DEATH scenes are robbed of all weight - as they're just images - it isn't happening to anyone that has been built as characters. If you want to see a truly great film about a mass incident happening to society. If you want to see a brilliant version of a one day, the world went insane. Watch THE SIGNAL, which just recently hit Blu Ray and DVD. It is stunningly brilliant. With all the acting and poignancy that seems to have been out of reach for everyone involved in THE HAPPENING.
Readers Talkback
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...Harry's got some bite back
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Love M. Night, love Marky Mark, felt like I missed something after seeing this, like I did't get it.
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Isn't that one of the first signs of the apocalypse?
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that I'm second. That review could have been more detailed Harry but I'm sure you don't want to give your friend the full thrashing that many believe he deserves.
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Now for M Night's latest "epic". Much like Signs, he takes a global or large reaching phenomenon, and scales it down to a personal level, and how it affects a small group of people. That, in of itself, is not a problem. It's the characters he's focusing on that is. Mark Wahlburg is in passive "whats-going-on?" mode, much as he was in Planet Of the Apes. Zooey D's line readings were as if she were from another planet. Not "oh, shes in shock", but as if she was from another fucking planet. Their big marital rift was caused by her going out for dessert ( tiramisu, specifically ) with a co-worker, and not telling him. He responds by telling her that met a really pretty pharmacist at a drug store, and was going to buy some cough syrup, even though he didn't need any, blah, blah blah...she asks if he's kidding..and he is. And she thanks him. WTF? While outside of a house, trying to convince those inside that it's safe and he's not affected by the "toxins", Wahlburg breaks into song...WTF?? (I'd shoot him in mid verse) While in an abandoned house, Wahlburg starts talking to a house plant, assuring it that they're just stopping by to use the bathroom. Then realizes its plastic. WTF??? The characters don't act like real people, or even "movie" people, or at least any movie you've seen before. And nope, haven't mentioned "Mr. Hot Dog", who seemed to have it all figured out. The ending is like a 21st Century version of The Blob, with a The End credit followed by a giant question mark (...or is it?????...) The beginning had some nice sense of mood and dread, but that fell aside quickly as soon as the story progressed. It does have the makings of a future drinking game on video. Maybe take a shot everytime Wahlburg has a constipated "wha-the-fhuu" look on his face. Of course, you'd be passed out by the end credits.<p><p>...because I feel the exact same as Harry.
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I think you're still reeling from Love Guru. The Happening sure as hell isn't perfect by anyone's standards, but it sounds to me that you were so in love with your own mental image that you got from the script that you just plain didn't want to see someone elses version of the story. <p> For a start, most natural disasters are localised. Sorry it wasn't I am Legend 2 but that's a nitpicky personal gripe right there. Also as to the gas-masks and scuba gear, the film showed very clearly that they had no clue what was going on until they had already hit the countryside.<p> As to the deaths being meaningless I disagree completely. Some were, yes, but the Tree/Glass event(for spoiler's sake) was particularly effective in my eyes. It's a very flawed film but nowhere near the pig-fuck you're implying. so for all our sakes get off the hyperbole pills and try to contain your own wants while you review something.
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Out of...what? 5 or 6 movies that I've seen of his? Lady in the Water was actually worse than The Village which is quite a feat. Plus I can't stand egotistical fucks like Shamalyan that think they're God's gift to cinema. He hasn't earned his ego, yet he goes on like he's the next Spielberg. Stupid overrated twat hack needs to learn some humility.
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have to give any money back after writing this review?
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That movie had humor, horror AND style.
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I thought it was a great film with bad "actors."
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You should take your own advice.
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I booted it out of the DVD player about an hour in. Do I have to go back and revisit it for the sake of completeness? Unfortunately, it's looking more and more that SIXTH SENSE and UNBREAKABLE were more luck than judgment. Maybe he should consult Walter B more often. Come on, M Night; don't be Ellis.
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If there is a weakness it's in the acting. Night can get good performances from actual actors, but look at what he was dealing with here. A one-hit wonder white rapper, an unproven and vapid young actress, a little girl who is not Abigail Breslin, and Toulouse-Latrec. Give Night a break. the movie was pretty good under the circumstances.
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Judging by some of the behavior in Signs and Unbreakable I'd say yes. But after watching Lady in the Water and hearing about The Happening (I'll Netflix it in a couple months) I'm beginning to wonder if he's lost complete touch with human behavior. There isn't an ounce of truth to the characters in Lady in the Water, they worked to function for the gimmicks of the story but little else. It's as if he regressed to making pretentious student films from college. Big ideas but little know-how. I'm willing to bet anyone on this site can mention at least a few student films that were presented with the same pretentious, pompous attitude that Shyamalan puts into his latest work.
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I really wanted it to be good too. Did anyone spot M Night's cameo? I didn't see him. I started to wonder if he thought the movie was too bad to put his face in.
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His views mean nothing.
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Ebert also liked Garfield 2 and Tomb Raider 2.
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Harry, you're absolutely right here. The Happening was absolute garbage and I too, defended Night's script online. I think he's brilliant, but his keeps getting worse and worse. This one wasted a great premise and might've been even worse than Lady in the Water, with the worst acting I've seen since Showgirls. So Harry, which did you hate more? Love Guru or Happening? And while our opinions align on this one, I can't believe you're still shilling for The Signal. Now that movie fucking sucked! The first half hour was "brilliant," as you say, but the last hour was excruciatingly, eye-rollingly painful. If I was that first director I would never work with the other two guys again. They completely ruined what could've been a really cool movie. What is it with the horror "satires" these days that pretend to comment on society. Fuck that noise. The Signal and Hatchet both pretty much sucked. But to each his own, I suppose.
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Didn't you find it strange that ALL of the actors were acting the same?? That's cause they were directed to act that way.
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What a wonderful AND HONEST review. If you liked this one, I would finally disown! I will drink your milkshake!!
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I think that since he's been supporting shalamalamadingdong for so long that he really wanted this to be good. Quite frankly I did too, so I can understand. And whether he didn't get what he wanted after reading the script, it still was a bad movie.
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Please keep up the honest reviews. This is really great. I can't believe you disliked two movies... in the same day! Used to be every movie you saw was the second coming of Elvis. Your newfound critical candor is refreshing . Keep it up!
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I really haven't laughed that much at the movies in awhile.
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Shyalabuffalan<Bay?
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and it was pitiful...and harry left out the most hilarious and obnoxious scene...the iphone bit with the zookeeper and the lion...if i was the guys who make those awful spooph movies, i would immediatly grab that scene, and instead of the lions and the zookeeper, i would stick in 2 girls one cup...btw, night of the living dead left the tv's and radios going, but there was only one tv, and the people werent travelling around...in this movie, no one is panicked, there isnt mass looting, you never see anyone from the pentagon or the wh...just a bunch of really poorly directed tv talking heads...shamalamadingdong is a high priced uwe boll
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That's when Shyamalan's films really used to MEAN something man.
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joey, the fatal attraction....i hope he died really good
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The only good thing about The Signal was the bat shit crazy middle part of the movie (well 2/3s of the middle part) and the character Clark. Besides that the movie was lame and pretty forgettable. There were like at the most 4 characters in any one scene, and if they were on the street it was like 2 actors and then 2 other crazy people running in the streets, pretty far cry from feeling like any sort of mass incident went down.
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...is it where they keep throwing money at M. Night to make shitty movies and Terry Gilliam is constantly getting shit on... --G
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...and the black guy going nuts, killing people, that was good.
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he was comic relief. the b-movie feel was purposely done, at times. if it wasn't intentionally done, then it was indeed bad.
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Damn You Michael Bay
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You know, after reading this review, I am a little confused. Perhaps even slightly frustrated. I think that we saw the same film a little while back - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. You heaped praise on that film, even stated that it made you tear-up. I can understand that level of emotional investment in a franchise - I myself love the Die Hard series and have a profound appreciation for it. However, when the 4th came out last summer, I was completely bowled over by how inept it was as a Die hard film. I also think, equally, that Indiana Jones failed miserably as an Indiana Jones movie. I also think that those involved should have been embarassed by the finished product. I'm wondering how to scale your reviews after you hated The Happening so much, but LOVED Indiana Jones?
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Are the only people on earth who like Lady in the Water. I thought it was a great story. It was cheesy and totally outside the realm of possibility....but it reminded me of the completely ridiculous stories I was told as a kid that didn't need any basis in reality to be captivating. *shrug*
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We pretty much all hated it last week.
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No one has said it yet? NO ONE? MOAR LIKE TEH CRAPPENING, M I RITE? W00+!!!!
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People love to make jokes or even serious comments about MNS referring to his ethnic background - Bollywood, Bombay tech support. He was born in India and brought to the USA six weeks later. He was only born in India because his mother chose to give birth surrounded by family. He's an American, dipshits! Jokes are much funnier when they're based in reality - mock him for being a spoiled Indian-variation Cosby kid!
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And the thing that struck me was just how weird and off everyone's line readings were. Tonally it was all over the place. Seriously, most of the time Wahlberg sounds like he's in full on Dirk Diggler whiney-boy mode. And I actually thought Zoey's character was supposed to be like autistic or PTSD or something, that's how whacked out she is. I tried not to laugh when I saw the guy feed his arms to the lions, but it was so goofy I just started chuckling. A couple of cool scenes, though - when the jeep carrying John Leguizamo rams into the tree, it was pretty gruesome and startling. And the crazy old lady could have been a movie unto herself, she was pretty spooky. But in the end, running from the wind is just not scary. Not by a longshot.
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Damn, now that I think about it, you may be right. Which SUCKS!
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you missed the point of unbreakable...it was probably the best superhero origin film ever made...what if superman spends his entire life refusing to believe that he is superman...what would lex luthor do, knowing full well that his life isnt complete unless he is the arch villian to somebody...and bruce does indeed do more...he learns that he can read thoughts...and this was supposed to have a sequel, but he who is soon to be working at a call center in india, nixed the idea
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what did they hit the tree at? 40 mph? think anyone died? john whosyourmama, walks out without a scratch...the only cool part of that scene is who the driver is...
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Face it, he hasn't made a good movie with the exception of Sixth Sense. Unbreakable was slow and boring and just downright stupid. I know it has comic books in it, but it was still stupid. I especially like in the deleted scenes, he consistently says, this was one of the best scenes we filmed, but we cut it. Maybe if he left them in, it wouldn't have sucked!
