1999 Rewind: The Sixth Sense
Films released in 1999 will turn 25 this year. Over the next few months, I'll be looking at some of the memorable films from that year, including some of my favorites. Today, I'm continuing with another blockbuster that changed films.
Malcolm Crowe: Once upon a time there was this person named Malcolm. He worked with children. He loved it. He loved it more than anything else. And then one night, he found out that he made a mistake with one of them. He couldn't help that one. And he can't stop thinking about it, he can't forget. Ever since then, things have been different. He's not the same person that he used to be. And his wife doesn't like the person that he's become. They barely speak anymore, they're like strangers. And then one day Malcolm meets this wonderful little boy, a really cool little boy. Reminds him a lot of the other one. And Malcolm decides to try and help this new boy. 'Cause he feels that if he can help this new boy, it would be like helping that other one too.
Cole Sear: How does the story end?
Malcolm Crowe: I don't know.
The Sixth Sense
Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Donnie Wahlberg, and Olivia Williams
Director: M. Night Shymalan
About: A child therapist with a new client in distress. Can he help him? That's the seemingly innocent set up for this film from Shymalan, which was one of the biggest releases of 1999. It put Shymalan on the map and established a certain expectation that what we were shown wasn't the truth of the story. That's because of the twist established in this film. You can only ever really see it once. On subsequent viewings, you can't help but try to see the seams in how the magic act is created. I was late to the party with this. I remember walking to the theater to see it on a Saturday night while I was at college. I didn't know what the "twist" was, just that there was one. It wasn't like the modern, spoiler-filled Internet we have now. I remember getting to the end, waiting for the twist, and suddenly realizing what it was for most people. I had deduced what was happening before it was revealed, but I still loved the way the story was crafted, and the wonderful performances. This is a film that is more than its twist, and should be revisited for those who haven't checked in on it in a long time.
Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Donnie Wahlberg, and Olivia Williams
Director: M. Night Shymalan
About: A child therapist with a new client in distress. Can he help him? That's the seemingly innocent set up for this film from Shymalan, which was one of the biggest releases of 1999. It put Shymalan on the map and established a certain expectation that what we were shown wasn't the truth of the story. That's because of the twist established in this film. You can only ever really see it once. On subsequent viewings, you can't help but try to see the seams in how the magic act is created. I was late to the party with this. I remember walking to the theater to see it on a Saturday night while I was at college. I didn't know what the "twist" was, just that there was one. It wasn't like the modern, spoiler-filled Internet we have now. I remember getting to the end, waiting for the twist, and suddenly realizing what it was for most people. I had deduced what was happening before it was revealed, but I still loved the way the story was crafted, and the wonderful performances. This is a film that is more than its twist, and should be revisited for those who haven't checked in on it in a long time.
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