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Filmmakers who ruined their own good thing

posted 5 years ago by PeteRose (2893)
31 replies | jump to latest

M. Night Shyamalan.

I'd long given up on Night. He's made some great movies, but then he started making, well, shit. The Happening is the filmic equivalent of chalkboard nails. Don't even try it.

Then a strange thing went down. As I was finishing up a film I was enjoying, I thought, hmm, I wonder who made this? It was Split and Mr. Shyamalan himself. As the movie rounded out Split [spoiler]is revealed to take place within the same character universe as Unbreakable. [/spoiler]

Cut to me finding out that the long awaited sequel to what is arguably his best film is, dare I say, happening. I was super stoked, and all the principals were returning.

Cut to me finally seeing Glass. It totally sucked and amounts to 19 years of anticipation with basically no payoff.

Shyamalan wrecked his best thing. Any other filmmakers do this?

[–] TexasJack (12515) 5 years ago

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't like Glass. I didn't catch it while it was in my local theater so now it looks like I will have to wait another month or so for the digital release.

[–] PeteRose (2893) 5 years ago

A few days ago I thought, I wonder if it's still in theaters. Turned out Thursday was last day I could see it at local theater and I didn't want to miss it. I kind of wish I had so it would still be a dream of goodness in my mind.

[–] dmac8 (5050) 5 years ago

Maybe he was overrated from the start.

[–] PeteRose (2893) 5 years ago

No, he was adequately rated. Nobody ever said he was the greatest of all time, but he made some really solid stuff for a few years, and there was a sharp decline in quality thereafter. I found Split to be a return to form, which made Glass that much more of a letdown.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Personally i find the concept of The Happening to be awesome, i'm not saying the movie is good but in the hands of a competent director it could've easily been a thrilling masterpiece. Probably the one movie i want to see a remake of the most.

[–] PeteRose (2893) 5 years ago

I like to think about remaking a movie with all the same elements but just one thing changed. The Happening could be good even still starring Marky Mark and Zoe D but new director.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Mark is a great actor, it definitely wasn't on him, it's almost admirable how Shyamalan managed to hide his talent so well. I wouldn't have a problem if he starred again. It would be interesting and something very unique to have an actor be in the same movie in the same role twice.

[–] PeteRose (2893) 5 years ago

He's always given me good vibrations. That must be his worst performance. Quite a difference from Basketball Diaries or Boogie Nights.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Haven't seen all his stuff but i feel safe to say it is. Thought he was fantastic in Lovely Bones.

[–] PeteRose (2893) 5 years ago

See both of those if you haven't. They're awesome.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I haven't, might check them out, thanks for the tip :-D

[–] ShogunofYonkers (73792) 5 years ago

The Lovely Bones was too much for me
Really way too sad, couldn't get through it

[–] db20db (16574) 5 years ago

True, but for me it was a very creative slant to the serial killer genre.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (73792) 5 years ago

You're tougher than I am!
I bailed out

I do like a good serial killer flick though, this one just landed wrong for me

[–] sslssg (30497) 5 years ago

Mark Wahlberg is in the same category as Nicolas Cage for me. I would not say that they are great actors at all. I think they are kind of really crappy, but when given a good director, they can turn out a decent performance.

[–] twinA (4827) 5 years ago

They both seem to be the kind of actors who can somehow coast through their careers even when they're not given a spotlight.

In a strange way, their journies are almost inspirational, seeing how they manage to keep finding work in troubled waters. Mark has been able to bounce back though.

Congrats on teaching the big 1,000, sslssg! 🌠💥🎆
Here's to more celebrating.

~~/o/

[–] sslssg (30497) 5 years ago

I hadn't even noticed, thanks.

I guess that means I'm no longer just a lurker.

[–] twinA (4827) 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sslssg (30497) 5 years ago

Aww shucks! Make me blush.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Nic pretty much has built a career on his strange behaviour, only time i remember taking him seriously is in Kick Ass. Mark feels more like a real actor to me, he doesn't have to be over the top all the time. Nic feels like a character in himself and everytime you see a movie with him you just go "Hey, it's Nic Cage." Mark on the other hand can actually go into a role and make you believe it's a different person. Mark is the better actor i would say, altough not as entertaining.

[–] twinA (4827) 5 years ago

Mark has certainly matured on-screen. Cage knows he can't escape the more wild behavior the public has embraced him for, which he self-perpetuates on his own without even trying.

It's funny that you mention "Kick-Ass" (2010) because for once he was playing someone unpredictable, even though that's been his go-to trope in most of his films.

He seems to play a more modest version of himself in "Snake Eyes" (1998), where he comes off less cocky of a person.

~~/o/

[–] twinA (4827) 5 years ago

By the way, do you switch your profile picture every day? Didn't know if you were waiting for someone to notice or not. Mind if I also ask who the character is supposed to be?

~~/o/

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

No, not every day, i changed it like 3 times i think :-P It's Lana from The Loud House.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Michael Cimino - he bankrupted a studio.

[–] PeteRose (2893) 5 years ago

Yeah he ruined a lot of people's good thing. Heaven's Gate is very pretty albeit boring and cold.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Richard Kelly with Southland Tales.

[–] PeteRose (2893) 5 years ago

Oh yes, yes. That was awful.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Frank Capra - It's a Wonderful Life. This was a bomb at the time.

[–] Stratego (29559) 5 years ago

Kevin Costner
The Wachowskis
Mel Gibson

[–] SteveG (1370) 5 years ago

Yeah I feel the same way, I was outraged at the fate of David Dunn. I had never given up on Night and had seen all of his films really disliking only The Village until Glass. A lot of his films are forgettable and my expectations of his talent had long since plummeted but still he had earned so much goodwill by me through Unbreakable that I gave him a wide berth just knowing he would eventually make it up to me with the return of David Dunn. Well as you know he spit right in the face of every hardcore fan of Unbreakable with Glass. I did not want an extravagant Marvel-esque conclusion for David Dunn only a heroic one. For all I cared David could have died as long as it was meaningful, almost anything would have been better than what we got. So yeah I really dislike him now and Glass has sullied the fondness I once felt for Unbreakable. I really wish Glass had never been made and David Dunn could have lived on as a hero.