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or didnt you know that part of the backing for this film came from india, and he has already said that he wants to do more films with indian companies...like we havent outsourced enuf shit to that country...well fuck him...fuck him and bobby jindal
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It's simple: Indy gets nostalgia props. Nostalgia props can be powerful enough to levitate a whole franchise revival above standard critical expectations. I believe this force is measured in units known as "Lucases" (or in Europe, Haydens)
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i definately get the idea that they were going for the b-movie vibe. a lot of the older movies i watch, i watch just because how silly they act during serious moments. i liked this film for those reasons. plus, mark wahlberg IS that whiney kid from boogie nights. that's just him when he's stressed. i think a lot more people will appreciate this further down the line as opposed to a week after it's been released.
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Night's "movie logic is lame" Bruce Willis realizes that he has never broken any bones, or been sick and he's... like 40 years old? He never thought of that before the plot told him too I guess. Night thinks his directing is so "magical and captivating" that the audience won't notice. Sorry, It aint.
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I was absolutely speechless at how bad it is. To be honest, I can't recommend enough that you see it, the dialogue and performances are so utterly appalling that it truly has to be seen to be believed. I was completely transfixed the whole time I was watching it, just because of the surreal Ed Wood style badness becoming goodness of it all.
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I saw this movie yesterday after reading Roger Ebert's favorable review and, while I don't agree with all of Rog's points, I did have a fun time watching it. It's very campy. The audience and I laughed quite a bit, sometimes at the movie, but sometimes with it. The acting is so strangely awkward and the direction is weird enough that I feel it's all deliberate. To what end, I'm not sure, but it does make for an interesting experience. The biggest problem for me was that I feel like the happening itself needed some rules I could understand which would have helped the tension. Not highly recommended, but I give it thumbs up just the same. I just don't know if the movie I saw is the one the director intended, but, essentially, that doesn't matter.
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They talk about it with all his films, man. It's like calling out Spielberg for being Jewish - he's done a couple Jewish-themed movies, but it doesn't dominate his work. Where the money comes from doesn't seem to have affected MNS's stories. That may be a bad thing. Anyway, that's my point. I'm done.
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Harry totally stole that from me! And i never saw the Happening.
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So badly. Every other time people have said his latest is crap, I've gone anyway and ended up loving it. But this time, I have a strange feeling in my gut. So sad. It's like finding out your favorite groupie is fucking a has-been.
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Is every review from now on going to be negative because you can't sit there with a giant tub of buttery popcorn and a coke anymore? (no offense)
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How else can you explain an honest review?
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June 19, 2008, 5:28 p.m. CST
The check for the Happening ads has already cleared
by Iowa Snot Client
...and Harry doesn't think M. Night will be making any more movies after this one, or at least be given an ad budget.
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Fox doesn't allow AICN into press screenings of their films. So I had to pay to see it Sunday night - after trying to see it twice, but screenings being sold out. <BR><BR>I was going to see it early via special arrangements that I had to engineer, but a friend came to town from London and my wife and I went out with a group instead.
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The Plants made them do it!!!
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...And anyone else who says it an honest review! So any good review is dishonest, and every bad review is honest!? Retards... I am sure there are plenty of movies he doesnt like, and thats why he doesnt write about them! But when he REALLY hates or REALLY loves a movie, he'll write a review.
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um - they advertised on AICN - which is shitloads better than freebies. But either way - its no guarantee of a good review. -- and Iowa Snot Client - I'll bet you see THE LAST AIRBENDER ads on aicn.
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made a bad "B" movie on purpose, or added totally goofy fucking line readings to be funny, do you remember the short clip he introduced a couple of weeks ago? He made mention of The Exorcist and The Godfather and classic films that made memorable impression. His intention was to make a movie in the league of those.<p>That this is what he believes reaches even half the level of those fims illustrates how deluded he has become. It's sad to see someone's ego totally wreck their career.
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Just saw this cinematic abortion. HOLY FUCK it's bad. The acting is a thumbtack to the taint. The dialog is like watching someone slap my grandmother. The direction is like jerking off with a cheese grater. The story reminds me of watching 19 pit bulls rape a kitten. The fucking Hot Dog stuff...The boom mic coming into view twice in one scene...the crazy old woman banging her face into glass...Seriously, WHAT IN THE FUCK is going on here? I would rather share a needle with Amy Winehouse than watch this piece of curried dog shit again. (Exhales)
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You know how it goes, but I find it hard to reconcile in myself the bipolar nature of most of Harry's reviews, he never finds much average, it's usually: <p>OH MY GOD MY BALLS BURST WITH HAPPY<p> or it's IT WAS SO BAD IT RAPED MY MOTHER AND LEFT HER PREGNANT WITH A NAZI SCORPION BABY!!<p> Frankly I think that Happening was a below average horror with a few decent moments and a lot of missed opportunity, howver Harry just seems to have done his usual and taken the fact it wasn't The next Godfather as some sort of personal insult. He needs to calm his ass down and start looking at WHAT WAS IN THE FILM, not what they left out, which only ever existed in his head.
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The Village was Shyamalan's response to 9/11.
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to offer his cinematic apologies on behalf of M. Night fuckin' Shyamalan? Surely, he will offer us all an excuse that reeks of catpiss.
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and invariably claim it as some way of nullifying my opinions, I rather enjoyed the Village as a character piece. The plot was clumsy and mishandled, but the acting and direction was top notch.
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Will we see some ads for Gone:The Motion Picture?
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I think that Lapband be squeezing the Geek too tight! <P>That's a couple of Blindingly Harsh Reviews there and I am Loving it! I always envied your ability to see the amazing in every movie you watched, actually maybee it was more down to you cherry picking the good ones to review but I like this new found Criticism!
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Good flick. A little uneven, although I imagine it was due to the multiple directors. I would say Transmission II is my favorite segment.<p> As for The Happening, I imagine I'll see it on DVD. Mrs. Skin likes M. Night for some reason.
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Marquis in NYC here. Watched it at the Union Square Theater where people laughed from beginning to end, then booed when the credits rolled. the LOUDEST boos you can imagine. I couldn't believe how terrible this film was. Is this the end of Shamylan's career? =0(
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Why would you want him to write about a movie that doesn't excite/dissappoint him to the point of orgasm/shitting his pants? <p> I like Harry's reviews due to the enthusiasm he shows wether he loves a movie or hates it with a passion. <p> He's stated before he only reviews the movies he's realluy interested in, so why is it a surprise that his opinions are 'exuberant'. Better that than having your brain turn slowly beige reading a review written by a guy from the Neutral Planet - "This movie had sound and pictures that moved. The End" <p> Boring!! Oh, and this sounds the drizzling shits.
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Very good review Harry. I was really surprised when your review for this didn't appear last week. Now I understand. I know you're a big fan of M Night but I really think he jumped the shark with SIGNS and has been going downhill since.<p><p>At least THE HAPPENING didn't have time travel.
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The following sentence made my day: "It all blew up and shit, then him and han and the big dog got some sweet medal at a big fancy masons hall and everyone clapped and leia looked happy". Thank you for kicking ass.
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that's been the most fun of M. Night's fall from grace- Moriarty destroying him.
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...The Signal wasn't that much better.
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grease those wheels baby...we know it's true
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That is the real problem with the movie. I agree fully with Harry about this flick. And those of you still harping on Unbreakable and Signs... GET A FUCKING LIFE those movies came out years ago most don't even think twice about those movies. Also only here do I hear shit about those two movies, most regular people look kindly on those flicks.
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June 19, 2008, 7:16 p.m. CST
Is it possible M Night is trying to get out of a contract
by Shut the Fuck up Donny
and is hoping a huge obvious shitbag will get him out early? The man is hit or miss, granted, but these reviews now are sounding like all the flaws are intentional: don't direct the actors, front-load the exposition, offer no decent mood music. Hell, this would greatly explain Lady in the Water, too. He thought if he did something completely apeshit story-wise the studio would just think he's lost it and dump him. When they stuck with him he knew he had no other options but to pull out all the stops.
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I saw this movie at the Regal Union Square too. The audience sat quietly and respectfully thru the whole show, didn't laugh "from beginning to end" and when the picture was over they got up and left without a single "boo". There is nothing so goddamn fucking lame as someone who lies their ass off about what movie-goers did or did not do at a particular screening. "People laughed at the trailer!" "People hooted at the ratings card" "People booed the pre-show music". "People threw popcorn at the studio logo!" Lotta shit.
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Some quick science for you Harry: 1) The 10 million plus species on this planet are constantly competing with each other. It is a viscious struggle, in which 99% of offspring never survive to maturity - hell, most of those never last more than a few days. Plants are no better than animals - they poison each other, choke each other, climb on top of each other to block out sunlight. The make poisons to deter herbivores, and incorporate silica (think glass) to wear down teeth. It's a brutal world out there, and humans are every bit a part of it. The idea that the plant kingdom, which is comprised millions (likely) of species, many in competition with each other, and many which have benefitted from human activity, would suddenly rise up as one to eliminate one of the, again, millions of different species that have been munching on them for the past billion years or so, is narratively absurd and scientifically, ecologically, ludicrous. 2)When the first photosynthetic organisms evolved - y'know, the precursors to those plants in The Happening? - the pulled most of the CO2 out of the atmosphere, nearly freezing the Earth to the equator. At the same time, they pumped out oxygen - a gas poisonous to all life at that time (and still dangerous in relatively high concentrations). This one two punch nearly exterminated all life on the planet. Guess what? Life recovered and adapted, and learned to use that toxic oxygen to give it a new source of energy (aerobic respiration) and syntheize a compound (collagen) that makes complex, multicellular bodies possible. People are not the first species to change the planet, and we will not be the last.
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That can't possibly be right. I mean why would the dregs of humanity who boo their own teams and players boo a film they didn't like? I don't believe it.
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June 19, 2008, 7:39 p.m. CST
It'll be interesting reading Moriarty's analysis of The Happenin
by BDuncan
It'll be interesting to also read Moriarty's analysis of The Happening, when he gets round to seeing it.
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Plants have plastic surgery? that's what you said MrD!
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Please explain to me why? Help me to understand why you would say this. MNS made exactly 1 decent movie 10 years ago. How many shitty movies does he have to make before you can concluded that he was a 1-hit wonder. HIs narcissism gets in the way of his judgment.
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its a freaking warzone out there.... trees vs. moss, plant vs. uh... insects.
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science has no place in a movie, thanks for the worthless piece of information...really helpful...while scientifically implausible and in some places laughable i found the movie to be a decent thriller. i never lauded m night as a visionary to begin with so im not the least bit dissapointed. i liked all of his movies that i saw, i never saw "lady in the water" tho but i heard i didnt miss much......on another note ive never seen this much of a negative review from harry in a long time...anyone else think he felt pressure to dump on a movie for a change ? lol
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There, I said it.
