The Sixth Sense: A Fusion of Fright and Thought

Isn't it strange how I wind up discussing The Sixth Sense (1999. PG-13) only a few days before Halloween? As usual, I randomly selected a decade and a top grossing drama, and it just so happened to land on this film. The movie is directed and written by a man who many critics label as infamous, M. Night Shyamalan. In current years, he's been the mastermind behind many flops such as Lady in the Water (24% rotten tomatoes), The Last Airbender (11%), and After Earth (11%). It's not so much the sales of his movies, but the unsatisfied audience that creates buzz. The man who was once perceived as a unique, "new-kind-of-artist", is now often criticized for his overuse of plot twists, inability to create raw or captivating dialogue, and the list goes on. Nonetheless, when The Sixth Sense was released, Shyamalan was still the new, fresh-faced guy that everyone seemed to like in Hollywood. So let's explore a film created pre-Shyamalan downfall.

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Earning an impressive domestic total gross of about 293.5 million dollars, The Sixth Sense became the summer smash hit of 1999. The film centers around Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychiatrist from Philadelphia who meets a troubled little boy named Cole (Haley Joel Osment). Cole is able to communicate with the dead. Scared and confused, Cole wants the sprits to go away. Malcolm advises Cole that if he faces the ghosts and tries to help them, they will eventually disappear. The running plot leads to a surprising ending that I will not reveal. This is a spoil free blog!

The Sixth Sense is interesting in the fact that the movie is a blend of different genres. Sure, it can be argued that basically every movie is a mixture, but The Sixth Sense is more noticeable. While it can be considered a drama, it also has many elements of a thriller, or even a horror film. Other than the blending of genres, the movie has multiple purposes. What is the movie trying to say? While experiencing the entertaining suspense, we also learn about how people cope with death. When the ghosts first appear on the screen, they are frightening and graphic-looking.

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As we learn more about their intentions, however, we realize that there is no reason for Cole to be scared of these people. Philosophy professor Marguerite La Caze from the University of Queensland wrote a thought-provoking article on the movie titled, The Mourning of Loss in The Sixth Sense. She writes, "The ghosts of The Sixth Sense are victims of domestic violence, execution, and, in one case, Munchausen's syndrome by proxy. Others committed suicide or died by accident." In one scene, Cole encounters the ghost of a little girl foaming at the mouth. We later find out that her name is Kyra (Mischa Barton), and her mother killed her. Kyra wants Cole to show her father a video of her being poisoned by her mother, so he knows what really happened. The paranormal are startling at first, but we soon understand that they have feelings just like those who are living.

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The movie asks a simple yet somehow complex question: Why are we so afraid of the deceased? Why do we find them creepy? The film is bold and refreshing in the sense that it challenges us. It questions our common fear of the dead. La Caze mentions, "The psychological realism of The Sixth Sense makes it likely that we feel sorry for the dead people, and the overall effect is poignant rather than horrifying or terrifying." Rather than following the typical "they-are-evil-spirits" route, The Sixth Sense goes in the opposite direction. I guess you could say the film kind of laughs at us when we jump or feel scared. The movie already knows that the ghosts are not dangerous, and waits for us to catch up.

To aid the suspense element of Sense, a single shaky camera is often used. This effect gives the movie an uneasy, on-edge feeling. Also, the film feels more real, and less glamorized. After all, the last thing this movie aspires to be is glamorous. I also appreciate the dialogue Shyamalan writes. Can we really forget the famous line, "I see dead people"?

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Besides that, the conversations between Malcolm and Cole sound like genuine man-to-boy talks. Malcolm asks Cole, "Wanna play a game? It's a mind-reading game." After Malcolm explains the rules of the game, he asks, "Wanna play?" The informal tone of the dialogue sounds very close to how an adult in real-life would talk to a child. Also, the conversation in the car between Cole and his mother, Lynn (Toni Collette) is a beautifully done scene. We see the sentimental relationship between Lynn and her deceased mother.

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One scene that mildly annoys me is the scene with the woman in the kitchen who has cuts running down her arms. The way she violently shakes her arms seems more like a melodramatic theatrical performance than a frightening image. Overall, however, the movie doesn't really have any cheesy parts. Another weakness is a lack of elaboration. Even though we get a few, very brief glimpses into the past lives of the ghosts, it is still not very satisfying. In fact, many of the ghosts are only in the movie for a few seconds, like the boy with the gash in the back of his head, or the woman who got into a bicycle accident. The only ghost we sort of get to know is Kyra.

