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View Full Version : M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening"



WMR
05-18-2008, 03:28 PM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ort07zcUs7g

This looks like it will be a return to form for M. Night, and a rated-R flick to boot! I can't wait. Looks really cool from the trailer.

GAC
05-18-2008, 05:29 PM
All trailers make a movie look good. That is there intent. ;)

He needs something. His last two have been real dogs.

Unassisted
05-18-2008, 06:19 PM
I'm a little concerned by how the trailer I've seen in the theater a couple of times makes Mark Wahlberg look like Eddie Haskell. I'll usually go see anything with Mark Wahlberg in it, but I plan to wait for reviews on this one.

WMR
05-18-2008, 06:31 PM
I'm a little concerned by how the trailer I've seen in the theater a couple of times makes Mark Wahlberg look like Eddie Haskell. I'll usually go see anything with Mark Wahlberg in it, but I plan to wait for reviews on this one.

Were you in the theater for "Boogie Nights"?? :eek: I can't see you seeing that movie in the theater for some reason, Unassisted. :lol:

Yachtzee
05-18-2008, 07:37 PM
How long until someone recuts the trailer with the new theme song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKaNM3YgC-0

Unassisted
05-18-2008, 08:49 PM
Were you in the theater for "Boogie Nights"?? :eek: I can't see you seeing that movie in the theater for some reason, Unassisted. :lol:No, I didn't get to see that one in the theater. I probably would have at the time. I think I've seen every film he's done since Three Kings.

durl
05-19-2008, 11:16 AM
No doubt trailer editing can make all the difference. If anyone's missed this rework of "The Shining," you should check this out:

http://www.whoomp.com/articles/191/1/The-Shining-Movie-Trailer

jimbo
05-19-2008, 01:22 PM
All trailers make a movie look good. That is there intent. ;)

He needs something. His last two have been real dogs.

I must be in a very small minority because I really liked both Lady In The Water and The Village.

marcshoe
05-19-2008, 01:45 PM
I must be in a very small minority because I really liked both Lady In The Water and The Village.

I did too. I thought much of the criticism of The Village came because people were expecting a big shock ending, and what happened could be figured out pretty easily (then again, I figured out The Sixth Sense from the commercials).

But yeah, I liked both movies. Shyamalan was pretty direct about what he thought of critics through his treatment of the Bob Balaban character in Lady In The Water. Probably didn't do himself any favors, though.

pahster
05-19-2008, 02:23 PM
I enjoyed Lady in the Water. It was silly, but one must keep in mind that it's a fairy tale. The Village was mediocre. Shyamalan's films are all well made, though. I love long, uncut shots.

M2
05-19-2008, 02:47 PM
I was hoping for something different - "M. Night Shyamalan's What's Happening". The twist? Rerun is actually H.H. Holmes.

WMR
05-19-2008, 03:16 PM
I was hoping for something different - "M. Night Shyamalan's What's Happening". The twist? Rerun is actually H.H. Holmes.

ROFL

TRF
05-19-2008, 03:47 PM
The Village was awful. just awful. completely figured the movie out in the first 30 minutes. Held zero suspense. Signs stunk too. Haven't seen Lady in the water. Loved the Sixth Sense and Unbreakable.

WMR
05-19-2008, 04:15 PM
I liked Sixth Sense and Signs. Absolutely LOVED Unbreakable. My favorite Shyamalomadingdong movie. He talked about being asked to do a sequel in interviews but decided against it. He would be well-served to reconsider that decision. (Assuming he can still get a movie with that size budget made after this movie hits. :eek:)

Unassisted
05-19-2008, 04:59 PM
Surprising to see so much love for "Unbreakable." I didn't care for that one at all and IIRC, most critics didn't either. I liked "The Village" and "Sixth Sense."

WMR
05-19-2008, 05:09 PM
67% positive on rotten tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/unbreakable/

Substantially higher than "The Village" which came in at 42%. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/village/

WMR
05-19-2008, 05:10 PM
Furthermore, the community scores came in at 54% for "The Village" and 80% for "Unbreakable."

Unassisted
05-19-2008, 05:31 PM
Furthermore, the community scores came in at 54% for "The Village" and 80% for "Unbreakable."Touché... but alas, knowing I was wrong about the critics doesn't make me like the film any better. ;)

WMR
05-19-2008, 05:33 PM
Touché... but alas, knowing I was wrong about the critics doesn't make me like the film any better. ;)

You got bigger fish to fry tonight anyway. :D

Larry Schuler
05-19-2008, 08:41 PM
The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable were solid.