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I was watching this just feeling sorry for them the whole 90-minutes. But I disagree with Harry that this script could have produced a good movie. IMO, the script was just as bad as the directing. Especially the writing for Zooey's character. I think I said this another thread, but I honestly believe M. Night may have written the most bone-headed lead female character in a blockbuster to come along in at least a decade.<p> How is anyone supposed to deliver this dialogue credibly? "It's ok, Jess. I don't like to show my emotions, either." "There's a car!" (after a car has pulled up literally right next to them). Or after they hear gunshots and Elliot says "Oh no," she actually replies with "What 'Oh no'?!" And then she proposes that they run TOWARD the gunshots to see what's up, because they "can't just stand here and be uninvolved observers!" She was dumb enough to make me think I should be offended on behalf of women everywhere. <p>And for the record, I like Mark Wahlberg, and think Zooey is VERY underrated (I find her to be far more talented than Scarlett, Natalie and most of the other starlets her age). No actors could have played these roles and come off looking well.<p> But I agree with Harry that this does have some entertainment value, even if it is unintentional, which is more than I can say for Lady in the Water or The Village. But that "unintentional hilarity" value is undercut by that nagging pity I have for the actors when watching it.
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But only if you treat it like a stereotypical 50's horror movie. If it was in black and white the whole cheese factor would be lessened heavily. Otherwise, believe it or not, half the audience I was in thought it was a comedy 0_0
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glad you're truly getting back down to "fighting weight" buddy!
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people killing themselves without feeling pain, resisting, knowing it ISN'T SCARY. And the wind isn't scary, either. This is just another of Shamalayan's movies about something without that something in it. And I don't mean there aren't ghosts in Sixth Sense or aliens in Signs, but he makes a movie about something and mostly ignores that something for the duration of the film. Unbreakable was a superhero movie without superheroes. The Village was a monster movie with no monsters. Boring. Shamalayan doesn't have a trick in his bag he didn't steal from Spielberg and Hitchcock.
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Wahlberg and Deschanel and three kids come up to a truck in the field. Wahlberg says "There's a truck!" Also, there's a house CLEARLY VISIBLE in the background. Wahlberg says "I'm going to check out the truck". Then he checks out the truck. The door is open, the radio is playing, and you think something's going to happen. It doesn't happen. Then Wahlberg says "There's a house over there!" They act surprised, like they haven't been looking at the house for the last five minutes. Then they all go to the house. THE WHOLE FUCKING MOVIE PLAYS OUT LIKE THIS.
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June 19, 2008, 8:57 p.m. CST
Hilariously Bad. Easily teh worst film of this & perhaps many ye
by G100
I can't believe anyone would sit through this without acknowledging how truly shit it is.<p> <p>If ever there was a Modern Movie that deserved the MST3K treatment THIS is IT baby !<p> <p>The "acting" has to be seen to be believed. The dialogue is just sidesplittingly bad and the less said about the "plot" the better.<p> <p>A Movie where the camera cuts to a large plant indoors and actually has you wondering THE SECOND it does so "No. NO, dear God even in this piece of shit .. they WON'T go there. They CAN'T go there!!!! NOOOOooo!".<p> <p>And then of course they do. And your jaw is on the floor.<p> <p>Has Shyamalan been eating and smoking every plant he could find as preperation for this Movie or what ??? You simply won't believe he's made this, even if you are one of those who can't stand him. (And I'm not, I think he's made some superb films in the past.)In fact you simply won't believe it's an actual real Hollywood Major Movie. It's staggering.<p> <p>However one REALLY good thing has come of The Happening. Unless you see this you cannot in good conscience tell others about how BAD other Movies are without referral to this one.<p> <p>All those who got foaming at the mouth Hhsterical over Indy 4 ? HERE is a goddawful fucking Movie. Indy 4 was Meh.<p> <p>It will take an incredible almost superhuman effort that utilises divine inspiration to make a Movie worse than this one this year... maybe even this decade!
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oh noes.
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Just saw this and felt I owed it to society to let as many people as possible know to STAY AWAY - btw I liked LITW
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Thats why the liberal press promoted him so much ("the next Spielberg", etc...) because they liked the idea that he wasnt another white male that made a blockbuster movie and seemed to have alot of potential. The hype about him after Sixth Sense was a kind of affirmative action. And alot of people believed it, and imo convinced themselves that his movies are good when theyre not. More and more people are realizing that now though. You cant fool people forever.
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he has always made strange quirky suspense movies that dare to be mocked - his dialog hasnt gotten worse, its stayed the same - he writes the way he writes - all of his movies are full of dialog and performances that raise eyebrows - for good or ill - the trick is you either buy it up front and enjoy the ride or you tune out at the first "so-truthful-its-embarrassing" line - i find his movies full of those - his dialog never betrays his characters - thats why it works, even in movies about water narfs - its all about the story - believe in it and the dialog writes itself - the risk is then run of having characters be so truthful in reacting to whats happening around them that they say things that dont sound "cool" or "movie-like" - they talk like real people - and real people dont talk like theyre in a movie - but thats why he can make movies about ghosts, aliens etc. that feel more real than the usual fare - or maybe im nuts and everyone else is right - im sure that if anyone else made this movie it wouldve been well received
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<br>What's my verdict?</br> <br>First, the movie suffers for its title. Second, the marketing of the movie plays up the potential gore at the expense of the ecological angle that forms the spine of the story. Third, the trollery on the internet and among reviewers has reached such a level of saturation that it's impossible for me to believe this movie will get a fair shake for its critics, whether they post comments or write reviews for major papers. Shyamalan's movies aren't critic-proof funfests. They're very much mood-oriented, and it helps to sit down with an open mind.</br> <br>If any of the above offends you, okay, but it's nothing personal. Shyamalan's a mortal, and the expectations of a mortal are suitable for him. He's got strengths and weakness. What I will tell you here is that The Happening is a good film, but if you go in there expecting central part to run red, heads to be falling off, or any of that junk, you will be disappointed. It's not that kind of movie. The deaths in this movie are not easy to watch. When the girl stabs herself, it's not the blood that will make you cringe. When the construction workers fall off the building, they don't aim for places clear of debris or obstructions. Death is not pretty, nor is painless in this movie.</br> <br>It's not gorehound blood and guts, though. This is still the guy who got a shitload of mileage in his first major movie out of a kind turning to reveal a massive head wound. He hasn't changed. He's still low key, still relying on unease and dread rather than emphasizing grossouts. If you go thinking he's all of a sudden turned into Wes Craven, you WILL be disappointed</br> <br>Don't take it too seriously. It seems nowadays people turn films into some kind of religion, with literal canons and figurative heresies. Night's not a cookie cutter filmmaker. He's taking his own kind of risks. Some folks harp on ego, and read the necessity to humble and debase him into every untraditional decision he makes. Sometimes filmmakers do get full of themselves, no doubt, but I think this attitude of trying to browbeat a guy making a movie back into conformity just seems patronizing to me.</br> <br>When I read that book about the production of Lady In the Water, I got the sense that while he's a bit socially clueless, he's not self-absorbed. Filmmaking is very much personal for him, and I think a lot of the beatings folks are trying to give him to knock him down to size aren't going to help. He's a fine filmmaker, if you head into the movie with your expectations pro or con in reasonable check. If you try to compare every movie he makes to his best, or head into every movie of his you watch expecting it to be a turd in the punch bowl, it's not exactly going to be easy for any filmmaker, much less one with such a nonconformist streak, to get a fair shake</br>
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the super hero in "unbreakable" was bruce willis - watch it again - pay attention during the last 20 minutes - his work uniform even morphs into a hero costume - and the monsters in "the village" were the village elders - both figuratively and literally - like george w bush - if there aint a boogey man, make one up - even if you have to dress up like him yourself and run around in the dark - no better way to control a large group than through fear - and... buckaroo banzai rules - one of the best movies ever made - and most unfairly forgotten - w.d. richter is a genius
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The disjointed structure took me out of it too much. Some very good performances, though.
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Take THAT Popeye!!
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Rog, Dwayne and Re Run vs the end of the world
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I think it was limited to the East Coast to let us know that America is being "punished". After all, that probably is one of the most densely populated areas in this country, as well as the economic engine that runs the train. Yeah I know that he always makes his movies take place in Philadelphia, but I honestly think that is his reasoning. The ending, with that dopey guy on tv saying the plants are sending us a warning because they are mad (which was as awkward as "dick cheney" saying America is sorry at the end of Day after Tomorrow) makes me convinced of that.<p>Also, I would like you to read what I said about the movie in the "love guru" review, so I will copy and paste it here.
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It was a bad film. I hate to say that because it is stirring in some places and it has beautiful cinematography, but it really is a mess. One of it's main problems is that it really doesn't know what it is. Is it a thriller? Is it a horror movie? Is it funny? I have no idea. It starts out with such great promise, but then, you just see the same thing over, and over, and over. Roger Ebert arrogantly said that most people are not thoughtful enough to like it, but that's not true. I GET what he is saying- that it's a movie that kind of allows you to think about the "bigger picture". But even if you go with that, it STILL doesn't work because all of that quiet reflection is interrupted by some of the most ridiculous deaths you have ever seen in a big budget movie. At the end, its basically nothing more than a horror movie, and a very bad one at that. It even ends in a cliche way- you THINK the thing is gone but oh no, it's happening in Paris! What it reminded me most of was Final Destination- all it needed was a kid blowing up at the end, like in the second movie. And don't get me started on the ham-fisted way it pushes politics down our throats. It's an offensive movie on a lot of different levels.
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June 19, 2008, 10:22 p.m. CST
M. Night was promoted by the "liberal press" because the Sixth S
by Cotton McKnight
Come on.. the fact that he is Indian has nothing to do with it. This unassuming movie just blew people away when it came out. It just knocked everyone's socks off and got people talking. <p>One of the problems though with his style is that, after seeing 5 of his movies, I basically know what to look for. Nothing said is arbitrary. If someone says something about the plants doing it, then by golly that's what it is. He tries to keep us guessing by having someone talk about how there are more nuclear power plants on the east coast than anywhere, but a "thoughtful" movie goer (as Ebert would say) would put the pieces together from what they have seen so far and not buy it. Same thing goes with that crazy old woman, Mrs. Johnson. She mentions that there there is a "speaking tube" in the house, and the minute she said that, I knew that Mark Wahlberg would be seperated from his wife and the little girl.
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Anyone know? Probably a good story.
