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M. Night Shyamalan: Critics never get me
ITN ^ | 8/16/10 | Staff

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.


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: mnightshyamalan
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I "get" that "Lady in the Water" was one of the dumbest movies I've ever seen.
1 posted on 08/16/2010 9:08:54 AM PDT by MissTed
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To: MissTed

One trick pony with a fake made up name, reminds me of somebody else, hmmmmm?


2 posted on 08/16/2010 9:11:20 AM PDT by norraad ("What light!">Blues Brothers)
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To: MissTed
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.

A flash in the pan. What else is there to "get?"

3 posted on 08/16/2010 9:13:30 AM PDT by Cincinatus (Omnia relinquit servare Rempublicam)
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To: MissTed

South Park savaged him in the “Imaginationland” episode ...


4 posted on 08/16/2010 9:13:30 AM PDT by ikka
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To: MissTed

I so much agree with that. I just wish he’d go away now.


5 posted on 08/16/2010 9:14:32 AM PDT by MNDude (Ask the Native American's how their "Open Borders" policy worked out for them.)
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To: MissTed

Europeans are much more tolerant of most things, socialism, fascism, radical Islam and self-indulgent crap movies.


6 posted on 08/16/2010 9:14:46 AM PDT by garv (Conservatism in '12)
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To: MissTed

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.


7 posted on 08/16/2010 9:20:05 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: MissTed
“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.

We don't “get” you either.

8 posted on 08/16/2010 9:20:22 AM PDT by MAexile (Bats left, votes right)
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To: Cincinatus

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.


9 posted on 08/16/2010 9:21:47 AM PDT by texaschick
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To: MissTed
I enjoyed The Sixth Sense, thought Unbreakable was interesting for about the first 20 minutes then got boring, somewhat enjoyed Signs as a superficially entertaining film but not much beyond that, and thought The Village was absurd and required WAY too much suspension of disbelief.

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.

10 posted on 08/16/2010 9:22:25 AM PDT by RepublitarianRoger2
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To: MissTed

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.


11 posted on 08/16/2010 9:23:03 AM PDT by sbMKE
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To: MissTed

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.


12 posted on 08/16/2010 9:28:49 AM PDT by Retired Greyhound
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To: MissTed

Mu own criticism of “The Village” was that it was just plain creepy.


13 posted on 08/16/2010 9:33:49 AM PDT by chesley (Eat what you want, and die like a man.)
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To: MissTed
"Shyamalan has already penned the sequel to The Last Airbender"

Last Airbender seemed like it followed the cartoon (Avatar) almost word-for-word. I thought it was enjoyable.

14 posted on 08/16/2010 9:37:40 AM PDT by RabidBartender
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To: MissTed

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.


15 posted on 08/16/2010 9:38:59 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (Liberal Logic: Mandatory health insurance is constitutional - enforcing immigration law is not.)
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To: texaschick

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!


16 posted on 08/16/2010 9:40:00 AM PDT by agere_contra (...what if we won't eat the dog food?)
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To: MissTed
“The Last Airbender” was not bad for a kid movie... a little slow at times but I enjoyed it and no Shyamalan twist to the story that was getting old.
17 posted on 08/16/2010 9:47:32 AM PDT by Lady Heron
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To: Cincinatus

‘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.


18 posted on 08/16/2010 10:11:45 AM PDT by Tallguy ("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
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To: MissTed; norraad; Cincinatus; Retired Greyhound

“Scary Movie” got him ....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7vOtjXMBBI


19 posted on 08/16/2010 10:19:42 AM PDT by BenLurkin (Will must be the harder, courage the bolder, spirit must be the more, as our might lessens.)
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To: MissTed
Last movie of his that I paid to see was "Unbreakable."

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.

20 posted on 08/16/2010 10:20:00 AM PDT by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
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