I loved Signs but I'm willing to acknowledge its faults.

The Village was beautiful looking but the more you look back on it...not a good overall film.

Didn't bother with Lady in the Water.

Hoping the Happening is at least as good as Signs.

pahster
05-19-2008, 08:49 PM
Unbreakable is easily Shyamalan's best film to date.

RFS62
05-19-2008, 09:46 PM
Unbreakable is easily Shyamalan's best film to date.

Indeed. By far my favorite.

cincyinco
05-21-2008, 07:33 PM
I've liked all his flicks to an extent. At least, I can take away something from each of them.

Some though, sure are better than others.

My wife says Signs is the scariest movie she's ever seen - but she's freaked out by Alien type stuff. And Spiders.. heh - she refuses to watch aracnaphobia. ;)

The only beef I had with Lady in the Water was just some of the rediculous names he called the creatures or whatever. Stuff like that. Otherwise, I was surprised at how much I did like the movie.

Can't wait for this one! I have no idea what its supposed to be about - haven't read about it, only seen the trailer. Looks bizzare.

GAC
05-21-2008, 08:08 PM
My wife says Signs is the scariest movie she's ever seen - but she's freaked out by Alien type stuff.

He's very good at "framing" a moment that sends chills down your spine. When Gibson looked out the window and that alien was standing on the roof, and when the TV news caught the alien walking quickly by in that alley, shook me.

The Village had a couple of those moments too.

I thought that Signs and Sixth Sense were two of his best.

Degenerate39
05-21-2008, 08:42 PM
I think this looks like a bad Stephen King movie so I'm not going to see it.

Unbreakable was an awesome movie. I loved that one. Signs was alright. The Sixth Sense was amazing the first time I saw it. Haven't seen the other Night movies.

TeamCasey
05-22-2008, 08:06 AM
I think this looks like a bad Stephen King movie .....

No such thing.

TRF
05-22-2008, 09:18 AM
No such thing.

waaaay not true. In fact aside from his non-horror films I'm waiting for a good one.

Cyclone792
05-22-2008, 09:22 AM
The Village had a couple of those moments too.

There were a few early on in the beginning. But those moments ended as soon as "Those We Don't Speak Of" were shown walking around in awful porcupine suits.

Falls City Beer
05-22-2008, 09:27 AM
How this guy continues to get financial backing is astounding. Almost breathtaking.

pahster
05-22-2008, 09:32 AM
How this guy continues to get financial backing is astounding. Almost breathtaking.

It's fair to say that some of his scripts have been flawed, but you don't think he's a good director? I'd say he's one of the best, at least among mainstream filmmakers. I'm not even sure that his scripts are that much of a negative relatively speaking considering the amount of garbage that Hollywood excretes.

Falls City Beer
05-22-2008, 09:35 AM
It's fair to say that some of his scripts have been flawed, but you don't think he's a good director? I'd say he's one of the best, at least among mainstream filmmakers. I'm not even sure that his scripts are that much of a negative relatively speaking considering the amount of garbage that Hollywood excretes.

I think the guy is pompous, dull garbage.

pahster
05-22-2008, 09:35 AM
There were a few early on in the beginning. But those moments ended as soon as "Those We Don't Speak Of" were shown walking around in awful porcupine suits.

I agree for the most part, though I think the scene near the end of the movie in which one of the "monsters" finds Ivy in the woods was the scariest thing I've ever seen in a movie despite the fact that by that time you know (1) that it's just a costume and (2) who is in it.

pahster
05-22-2008, 09:36 AM
I think the guy is pompous, dull garbage.

Scripts or direction?

Falls City Beer
05-22-2008, 09:41 AM
Scripts or direction?

Mostly scripts. Some of the direction is nice, but the overall vision is just wankery.

There's a real "Emperor's New Clothes" appeal to his movies--like there is some deep subtext you could be getting, if only you were, I don't know, a novice film school student. Also, I feel like his movies can never quite settle on what they want to be, so they feel more like a "draft" than a narrative arc.

Degenerate39
05-22-2008, 05:21 PM
No such thing.

Have you seen The Mist?

TeamCasey
05-22-2008, 06:33 PM
For me, you have to watch Stephen King from a "kid who devoured horror movies" point of view. Just from a kid's point of view ...... almost like a horror comic.

marcshoe
05-22-2008, 06:58 PM
Have you seen The Mist?


The best horror movie I've seen in the last decade. Of course I felt like pond sludge afterward, but I think that was the intent.