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Mark Wahlberg acted so WEIRD in this movie. People call it "bad acting" but it's not. When I saw the the previews of this, I thought "why the heck is he acting like this?" It's not that Mark Wahlberg is not capable of performing in this kind of role, but he has such a reputation for being the tough guy that it just feels weird.<p>He is peaceful to drive the plot. That's why he acts like that. M. Night even bashes the point home by talking about the mood ring, over and over again. In case we didn't really get that Mark is peaceful. No matter what the situation, the ring was always blue. WE GET IT, okay? Mark Wahlberg is peaceful, so he is immune to the trees that don't like angry people. Got it. Got it WAY before that scene where he decides to go outside to see his wife. What, did M. Night actually think that was a suspenseful moment? Ridiculous.<p>Anyway, the point is, in a normal role where Mark Wahlberg is playing a laid back guy, it would be fine. The guy has range. But since he is KNOWN for being a tough guy in movies, and this movie DEMANDS that he act a certain way that is completely contrary to his known persona, it just comes off as awkward.
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Yes it was brilliant. The non-stop violence was a little exhausting though.
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What's Happ-nin?!?!
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but that's exactly my point. Willis' character fails to act like a superhero for most of his life and all the sudden he's a superhero? I think not. He's a broken man who figures out he has superpowers all his life, suddenly develops a new incongruous power and takes down one guy and we're supposed to go "Oh, he IS a superhero, golly!" Sorry, not me. Too contrived. Too stupid and mopey. I like my superheros pervy and dressed up in silly costumes, not depressed and dour. And the Village. Let's take the most unreliable and unpredictable member our our society and give him the responsibility of acting in a very specific way, a role that requires secrecy and discretion. Sorry, I wouldn't pick the feeb. Not buying it. The whole premise, just not buying it. At least M. Night didn't cast himself as the most important writer in the world in this one. I guess.
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I know the guy's health is failing but he needs to be called on this shit. What he is basically saying is if we don't like this movie it's because we're dumb. The huddled masses aren't as enlightened as Roger. I guess he's at that stage in life where he's saying "Fuck It" and telling us how he really feels.
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is a far superior film. if the happening burned ya. rent that one.
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I like that M Night makes distinct movies. I don't get the hate directed at him for trying. I do however, wish he would succeed a little more often. I thought the Happening was just limp. A non-event. There are so much more moving, witty, compelling, disgusting, romantic, enriching, intelligent, silly, etc. films out there, to waste time on something so unwilling, is akin to sex with a corpse.
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such films out there deserving our ragin' love/hate debate. Not that people shouldn't watch this movie.
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I'LL PASS THANK YOU
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http://tinyurl.com/424qcs<p> Every Shyamalan film has a "hook" in addition to the main offbeat tale (SIXTH SENSE Kid who sees dead people...but the doctor treating him is the one who's dead, UNBREAKABLE A man discovers he's a superhero...but finds out he's being manipulated by a supervillain, etc). The twist in THE HAPPENING, I believe, is a trick played on the sensibilities of its critics: the story is SUPPOSED to be preachy, the acting wooden, the dialog stale...it's a modern day B-movie, similar in structure (and in clunkiness) to its panicky nuclear-age forbears from the fifties.<p> I mean, c'mon...didn't you feel like somebody was putting you on as you watched it (see palinode's post above)? Shyamalan can be obvious (I figured out THE VILLAGE fifteen minutes in), but he isn't this outrightly awful...not without a reason.
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I'm the only motherfucker around who liked this thing. I wish I could have sent in my review beforehand so I would be the one voice of dissent on AICN. I'm an unapologetic MNS lover (though The Village was a horrible misstep). I love the way Night tells stories...he writes parables, and I think you really have to watch an MNS movie differently than you watch a movie from another storyteller. You have to be willing to let him tell his story his own way, but you also have to take his cues and follow through on your own. This movie IS preachy and there ARE lapses in logic and IS a bit too convenient, but I'm definitely willing to go with it. Night makes it work because the sum is so much greater than the parts. I think you're wrong about one thing, Harry -- Night does NOT allow communication to continue. The inability to communicate is what this movie is really all about. People can't talk to each other, even with cell phones and the internet. Hell, the only thing someone uses an iPhone for is to send an old lady a video of someone dying. WTF? It's not really a warning about nature. It's that we're being outcommunicated by the grass. The ending (no spoilers) really ties this all together for me. I want to see it again, and I really am at a loss for all this hate. Is it just because people are fed up with MNS? Would this movie be better received had someone else made it? I think so.
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Yes, the dialogue was bad and the deliveries were bad but that was the point of the movie! Sorry, I'm done.
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No doubt that's how Shyamalan pitched it to the studios when asking for a multimillion $ budget.<p> <p>This will be complete shit but it's okay, that's the point! What a twist!
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I think of the MST3K "Santa Claus" (the Mexican one). The part where Santa winds up his reindeer and Mike Nelson says half-laughing, half-crying "What's happening????"
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Well, I'm a straight female, so one of the guys on here will have to explain the "attraction," but I will explain why I like Zooey as an actress if you're interested. For the record, I don't watch "Bones" so I have no real opinion on Emily one way or another, except that she seems more normal and boring than Zooey. <p>Ok, so I actually had to watch 3 or 4 of Zooey's indie movies in school (I was a film major, and one of my professors liked to keep us up with the Sundance crowd): "Manic," "All the Real Girls," "The Good Girl," and one of her short films...I think it was "Raving" because it was free on iTunes, and another one of my professors who wanted us to watch as many short films as possible told us all to get it. Anyway, based on those for roles, I had the hardest time reconciling that those characters were all the same person. Then later I realized she was also the scene-stealing big sister in "Almost Famous" and the love interest in "Elf" and couldn't believe it. I just don't see how anyone could watch all those roles (especially the 1st 3 I mentioned) and not think she was some sort of chameleon. <p>I've since become more familiar with some of her other work, and I can see how some people could think she plays the same character all the time, because it seems in the more mainstream projects, she's been pigeon-holed into the quirky/crazy/deadpan supporting roles, but that's just because she's damn good at it (HILARIOUS in Weeds), but that's on top of the other types of roles she's done in smaller indies ("Winter Passing" was another good little-seen performance of hers). <p> Unfortunately, it seems like the higher-profile the project, the weaker her role is, so I think she's incredibly underrated as a result.
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...because of their shape?
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I mostly agree with Harry, but I disagree with him on this point. I think if JNH's score had been any bigger, people would have claimed that it was too intrusive and/or over the top. I mean, he was scoring THE WIND. How scary do you want the music for that to be? Although it would add some more hilarity....<p> I admit I'm biased though, because unlike Shyamalan, I do think Howard's always awesome. Seriously, though, this was a fairly low-key movie for Shyamalan, and I think it had an appropriately low-key score. That's like the one thing I didn't have a problem with in this movie.
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Actually what I said was that plants, via the production of oxygen, allowed for the sythesis of collagen, which is the protein (or rather group of proteins) used for making multicellular bodies (especially animal tissues - plants rely more on carbohydrates due to their cell walls). It is used in plastic surgery precisely because it is so vital to keeping connective tissue healthy. Anyway, collagen requires a good deal of energy to make, and likely would have been impossible or at least impractical in the pre-photosynthetic, anaerobic world.
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Discounting The Happening or Tin Man, both of which were just too horribly directed to blame an actor for.<p> I know exactly what you're talking about, but if that bugs, you though, you won't like her in Weeds, which is probably her craziest character to date. She definitely has the "spacey eyes" in that. But in movies where she's playing a real non-psychotic person, she doesn't seem remotely spacey to me (like "All the Real Girls" or hell, even "Bridge to Terabithia"). Of course, her eyes are naturally quite big, so if that's what's bothering you, I don't think you'll ever like her. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I just only get the spacey-vibe when she's playing a character who's supposed to be "off."
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I was responding less to the film than to Harry's idiotic statement at the start of his review, which is oh so typical of ecoworshippers who actually have no clue what "nature" is like. As for the bad science in the film, it's a bad choice of protagonist. I don't much care WHY the birds went nuts in The Birds. And I don't much care why the plants would be pissed at us. I'm just not sure HOW they would be pissed at us, or when they started researching chemical weaponry. It simply doesn't pass the laugh test. Evil plants is the worst idea for a "nature's revenge" pic since evil bunnies. THe smarter way to go would simply to have made it a new or transplanted species with hallucinogenic spores or pollen, and NO ULTERIOR MOTIVE, because it is attributing intent to the plants that makes the whole thing silly to everyone but the whackadoos.
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So "This movie IS preachy and there ARE lapses in logic and IS a bit too convenient, but I'm definitely willing to go with it." GOOD FOR YOU. Please allow others to mock bottom-feeders such as yourself without getting upset. You probably saw "Idiocracy" and thought it was a documentary. Please continue praising "I Know Who Killed Me" as the new "Citizen Kane" and back away from the keyboard.
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Idiocracy wasn't a documentary??????
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You saw my humor! It is a doc. I was just trying to be funny. Does your indoors helmet really taste like Snozzberries?
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First, the toxin makes people's survival instinct switch off, right? If that were to really happen, do you think that would make a person instantly want to kill themselves? Wouldn't life go on, but people would take more risks- say walking in front of traffic at the wrong time, etc? I know the survival instinct is "reversed" but that is kind of ridiculous. <p>Secondly, Lesbians are NOT good judges on what qualifies as a good looking woman. On the radio this week, this lesbian was saying that's the last thing they think about.
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And I post on here under this name just so i can call myself out and you will never suspect
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...hence the wooden acting.
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... I was out of there.
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Just know, her spectacular stuff will probably always be in the indie flicks. Unfortunately, the big studios seem to just consider her the go-to gal for quirkiness. Which is a shame since she's proven herself capable of much more, but she's kind of an anti-starlet, so I really don't think it bothers her one bit.
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but it made me laugh. Thanks for that. :)
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Yes I'm slow, and yes it still made me laugh.
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I watched "The Happening" tonight. The concept is interesting, but the execution is lacking in most every way possible. As a [SPOILER] nature vs. man [/SPOILER] movie, I think that "The Day After Tomorrow" is a better film (and it's pretty mediocre). South Park's "Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow" is even better.
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OMG, that scene made me cringe. And not in a good way.
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I saw "Unbreakable" in the theater when it came out, but haven't watched it since. I do own the DVD, though, and should probably watch it sometime. For me, the twist in that movie was that there was a bad guy, period. I didn't realize that I was supposed to be looking for a threat that tied the myriad of bad events together until [SPOILER] Sam Jackson [/SPOILER]
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...until [SPOILER] Sam Jackson [/SPOILER] announced himself as the bad guy.
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Trik_Ster, If Bruce's power was the ability to break the laws of probability, the movie would have been named "Improbable".
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Man, the DVD cover is really lame looking. Sort of marginalizes the film--especially when you just glance at it. Has the look of those DVDs I generally avoid in the video store. You know the ones. Ones like this.
