Friday, October 16, 2009

best films: #92: THE SIXTH SENSE (1999)

Previously ranked and posted at No. 82
Call it pandering or whatever you like, but despite M. Night Shyamalan's more recent failures and bloated ego (as well as star Bruce Willis' generally crummy filmography), there's no denying that The Sixth Sense is one entertaining flick. Whether you saw the ending coming or not (I personally didn't, as I love to dumb myself down with surprise ending movies so I don't spoil it for myself), it's one of the few modern examples of a great horror thriller. Turning in one of the all-time best child star performances (and arguably one of the best period), Haley Joel Osment was a force. Sure, he hasn't really shown much of his skills of late, but this one and A.I.: Artificial Intelligence were enough for me to deem him a talent. And his on-screen Mom, the lovely and underrated Toni Collette, made for a mother-son combo that probably should've seen Oscar glory. So though Bruce Willis generally stinks up the place in his films (save for Pulp Fiction, where he stumbled upon some decent work), Osment and Collette, along with an eerie score and a crackling script, carry this excellent suspense film to what will eventually be legendary status.

Standout Performance: I hesitate to pick favorites, but I have to go with Osment on this one, as his hospital bed monologue will be an iconic movie moment for decades to come. And he totally deserved the Oscar over Michael Caine.

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