The Happening (M. Night Shyamalan, 2008)

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a.khan · #26 Post by **a.khan** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:40 am

Consider the power of the following exchange:

Freaking-out Mark Wahlberg: "What's going on?"
Calm Cop: "We lost contact."
Totally Freaking-out Mark Walhberg: "With whoooom???"
Calm Cop: "Everyone."

A masterclass in bad acting, bad dialogue, bad everything.

pianocrash · #27 Post by **pianocrash** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:03 am

It was his pause of silence that really sent the chair beneath me to tip over and toss me onto the carpet. And then Mambo Mouth showed up, and I almost died, JUST LIKE EVERYONE IN THIS MOVIE.

#28 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:15 pm

Wahlberg speaks to his students like an seventh-grader reciting an essay on recycling

davebert · #29 Post by **davebert** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:54 pm

Goddammit not another bee movie...

Via_Chicago · #30 Post by **Via_Chicago** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:54 pm

What I love is the totally ridiculous question:

"I don't know if any of you guys heard about this article in the New York Times..."

followed by...

"You're not interested in what happened to the bees?"

#-o

davebert · #31 Post by **davebert** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:08 pm

The guy's not a screenwriter, ok? Give him a break.

He's a conjurer.

miless · #32 Post by **miless** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:10 pm

no, he's a, um... twist-er?

rs98762001 · #33 Post by **rs98762001** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:34 pm

There should be a law that any film with killer bees HAS to have Nic Cage in it, just so that he can reenact his famous Wicker Man moment: "No, not the bees! Aaargh!"

davebert · #34 Post by **davebert** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:15 pm

miless wrote:no, he's a, um... twist-er?

The thing his self-perpetuated press always reminded me of was the hilarious beginning segments of Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. "Author. Dreamweaver. Visionary. Plus Actor."

Speaking of which, I couldn't keep my eagle eyes on the trailer throughout -- did M. hand himself another ridiculously large acting "cameo"? Those are always one of the highlights.

Faux Hulot · #35 Post by **Faux Hulot** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:17 pm

rs98762001 wrote:There should be a law that any film with killer bees HAS to have Nic Cage in it

...as well as a CGI Belushi.

Marky Mark also needs to get his facts straight about that spurious Einstein quote on his chalkboard.

I'll bet you a Susan B. Anthony dollar that Night's next movie revolves around a fortune in Dutch guilders tied up in the estate of a recently-deceased Nigerian head of state.

margot · #36 Post by **margot** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:19 pm

Come on guys...it doesn't look THAT bad. Certainly better than The Village and Lady in the Water.

#37 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:49 pm

The real twist is so much stupider than it being about bees you guys. Also, BEES?

margot · #38 Post by **margot** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:37 am

domino harvey wrote:The real twist is so much stupider than it being about bees you guys. Also, BEES?

BEADS

Faux Hulot · #39 Post by **Faux Hulot** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:19 am

domino harvey wrote:The real twist is so much stupider than it being about bees you guys.

I know, but you gotta start somewhere.

Cold Bishop · #40 Post by **Cold Bishop** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:46 am

rs98762001 wrote:There should be a law that any film with killer bees HAS to have Nic Cage in it, just so that he can reenact his famous Wicker Man moment: "No, not the bees! Aaargh!"

There should be a law that any film with Nic Cage in it should have him yelling "Killing me won't bring back your GODDAMNED honey!" with the utmost seriousness.

Antoine Doinel · #41 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Sat May 03, 2008 11:42 pm

New trailer.

David Ehrenstein · Sun May 04, 2008 12:11 am

Does he keep the title song by The Supremes from the first version?

Murdoch · #43 Post by **Murdoch** » Sun May 04, 2008 6:25 am

Why does Mark Wahlberg always look angry and surprised at the same time? Reminds me of...

Barmy · #44 Post by **Barmy** » Sun May 04, 2008 4:02 pm

The trailer was roundly booed at the Iron Man screening I attended. It definitely won the night's trailer boo-a-thon by a mile. Caspian came in 2nd.

jon · #45 Post by **jon** » Sun May 04, 2008 5:23 pm

At our screening at Fenway at midnight, The Happening trailer ended with the entire audience laughing. Pretty funny.

Highway 61 · #46 Post by **Highway 61** » Sun May 04, 2008 11:16 pm

Same here. The trailer got nothing but laughs, especially M. Night's credit. I'm surprised his name is even being used to sell this.

kaujot · #47 Post by **kaujot** » Sun May 04, 2008 11:31 pm

Some people still dig his films. I'm ashamed to say that my girlfriend loves both The Village and Lady in the Water.

a.khan · #48 Post by **a.khan** » Sun May 04, 2008 11:38 pm

I'm conflicted about Shyamalan. He's a gifted visual filmmaker who needs to direct screenplays written by someone other than himself. A part of me wants "The Happening" to fail miserably, the proverbial nail in the coffin; if it doesn't end his career, at least it will put his choices in turnaround, and force himself to finally reevaluate his lack of versatility. But, another part of me wants it to succeed so Night can continue to make movies. Let's see.

Antoine Doinel · #49 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Sat May 17, 2008 2:30 am

Red band trailer. This also happens to be Shyamalan's first R-rated film.

#50 Post by **Jeff** » Sat May 17, 2008 5:29 pm

Shyamalan pimps The Happening and manages to compare it to The Godfather, The Exorcist, and The Birds in the span of a couple of minutes.

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The Happening (M. Night Shyamalan, 2008)