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I'm disappointed in Harry. Loved it and thought Ebert's review was spot on. That's how I feel. The main things that scuppered this movie, I think, were the misleading trailer and ad campaign. I mean "they've sensed it...etc." c'mon! It's another personal little film from Night, who makes no concessions. I saw this first night, here in the UK, in a virtually packed cinema. I too felt the bad vibe from 80% of the people, but you know what? I immediately wanted to see it again... but in a deserted theatre. What's up with that? Sounds perverse. Don't think Fox would buy into that. But that's what the film deserves.. individual, intense attention. Then if it's not your bag (which I admit it won't be for everyone) then...that's it. Night is still an interesting writer and director. Period.
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about LADY, by the way, but did see that first in a deserted theatre. Much better experience. Damn those pesky customers!
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this movie has often been compared most to SIGNS. I agree. But hang on... that film as lauded by critics and fans. This is not anywhere like as different as people are knee-jerking to.
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Seriously, it made the ending with Marky walking in the wind even a little bit great. The whole central park outbreak was masterfully crafted, just as the climax with the old lady. Unfortunately, all the rest was amazingly flawed. It's a shame, but everyone makes a baddy sometimes. I am looking forward till the next M Night.
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He stole shots. He stole the score. He's a fucking arrogant hack.
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What I think happened here is that rhe rejected version for this movie had to do with the love story between the couple and how their love inhibited the toxin in the final twist. There are still some details that indicate this possible first approach, such as the mood rings, the yelling at the beginning of the attacks... The producers hated it, and the result is a mix of what he wanted to tell and what the producers wanted him to tell, which he filmed without enthusiasm at all. And I bet the colour for love in the mood ring was green, that´s the effect the first title related to.
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...but the phrase "masterfully crafted" should be banned from any discussions about this utter mess of a film.
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Interested in your comments. Would love to get hold of a copy of the original script. Is it available anywhere please?
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.....ever for me,a truly horrible experience,all 30 mins of it. And one of the only movies I`ve EVER walked out of. How can the studios throw money at this clown to produce anything decent,he`s had numerous chances and come up with the goodies only once(unbreakable)and whoever says Marky Mark can act is having a fxcking laugh,pitiful stuff! Pure unadulterated shite!
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June 20, 2008, 4:58 a.m. CST
On the plus side, he stopped stealing from Rod Serling.
by Stalin vs Predator
Of course, he stole *this* story from Wells and Conan Doyle instead. Of course, he could still save this - he's already mumbling he wanted to "make a B movie"; he can change it to "a comedy", rename this to "Marky Mark in Windrunners", and market it to the viewers of "Meet the Spartans".
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Both feature horrible directing, horrible dialogues, horrible editing, horrible jokes and horrible lameness. These two are the worst movies this year so far.
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Sure, it's derivitive of The Twighlight Zone but he's not remaking Halloween, Friday the 13th, Prom Night...etc. Props for failing at *new * shit...at least he has the guts to not take the remake short cuts that are available to him.
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I like all of Shy films (Lady a bit less). Even I loved the super bashed The Village, I think it's a masterpiece. But this one was truly awful. I didn't recognize him in that movie.
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I´m sorry, I haven´t read it yet. But I heard Shy had to remove almost everything involving the love story of the main characters, which was ther core of the original script. That´s why I guess the incoherences in the Happening might have to do with this. After Lady, which I love, the producers didn´t let him make the movie he wanted to.
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What happened to M. Night? Was he always like this and we just didn't notice? Maybe he needs to make another movie with Bruce Willis or something.
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"The Village" could not happen today. <p> All hail the power of Google Maps(TM)!
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... Do these things also happen in threes? Who's next?
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M Knights a Hack! Just another notch on the belt SHAMalayan
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..make the movie he wanted to make. This is an important statement, atlantean. Thanks. WHAT DOES HARRY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT? Presumably he read the orignal Green Effect script, which seems now to not exist on the net. Please.. can we get hold of it and have another discussion, the like of which has happened on the Crystal Skull forum with the Darabont draft? I'll keep an open mind until then... if you all will.
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I freakin' LOVED this movie. Can't wait for the DVD to view it again.
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Rally the troops!
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maybe MNS is just a little to proud to accept help on his scripts. clearly he's a great ideas-man, but definetly needs help!!!!
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Signs at least was well filmed, had a great buildup, had solid acting all the way around, and had likable family at the center of the film. The Happening had none of that. Even the cinematography looked really flat compared to the rest of his films. And I counted two scenes were you could see the boom mike hanging down into view. Booo! Boo! You expect that shit from Uwe. If M Night was the craftsman he claims to be, he could have had that digitally removed. Booo! Boo! Now fuck off.
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i swear to god that has to be her who sings that song, but she changed her name to katy perry
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There is no boogieman, so we will make one up like George Bush, blah blah...Um yes there are monsters in the world. Go to ogrish dot com a watch the tapes of muslim radicals beheaded people then getting off on it...Or watch the tape of Bali bomber smiling and laughing while on trial for blowing up over a hundred innocent people...no monsters? Now fuck off.
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like he was going through a personal crisis or something. Because it wasn't like one of his movies at all, for all the reasons that you said.
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That's what might be wrong. Clammer for it! And fredblassy....drop the classy.
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<br>...of films I've seen, much less as the worst film of all time that some are intent on making it out to be. I think some people are just enamored of cynicism, and don't like filmmakers who approach things without that kind of cynicism, or nods to what is artistically comfortable. They dislike people who can be compelling without following all the rules they set down. That's why Spielberg was treated as such a hack despite his obvious talent: he redefined the art of communication in film in a way that critics didn't like. And of course, the fanboys who like to pretend like they're non-conformist move like a herd to all basically give the same review.</br> <br>THAT'S what bugs me about the way critics and fanboys are approaching this. They all seem to be recapitulating the same ideas, giving the same assessments of the same performances. It strikes me as an example of pop culture groupthink. If you're ticking off a list of expected failures, as drawn from some early review, if you're basically coming into that theatre unready to see Mark Wahlberg play a meek, mild mannered nice guy, if you yourself let all kinds of junk get in the way of any movie experience, you won't be able to get a clean read on the quality of what you're watching. I think he did a wonderful job of playing the character. I think whether you buy and understand Mark Wahlberg's character is crucial to buying the film's central premise.</br>
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June 20, 2008, 9:19 a.m. CST
JADSTERSDAD is right, except but the Village which was great
by PwnedByStallone
This is a film best viewed ALONE. In fact if I had it my way I'd see every film alone. I can't stand being manipulated to like or dislike a movie based on the crowd reaction or vibe or the opinions of my friends and family. Fuck that. See this movie by yourself i nan empty theater or rent it alone at home. It's a more personal experience. <p> <p> And BTW Whalberg talking to the plant was his only decent acting in the film. That was great moment in the fim. It was Night consciously admitting to the audience the inherent lunacy of the situation, but somehow not taking anything away from the danger involved. It was a nice bit of comic relief. you people are seriously reaching for things to hate about this film and it's kind of sad. <p. <p> Night, you're one of the best filmmakers today. Fuck the reviews and fuck the haters. LONG LIVE SHYAMALAN!
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I bet in the original take the kids are killed by the tree with the swing because of the anger they show, totally absurd in the released film. Otherwise the shots of the "menacing" tree are stupid.
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From the genius behind Signs and Lady in the Water comes..... "Writer/Director" A man who is in his own eyes the equal of Jesus walks the audience through his daily life. Complete with a cameo by himself wearing a different jacket and sitting in a strange angle, Writer/Director shows us that its not the audience who knows what good films should be, its M Night Shyamalan. So suck on that cunt flappers. P.S. Just to be clear in Lady in the Water he played a writer whose stories could save the world or something, right? Christ that is pretentious. I have a 17 inch penis but even I dont go that far
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When was Spielberg ever called a hack? Right after the first Columbo aired?
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Is that even if it were true, it doesn't make it acceptable. Imagine paying top dollar for a meal and finding it sucked. Would you be placated if you were told that the chef intended for it to suck? That it was his homage to cheap greasy diner food? Of course not. Of course there isn't even a good reason for MNS to make a bad film. He clearly isn't attempting to do a parody ala Amazon Women on the Moon, and I can't imagine he'd make a film that was supposed to be tongue in cheek and not clue in the marketing department. Remember that this was supposed to be his comeback movie. After the Village and Lady in the Water, and that assinine "documentary" on the SF Channel, MNS stock had dropped precipitously. It wasn't just a bad spell of films - there were people who actively hated him. This was his marketable film. This was a film made with his tail between his legs. He was told to rewrite it, and he did. This was a naked attempt to win back the audience and the studio execs. You don't turn a project like this into a joke unless you want to kill your career.
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AND IT WAS MORE BORING THAN ANDY WARHOL'S 24 HOUR MOVIE! IN 20 MINUTES!!!
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Anyone can come up with "original ideals." And the vast majority of them would suck. Having a good or great original ideal (and the execution of that ideal) is what is important.<p><p>And IMO Shyamalan hasn't had a good (or great) original ideal since UNBREAKABLE. This leads me to believe he got lucky early in his career. And now is getting by on ego and self promotion. He is a one-trick pony. He attempts to wrap a clever story around a gimmick. (It doesn't have to be a twist, just a gimmick.) And IMO his gimmicks get sillier after each movie and the stories less clever. Once again, IMO and YMMV. <p><p>Another great Shyamalan film would be awesome. I doubt one is coming.
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The Sixth Sense 9/10 Unbreakable 10/10 Signs 8/10 The Village 7/10 Lady in the Water 6/10 The Happening 9/10 That's right...The Happening is every bit as good as the Sixth Sense. Lady in the Water would have been a better movie had he chosen a better name for his Narf...
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The only movie of his I've wasted money on in the theaters was Signs. And even though I haven't seen more then say 10-20 Twilight Zone episodes, thats all it was. Thats all his shit is. Its not gimicky they aren't twist. He got his bang with 6th Sense and we all of sudden took him for some master of horror, even though pretty much his earlier work was all in kids movies. I'll never pay to see his movies in theaters, I'll rent them maybe. I think what makes me not care about his movies are the damn trailers. Now I know that he cries about how its all the studios doing, with making his name the selling point and putting it over the title. Also all of his trailers are cut so dumb people buy into it. I was talking to someone about this and they were like, "NO, don't ruin the twist!" For a director that likes to say NO to hollywood and only make movies in PA, he pretty much lets hollywood have its way with his films when they've left the state. Maybe he missed a line in his contract saying as soon as his films leave PA he has no say as to what The Happening to them. <P> Also with a title like the Happening, you know it was going to end up something lame. Like THEM! he should've man'ed up and not explained anything rather then going green and saying it was the trees. If that was the explination after 3 movies, it would've been awesomely outrageous. But I guess after his Unbreakable trilogy fell through he probably felt that he would only get one shot at this.
