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Thread: The Happening

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    Default The Happening

    So I was really hesitant about watching this movie. It is directed by M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs). His last few movies have been poorly written and overused the "twist!" factor. However, I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised with The Happening.


    In the northeastern United States people start inexplicably and without warning committing suicide. The government believes a toxin released in the air has been the cause of this. The main plot revolves around Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg) and his wife Alma Moore (Zooey Deschanel). The two desperately try to escape from what seems to be an unavoidable fate.

    What I really like about The Happening is that the movie gets straight to the point. Right in the first scene we see a woman kill herself. I also liked the overall directing. The movie isn't really gorey but it still has scenes that make you shiver. The actors are suburb (even Marky Mark, lol) and they put on a really creepy deadpan performance.

    The only thing I really have to complain about is that 63% percent of the named characters have names beginning with J. That kinda pissed me off. It made a few scenes needlessly confusing.

    Overall though, I recommend checking out this film. It's not the best of the best but it sure is enjoyable to watch.

  2. #2
    Scito Te Ipsum TheOriginalGrumpySpy's Avatar
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    I plan on seeing it even though it was up against some terrible reviews.

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    beautiful dirty rich Nadia's Avatar
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    It was bleh for me. It wasn't that bad but it wasn't that good either. It was just really like 'Umm..." at times. It was entertaining and I did love the fact that John Leguizamo was in it although he did look kinda old in it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheOriginalGrumpySpy View Post
    I plan on seeing it even though it was up against some terrible reviews.
    wow. I don't understand why so many people disliked the movie.

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    Scito Te Ipsum TheOriginalGrumpySpy's Avatar
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    Because is Shyamalan and he's been pigeonholed.

    Also because the acting was emotionless and, essentially, sub-par.

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    the eagle
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    It is hands down one of the most ham-fisted, unintentionally hilarious movies I've ever seen. It is also, by no sheer coincidence, ranked up with Showdown in Little Tokyo as one of the worst films I own. I frequently pull these out at group invitations for the laugh factor.

    It really is terrible. Terrible...

    Why are you eyein' my lemon drink?

    I hear you whisperin... You're going to kill me in my sleep!
    - WHAT? NO!

    ...

    fuck this movie, it's clown shoes

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    A very manly muppet Mad Pino Rage's Avatar
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    I enjoyed it. Didn't really think much of it. I don't really remember much from it, but I'm sure it made me cringe and look away.
    Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.
    Albert Einstein

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheOriginalGrumpySpy View Post
    Because is Shyamalan and he's been pigeonholed.

    Also because the acting was emotionless and, essentially, sub-par.
    I didn't think the overall acting was emotionless. Sure there are plenty of scenes where the characters were void of emotion but I took that as a deliberate way to set the tone.


    Spoiler

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    Senior Member llFidoll's Avatar
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    I liked it, but in my opinion shyamalan hasn't made a bad movie.

    And I really hate how everyone jokes about the twist ending in "all" his films.

    endings

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    8===D Malicious Intent's Avatar
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    am i the only one who enjoyed the village?

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    Senior Member llFidoll's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Malicious Intent View Post
    am i the only one who enjoyed the village?
    I like all of his movies. So no you're not.

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    the eagle
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    I enjoyed all of them except this one. I will defend the merits of Lady in the Water until I'm blue in the face, but The Happening... It just wasn't good. And one of my HUGE complaints about the movie was actually solved in the deleted scenes on the DVD - Just who Elliot Moore was supposed to be. I mean, I get that he's a bio teacher at a high school, but who was he? His character just didn't click. And in the deleted scene, Alma very clearly states that he's a child who fails to take responsibility for his actions - and while that is very sloppy writing, it helped me grasp who he was just a little more.

    Another example of crappy scripting -

    Alma: Elliot, how could you tell them about our fight? You know I don't like to show my emotions. I'm upset.

    Oh right.

    And when Alma says that she and Jess are so very much alike - I took that to mean that Alma had the mentality of seven year old, because she was pretty fucking retarded in the movie. All of her expressions and line delivery. I love Zooey Deschanel very much and hope to one day marry her, but Jesus, this film is strike 1.

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    I took it as though it was in character for her to say those somewhat retarded lines. I mean look at the character. She doesn't seem to be a stable and mature person.

