I went and saw the Happening and once again was fully entertained by our modern suspense artist. This time though, the movie and the crowd reaction were both entertaining, as this was the first of his movies I've seen in the theater.
As most of you know, I've strongly backed the Entire catalog of M Night. Not because every movie is good or bad, but because he has a style that challenges the viewer, thus entertaining them. It's like Bob said about the tramp vomiting in the sewer. Aside from the perceived fact of the matter, I actually like all of his movies. I like them because he has an imagination, an imagination that is humorous, distorted and usually ridiculous. Humorous, distorted, ridiculous - sounds like the Family Swaggards on New Years Eve. Imagination to me isn't, "so then these guys start a fraternity and haze people, but we show some tits" or "so there's this anchorman" or "so this goofy white guy plays basketball in the 70's..." You get the point. What I'm saying is the most entertaining part of the matter is seeing these people using their respective film skills to pull off this somewhat fascinating story line.
The Happening is his best. First, because he eliminates the classic naysayer argument, "he's in all of his movies." He's not, or at least I didn't see him. Second, Mark Wahlberg is the man and will remain an M Night staple for the future. He's a master at delivering the supposed-to-be-cheesy dialog that is often scattered throughout M Night's work. He does this with the classic Wahlberg seriousness that's funny. Third, this movie's story line takes his usually weird story lines to a new level of simplicity, while keeping it current and humorous. Current meaning applicable to today's social environment and humorous - think Tarantino-ish gore.
When the movie was over, which was abruptly brought upon us - surprise surprise sweet bird of paradise, people didn't know what to think, so in classic American fashion, they started cussing. I heard, "I want my money back" in a slow sheeplike succession. Now I admit that I have great respect for the underdog, so sure there's some bias here, but fuck you. Go see it and be entertained. Think about how retard other current big box office filmmakers make people, particularly the comedy ones, and how much cooler and more laughable M Night's catalog is. Laughable not in a this-is-funny-cause-it's-bad, laughable in a this-is-so-much-more-interesting-than-his-contemporaries way.
7 comments:
I think his movies are a bit cheesy and definitely not cool.
oh man o man, you opened the can! i'm gunna have to sit back and collect my response, for i've already exhausted my critique of the film. i'll print out a copy of this post and get back into it with my wife, who as you may have guessed, is also a diligent m.nighter. to be bloodily continued . . .
Must admit I haven't caught this one yet, but I can see your point. I like M Nights first couple, and I love Marky Mark, so I'm sure I'll at least find this decent.
I actually was never really into M Night but went and saw The Happening anyway.
Result: I think it was my favorite movie so far this year, no joke. I don't care if some of it was overacted -- that old lady in the nightgown should win best supporting actress and have her own reality show.
goodness mr. seger. i hate to do this, but it's just continually baffling me when anyone gives this turd-on-film an even slightly positive review. the only redeeming quality i can imagine about this movie is that it turned into an absurd comedy -- like "people under the stairs" or something, when the eerieness/gore ends up sitting bitch to let awkward humor ride shotgun.
McDaniel makes a great point: why in the hell are you comparing M Night's "imagination" to Will Ferrell movies? There is no doubt in my mind that everyone involved in this film was treating it as some sort of heavy environmental piece and a life-changing event, which it surely isn't.
You mention the "classic naysayer argument" that M Night is in all of his movies, and i ask you this: Who gives a flying rat's titties? I didn't know until the other day that this fuckass has some bit role in his films, and it doesn't change the fact that zooey deschanel is annoying (our local reviewer captured it perfectly, saying that deschanel "plays the entire film with a look of surprise that suggests someone smacked her in the face with a board just prior to every take"...), markie mark is semi-retarded, the plot goes nowhere, the SCRIPT IS RIDICULOUSLY DULL, that woman all of a sudden shows her iphone with the lions ripping the guys arms off, the old lady has a pointless life-size doll in her bed, the calls from "joey" (who apparently IS m night, by the way!) are sad attempts at making us feel anything for this couple, markie mark screams "think SCIENCE, douchebag!" to himself at one point, and on and on and on.
so maybe your point is correct j: m night IS entertaining. it's a beautiful experience to watch some egomaniac who thinks he's changing the world make a movie this terrible.
snooooze.
Markus, you are hilarious! Thank you for contributing.
oh markus...if only everyone would show so much enthusiasm against people with no talent.
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