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The whole overuse of "RATED R!!!! FUCK YEAH BABY!!!! R R R !!!!" That means its got balls. Big fucking brass balls! A horror movie sooooo Restricted you have to be a senior in high school just to handle its ass kicking! <P> I'm sorry if you are going to try to sell me on a movie just because its rated R, and your not aiming to get 10 year olds into the theater (because anyone over the age of ten who wants to see an R rated film should be smart enough to figure out a way to without bugging there parents to take them). Then it has to be the most brutal R rated film ever. Because just two weeks ago an R rated film came out called Sex in the City. And I am assuming that that movie was probably scarier and a harder R then Whats Happening.
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what is the apropriet term for the opposite of a HARD "R".
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Fox Staffer: "We have a few seats left at our press screening, and usually we hand those out to the fansites. Got any in mind?"<p> Fox Exec: "Whats the one sight I read when I was in college - had all the inside track on movie news nobody else could find. Had that water-boy from The Faculty writing for it or something."<p> Fox Staffer: "Aint it cool news. Yeah they still have a following. I haven't read it in a while tho. I assume they're still on the net."<p> Fox Exec: *taps keyboard* "chocolate covered WHAT? Phone call from WHERE? Third trimester abortions? *turns off laptop* Tell ya what, see if anyone over at IGN wants em."
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Apparently, at some point, the guy decided his true calling was NOT giving audiences what they want. <p> Take Unbreakable - I know, a lot of folks love it or whatever, but what is it, at heart? A superhero movie with no visible superhero, and action flick with all action deliberately omitted.
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Here we go...knock the man, knock the movie, knock ALL the movies! Fact: Unbreakable gave many, many film fans EXACTLY what they wanted. Others got movies with action and visible superheroes (Fantastic Four? Of course the two can be combined, in the excellent Iron Man, for example).
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Kim Newman, excellent critic, is also batting for this movie.
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Is my cane on top of your head. How dare you talk to the hollywood fashion plate that way.
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...and it was Signs. Funny as hell. Are all of his movies comedies?
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...those are the only good ones. And to tell you the truth since The Sixth Sense was ruined for me, I didn't enjoy it anywhere near as much and if anything was able to go through it and pick out all the things that didn't make sense the first time.
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...and finally falls dead on his arse. M Night, it is over, son. Time to take up a new career. Maybe try joining a Circus or something and becoming "The Great Shyamalamallana-man"! His act would have to have a twist tho. Cutting a fat lady in half......but with a Dancing bear who can sing like Chas n Dave! He cant lose!
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What was the deal with that? Was HE really trying to sell it as true and than it came out it wasnt!?!?<br><br>Some shit about how he fell thru ice as a kid or something like that....? Weird shit that ended up being just that...SHIT<br><br>I also heard he was paying to have a biography written about him with lots of paranormal aspects thrown in that just weren't true. <br><br>What a fuckin' drama queen. I'm maaaaaaaaagic!!
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Alot of people think the Sixth Sense was ripped off from the novel LOST BOYS....there are SO many things alike in The Village and the novel RUNNING OUT OF TIME and a Pennsylvania screenwriter claims that M. Night stole Signs after reading his screenplay for Lord of the Barrens.
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Whatever. I'm not jumping a train here, I bought a ticket on the ShammyHate Express awhile back. <p> I remember feeling like Unbreakable was damn-near condescending the first time I watched it. Mind you, I've always been told I am in the minority on this, but fuck you and a half for insinuating that just because I thought Unbreakable was patronizing, I'd be better suited to Fantastic Four. That, sir, is what we call fightin' words.
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I believe his obsession with his female character name is now making him so confused to the point that he can't tell up from down, if he's male or female, and good movies from bad ones... The only thing I'd like to see happening is the TOTAL FUCKING DESTRUCTION of this twat!
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during the construction scene, as the workers fall, break into "It's Rainin' Men...". The MSTies in the audience will love ya.
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on Night's behalf anytime, against those who slur Unbreakable. Or even The Happening!
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From the opening text crawl I felt I would enjoy that movie...and I did. I ate it up and that is why I gave M. Night a chance...and another. And another. He was let me down considerabably since UNBREAKABLE and I don't think he's ever made a film as good.
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35% on metacritic. <p> 19% on Rotten Tomatoes (easily putting it on a short list of the years worst). <p> Lonely over there yet?
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Watch your syntax there, Harry.
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Hope you're wearing a cup. Expect to get kicked in the balls A LOT.
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I got your back.
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What are you gonna do? <p> Shank me with a razor-sharp pork & beans can while I sleep on a haybale in the boxcar?
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thats funny shit.
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or give you a nice lemon drink.
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and a bag of hot dogs
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Others have said it first, but perhaps working with someone else's intellectual property will bring him back down to earth. <p> I think he's a case of cart before the auteur, so to speak.
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Why is this guy so revered? The Sixth Sense was good because it was the way it was filmed but there wasn't an original thought in anything he's ever done.
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June 20, 2008, 2:40 p.m. CST
Until now I thought he was just going through a dry spell,...
by rbatty024
but after seeing The Happening it has become clear M. Night has completely lost it. I thought The Village was bad but then I saw Lady in the Water. I thought Lady in the Water was bad but then I saw The Happening. His last three films have become progressively worst. Even when I didn't like his movies I always defended him as a director. I enjoyed his first three efforts and I like the fact he makes original films. After The Happening, however, M. Night is dead to me.
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Ding Ding! Still standing.
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Nevermind. Happening suck so bad we walked out and went to see the end of the Hulk again. M, Knight will be lucky if gets to do an episode of master of horror
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Sure. Like Orson was after Kane. And Fred.......one word. "Four"
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Is a somewhat successful actor.....
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A gay joke? Good one. so your what? 13 years old? Dumbass.
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1941, Wise Guys, Kundun, One From the Heart, Showgirls, M Butterfly, GI Jane... etc. Yes. Great directors, who bounced back (don't get me wrong..I like some of these, but...you get the picture). Night will be back!
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Get this man OFF the Last Airbender!!! I swear to holy heaven the fact that he is supposed to be "writing and directing" a trilogy for Avatar the Last Airbender is sad, sad news for anyone who is even remotely a fan of the animated series. This man will try to work in some "twist" and I swear he will be the one and only reason that a series of films based on Avatar won't work in live action. His movies are shit unless he has years to write them. Sixth Sense was great... Unbreakable was good. Signs was okay... the Village was sub par, Lady in the Water preachy and unimpressive. Now, the Happening is Garbage. I swear to the GODS that if this hack is allowed to continue to work his every failing "magic" on Avatar the Last Airbender then the movies are doomed. He needs to work on something he hasn't written he needs to direct something small that he didn't write and show us that he can actually be a good director. Airbender is too big and too great a property to let him fuck with. I mean shit, if this jackass has his way Zuko will have been the Avatar the whole damn time and Ang will be Zuko's long lost grandfather back from the dead to lead him on his journey to becoming the Last Airbender. Airbender might do him some good, MIGHT, but do fans of the series really want to risk how much good he will do Airbender? No, I'd like to think not.
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and by team up, I mean join forces and leave the entertainment world for good.
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I can feel your passion for Airbender and I respect that. I don't know squat about it, but any director who takes it on has to be given a break. Bottom line is that a cinema adaptation has to (try and) please fans and the wider public. Like Iron Man has succeeded in doing. I'm confident we'll get a great movie. Large budget (presumably) will mean much more accountability than something like The Happening, but with all of Night's great flourishes (I hope and believe). Who would you have direct them, by the way?
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...in the same sentence??! That's fighting talk! ;-)
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So this M. Night movie is a remake of the classic 70's series...right? Re-Runs farts are killing everyone.
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Seriously. I don't hate the guy for hate's sake. Shit, I don't even really hate him. If he comes back around, great. We need more good directors. There are enough semi-nameless Bay Jrs. and such out there, content to churn out sub-par "product" as long as they can get paid to. Again, we need more truly good directors. <p> What we (or at least I) don't need or want is some self-proclaimed master of the art repeatedly disappearing up his ass (very vocally, I might add) to the tune of wasted time and dollars.
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some reasonable words, Dad. But really, all I want is for people to acknowledge that The Village, Lady and Happening are....to a lot of folks (not the majority, i'll acknowledge), good films. Instead, what we get are those who hate these films proclaiming Night...well, I won't even repeat the words. It's pretty sick. Consider what real crap is out there. He's just under the spotlight.
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If we can't agree that The Happening, and The Village, and Signs weren't as good as they could/should have been (I'll give you Unbreakable because only I seem to have a problem with it ... not entirely uncommon), then I guess we just can't agree on the topic of M. Night Shyamalan. <p> Also, in the future, I WILL continue to use the familiar 'we', so as to universally speak for everyone, all the time. Because that's not annoying at all, right?
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(to me), Cloverfield (which I just caught up with) is not fit to be a 90 minute commercial before The Happening. Dreck.
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We'll agree to disagree, yeah. I think Signs and The Village are perfect (especially The Village). And yes.. it's annoying ..;-)
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Ok. I won't shut up until someone produces this (or a link to it) (see post above....high above). This is the sort of thing that needs to be done here. I'm talking the original Green Effect. It's an Effing challenge!!
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OoOoOoH his name is NIGHT. Yikes! thats one scary director!!! He should also have his last name changed to ZOMBIE. And M changed to MUUUUUURDER. Murder Night Zombie, thriller/suspense director.
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I didn't know if you were a man or a woman, but you just ASSUME it a gay joke. Now if I call you HomoCode, then you would have a point. Oh since SIgns, M Knight is a HACK of the lowest order. Even James Newton's score on this movie sucked. And the guy kick ass with M. Knights pre Village movies. What's up with that? now fuck off.
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utter piece of shit has no credibility whatsoever. One of the worst films I've ever seen in my life. Makes Crystal Skull, Ang Lee's Hulk, Pirates 3, Spiderman 3 and yes, even Phantom Menace look like works of fucking art in comparison. That said I can't recommend highly enough that you watch this. It truly has to be seen to be believed. It's Plan 9 From Outer Space bad. Honestly. Watch it, you'll see.
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jackalcack. Get some cred yourself.
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This motion picture has been Rated "M" by the MPAA. It is not meant to be viewed by any thinking adult, or anyone with an I.Q. over 80. It's strictly an "M" Knight Shamylan production and may deeply insult the intelligence and expectation of the majority of the population. Children under 17 not admitted without therapist.
