"The Sixth Sense" is an absolutely wonderful movie. I figured out the secret the first time I saw the trailer, several months before the film was released.
In the trailer HJO says to Bruce Willis, "I see dead people." As I was watching the trailer, I thought to myself, "Oh, ok. He sees Bruce Willis, which means that Bruce Willis is dead." Made total sense.
Is it a snobbish statement to find the "profundity" of AMERICAN BEAUTY to be rather easy and pre-digested and, yes I'll say it: faux?
And there are those who feel that, say, Gone with the Wind is nothing more than an elongated soap opera, and there's nothing genuine or above-average about it. I'm not one of those people, but does that make anyone wrong? Does that mean that the audience members who do love it were buying into something that wasn't really there?
By the same token, it would piss me off if I explained to someone why I didn't like a certain movie, and they said "You just didn't get it."
Collette absolutely deserved the Oscar that year (but the not-nominated Julianne Moore places a very close second). I never understood how Jolie won AT ALL. The only Shyalaman film I simply didn't enjoy at all was Unbreakable. I found it incredibly tedious. Signs was fun (though the ending sort of blew it). The Village was intriguing (with an amazing cast). And though I'm in a very small minority, I was enchanted by Lady in the Water.
As for American Beauty, I found it quite thought-provoking and very much a product of the moment, encapsulating a certain desperation and cynicism of the American family as it approaches the new millenium (which is still quite relevant).
But Magnolia deserved Best Picture at the very least that year. It was an excellent year for films, but I thought Magnolia certainly had an edge over at least Cider House Rules and Green Mile. The Insider was also fantastic.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Magnolia certainly had an edge over at least Cider House Rules and Green Mile. The Insider was also fantastic.
Yes, yes, yes. My personal line-ups in '99 would have been...
Best Picture American Beauty* Eyes Wide Shut The Insider The Sixth Sense The Talented Mr. Ripley
Best Director Stanley Kubrick, Eyes Wide Shut Michael Mann, The Insider Sam Mendes, American Beauty* Anthony Minghella, The Talented Mr. Ripley M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense
Best Actor Jim Carrey, Man on the Moon Russell Crowe, The Insider* Matt Damon, The Talented Mr. Ripley Richard Farnsworth, The Straight Story Kevin Spacey, American Beauty Denzel Washington, The Hurricane
Best Actress Annette Bening, American Beauty Diane Lane, A Walk on the Moon Janet McTeer, Tumbleweeds Julianne Moore, The End of the Affair Cecilia Roth, All About My Mother Hilary Swank, Boys Don't Cry*
Best Supporting Actor (a rare occasion where the Academy and I agree) Michael Caine, The Cider House Rules Chris Cooper, American Beauty Tom Cruise, Magnolia Michael Clarke Duncan, The Green Mile Jude Law, The Talented Mr. Ripley* Haley Joel Osment, The Sixth Sense
Best Supporting Actress Helena Bonham Carter, Fight Club Toni Collette, The Sixth Sense* Catherine Keener, Being John Malkovich Angelina Jolie, Girl, Interrupted Jessica Lange, Titus Chloe Sevigny, Boys Don’t Cry
