Thumbing his nose at all those who argue that he’s rapidly devolving into a caricature of himself, mega-talented-but-clinically-predictable auteur M. Night Shyamalan just announced that, critics be damned, he’s going to keep making twisty thrillers! His next one (due to be released in June 2008) is set up at a new studio, Fox. And guess what? It’s a spine tingler! About "a family on the run from a natural crisis that presents a large-scale threat to humanity!" (Riiiiight.) With a big, as-yet-undecided male star in the lead! (Quick aside: Is anybody else troubled by the fact that MNS doesn’t seem to have much of a place for women in his movies?) With a thrillerific title, The Happening! And it’s going to be rated R!
Oooh, now this is interesting. Though I’m betting that MNS would be loathe to admit outright that anything’s amiss in his work — that almost nobody embraced last summer’s Lady in the Water was, I’m sure, our mistake — he will be changing things up a bit, by going more frank and adult. Certainly, that’s one way to halt the repetition that has watered down the spooky genre he perfected in 1999’s Oscar-nominated The Sixth Sense. But is he just putting a Band-Aid on a sucking wound here? Will he do more damage to the "M. Night Shyamalan" brand by making a movie that the under-17 crowd won’t be allowed to watch? Has his refusal to alter his formula alienated audiences so much that he can never get them back? Will you go see this film?
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Lady in the Water was a woefully underrated film . It was indeed my favorite film of the year last year and I can’t wait to see more of the Shyamaln movie magic hit my local theater. Bring it on, M!
Count me out! When i left the movie theatre after seeing The Village i promised myself not to pay any dollars to see the craps that this supernova of a narcistic ego would come up with.
I don’t think Lady in the Water was embraced because it wasn’t a childrens movie. It didn’t spoon feed the audience a formula. He was almost spoofing predictable garbage that most studios dish out now. This is the first movie I’ve seen in a long time where I cared about the characters. That goes for all the movies he’s created. I think people are dissapointed that it wasn’t another Sixth Sence or Signs. I like that his only formula is the twist. None of his movies are the same. I can’t wait for more.
Oh, great here we go again. Another year and a half of MNS bashing until this new movie hits theatres. Give it up EW!! Why the hate? I think MSN is a truly original director–the closest modern cinema will have to a new Hitchcock. He has one genre, and his sticking to it. Many of the well-known directors do the same. And even Hitchcock had a flop every once in a while. LADY IN THE WATER was good–not great, but not terrible like all the critics made it out to be. THE VILLAGE is still his best crafted movie to date. I don’t understand why everybody worships THE SIXTH SENSE–it wasn’t THAT awesome!
MNS is a creative and visionary director that happens to write and direct–and act in and produce!– his own scripts. His name alone is enough for me to buy a ticket. He’s created a niche for himself, so I’m glad that he’s exploring/pushing towards an R rating. I can only imagine the results.Lady In The Water is a unique and underrated film. The Village is my favorite (though I love all of his films) and I look forward to summer 2008!
I am a Night apologist as I loved Unbreakable and The Village. There are some scenes in The Village that to me are just simply beautiful and worth any minor problems with the film. I will give him this, his films are always distinctive and I appreciate that. In short, yes I will go see this film. I might not like it (Signs or Lady…) but I will see it.
“But is he just putting a Band-Aid on a sucking wound here? ”
Yes
“Will he do more damage to the “M. Night Shyamalan” brand by making a movie that the under-17 crowd won’t be allowed to watch?”
Does it REALLY matter?
“Has his refusal to alter his formula alienated audiences so much that he can never get them back?”
No, I’d blame that on the suckiness of Lady in the Water and the fact that most people expect a thriller from MNS, so until he can shock once again, no one will bite.
“Will you go see this film?”
Are you buying, Mr. Rich? Then, no.
I’m also a Night apologist. His movies have a distinct point of view (you can instantly tell an M. Night Shymalan just by watching it for two minutes), and I love his style, and his passion for storytelling. That being said (and after reading his “The Man Who Heard Voices”) I DO worry that his massive success is kind of driving him crazy. I mean I haven’t watched “Lady” but from all accounts he cast himself as a writer destined to change the world…that seems a bit too much, even for me.
Also, although his movies do SEEM to be male-centric, I would direct Mr. Rich’s attention to the fact that Toni Collette earned an Oscar nom for “The Sixth Sense” and Bryce Dallas Howard did a GREAT job with a strong, independent, well-written character in “The Village” (she was the best thing in that movie)
The Crappening would be a more appropriate title.
I loved Signs and the Village was pretty good, as well. I did not like Lady in the Water at all. I found it boring and pointless. I have really liked all his movies except for LITW, so I consider myself a fan and will see this film when it comes out.
MNS gets credit for something with me. Even in the movies of his that I’ve disliked (which is all save for Unbreakable and the 6th Sense), there is always at least one genuinely scary moment in all his movies.
Given the craptacular Semi Sedistic porno flicks passing themselves off as “Horror” these days, it’s good to see a director who can expand and blend genres. The elements of Science Fiction, Horror, Suspense and Drama are not easy to always blend together. But when this man gets everything right, the combination makes for a fantastic story. Love him or hate him? I just hope he keeps us all talking for a long time to come.
I’ll definitely be going to see this movie. Yeah, Lady in the Water wasn’t that great, but at least it was original, which is more than you can say about a lot of movies lately.
