Fri Jul 11 2008 10:26:14 By: Dee Doyle ( 372)
I completely agree with Dan. One great movie is not enough to excuse a group of mediocre and then horrible films afterward. Let's not forget that none of his stories are as original as he thinks; he has been in legal trouble three times for potentially 'ripping' off the idea of the Sixth Sense, the Village, and Signs. Perhaps none went to court and could have been false, although in Sixth Sense and Village cases I agreed considering I had read the books they were arguing for. Orson Scott Card is one of them for crying out loud!
In any case, M. Night was just an annoyance for me until Lady in the Water when he casted HIMSELF as the writer messiah who will save the world with his work. That is a level of egotism that should be stamped out of the business. Stop making movies, you arrogant hack!

Fri Jul 11 2008 10:32:05 By: Werewolf Girl ( 4257)
The only one of his films I ever liked was The Sixth Sense. He's made some sucky ones recently. I think maybe he should team up with some other writer. He has great ideas that he messes up, so maybe if he had someone else working with him, his future films would be better.

Fri Jul 11 2008 10:38:32 By: user193 ( 522)
i agree with Anthony more than Dan. IMO, M Night had a blockbusting start that even he could not top so everyones expectations are high and they feel let down. I can admit that i liked Signs, and Village for what they were. anyone can find holes in sciencfiction thats part of the fun. If everyone who had a bad streak just up and quit nothing would ever get done. M Night would be a bigger fool if he quits now.

Fri Jul 11 2008 11:06:12 By: wiz ( 182)
I think that those who are opposed to M. don't really appreciate the beauty, depth and imagination he inspires in those who truly enjoy each of his masterpieces. M is an excellent artist and I look forward to each of his movies.

Fri Jul 11 2008 12:01:25 By: lovetheweasel ( 2042)
i am with counterpoint on this one. he sucks. and who casts mark wahlberg in a serious role anyway? he has to suck to be that stupid.

Fri Jul 11 2008 14:25:48 By: pepelrh ( 3)
M. Night always tries to be original, he fails a lot of times but his efforts at least avoid the usual cliches of most films. maybe he should accept some advice from a third person before he turns his ideas into films. even the most famous musicians and writers have a producer or editor to help focus their creativity onto a succesful product. By the way i enjoyed both 'the village' and 'lady in the water'.

Fri Jul 11 2008 15:18:40 By: shinabarc001 ( 1)
I very rarely comment on anything.. because I feel everyone is entitled to their opinion. But maybe I have been seeing and listening to "critics"..(who btw have a job why?) waaaay too much recently, cause I think it's starting to rub off...
We need other people to point out what they feel is wrong with someone else or someone else's work ummm, WHY?. What do I care what you like or don't.. Why do I care if Britteny looks fat to YOU... Why do I care if you don't like what or where Julia Roberts eats, What Jessica Simpson wears, Where Bradgelina (which I'm sorry is the STUPIST most UNoriginal nickname EVER...shops, or how many times Christie Brinkley has been married??
You don't have to like everything.. I don't.
Keep it to yourself. Find something positive to say or shut up already. M Knight is a storyteller... he's not reguritating the same old tired slasher crap- Hills have Eyes-2, Saw (anything) or Jason and Freddy-14&1/2 much? And if I can sit through Blair Witch and Cloverfield.. I'd rather watch ANYTHING, Mr Shyamalan has a hand in creating. and what is wrong with wanting to write, direct and act?
Are Jodi Foster and Penny Marshall the only ones who are allowed to do so without getting crap for it? And why the hate for Mark Walberg..not that I haven't for YEARS keep quiet for my home boy Keanu Reeves but SERIOUSLY?.. I heard no rave's for Mark's performance in The Departed. So why the hate for The Happening? Grow up and find a job that actually benefits mankind

Fri Jul 11 2008 16:04:21 By: RiskyBusiness ( 32)
When the basis of an argument is that a director is an attention X@@##! and hack, you know you are in high school.
M. Night's films certainly have gone downhill since the beginning, but gives more orginality to the suspense genre than any director out there right now?
Most horror/suspense nowadays is garbage. They rely on cheap scares with terrible acting and nonsense stories. For every 'The Descent' or 'The Orphange' we get 10 movies like 'When a Stranger Calls'.
It is going to be really funny when he makes another masterpiece and puts two quality movies together, and all these so called 'angry fans' will jump on his bandwagon.
There are way more directors out there to get angry at for terrible filmmaking than to single out M. Night.

Fri Jul 11 2008 16:09:42 By: RiskyBusiness ( 32)
Oh and way to include a SPOILER in your article Dan. At least indicate that one is coming, or do you like ruining movies for people?

Fri Jul 11 2008 20:17:36 By: foxxy1 ( 30)
I must agree with Anothy however I saw the happeneing and it was an excellent concept which should make your mind wonder since the real truth is that the earth can replenish it's self at any time and we could get in the way. With global warming it is a great idea to impress on people however with that said Mark Walhberg starring in his film was bad from the start. Secondly having him talk to a plastic plant did not help. Although Mark Walhberg has played some good parts he is not a strong actor and should never be cast in a movie such as this with this type of context I feel that a Jeef Goldblum ( sorry if i spelled it wong) type character if not himself would have been a better lead. I feel that his movies all have a purpose in it to teach and beaware of what waits for us from above, after we die or what happens if we treat our planet like crap. His movies make you leave the theatre thinking and that is what making movies is all about.

Sat Jul 12 2008 09:21:59 By: ericar ( 3)
Wow Mr. Chruscinski....did M. Night Shyamalan pee in your cheerios or something? I like M. Night's movies. But then again, I'm not one of those people who analyze everything in a movie. If it looks good to me, I watch it. I don't care if the critics liked it or not (Critics liked No Country For Old Men, which I thought was the dumbest movie ever made), and I don't care if the writer is cocky or not. I don't even care about the actors in it most of the time. And, a writer is not going to have a blockbuster hit everytime. But at least he has ideas, and tries, and tries some more. He's interesting, and I like the ideas he comes up with. Much better and more entertaining than these pointless gore movies that plague the cinema.

Sat Jul 12 2008 11:10:52 By: janetkirk ( 1085)
As this is a movie forum, and we are talking about MOVIES BEING MADE, my opinion, which is up for public comment is that 75% of all movies being made today, leave MUCH TO BE DESIRED. Either the idea, has already been done before, or we suffer some sort of RE-make for an already OVERDONE idea.
What was GREAT about the Sixth Sense was that it was an ORIGINAL idea. However, like Dee stated was it HIS idea? Did he STEAL IT..I think M, had a magic for creating something special, that unfortunately for him and movie goers everywhere has been lost. Again, when you COVET something that is not yours and try to make it you own,you are doomed to fail. It is important to hear what the public has to say, BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES WHO PAY TO SEE THIS STUFF, how insulting to insult the general public, seems like shinabar is the one on a "high horse" who is in desparate need of being pushed.

Sun Jul 13 2008 00:18:19 By: wiz ( 182)
Thank you shinabarc001. You have such an eloquent way of getting your point across. I agree with you 100% and I absolutely love M. Night.

Sun Jul 13 2008 03:34:13 By: RiskyBusiness ( 32)
Yeah, I think Dan is unreasonably angry for unknown reasons.

Wed Jul 23 2008 21:51:57 By: dmmj ( 8)
I liked some of his works, and others I do not like. The same can be said for most directors. Should he stop, no maybe he should rethink his direction and make some good movies again. The happenning was really bad BTW and should have been renamed " Al Gore's wet dream".