"The Happening" - Is M. Night Done??

[CWildenradt]

I just suffered through this pile of crap. It was so terrible that I'm surprised I didn't turn it off 20 minutes in. I guess I watched it all only because it was an M. Night Shyamalan flick.

So it begs the question.......is M. Night done? I just can't seem to believe that this joke of a movie came from him.

[fishops]

Sadly no, he's doing a feature length version of the excellent Nickelodeon series "Avatar the Last Airbender"

I can't even begin to imagine how bad it's going to be. I don't think he's ever directed a fight sequence in his life. More proof that talent has almost nothing to do with success in Hollywood.

[fredrickkinsman]

So true ,fishops so true.

[CWildenradt]

I actually loved the fight scene in "Unbreakable." It was so anti-fight scene-ish that it was awesome. Of course, he won't be able to get away with anything like that in an "Avatar" movie.

My question was more along the lines of this: Is he done making good movies? Does he have any left in him? Judging from "The Happening" it sure doesn't look like he does to me.

[CycleWriter]

I never really got the hype surrounding the guy. His movies just don't do it for me. I had The Sixth Sense figured out in the first 15 minutes and everything since then has been schlock. His last 3 films have been critical and financial flops, but he still finds funding for his next project. I just don't get it.

[CWildenradt]

I never really got the hype surrounding the guy. His movies just don't do it for me. I had The Sixth Sense figured out in the first 15 minutes and everything since then has been schlock. His last 3 films have been critical and financial flops, but he still finds funding for his next project. I just don't get it.

He definitely has a love it or hate it style. I think his style fits very well with (and complements) some types of plotlines. Examples: "Unbreakable" and "The Village" which I really liked. Others it's a trainwreck with. Example: The movie that inspired this thread.

[1]

Avatar went to Shyamalan? Yikes.

I could only hope that there will be some kick-ass producers on it who will guide him tightly enough to make it a good movie.
My kids love the series, so it would be cool to see a cool movie from that.

[threadhanger]

The Happening was the best killer plant movie M Night has ever made.

[Rumpelgeist]

In this case I guess my Blu-ray disc player has a feel against bad movies, it rejected to play it right after the initial titles faded.

[Chicken Warrior]

He's done making good movies unless, perhaps, he comes up with something that's truly his own. A perfect example of financial buyout drying out an artistic talent, perhaps.

[billbruford]

I think this filmaker is a classic example of someone who can "make a film" but really has nothing worhtwhile to say (would you be able to explain what he is trying to say). Some filimakers have nothing to say but can make evocative work or at least highly entertaianing.

I think the best filmakers tend to have a common theme through all their work and seem to be able to find interesting ways to adopt it to different plot ideas.

Kubrick - theme/s
Man has no control over the universe. If man tries to control everything and even gets close than he will fail as the universe will prove that you have no control.

examples:
2001 space oddyssey.
man makes HAL9000 ultimate contol in form of comptuter. computer goes crazy because it receives conflicting information from central control and mission plans.

The Killing
Man stages ultimate bank robbery. controls every possible person and event. gets to airport after failed romance in one of partners in crime causes thing to go crazy. dog rips apart suitcase full of money.

Roman Polanski
men have certain tendencies. they tend to operate towards these tendencies. certain situations seem to have the effect of changing these tendencies but right at the critical moment, they go back to their tendencies.

examples:
Chinatown
Jack Nicolson helps Faye dunaway as he falls in love with her but just as she is about to get away she gets shot and he doesnt do anything at the end.

Ninth Gate
Johhny Depp is hired to find a book that opens the gates of hell. he finds the answer for the person who hired him and then he decides to open the gates himiself as that is his true nature.

Orson Welles
Man has to believe in something. He has to fight for that something. if he does not fight for that something then the universe will destroy him.

examples
The Trial
PSyhco actor guy is being accused of something and then decides to give up the fight and gets blown up.

Touch of Evil
bad alcoholic cop played by wellles himself jailed people correctly but cleaned up his act. Charlton Heston as a mexican finds out that welles uses unfair ways of trapping his crimminals. welles is destroyed.

BB

[Braceface]

I liked The Happening very much.

[blondandfun]

I can't stand that producer. "Unbreakable" could have been much better than it was. It had the potential to be great like Superman, but instead was boring and drawn out.

The only thing interesting about his movies is the endings, which are always a surprise.

[blondandfun]

Hmm, maybe he knows his movies suck that's why his endings are so good?

Wow, now that's scary.