Degenerate39
05-22-2008, 07:12 PM
The best horror movie I've seen in the last decade. Of course I felt like pond sludge afterward, but I think that was the intent.

I liked the movie but the ending just ruined the whole thing for me.

GAC
05-22-2008, 07:57 PM
I liked the movie but the ending just ruined the whole thing for me.

But what did most expect for an ending? The "typical" climax where the hero beats the villain and rides off into the sunset with the girl? Sometimes the good guy does not always win or gets the results he had hoped for.

The ending was different, but I liked it.

RichRed
05-22-2008, 10:46 PM
For me, you have to watch Stephen King from a "kid who devoured horror movies" point of view. Just from a kid's point of view ...... almost like a horror comic.

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MG/170464~Creepshow-Posters.jpg

TeamCasey
05-23-2008, 06:56 AM
Exactly! I loved all that stuff back when comics were for kids and kids could afford them and even bend or tear the pages.

marcshoe
05-23-2008, 09:38 AM
But what did most expect for an ending? The "typical" climax where the hero beats the villain and rides off into the sunset with the girl? Sometimes the good guy does not always win or gets the results he had hoped for.

The ending was different, but I liked it.

I was curious what they would do with the ending, given that King's story doesn't really have an ending (they drive off into the mist with no word of what happens next). What they did managed to really jar me, and I think lifted the movie to another level. Obviously, it divides people.

I've heard that using this ending was a condition the director insisted on before signing on. That makes sense; it's hard to imagine studios voluntarily greenlighting this.

Unassisted
05-23-2008, 10:45 AM
I watched "Signs" for the first time last night because I had it on my DVR. I didn't care for it much, either. I think FCB's observation about the story being "more like a 'draft' than a narrative arc" really applied in this case. Instead of leaving me wanting more, Signs left me feeling like the script was missing half of its pages. I also thought Shymalan's casting of himself in the film was a dubious choice, because his performance was weak.

My skepticism meter on "The Happening" is moving past "wait for the DVD" to "see it in 5 years when it comes out on cable."

GAC
05-23-2008, 11:35 PM
I watched "Signs" for the first time last night because I had it on my DVR. I didn't care for it much, either. I think FCB's observation about the story being "more like a 'draft' than a narrative arc" really applied in this case. Instead of leaving me wanting more, Signs left me feeling like the script was missing half of its pages.

What I liked about Signs was that we had a pastor deeply questioning his faith (the existence of God) after his wife's tragic death and how he interpreted her final words. And then the various situations occurring that appeared not to make much sense at the time... why his daughter put the glasses of water on the TV, his son's asthma, the "tell Merrill to swing away".... and how it was later all tied in and showed, IMO, the "invisible" hand of God ultimately being involved (working behind the scenes) in all of it. When situations, trials, life's difficulties, tempt us to doubt his existence or think he's nowhere present.... he's there.

For me, it was a movie that I had to watch more then once. And I say that about Unbreakable too.

Dom Heffner
05-27-2008, 12:52 PM
What I liked about Signs was that we had a pastor deeply questioning his faith (the existence of God) after his wife's tragic death and how he interpreted her final words. And then the various situations occurring that appeared not to make much sense at the time... why his daughter put the glasses of water on the TV, his son's asthma, the "tell Merrill to swing away".... and how it was later all tied in and showed, IMO, the "invisible" hand of God ultimately being involved (working behind the scenes) in all of it. When situations, trials, life's difficulties, tempt us to doubt his existence or think he's nowhere present.... he's there.


This is exactly why I couldn't stand it.

Why would a god or higher power kill people all over the world by alien invasion all so this minister could regain his faith?

It makes the story of this character ultimately self important and selfish. And it makes that higher power seem a little self important too, doesn't it?

Yeah, people died so you could see the world a little clearer. Right.

The movie was enjoyable until it hit me what M. Night was suggesting and then I wanted to go puke.

People confuse "It was a sign" with "This is a lesson I can learn from this."

Big difference.

Larry Schuler
05-27-2008, 03:17 PM
You're not the only person who gets weirded out by religious tones in films, Dom. Some people take it even worse.

Last summer I got out of a screening of Sunshine, the least religious movie you can see, and because of one line the "villain" says about God at the very end, this old white dude throws his hands up in the air, pissed off, as he walks out and says "Great! Another movie about a stupid [person] who talks to God!" I thought it was hilarious because just the word God pushed this old man over the edge. Imagine if the film actually contained a hint of pro-religious undertones? He might have exploded out of pure rage.

