I don't know much about this.. I just read this on comingsoon.net
Here is an exclusive first look at the new poster for writer/director M. Night Shyamalan's thriller The Happening, hitting theaters on June 13, 2008. In the 20th Century Fox release, starring Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo and Betty Buckley, a couple goes on the run from an apocalyptic crisis that presents a large-scale threat to humanity.
Looks cool and th cast looks good....I will be anxious to see more on this in the coming months.
I'm going to take a wild guess and say it will be a very good movie but the audience will be disopointed because they saw ads that led them to believe it was something else...
Wow.. just saw a preview for this and had to look it up.. gave me chills...
Saw the preview for this in front of Iron Man this weekend, and it's now one of my most eagerly anticipated upcoming movies. It looks very freaky and cool, and the preview was very disturbing. The feeling I got was kind of a cross between Stephen King's "The Stand" and Dark City or the Matrix without the gothic or noir-like feel. Still set for a June release?
It almost looks like the movie will be about The Rapture.
I'm hoping that M. Knight pulls a successful switcharoo; one that no one will see coming. The Village and Lady In The Water were kind of disappointing.
Village was good enough - nothing like 6th Sense. Yes, Lady in the Water was dissapointing. The Happening looks scary - sure it will have a big twist at the end. Its on my 5 movie list for June. Busy month.
Very interesting
Some awful early reviews on AICN have curbed my enthusiasm for this movie a bit. I think I will be waiting for cable for this one considering how many other great summer movies are coming down the pike.
While it doesn't look bad I think I will wait until video for this one as well.
Quote from: Jobydrone4of20 on May 28, 2008, 11:02:15 AM
Some awful early reviews on AICN have curbed my enthusiasm for this movie a bit. I think I will be waiting for cable for this one considering how many other great summer movies are coming down the pike.
You can never trust movie critics... I mean they hated the original Star Wars.. this is just my opinion but I think it's crazy for folks to not see a movie because a critic says it's bad. Now if a friend who knows you says don't see it.. then I'd consider it.. but a critic.. no way.
I know what you're saying Kenny, and mostly i agree, although there are some critics i usually agree with and respect. I'm still looking forward to seeing this, just not paying alot of money, getting babysitter, etc etc, in order to see it. I can wait for this one, unlike other releases this summer like the Hulk and the X-files, for example.
Just saw the movie - even after reading all the reviews. Its an intense movie. I wouldn't call it a horror movie but there was some gruesome deaths - the reason for the R rating. Some scenes I couldn't watch and of course there were scenes that come out of nowhere (like the scene in 6th Sense when he see's the hangings in the building). It wasn't a great movie but I thought it was accurate in the sense of the reactions of ordinary people to these kind of circumstances. I felt like I was watching an episode of the Twilight Zone - of course they have a little twist in the end but this time it was pretty predictable. I hope we some more from M. Night S. but he should get back to the writing/timing he had with 6th Sense.
Absolutely zero interest in seeing this.
The only reason I am even contemplating seeing it is because Zoey is in it. If Wahlburg was not in it, and they had cast an actual actor instead, I would have more enthusiasm for it.
If there was a Gorn in it, I'd go watch it.
Maybe his next movie will be 'Gorn with the Wind'! :D
Quote from: Omra on June 14, 2008, 05:32:57 PM
The only reason I am even contemplating seeing it is because Zoey is in it. If Wahlburg was not in it, and they had cast an actual actor instead, I would have more enthusiasm for it.
LOL! I know what you mean, but his music career notwithstanding, I think Marky Mark's performances in the Departed (oscar nominated) and Boogie Nights (a great movie, one of my faves) do edge him over to the realm of "real acting". I heard he's pretty bad in this though.
What you didn't like ol' Markie as a Rockstar?
Steel Dragon... hehehe. :metallica:
Quote from: wraith1701 on May 14, 2008, 05:01:13 PM
It almost looks like the movie will be about The Rapture.
For those who saw this; was I right?