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A reaction from nature against critics may be the only explanation for such bizarre reviews. Nothing went wrong with this movie. I can understand some regional reactions or Bush supporters not liking it, but even with Harry look at the "solutions" offered for a key to just how off base a review can be. Harry calls this "an incompetently shot and directed film." Sorry, no it is not. On a technical level it is note perfect. "he created no tension. No fear. No sense of doom." Totally incorrect. I felt it in my gut. The tension spills over into each mundane daylight setting. "First - he limits the horror. Scaling it to just the East Coast." Excuse me, Harry, didn't you say that you read the screenplay and liked it??? That would have been in the script, sir. Here's another amusing quote: "He allows communication to continue - via Radio, Television, iPhones, etc. This should have been a Global happening - where the characters have no place to run to. No chill zone. No rescue centers. No attempt to find an army supply store for Gas Masks." In other words, no story and no point. This is why M. Night is writing screenplays and reviewers are writing reviews. It sounds like you have the recepee for a real winner there. "There are scenes, so clumsily directed. . . There's no life. No realism or naturalness to the scenes. It really is amateur hour" First of all you have never been in the situation depicted. Neither have I but the actors seemed plausible in their reactions. You must have a perseptive impairment, I hate to say. " score - there's no menace, nothing to ramp up the sensations" I don't remember the score. It made no impression, but the content held me so it must have been doing its job. " matched with... like that Nursery couple - with the guy that loves Hot Dogs." That actor is similar in all of his roles. He is a quirky face in a surreal sequence. He works fine. "wasn't Happening for us." Of course the witty word-play that everyone expected from the glut of unnecessary reviews. "This is a film that would be best served by a remake in 15 years by somebody that understands the Hitchcockian rules of suspense." Go for it Harry. Then take your hits. Even the big DEATH scenes are robbed of all weight - as they're just images" Actually, no, they've quite bracing. "Watch THE SIGNAL" If this review is the standard, then I'll have to pass on that one. Even the Love Guru is perplexing in this light. I just saw it. There isn't much difference between the tone of that film and Austin Powers. Unless you are Hindu, gay, or hate the Leafs, I can't imagine a Powers fan comparing that movie with shit. Unless I have read his review of The Happening and understand the reverese logic.
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You mean to tell me you liked this film? Honestly?!! You'll admit to that? You do realise that there are lots of people reading this, right?
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I don't think I need to say anything else
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I guess we will just agree to disagree. I will agree that the construction scene was well staged and photographed, as was the scene with the cop comitting suicide and the gun passing to the next victims.
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is better than M Night's screenplay.
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The fart I just did is better than M Night's screenplay
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I'll take your word on that.
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M Nighthas been running out of good ideas. I thought for quite sometime that he should just direct good scripts that intrige him...... According to this review from Harry, he may have lost that capability....I guess he will have a shitload of commentary on the deleted scenes...."I wanted to keep this one... but because of time,,, because it's a second conclusion,,, because,,,,,,,,, IT SUCKS!!!!!!" Excuses Excuses , Excuses...... Maybe he can helm a revival of Twilight Zone when he gets reduced to TV directing. OH Boy ...watch Rod Serling roll in his grave. Maybe he can edit a special edition compilation of his home films...... What will M Night do with his future????? The world may never know......
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... did anyone catch a little movie called "From Within"? that played in this year's Tribeca Film Festival... A much more interesting take on the notion of mass suicide as a horror phenomenon...
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Here's a movie with a science teacher as the main protaganist, so if anything, the viral threat should retain some scientific logic. So how does one woman get affected by the airbourne virus, while the woman SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO HER, not get affected. It's lazy logic just for effect.
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hasn't been M Night's strength.
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It's at 19% and going down. I'm thinking we have a very strong contender for worst film of the year and a potential MAJOR award winner at the Raspberrys. As dreadful as I think this film is, I still love 'Unbreakable'
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Speaking truth to power, dude. Nothing wrong with this film at all. Well made, suspenseful, funny in spots, kept me riveted. Any one else made this movie this would be a jizzfest, but we're in the "let's rip this guy because he shot his box office wad a few pictures back and now he's fair game" zone. I bet you your life savings that 90% of the people trashing the movie on this board didn't even see it. Just jumping on the bandwagon because everyone else is. Happens all the time. Pathetic all the tine, too.
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To each his own. I guess. Really, I don't see what everyone's getting so riled up about. Of course it's not groundbreaking, but what really is anymore. At least it's not another remake of another movie from Europe or Japan. That's all I'm saying.
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And it can't be as trite, heavy-handed and idiotic as the AmEx commercial he did a couple years ago. Seriously, if that's the kinda shit that populated the wildest depths of my imagination, I don't know what I'd do -- probably try to figure out a way to get a new imagination or something. But that Wes Anderson AmEx ad -- HILARIOUS!
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Not so fast, it grossed an unexpected thirty million in it's first weekend. These are Sign type numbers, but he'll get another chance
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Seriously I can understand sticking up for a film that is taking a pasting but has merits but The Hapening is so bad it's FUNNY. It's a joke of a Movie.<p> <p>I don't care that Harry says the same thing. I saw it and I couldn't believe how bad it was before Harry's review or countless others. This isn't "groupthink" or knocking Shyamaln for the sake of it (I like his flms and his early ones are Superb) This was a piece of shit. The acting the dialogue the pacing the plot the WHOLE FUCKING MOVIE was staggeringly inept.<p> <p>I will pay good maney to see the rifftrax or MST3K style "edit" of this film because it is bound to be even more hilarious than the film. And the film is pretty damn hilarious to begin with.
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I seen more gore in a PG-13 movie. I waiting to be shocked nothing seven was shocking hostel was shocking this was crap. My GF put it better when she said they atlest chould have a tits or ass shot in it.
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...That is all.
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Why can't I sleep anymore?! What is HAPPENING...?!
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the hate on these boards..wow! SCARY
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I liked it! it has stayed with me for the last week,which happens rarely
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It seems to me that M. Night has gone backwards in his film career. He started with his best flick, The Sixth Sense, then every movie he has done since has progressively gotten worse. Isn't it usually the other way around? Don't most filmakers start their careers with a not so great movie and then get better each time out? Learning from their mistakes, growing as filmmakers. Oh well. Oh and Harry...I don't think you can blame it all on direction, Mark Wahlberg acting has always been like watching a cardboard cutout. I like him, I really do. I'm always hoping he'll get better. In this flick though, all he did every time he spoke was sound like he was whining. Either way, the movie is shit, whoever is at fault.
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Show me one single Will Smith movie talkback where "geekoids" are gushing about him. I have no problem with Will Smith, but there is widespread dislike bordering on hatred for him and most of his movies on these boards. <p> Once again you fail at building a case for your predictable tastes and go for unfounded clichés rather than facts to score cheap points.
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I'm shocked that you're apologizing for this pile of garbage by way of TRANSFORMERS.<P>SHOCKED.
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The tide is turning!
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It's the only explanation for anyone crazy enough to call this hilarious crap "good".<p> <p>So plants WERE behind it after all ! WHAT A TWIST!<p> <p>Oh and BTW I have seen many, MANY MST3K films so I know shit when I see it and this my friend is complete shit. no maybes, ifs or buts. Its 100% hilarious shit!
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It's funny how some people attempt to defend a film by throwing in crap that has nothing to do with the given film. (This is also true in the reverse "hate film" argument.) <p><p> "If you don't like this film then.... hmmm... hmmm.... (let me think).... hmmm.... you have a STINKY BUTT!" Wow, that won me over. (not) The odors emanating from one's posterior is irrelevant to the STANK FROM THiS FILM. <p><p>It's great that there are those who enjoyed this film. Many did not. It's as simple as that. As usual, IMO and YMMY.<p> "Like/dislike. I'm the one with the opinion!" (BTW, the hygiene of one's ass need not been taken into account.)
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You suck, this movie sucked. M. Night sucks. Marky Mark, Killer Plant toxins suck. Now fuck off.
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So Wahlberg can have some decent convos.
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This TB, that is. I haven't seen the film but I'm sure to catch it on Netflix. Popcorn is just too damn expensive (outside the coupons for the ones at the store).
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Still waiting for you to get back to me on the Will Smith thing. <p> Also, your posts in the Tarantino talkback were more idiotic and feeble than usual.
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June 21, 2008, 6:43 p.m. CST
It's not godawful hilarious "acting" 1 is retarded & 1 is peacef
by G100
Yeah riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.<p> <p>Pull the other fucking one. NO emotional range and NO empathy or reacting to other characters. Just pantwettingly funny delivery of some laugh out loud "dialogue".
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It doesn't matter if it comes from Bay's orifice or Shyamalan's. When a person has to resort to "at least is isn't as bad as anal leakage" as an argument, well.... they simply have a problem staying on target. The film either stands on it's on merit or it fails. I find it funny that people defending this movie also need to criticize others who defend completely unrelated (but crappy) movies. IMO, this kind of weakens the "argument" and smells of hypocrisy.<p><p>Also, not recognizing the issues within movie in no way negates the issues' existence. Rationalizing the issues away only works if that is what the viewer desires.<p><p>As I said earlier: It's great that there are those who enjoyed this film. Many did not. It's as simple as that. As usual, IMO and YMMY.
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the plant born neuro toxin doesnt just inhibit the survival instinct, it it ignites a suicide response - they explain this in the movie - and, classyfreddyblassy, there are monsters in the world - but when our "leaders" turn to fear mongering as opposed to real measures of protection, they are monsters too - like allowing 2 planes to take down 2 skycrapers (all the warnings were there montha in advance) then using that event as a basis to start a war with a country that had nothing to do with said event - or using white phosphorus bombs (a weapon of mass destruction) in the same war on civilians - all monstrous - and all done to help perpetuate the idea that we are not safe in our own backyards - we are less safe now than we were 8 yrs ago - big g tapping our phones and reading our emails isnt isnt making anyone safe - our ports are still wide open - if bush really gave a shit about us and our troops hed pass the new gi bill
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that likes this movie - but i then also like ang lee's hullk - i said this before, i really dont understand the intense hate for this movie - the concept is a good one, albeit a stretch and hard sell (seeing crowds freeze then kill themselves) - but i thought it paid off - i like all of m's movies - my biggest criticism is that he shouldve cast a real actor for his part in "lady in the water" - whats with him and qt always wanting to be in their own movies - hitchcock never had actual scenes, he was just the fat guy getting on the bus in the background
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June 22, 2008, 12:52 a.m. CST
did they tie off harry's stomach with wonder woman's lasso?
by Lt. Kaffee
sheesh, i'm glad we're getting some solid film critiques around here.
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EVERY object of hatred in AICN has its defenders -- even people like Paul W S Anderson have their defenders. The point is, there are very clear tendencies regarding a number of individuals in talkback, and Will Smith is definitely not one of talkbackers' or "geekoids"' favorites. <p> The fact remains that you chose a poor, unfounded example to make a really, really cheap point and it ended up exploding in your face. <p> Be a man and admit it.
