How is it the man who wrote this remarkable exchange contained in one of the tightest, sharpest scripts ever... came to write THE HAPPENING?!

Robert McKee, on bigthink, made a good critique of M. Night...

But there are lots of people with superb craftsmanship and nothing to say. Steven Spielberg, brilliant craftsmanship, and nothing to say. M. Night Shyamalan can really light a scene and really shoot, and he’s got a cartoon mind, comic book mind. He’s got nothing to say. And so, the mastery of craft is no guarantee overall, on the other hand, you may see people are still struggling with the craft, but they have passion, they have insight, and they really understand human behavior in relationships, or whatever, or they have some wonderful imaginative ideas about alternate worlds in whatever genre.

One of the best movies ever made.

My favorite scene in one of my all-time favorite movies, from a script I've read and studied more than any other. A scene that is one of only a handful where - even just thinking about it - is guaranteed to make me relive the scene, experience the emotion, make my breath hitch and make me cry honestly and without shame.

And, sadly enough, I was forced to finally boycott Shyamalan two movies ago and will never spend another dime or go out of my way to watch anything of his ever again.

The thing that gets me is how self-assured both the writing and directing is in The Sixth Sense. Nothing is forced. He provides room for the characters to 'breathe' in each scene. His choice of camera shots and angles is not about showing off as a director, but rather allowing the actors to act. It really is a remarkable achievement by a young filmmaker, one that suggests a bright future.

And then after Unbreakable...