Posted on 08/16/2010 9:08:53 AM PDT by MissTed
His latest film The Last Airbender has been described as clunky and a disaster by some, and those are among the kinder reviews!
But M. Night Shyamalan says he has learned to turn a blind eye to his detractors, particularly the ones across the pond.
"I don't know what's going on with me and the critics in the United States. They've never got me and it's getting worse!" said the filmmaker.
Despite high praise for 1999's The Sixth Sense, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, follow-ups including The Village and Lady In The Water went down like lead balloons.
The writer and director thinks cultural differences may play a part:
"I've always had a European sensibility to my movies, so the pacing is always a little bit off for (Americans). It feels a little stilted, they need more electricity.
"I'm very used to getting on a plane from the US having been savaged by them and going to - in this case - Japan next, and then they're like 'genius!', he added.
Poor reviews or not, Shyamalan has already penned the sequel to The Last Airbender and a strong peformance at the US box office means it is likely to be made.
One trick pony with a fake made up name, reminds me of somebody else, hmmmmm?
A flash in the pan. What else is there to "get?"
South Park savaged him in the “Imaginationland” episode ...
I so much agree with that. I just wish he’d go away now.
Europeans are much more tolerant of most things, socialism, fascism, radical Islam and self-indulgent crap movies.
He made on really good movie and has gone downhill ever since.
He can blame critics all he wants, but the reality is that there have been plenty of movies that were very successful even though the critics hated them and there have been even more movies that critics praised for whatever reason but the public hated.
This guy is making $150 million+ movies, unless millions of people but tickets it doesn’t really matter what the critics think.
We don't “get” you either.
Have to agree.
He has been very disappointing since Sixth Sense.
Tho I did like The Village more than most people did. I like the Twilight Zone kind of movies, which is what those 2 movies seemed like to me.
I didn't bother with The Lady in the Water, and The Last Airbender just looks like a bunch of silly fantasy-martial-arts CGI junk to me, at least from the trailers.
It’s unfortunate that he peaked very early in life. Like a child actor, it’s nowhere but down from there.
In his defense, Unbreakable was very good. Signs was a very good character study even if the plot twist was weak.
The surprise ending crutch got old with the Village, and from there it was all downhill fast. Plot misdirection, and A-ha I got you!, gets very old and a bit stale and then insulting.
Like the clown who keeps playing “just kidding” jokes on you, after a while it’s just irritating, not clever.
I really liked Signs, and The Happening was not bad, either.
He has his own style, which I can appreciate. Those who don’t like the art don’t have to pay for it, at least until Hollywood gets a bailout.
Mu own criticism of “The Village” was that it was just plain creepy.
Last Airbender seemed like it followed the cartoon (Avatar) almost word-for-word. I thought it was enjoyable.
I’m not sure about everything he’s directed, but I’ve knowingly seen five of his movies. The Sixth Sense (liked it), Unbreakable (really liked it - Willis’ character being the everyman reluctant hero), and Signs (yes it was contrived, but it was still a fun movie with some decent suspense). Hated The Village and The Lady in the Water. Didn’t bother with The Happening and The Last Airbender.
I liked the Village very much. Thoroughly enjoyable. Superb music and suspenseful horror, even if (as everybody did) you ‘get’ early on that there is some fakery to the village.
That ‘reveal’ wasn’t the point of the film, or it would have happened nearer to the end. The film was about the blind girl’s adventure in an extraordinary situation. Great stuff!
‘There really isn’t that much to “get.” Shyamalan came up with one interesting and original idea (do the dead know they are gone?) that was crafted into a reasonably competent movie (The Sixth Sense). He’s done nothing remotely as engaging and interesting since then.”
I thought that “Signs” was pretty good. I also liked “The Village” very much.
I agree “Lady in the Water” just didn’t work.
I grew up in the area where most of the movies are set. So it’s a nice treat to watch the backdrops and figure out where that scene was shot & so forth. It’s a dimension that most movie-goers don’t have.
“Scary Movie” got him ....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7vOtjXMBBI
Will not be long before he's finally kicked to the curb resorting to directing episodes of crummy tv shows.
See ya "M" - don't let the door hit you on the way out.
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