Hashtag Film

Am I allowed to admire a film's message and still dislike it? If so, sign me up!

Paul and Amy made it sound like Anthony Hopkins didn't exist until this film came out. He was 52 years old at the time and had already put in a great career. He had already been nominated for 4 BAFTA awards (1 win for War & Peace) and a Golden Globe (for Magic), not to mention a fantastic role as the doctor in David Lynch's 'Elephant Man'. Yes, Silence of the Lambs put him in the spotlight, but the way Paul and Amy talk in this episode, it was like he was born with this film.

OK, I love the podcast, like A LOT, but Ugh, I strongly dislike this film. I think it exemplifies everything that a modern American moviegoer would think makes a good/great movie - a great twist. Knowing the twist ABSOLUTELY destroys this film, and it has little to explore beyond the twist. Citizen Kane has a twist - spoiler: Rosebud is a SLED!, yet the twist is sprinkles on an already great sundae as opposed to the sundae itself (I'm sure there is an empty calorie analogy in there somewhere). Shawshank is the same, the twist only punctuates a fantastic film. One of my favorite critics, Jonathan Rosenbaum, while reviewing "Memento", which I like much better than TSS, said it was "more a puzzle than a meaningful story". I feel that applies here. To me, The Sixth Sense is a one trick pony. On a side note, both Amy and Paul are getting "trope" happy. They are in love with that word I guess, but it's a goofy word that I haven't heard outside of the podcast in my life. They use it in almost every episode it seems. I like Amy's foul mouth though, more of that!!!

I didn't rewatch, but all I can remember from AAE is all the smoking that Bette Davis did. The big tobacco companies should use clips from this film to show that cigarette smoking is fine, Bette lived until 81 while smoking like a lunatic.