Last Updated on August 3, 2021
#1 – The Twist Ending (THE SIXTH SENSE)
One of the greatest twists in cinema history, this scene blew audiences away. Those claiming to have figured it out before the ending are likely lying. Repeated viewings of this scary masterpiece place all of the breadcrumbs together into a brilliantly scripted and assembled film. Knockout performances from all involved help make the movie the modern classic it is today.
#2 – Mr. Glass (UNBREAKABLE)
Once Bruce Willis has become a superhero, his villain is finally revealed. After thinking Samuel L. Jackson’s character was on the side of good through the movie, we soon realize that he is actually the foe that Willis must overcome. His story is tragic, but fitting. It may not be as big of a twist as THE SIXTH SENSE but it definitely works beautifully.
#3 – Swing Away (SIGNS)
Everything comes together in the final scenes of SIGNS. It is only at this moment that you realize the title of the film doesn’t refer to crop circles but rather the hidden messages sent to instill the wavering faith in Mel Gibson’s character. Well done, Mr. Shyamalan, well done.
#4 – The Forest (THE VILLAGE)
Even as the plot began to unravel, you still weren’t quite sure what to believe and what not to in THE VILLAGE. As Bryce Dallas Howard tries to escape her town to find help from Joaquin Phoenix, we find her evading a monstrous foe in the woods. Is it real or is it a costume? We would soon find out, but this scene amps up the terror to the maximum.
#5 – I See Dead People (THE SIXTH SENSE)
The line that turned Shyamalan from a rookie filmmaker into a household name. Haley Joel Osment may have been the Oscar-nominated actor who stole the show, but it was Shyamalan’s writing, pacing, and eye that made the movie work so well.
#6 – This Is Art (UNBREAKABLE)
Unbreakable started out as the film Shyamalan made after THE SIXTH SENSE but has gone on to become the favorite of many of the director’s fans. Basically, it is the best superhero movie that isn’t a superhero movie. This sequence where Samuel L. Jackson equates comics to art is perfect encapsulation of why.
#7 – Car Wreck (SIGNS)
Mel Gibson deserves a big screen outing on par with his acting talents. His great turn as a conflicted minister toiling with the grief of his wife’s death is integral to making SIGNS work as well as it does. This heartbreaking scene is the crux of SIGNS and showcases just how good of a writer Shyamalan can be when given the chance.
#8 – Zoo (THE HAPPENING)
Yeah, THE HAPPENING is pretty bad. Mark Wahlberg is atrocious and the “terrorist” line in the above scene is just awful, but the concept and gore in the movie are pretty damn good. This movie never aims to be more than a B-movie and if you go into watching it with those expectations you may have some fun with it.
#9 – The Tower (THE VILLAGE)
Shyamalan set one hell of a mood in the first half of THE VILLAGE, including this atmospheric sequence that may be one of the scariest in a PG-13 film. The sharp contrast in colors against the inky unknown set up a story that the ending could never satisfactorily pay off.
#10 – Trailer for THE LADY IN THE WATER
Yeah, this movie was not all that great, but the trailer was pretty damn good. I remember watching this and thinking that Shyamalan had done it again. I was wary after THE VILLAGE that maybe the director had run out of steam and boy was I right.
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