October Movie Challenge: The Sixth Sense (1999)

1999's The Sixth Sense was a huge surprise hit.  The writer and director, M. Night Shyamalan was all but an unknown at the time.  This movie is also the first and best use of what is now known as the "Shyamalan twist".  Ignore some of his latter movies (though I will admit to enjoying "The Happening") and enjoy this one for what it is.

I have been wanting to rewatch this one for years.  Knowing "the twist" is one thing, seeing the movie in light of that is another.  One thing is sure, Shyamalan is a damn fine director.  Course the cinematography from the legendary Tak Fujimoto (of Silence of the Lambs fame) so the movie looks good.

Haley Joel Osment is praised for his acting, and it is justified, but let's not forget the stunning performance from Bruce Willis.  Casting mega action and comedy star Willis as a ghost who never touches anyone throughout most of the movie was genius.  I have liked Bruce Willis since "Moonlighting" and he did not disappoint here.  The surprise of the night though came from a young Mischa Barton as the girl killed by her Munchausen syndrome by proxy mother.

I watched this one with my youngest son, who had never seen it.   It was great to see his reaction to everything and then the final twist.  He loved it.

Almost immediately after seeing this for the first time I wanted to use an adult Cole Sear (Seer, get it! It's a twist name!) in a Cinematic Unisystem game. Make him older and more jaded like Micheal J. Fox's character in the Frighteners.
Still might do that.


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