The Sixth Sense

1999.

Not yet released / #89

Nominated for 6 Academy Awards.

After being shot by a deranged patient, Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) counsels Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), who can see dead people. Over the course of the movie, we discover that Malcolm has been dead since his shooting. zOMG!

Eddie: THE SIXTH SENSE is a great movie that has the misfortune of being endlessly parodied. Back in '99 when this flick came out, I loved it, and after showing it to my little brother for the first time recently, it holds up well. M. Night Shyamalan delivers the movie with patience, directing restrained performances from Willis and Osment. Have we ever seen Bruce Willis in that type of role before? Have we seen Haley Joel Osment in anything half as good ever since? No and no. Shyamalan's careful use of the color red shows his Hitchcockian flair. Shamefully, Shyamalan has never been able to duplicate the genius of SIXTH SENSE. I've enjoyed most of his movies (although I didn't see LADY IN THE WATER and I hated THE VILLAGE), but none of them have rivaled the suspense of THE SIXTH SENSE. It wasn't until I re-watched it, though, that I realized how terribly sad the movie is. It never lets up, which is what makes watching it a great experience. One last thing: Philadelphia performs the best supporting role of the movie, providing a backdrop that feels historic and gray - exactly what you want from a ghost movie.

Sarah: If you cover your eyes during the ghosty scenes (as I did when we re-watched it. Seeing them once imprinted them on my brain), you're left with a great family drama. But it's hard to appreciate this the first time, because the suspense is the main focus. The strained relationship between Cole and his mom (Toni Collette) makes for some tear-jerking scenes. A great plant and payoff comes from the game Cole and his mother play. They both imagine a great day, and at the end of the film, Cole's day comes true, he is lifted on his classmates' shoulders in the school play. This film has substance behind the scares. It's just as much a film about grieving and missing people as it is a film about ghosts.

Why You Should See It: Both times that Cole tells his secret are great scenes - first to Malcolm in the hospital and then to his mother in the car. That car scene is especially touching.