I’m glad to see so many people giving MNS some props. I’ve enjoyed all his films, while I readily admit they’re not all likely to be every moviegoer’s cup of tea. And while it’s easy to jump initially to the male-centric conclusion about his films, it is notable that females were front and center in his last two pictures, not to mention Toni Collette’s notable supporting role in “The Sixth Sense.” I don’t think it’s so strange that a man would be drawn to writing men as his main characters, anyway.
No place for women? Have you seen Sixth Sense, with the fantastic Toni Collette as the bewildered and ultimately heart-broken mother? How about the horrible Village movie, which starred Ron Howard’s daughter and Sigourney Weaver?
No, I won’t be seeing it, unless some sort of miracle happens and it actually looks good. MNS’s success went so far to his head, that it seems like he lost touch with what makes an actually ‘good’ story. And, I even saw all of his movies other than LITW, and they all just moved in a downward direction as far as quality goes. I’m just surprised anyone’s even letting him make another movie.
MMS is a great director, but a terrible writer. He’s a one trick pony, he’s ‘twists’ are so predictable and all what happens on screen has no life of its own, it just seems to exist as a set up to a self indulgent, smartpants joke. But as I say, the one move that could save his career is team up with an actual good writer like Ehren Kruger, and focus on his strength which is visual storytelling.
Tomi, I’ll give you that. Though I’m still a fan of his storytelling technique, I would be absolutely excited to have him direct somebody else’s script. Might rejuvenate him creatively.
Good God EW, enough with the M. Night Shyamalan bashing. There are plenty of worse directors than he. Why don’t you go pick on one of them?
For frak’s sake EW, if you were a person instead of a magazine, I’d say “Get a Life!” Seriously. I mean, I heard MNS just went to the bathroom. I’m sure there must be something ironic and oh so smart and funny you could say about that! Oooh, he’s gonna go produce another Lady in the Water! Ha ha.
Seriously. Enough already.
I didn’t care for Lady In The Water. I hated Unbreakable. I loved The Sixth Sense and Signs, and thought The Village was ok. 3 out of 5 isn’t bad, so I’ll give his new movie a chance.
I’ll go see it as long as he’s not in it.
MNS is a unique director, and granted Lady in the Water was not my average movie I like to see in a weekend, I thought it was very good. He is a terrific storyteller, brings in different things so after the second time you see it you go “Oh man, I didn’t even notice that before!” People need to be blatantly told facts during the movie and have some shock value to be entertained, or so it seems with a majority of movies. Let the man work, and you bet I’ll be there opening weekend. Keep em coming MNS!
Isn’t “The Happening” a movie from the 60’s with Faye Dunaway and a theme song by The Supremes??
YES YES YES. I WILL go see this movie. I know a lot of unimaginative people like to dis his movies but I LOVE all of them. One thing (THE THING) about M.Night’s movies, you’ve never seen anything like them before and you never will again. He’s unique and that is a breath of fresh air in the age of “remakes”.
OK, I liked the first three movies in M. Night’s oeuvre (wow, can’t believe I got a chance to use THAT word), but in decreasing amounts. Based on all accounts of making “Lady in the Water”, including EW’s, he’s grown incredibly arrogant, and refused to make changes to the script when the Disney suits “didn’t get it”. Disney didn’t want an explanation of the script, and rightly so since audiences don’t get that opportunity either. Maybe if he had another pair of eyes on his work, the last two would have been better. Still, if the next one looks like it’ll be good, then I’ll go.
If everyone would take pause, for just a minute and think about what every MNS moving is about I think you’d understand and appreciate his movies more. It’s about the human condition. Every single one. Sure they are all set to a supernatural backdrop and his formula is a twist, but rarely has a movie of the genre touched me so much as all of his movies. Think about it. A young outcast boy, plagued by spirits, his single mother struggling to hold on. A man, blessed or cursed? Shall he use for good or evil? A fallen pastor, struggling to keep his family apart after tradegy. A small group of people so grief struck that they set up their own seemlingly perfect yet beautifully flawed society. And a community of people, so desperate for hope in this insane world that they’d open up their minds enough to embrace a childrens story. I think MNS is a master story teller, capable of reaching our humanity through his pen and direction. Get over what you expect and open your hearts people.
If I hear ONE more person compare M. Night’s films to the genius that is Alfred Hitchcock, I swear to God I am going to burst into flames!!! M. Night’s movies are nowhere near the caliber of even one Hitchcock film.
Nikki, you got it right on the nose. Most of the people who hated the village went in expecting a full blown horror movie. Those who like MNS movies already knew it was not going to be like that. It was a study of how no matter what society you live in, violence and suffering will always follow you. You can’t avoid it. I personally didn’t care for lady in the water, but I didn’t hate it either. It was ok. I’m looking forward to “The Happening!” I also think the sixth sense is overrated. Signs is MNS’s best movie, and one of my favorite movies.
Signs is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I loved that mock-drama they did on him on Sci-Fi a few years ago. Plus, he loves PA and Philly! Go Night!
No, I’m not ready for another helping of good ol’ M. Night. He had up until “The Village”. “The Sixth Sense” and “Unbreakable” were awesome to the point of making one cry. “Signs” was enough to scare the Devil himself. But “The Village” was awful, and “Lady in the Water” was even worse. He’s batting .600, and that’s only good enough for baseball…