Number 89 on the AFI Top 100 is M. Night Shyamalan’s masterpiece, The Sixth Sense.

Let’s have a show of hands of those who either a) Had the ending ruined for them or b) Ruined the ending for someone else.  I fall in the B category.  But in my defense, my mom said she’d NEVER see the film. 

8-year-old Cole Sear is haunted by a dark secret: he is visited by ghosts. A reluctant channel, Cole is frightened by visitations from those with unresolved problems who appear from the shadows. Confused by his paranormal powers, Cole is too young to understand his purpose and too afraid to tell anyone aout his anguish, except child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe. As Dr. Crowe tries to uncover the ominous truth about Cole’s supernatural abilities, the consequences for client and therapist are a jolt that awakens them both to something harrowing–and unexplainable.

Recently, Josh and I hosted a movie night where we watched The Sixth Sense and we had a very nice evening.  After the film, we had an hour long discussion about different aspects of the film.  Here are some of the highlights:

• Even though the scares and jumps may not play as scary after several repeat viewings, it has become evident that the film isn’t really meant to be that.  It’s more of a drama.  And highly successful at that.
• The music doesn’t play like a scary movie but more like a drama backing up the first point.
• The theme of the film is communication and it is explored in the 3 main storylines – a) Dr. Crowe’s relationship to his wife, b) Cole’s relationship to his mother, and c) Cole’s experiences with the ghosts.

M. Night Shyamalan used to be one of my favorite directors.  This film along with Unbreakable, Signs, and The Village are still some of my favorite films.  But his recent work has been lacking.  I hope The Last Airbender marks his return to greatness.

What is your favorite Shyamalan film?  Do you have any faith in The Last Airbender?