To call "Signs" lame seems odd to me, regardless of whether it is an alien encounter movie or not. As you say it is a beautiful movie. I think of scenes that were stunningly good. The death of his wife, the asthma scene in the cellar. Maybe also the first contact scene with handheld camera from the birthday party in Brasil. The Joaquim and Mel scene on the couch (things that sound dirty but aren't), etc.
Saw "Happening" tonight. Thought it was certainly weaker than his other films, but not awful. I do not claim to be an expert, but I thought the acting was sub par from the two leads. There were graphic shocking scenes, but none that stood out like others from his films.
There are scenes from Sixth Sense that I will remember all my life. How about the scene in the car with mother and son, when the female cyclist is killed. That scene, continuing into the conversation about the deceased grandmother is brilliant. There is not one scene from "The Happening" that I will take forward with me like that.
Perhaps M Night set the bar too high.
Popcorn was pretty good, someone kept kicking my seat, lots of closeups of Zooey, plenty of leg room...overall a so so evening.
ps I did not find M Night during the film, and I was looking for him. As warned, it took the credits for me to know who he was.
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