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The twist at the end reinforces the audience that their time has been well spent. It also provides a story that is definitely not the run-of-the-mill, predictable, scary ghost tale that you hear around the campfire. Sense provides a little bit of scary fun with a remarkably deep message. It is a popcorn flick that will also make you think.

Forrest Gump: A Tribute to American Culture and Ordinary People

With a lavish production budget of 55 million dollars, Forrest Gump (1994) still managed to earn itself almost six times as much in the box office. The domestic total gross of the film came to a whopping 330 million dollars. Granted, director Robert Zemeckis is no slouch. He also directed big box office winners like Back to the Future, Castaway, The Polar Express and even the recently released film, The Walk. Forrest, however, is a special kind of movie by Zemeckis. While it received much praise from the Academy, the film has been also been highly criticized, and some find it to be overrated.

 

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The movie centers around the life of none other than the dim-witted Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks). Boy, this is a difficult story to briefly summarize because so much happens. I'll do my best anyway. Forrest narrates the different historical events he's gone through from his childhood in the fifties, to his current adulthood in the nineties. In between all of this, we watch the reappearing and disappearing romance between Forrest, and his longtime friend, Jenny (Robin Wright).

 

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As Forrest experiences new stages of his life, the people around him and the attitude of society also change, adding the historical aspect.  Forrest is a long movie with a running time of approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes. Zemeckis and the writers definitely take advantage of this time, packing in many elements I want to talk about. I think part of the reason this movie was so successful is because there is so much an audience member can discuss after watching it. Let's first explore the underlying message of Forrest.

I know people personally who can't stand this movie, including my mom. One of the first things people will tell me when I ask them why they disliked it is, "I just didn't get it. I didn't understand why I was supposed to like Forrest, or what was so special about him. I just didn't understand." Forrest is definitely not the typical superhero, or brave fighter. In fact, he's mostly unintelligent, and does not understand a lot of things most people quickly comprehend in terms of sex, history, and sarcasm.

 

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An article was written explaining how both the movie and book, Forrest Gump relates to postmodernism, even though I'm not going to get into that (because if I did, this blog entry would be a novel). Nevertheless, the article makes an interesting argument mentioning, "Forrest Gump is being widely read and appreciated-even celebrated-as a parable about the innate worth of the 'common man.'" Perhaps this is also why so many people have watched and re-watched the film. The movie celebrates the "common man", the "average Joe", the kind of person you probably are.

As the movie proceeds, we see Forrest transform into a very successful person. He plays for the All-American Football Team, meets two presidents, survives the Vietnam War, becomes a millionaire, and so on. What's funny, is Forrest just happens to stumble upon these successes.

 

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Forrest's unexpected achievements fit in perfectly with the movie's famous motto, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." While the story is obviously fictional, Forrest's life sends a message. His life is a key example that anything is possible. And I got to tell you, people can make fun of Forrest all day long, but that is message we all need to hear sometimes.

A common criticism that the flick receives is that the story does not take history seriously, and in fact, exploits it. It's definitely true that because Forrest is portrayed as empty-headed, he tends to recall important facts like they are nothing. He matter-of-factly mentions the fatal shooting of John F. Kennedy, and the very significant life of civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I understand how many people, especially those who have actually lived through these events, would find this kind of storytelling offensive. The controversy over how history was used for the movie probably also contributed to the stunning popularity of Forrest.

 

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Nonetheless, the way that history is presented in Forrest Gump is something that is praised by others, including myself to an extent. The article later reads, "Tom Hanks did not meet and receive a commendation from JFK; neither did he 'moon' Johnson; neither did he bring down Nixon by discovering the Watergate break-in. History becomes personal in this film." And so it does. If you can look at Forrest as something that's completely fictional, which it is, you may notice a very charming and clever way the film incorporated these historical events. The movie isn't trying to retell history, but is trying to show you how one ordinary guy recalled those events. This creates the sentimental element of the movie that so many, Americans in particular, enjoy about Forrest.

As a movie released in 1994, special effects were better than they had ever been in American cinema, and would only improve with time. After all, the much adored Jurassic Park had been released just a year prior to Forrest.

 

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The movie shows off the premium talent of special effects technicians, including a scene where Forrest runs through a Vietnam jungle, carrying his best friend Bubba (Mykelti Williamson) in his arms. A series of explosions fire directly behind them as they continue through the jungle. It is a marvelous and horrifying piece of visual effects. The famous feather scenes at the beginning and end of the movie also show how much blood, sweat, and tears went into the movie's appearance. Another bit of the article describes, "the opening sequence...in which a feather wafts out of the sky to land at Gump's feet, is a remarkable piece of work. It appears to be one long, unbroken pan shot." It wasn't until I read the article that I found out the feather scene had to be completed in several, tiny shots to create one smooth scene.