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    Senior Member llFidoll's Avatar
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    Plus its hard to watch Zoey Deschanel and realize she's not a kid

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    the eagle
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    No, she wasn't meant to be stable or mature - which is why her performance was off. Marky Mark's wide eyed wonderment and constant questioning seems child-like in retrospect - that's not to say he gave a good performance at all - but Zooey's Alma... It was just not a well written character. Or movie.

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    I loves sausage festival! djwolford's Avatar
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    I couldn't make myself like it for some reason. Then again I may be one of the only people on the face of the planet that liked Lady in the Water so my film criticisms shouldn't count for too much.
    Quote Originally Posted by Toki
    Oh, gives to me opposites werewolves that turns to humans whens the moons comes outs!
    Quote Originally Posted by Toki
    We's not goes downs that dusty roads again!
    Quote Originally Posted by Pickles
    Toki is that straight vadka? It's not even noon...

  17. #17
    the eagle
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    There was nothing inherently flawed with Lady in the Water - it presented itself as a fairy tale with made up rules and followed the rules all the way through. Most people had a problem with M. Night casting himself in one of the leads, but I didn't care. I wasn't seeing the movie for inner-studio politics. I was seeing it for the fucking whimsy.

    And there was a shit-load of fucking whimsy in that movie.

  18. #18
    Pill popping nihilist Cryptic's Avatar
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    The only M. Night movie I've actually liked is The Village. The Happening is still on my "to rent" list though, out of morbid curiosity if nothing else.

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    I loves sausage festival! djwolford's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MalReynolds View Post
    And there was a shit-load of fucking whimsy in that movie.
    QFT. That's what I really loved about it. I like to see some way out there what the fuck was this guy thinking when he wrote this type stuff now and again.
    Quote Originally Posted by Toki
    Oh, gives to me opposites werewolves that turns to humans whens the moons comes outs!
    Quote Originally Posted by Toki
    We's not goes downs that dusty roads again!
    Quote Originally Posted by Pickles
    Toki is that straight vadka? It's not even noon...

  20. #20
    the eagle
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    Considering how unoriginal a lot of the movies were coming out around it, I thought it was gang-busters. Overlooking some pacing issues, I thought it was terrific escapism.

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    Scito Te Ipsum TheOriginalGrumpySpy's Avatar
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    Lady in the Water was a fairy tale he told his children.. or something like that.

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    Senior Member llFidoll's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheOriginalGrumpySpy View Post
    Lady in the Water was a fairy tale he told his children.. or something like that.
    Yea it was, then he made it into a children's book.

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    Senior Member Oats's Avatar
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    Just watched this movie because I am in love with KT and would give anything a go for her.

    This movie was shit.

    I can see what he was trying to go for but he just totally failed.

    Spoiler

  24. #24
    the eagle
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    I loved when he walks into the bedroom and is all like, "Ms. Jones?"

    Walks over to the bed.

    Stares at the doll.

    "Ms. Jones?"

    Stares at the doll.

    "Crazy lady."

    No you moron it's not Ms. Jones it's a fucking doll jesusjesusjesusjesusjesusj oh yes the natural phenomenon is turning people into dolls yup that's sure it Prof. Moore good going you finally got to the root of the problem.

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    Yeah, that part was kind of stupid.

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    Mega Bore Atomic's Avatar
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    It sucked.

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    Pill popping nihilist Cryptic's Avatar
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    Well, that was about the worst movie I've ever seen. I want 2 hours of my life and $5 back.

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    Journeyman Cocksmith Mr. E's Avatar
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    I'm waiting for Unbreakable 2 and Airbender. Those are Shamalan movies I'll see. His first two movies were great, but then he kept on getting worse and worse and worse. If he makes anything else before he makes Unbreakable 2 or Airbender then I'm not going near it.

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    There will be an Unbreakable 2? That's awesome. It's a sequel that actually makes sense since the first movie is all about him finding his powers.

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    Senior Member llFidoll's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. E View Post
    I'm waiting for Unbreakable 2 and Airbender. Those are Shamalan movies I'll see. His first two movies were great, but then he kept on getting worse and worse and worse. If he makes anything else before he makes Unbreakable 2 or Airbender then I'm not going near it.
    Airbender is he next project

    He's also said unbreakable could be a trilogy

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