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Nice to finally get the inadvertent admission that you indeed are BladeRunnerUnit from Portugal, M-O-M.
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You are neither Turkish, Romanian or French.
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It's jerkoffs like you on here that will ensure I don,t do as you suggest. Neither will Night.
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I'm with you! I loved Ang's Hulk too.
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June 22, 2008, 5:56 a.m. CST
I have said this before and I'll say it again: M.S is a filthy i
by --- Emperor ---
This worthless ugly indian pig should have stopped with Unbreakable, as that film was barely watchable. He should stop using up resources that should be given to talented people, and fuck off back to the hole from whence he came (India). Every "established" director should be allowed to have a stinker now and then. But 3, 4 stinkers in a fucking row? Depending on whether or not you liked "signs", everything went downhill beginning with signs itself. Those signs were the ending (ending of "signs"). After that it's been stinkfest after stinkfest. I suppose you could argue the same with directors like, say, Mike Bay. But he actually makes money at the box office, and his films are still entertaining to watch. This worthless fucking pretentious troll is just totally useless. He makes no more money at the box office, they stink critically and commercially, and he is more and more becoming the Ed Wood of yesteryear. I'd rather watch a UWE BOLL rant on youtube than this ugly wannabe sit there going on about how he had these epiphanies whilst driving from New York to Philly. Fuck off, mate! Fuck off back to the shit hole and get buried in an Earthquake.
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June 22, 2008, 5:58 a.m. CST
M.N.Shyamalan = filthy indian punjabi dog to be disposed of.
by --- Emperor ---
This worthless ugly indian pig should have stopped with Unbreakable, as that film was barely watchable. He should stop using up resources that should be given to talented people, and fuck off back to the hole from whence he came (India). Every "established" director should be allowed to have a stinker now and then. But 3, 4 stinkers in a fucking row? Depending on whether or not you liked "signs", everything went downhill beginning with signs itself. Those signs were the ending (ending of "signs"). After that it's been stinkfest after stinkfest. I suppose you could argue the same with directors like, say, Mike Bay. But he actually makes money at the box office, and his films are still entertaining to watch. This worthless fucking pretentious troll is just totally useless. He makes no more money at the box office, they stink critically and commercially, and he is more and more becoming the Ed Wood of yesteryear. I'd rather watch a UWE BOLL rant on youtube than this ugly wannabe sit there going on about how he had these epiphanies whilst driving from New York to Philly. Fuck off, mate! Fuck off back to the shit hole and get buried in an Earthquake.
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...the National Front assholes have made their way to AICN.
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But this time it's an atomic fridge full of hot dogs and lemon drink.
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I completely agree with the review of this film. It was terrible, which in itself was terrible, as I was looking forward to seeing it. Oh well . . .
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Rephrase it? No. I think you know exactly what I mean.
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The Happening may not be a "great" movie (it got 3 stars from Ebert though...and I fell its WAY BETTER than Lady or Village)...but it sure will be a "profitable" film for the producers..because the budget is just $60million. The worldwide gross will easily crawl to $100million and the dvd + tv will ensure its easily profitable. But in contrast, the "Hulk" despite getting no. 1 in weekend opening is a DISASTER for studio as budget is $150million. It has to gross at least $300million globally so that TV/DVD will push it to profitabiloty.. I don't see Hulk crossing even $200mn..Happening, in terms of profit, has easily defeated the Hulk...And no matter how much we all hate Night, we have to accept he is a smart businessman.
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yeah distinctly *meh*
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M. Overrated Shamalamadingdong delivering a turd fest? Well color me surprised. After the cinematic abortions that were The Village and Lady in the Water, why do people still pay money to see the crap this egotistical fool produces? He has created 2 solid films (The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable), one mixed effort (Signs) with an ending the only Uwe Boll could love (as if aliens that are advanced enough to travel here would land on a planet that is 80% water when water can kill them) and three abortions (The Village, Lady in the Water and now The Happening). He has now delivered more abortions than solid films. He's a two trick pony hack of the highest magnitude.
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Why didn't I listen to Harry? I broke down yesterday and saw this in the theaters, even though every instinct was telling me to wait for DVD. Poor Mark Wahlberg, it looks like he's thinking "Wait a second, this isn't what I signed on for" the whole time. His performance is so unconvincing it reminds me of the time that Denise Richards tried playing a rocket scientist in Bond. Harry, my humble apologies, I will never again ignore your advice!
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I should add that I am not an M. Night hater. I even managed to squeeze some enjoyment from The Village. Lady In The Water was awful but everyone makes mistakes. I was really shocked that the Happening was as bad as it was. I had to see Indianna Jones a second time right after just to purge my soul.
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Don't know if you'll check back here, but to me Indiana Jones was unremarkable. I think you felt pretty much the same way. It was alright, with flashes of the Spielberg touch that we love.<p>This, on the other hand, was, I would like to storm the box office and demand my money back. That's the difference between unremarkable and The Happening. And excusing Zooey D's acting because her character was retarded??? What? As you stated, there's nothing in the movie to indicate that. You just felt that as a way to justify the poor acting/directing choices. But to back your opinion, you chalk it up to "subtlety". Sorry, that just doesn't wash.
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I just went and saw it and it wasn't too bad actually. not fantastic but ok. Mark walburg it occurred to me that maybe it was on purpose. He is a teacher and he is constantly over emphasizing and talking in motherese. over acting or acting as a teacher. don't know. the score wasn't to bad as well. it could have been better but not bad.
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that MNS's first 3 movies where great/really good? I loved sixth sense and unbreakable, they where very smart, and NEW, like you would call pulp fiction NEW, kind of, but not.I know signs catches allot of shit, but that was a light/funny entertaining movie. The village was dissapointing, but still had some real good atmospheric moments in it, some really good acting, and that stabbing scene is right up there with the slow stab in saving private ryan. that being said, I found lady in the water unwatchable, and the happening was the best future drinking game to come out in years. That first construction site scene just had "it" though, i was like wait, this isnt going to be that bad- then the construction worker pooped out whatever awful line he had at the moment and the laugh it inspired ruined the weirdness that had been built up. what the hell is going on with him? the happening was like he'd never made a movie before.
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So.. all those who predicted a cataclysmic drop off in the second week...it's still in the TOP FIVE. This movie is polarizing people, sure, but it has a strong band of followers. Live with it! And I'm up there at front of them.
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I hate to rain on your parade but The Happening fell 66% from its opening weekend, the highest percentage in the top ten. Even Iron Man dropped only 28% from the previous week, and its been out for 8 weeks.<p>I appreciate your silver lining attitude, but its just not very convincing.
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The Happening stunk and MSK3000 was the stinkee.
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I appreciate your levelheadedness and lack of swearing. But not your cynicism. Comparing TH with Iron Man is not very fair. I still say, on the basis of such universal derision, it would have fallen off the rader IF the general public agreed. I think the vocal minority of geeks who hate Night and don't get this film have held sway on the net. I saw the movie again last night in a much better crowd. Not too many, but enough to prove this film has it's audience and will live on. Thank god for individualism! I'm still waiting on someone to deliver the original Green Effect script, though. Where the hell did that thing get to? And what the hell is MSK3000??
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I'll be sure to catch this again on DVD, maybe a directors cut (which I think Night should include, if the theatrical is not)will make me appreciate it more..<p>MSK3000 is actually MST3000, which stands for Mystery Science Theater 3000, the late great SciFiNet/Comedy Central show that would show Z-movies with the cast commenting/goofing on it while it plays. It's been resurrected online as Rifftrax.
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i liked this movie. not as much as "the sixth sense" or "unbreakable", but as itself. part of the problem is that all his movies will always get compared to those. so nothing will be good enough for critics and audiences. anyway, there was a lot of throwaway lines that may have been important to the movie that wasn't in the foreground. and the hot dog guy, (the actor was also in "the village" i believe) was a neat character. but he's too eccentric to be believable by most people. in my daily encounters i meet people who make this guy look as normal as al gore. i don't think that it was the plants that caused it. the hot dog guy said that he heard of incidents involving plants and invading lifeforms, but at no point was it ever said "yes, it's definitely the plants". it was his theory that was taken for truth. mark wahlberg was well cast as the idealistic teacher. he was in the same vein as tommy from "i heart huckabees". sometimes people talk funny. that doesn't mean they are bad actors. think of people you talk to on a daily basis; do they all "deliver their lines" perfectly? and obviously while the movie is being made, the director is watching and listening to the actors speak. what we see on the screen is what the director wanted us to see. everything else is projection by the viewer, because it's not what they wanted to see on the screen and doesn't fulfill their expectations. so how is that the director's fault?
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Nail that script! I'll keep checking back here in case anyone answers my prayers.
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He better not fuck it up. The source material has the potential to be epic on the scale Star Wars and LotR. He's saying all the right things about the films in interviews and I truely thinks he gets and is a fan of the source material. But, seriously, I'm really hoping he doesn't fuck this trilogy up.
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Now there's an apocalyptic movie. Absolutely brilliant. Visceral and very difficult to watch but it's supposed to be.
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Search YouTube for THE CRAPPENING: THE HAPPENING PARODY . . . this pretty much sums up my view of this pile.
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And then cried some more. Mourn you, M. Night Shyamalan!
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Zooey just seems more incredulous and half-assed with every role I've seen her in. nice legs but that's about it. She isn't awkward in a cute girl-next-door way, she's awkward in a "I hate my job" way, like she'd rather be chewing off her own arm than delivering her lines.
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I left the theatre completely crushed. Zooey was the only highlight, I want to have sex with her mouth and vagina but not her butthole.
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What's with all the racism? Did you get bored with homophobia?
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July 1, 2008, 4:24 p.m. CST
NEW RRULE: I'd rather watch "What's Happening: The Motion Pictur
by Bill Maher
Seriously. Re-run was every bit as underrated as Shamalamadingdong is overrated.
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What's the matter, Harry? M. Night refuse to give you a guided tour of the set and a bunch of schwag? Studio not paying enough to buy a good review? Another crap review, Harry. Take a fucking remedial English course.
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... not that bad, and in no way worse than Lady on the Water. Still not good, but not deserving this huge hate... lol, I thought Speed Racer was way worse...
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People, in the movie business no ones a 100 percent. Not Speilberg, Not Scorsese, Not Pixar, well maybe Pixar. So what, you made a bad movie (The Village). So what, you made two in a row (Lady in whatever). The happening, beside the acting, isn't all that bad.
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Indiana Jones and the stupid kid that doesn't seem to be going away, or the new Incredible Hulk with Edward I was in just one good movie Norton. Just curious.
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M even made Betty Buckly look like an asshole and that's gotta be one of the hardest jobs in showbiz!
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