At the end of the day, Forrest is often misunderstood, but there is a lot to admire. With so many different aspects to look at, and so many events and characters Forrest comes to know, I would dare you to criticize the movie for rushing.

 

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You can tell Zemeckis, and everyone involved in the movie really wanted to invite you into someone's life. With the use of video and effects, we are able to experience someone else's experiences in a way that we just never could in real life. And for that, I don't think the movie is overrated. I think it's an intriguing look into the life of a guy that you'll either love or hate, and it's okay for you to feel either way about him.

Pearl Harbor: The Box Office Sensation with Shaky Elements

After randomly selecting another decade drama, I landed on Pearl Harbor, the 3 hour box office success with a very lackluster taste in many critics' mouths. I couldn't watch Pearl Harbor listening to the critics advice, however, and I instead needed to actively look at the film from a media literate lens. After watching the movie, I could see how some people say, "yeah, this sucks". Although I also found very well done elements of Pearl Harbor, the kind that deserve more respect than people give it.

 

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Considering the movie was directed by Michael Bay (Transformers, Armageddon), I was pleasantly surprised when the first scene opened with a couple of little boys flying an airplane. The little boys are later depicted as the main characters, Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Danny (Josh Hartnett). It was a calming and unexpected way to begin a movie about Pearl Harbor, but that is just the thing. This movie seemed to be not so much about replaying the events of Pearl Harbor, but rather creating the typical romance/action story with some history sprinkled on top.
Rafe is a military pilot who falls in love with a Navy nurse named Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale).

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Rafe then volunteers to help the English forces in the war. Rafe's plane is shot down, and everyone close to him assumes that he is dead. Rafe eventually makes his way back to Hawaii where is reunites with his friends, but discovers that Evelyn and his best friend, Danny are in love. The attack on Pearl Harbor then occurs, and Rafe and Danny manage to kill a handful Japanese kamikaze pilots. After having a major dispute, Rafe decides that Evelyn belongs with Danny, and the two men stick together by attacking the Japanese after Pearl Harbor. Both of their planes are shot down, and Danny dies while Rafe survives. In the end, Rafe is once again in a relationship with Evelyn, and they have a son named after Danny.

The film can be very melodramatic at times, filled with kissing close-ups, slow motion effects, revolving shots, whimsical music, and voice overs. In this aspect, the movie feels dated, and perhaps too refined. Many of the refinements of the movie, however, make for very entertaining scenes. The movie builds the suspense of the attack on Pearl Harbor very smoothly, taking full advantage of the Hans Zimmer soundtrack, and even showing a montage of the Japanese planning their mission.

 

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For the first half of the movie, the scenes go back and forth between the American love triangle of Rafe, Evelyn and Danny, and the Japanese preparing to attack.

Something I also didn't expect to find was a bit of humor. Rafe is often very clumsy around Evelyn, which helps to balance the lovesick, mushy dialogue said between Rafe and Evelyn. When Danny and Evelyn fall in love, there is an elaborate beach scene where the two frolic in the water, and I swear to god, you can hear an opera singer in the background. It was moments like these that felt very unfitting and uncomfortable. What kinds of messages should a movie called, Pearl Harbor try to convey? Well, an emphasis on romance is not the first idea that comes to mind.

Needless to say, the charm of the characters provided a little relief from the lack of character development. The main characters were very likable, and of course, the visual effects were top notch.

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Not only the visuals, but the sound quality in the film was absolutely remarkable. If an aspiring filmmaker didn't get much out of the story, she should at least take note on the crisp audio used in the movie. Pearl Harbor took full advantage of digital surround sound, with plane engines flying past my ears, and powerful music adding depth to the war scenes.

Cuba Gooding Jr. was featured in the movie briefly, as a Navy soldier with many job limitations due to the color of his skin. The writers could have transformed Gooding Jr.'s story into a very interesting subplot. Instead, Cuba Gooding Jr. is basically forgotten about, swallowed up in the explosion effects, and romantic gush. Also, Cuba Gooding Jr. was quite relevant in 2001. Could his cameo have just been some cheap trick to get lure more people into the movie theatres?