NarrowStairs
05-27-2008, 11:03 PM
Lady in the water was EXTREMELY and flamboyantly gay.

macro
05-28-2008, 12:11 AM
Let's ease away from any further comments that may be construed as discussion of religion, please.

mole44
06-14-2008, 01:03 AM
So I just got back from seeing the flick. I won't give any spoilers, but it was nothing short of awful. Its not the worst movie I've ever seen, buts its not any good. I highly suggest waiting for DVD if you want to see this one. At least it wasn't worse than Unbreakable....

Razor Shines
06-14-2008, 08:40 AM
So I just got back from seeing the flick. I won't give any spoilers, but it was nothing short of awful. Its not the worst movie I've ever seen, buts its not any good. I highly suggest waiting for DVD if you want to see this one. At least it wasn't worse than Unbreakable....

That's odd. A lot of people think that Unbreakable was Night's best film. I liked Unbreakable. So if you didn't like Unbreakable and you didn't like this movie.....I guess I'll have to go see it to find out if it's any good.

mole44
06-14-2008, 12:47 PM
That's odd. A lot of people think that Unbreakable was Night's best film. I liked Unbreakable. So if you didn't like Unbreakable and you didn't like this movie.....I guess I'll have to go see it to find out if it's any good.
I remember having very high expectations for Unbreakable, and I wasn't thrilled with it at the time. I was pretty young when I saw it, I'd like to see it again now. But this one was definately not good. Only thing that saved it was some humorous lines by Marky Mark.

Redhook
06-14-2008, 12:49 PM
That's odd. A lot of people think that Unbreakable was Night's best film.

This is the first time I've heard that. And I'm sure it will be the last. Unbreakable was decent, but it's not in the same ball park as The 6th Sense.

JayBruce4HOF
06-14-2008, 01:04 PM
Unbreakable is easily Shyamalan's best film to date.

:)

JayBruce4HOF
06-14-2008, 01:04 PM
Unbreakable is easily Shyamalan's best film to date.


Indeed. By far my favorite.

:)

JayBruce4HOF
06-14-2008, 01:05 PM
I liked Sixth Sense and Signs. Absolutely LOVED Unbreakable. My favorite Shyamalomadingdong movie. He talked about being asked to do a sequel in interviews but decided against it. He would be well-served to reconsider that decision. (Assuming he can still get a movie with that size budget made after this movie hits. :eek:)

:)

pahster
06-14-2008, 01:09 PM
Unbreakable is my favorite Shyamalan film as well.

:)

JayBruce4HOF
06-14-2008, 01:15 PM
Don't get me wrong, I liked 6th Sense and Signs, but Unbreakable is the movie that best holds up to repeated viewings.

Oh yeah: I saw this movie last night and it was a total abortion. :( Some of the worst dialog that I have ever heard in any movie, much less a major studio production.

Ravenlord
06-14-2008, 02:14 PM
Unbreakable was his best. Signs was decent. the 6th Sense is probably good if you don't figure out the ending 15 minutes into the movie, otherwise there's no suspense and it becomes extremely boring.

mole44
06-15-2008, 12:20 AM
Oh yeah: I saw this movie last night and it was a total abortion. :( Some of the worst dialog that I have ever heard in any movie, much less a major studio production. True. The only thing that saved any face for me was the pharmacy joke.

Homer Bailey
06-15-2008, 03:26 AM
This movie got such bad reviews I refused to go see it. It can't be good if it gets a 20% on rottentomatoes.

edabbs44
06-15-2008, 08:14 AM
I liked it. Maybe it wasn't an Oscar winner, but I thought it was an entertaining movie.

Yachtzee
06-15-2008, 09:41 AM
This movie got such bad reviews I refused to go see it. It can't be good if it gets a 20% on rottentomatoes.

Sometimes bad movies can be great entertainment. I admittedly enjoyed "Dude, Where's My Car?" I don't know if it will be the same for "The Happening" though. I think I might wait until its out on DVD. From the previews, the whole mystery of people doing themselves in seems interesting, but then Mark Wahlberg's lines, even in the trailer, crack me up.

Larry Schuler
06-15-2008, 02:36 PM
This was a purposefully made B-movie, which was interesting enough for most of it, but the ending and explanation were a huge let down. Still, there were like 4-5 ridiculously hilarious parts that I think make it worth seeing once.

Also, no matter how good or bad his future movies are, M. Night will never receive another good review.