I guess noone saw it yet, but from what I have heard it has nothing to do with the rapture.
Markinro saw it. Maybe he will chime in on the movie, etc.
Quote from: markinro on June 14, 2008, 05:05:43 PM
Just saw the movie - even after reading all the reviews. Its an intense movie. I wouldn't call it a horror movie but there was some gruesome deaths - the reason for the R rating. Some scenes I couldn't watch and of course there were scenes that come out of nowhere (like the scene in 6th Sense when he see's the hangings in the building). It wasn't a great movie but I thought it was accurate in the sense of the reactions of ordinary people to these kind of circumstances. I felt like I was watching an episode of the Twilight Zone - of course they have a little twist in the end but this time it was pretty predictable. I hope we some more from M. Night S. but he should get back to the writing/timing he had with 6th Sense.
addendum. I think people are holding MNS to the standard of 6th Sense and Unbreakable. Granted, the acting was flat but like I said - if you or I were in this situation, our reaction would be similar. I wouldn't see it again or rent the DVD and I wouldn't even think of letting a kid see it. Unlike fakeish horror movies, the scenes had an intentional sense of realism. The realism reminded me of the first Jaws movie - which I still have not seen.
Quote from: markinro on June 20, 2008, 08:01:30 AM
addendum. I think people are holding MNS to the standard of 6th Sense and Unbreakable. Granted, the acting was flat but like I said - if you or I were in this situation, our reaction would be similar. I wouldn't see it again or rent the DVD and I wouldn't even think of letting a kid see it. Unlike fakeish horror movies, the scenes had an intentional sense of realism. The realism reminded me of the first Jaws movie - which I still have not seen.
Those are some pretty high standards. I would LOVE to see a follow up to Unbreakable, but I think I and maybe others in this community that loved that movie are pretty much in the minority. I think most people would say nothing MNS has done since 6th sense has even come close to the impact of that movie.
Scientific American just did a huge interview with MNS about the movie and the scientific themes. It's very interesting and on their latest podcast.
6th Sense was such an original idea. I still think the original Star Wars was the best of the six. Same with "Junior" Jones. :D The one series I recall where the sequel was better then the first - Aliens. OMG - that was a great movie !
The Happening was abysmal-
What doomed this movie from the get go was "The Lady in the Water". It did so poorly that MNS lost his clout, and had to compromise a lot in order to get the funding for this movie. And he constantly ran into creative and budget problems with the co-producers. The movie was rushed and it really shows, most of the movie looks as if it was shot by second unit teams and added into the final cut. Only 30 minutes of the film has the look and feel of a MNS film.
Casting was the second thing that sank the movie, and this may also have had to do with the co-producers, but I am not sure. If you are going to try and market a fantastical premise to your audience and have it in a realistic setting you need strong actors to sell it. Bruce, Samuel, Mel and Joaquin all did good jobs at selling some pretty flimsy story ideas to their audiences.
Such as Aliens that are strong and fast and can jump up onto 3 story buildings with ease,but cannot seem to open doors. And are poisoned by water? And yet they are invading a planet practically covered by it!?! Anyways... :offtopic
The Village had a very weak script with a large cast of characters of which most were never developed, but the excellent ensamble cast made up for it by developing their own personal backstories. And Sigorney and William really made their characters come alive and gave them great intensity.
Matt and Zoey and John are not veteran actors, if anything they are young pups in the field. And so when faced with a weak script, and no character backstory to work with they floundered. It was agonizing for me to watch somebody I enjoyed in 'Tin Man' just wander from scene to scene with no idea what to do. And I have watched John chew up the scenery in other films, but here he was clueless as to what he should do. Marky Mark as a science teacher? What genius came up with that idea?
The one single person who could act stood out like a magnesium flare. She was awesome! she stole the whole movie away from those two the entire time she was on.
But the final suprise for me was................ The lack of a suprise. Where was the usual MNS twist? There was none.
I fear that this may have been his last film. The stingy and restrictive producers may very well have set this poor man up for failure.