The movie had it's aesthetic pleasure, and overall falls flat in the emotional category. Sure, there's plenty of emotion, but it seems forced. After all, Rafe and Evelyn started kissing each other the very first day they met. In other words, "that escalated quickly". Pearl Harbor was a great popcorn movie, and was clearly designed for giant box office profits.

Valley of the Dolls: Tragic, Real, and Sometimes Confusing

Valley of the Dolls? Really? Out of all the movies out there, how did I pick this one? Well, I played a little game Wheel of Fortune. First, using an internet tool called the Random Thing Picker (yes, this is actually a legitimate tool), I randomly picked a decade of cinema, from the 1950s to the 2010s. I landed on the 1960's. Next, I searched on IMDB and found a list of the top grossing drama movies of the 1960's.

Let me explain a little background information before I dive into this 1967 box office hit. I decided to explore the biggest box office dramas because I want to try to understand why certain movies swim in the millions. It's very difficult to make millions of dollars doing anything, so why do some movies experience so much fame, or infamy? After finding the top five box office dramas of the 1960s, I chose one of the five randomly. Lo and behold, I landed on Valley of the Dolls.

I specifically chose dramas because of their intense focus on realistic issues of the world. Drama movies allow the audience to experience a more raw, emotional capture of life problems without the consistent jokes of comedies, and the often unrealistic plots of some action and adventure movies. So let's take a look at Valley of the Dolls. What kind of social issue did the film capture?

 

 

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Barbara Parkins plays Anne, a young film agent from New England who meets fresh-faced, aspiring singer and actress, Neely O'Hara (Patty Durke). Meanwhile, Anne's beautiful but untalented friend Jennifer (Sharon Tate) wants to become a star. As O'Hara begins to taste the Hollywood dream and Jennifer continues to struggle for fame, the story transforms into a dark tragedy, loaded with sex, drugs, and heartbreak.

Director, Mark Robson makes sure to depict an obvious change in the way the film looks to reflect the conflicts that Neely and Jennifer are facing. The movie opens with a scenic winter view of New England, taking time to show the peaceful, frosty woods, and icy ponds. A slow and whimsical song begins, one that will reappear throughout the movie. The first half of the movie especially takes advantage of stylish, slow-motion and fast-forward shots, creating an artsy and expensive feel.  Besides the aesthetic visuals of Valley, the movie provides that extra hint of polished and shiny Hollywood charisma with John Williams composing the score.

 

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Also, the entire first act and part of the second act are filled with full length songs. By the third song, I was beginning to question whether the film was more of a musical than a drama. By the second half of the second act, however, the musical performances are juristically cut down. The fancy special effects are used with much more conservatively. The movie then narrows down its spotlight on Neely and Jennifer's tragic downfall.

When I first read the title of the movie, I figured the word, Dolls was referring to pretty women. Wow, was I wrong. Dolls are sleeping pills that Neely becomes addicted to. The crashing and burning of Neely and Jennifer's lives are quite believable, and the movie tells the modern and often real tale of how rotten and unforgiving the world of showbiz can be.

 

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The special effects used in the first half of Valley create the faux perfection and glamour that Hollywood boasts about. The second half contradicts this, providing more serious dialogue between characters, and less cutesy, clichéd romance and music.

While Valley is at heart a drama movie, and spends most of its time and effort creating luring emotional scenes, this does not excuse the rather lackluster first act. There are several subplots to this movie that begin to fade away more and more as Neely and Jennifer face their downwards spiral. Within the first ten minutes of the movie, I was introduced to a romance between Anne and another agent named Lyon Burke. About five minutes later, I was watching them have sex. Yeah, the writing is not exactly the most believable when it comes to the romantic elements. Their relationship is very rushed, and I was not quite sure why Anne and Lyon fell so quickly and madly in love with each other in the first place.

Besides the Anne and Lyon subplot, Jennifer gets an abortion while her husband, Tony endures serious health decline. Later, Jennifer is diagnosed with breast cancer. While this depressing sequence of events makes more sense by the end of the movie, I was a bit confused for the majority of the film as to why any of this was going on.

With the psychedelic era of sixties culture blossoming, it is no wonder Valley of the Dolls was such a financial success. It highlights the issue of drug addiction and overexposure that was amplified in the psychedelic era, but still remains relevant today. Valley did a decent job of filming the dangers of overwhelming fame mixed with drugs. This is a concept that was especially prevalent in the sixties with the overdose deaths of famous figures like Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin. After sitting through the monotonous songs in the beginning, and tolerating the hurried romance of Anne and Lyon, uncovered an idea that is still significant. Fame has the power to influence greatness as well as self-destruction.