The Sixth Sense 1999
Both hosts had the twist spoiled before seeing it and it didn't ruin the movie. It's the one that put Shyamalan on the cover of Time.
The Big Picture · Discussion · Rankings
The M. Night Shyamalan Rankings and ‘Old’
August 20, 2021/ 89 min/ Sean Fennessey · Van Lathan
Sean Fennessey and Van Lathan trace M. Night Shyamalan's whole career, from The Sixth Sense to Old, then rank all twelve movies worst to best.
24 films across 2 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
The Shyamalan Career, Movie by Moviechronological
Unbreakable 2000
Van's introduction to the film had people kicked out of his house for not liking it; both hosts eventually rank it No. 1.
Signs 2002
Mel Gibson at his best; the alien invasion is really about a family working through grief. "Not his best movie, but the one where you go: he's not going to miss."
The Village 2004
Shot by Roger Deakins with a stacked cast (William Hurt, Bryce Dallas Howard); the twist is telegraphed in the first ten minutes and both call it a slight letdown at the time.
Lady in the Water 2006
Both call it the worst movie of his career. It's the subject of Michael Bamberger's book The Man Who Heard Voices, which chronicles the shoot and Shyamalan's break with Disney.
The Happening 2008
A prescient pandemic movie undercut by a Mark Wahlberg performance that, per Wahlberg himself, was based on Shyamalan.
The Last Airbender 2010
The one that convinced Van Shyamalan was "completely broken"; he wrote a review at the time declaring the director finished.
After Earth 2013
Van's outlier favorite among the low points, tied to his relationship with his late father; he concedes most people don't rate it.
The Visit 2015
The low-budget Blumhouse found-footage horror that brought Shyamalan back after the studio-hopping years.
Split 2017
James McAvoy's dissociative-identity performance and the closing tie to Unbreakable; Sean liked it less on this rewatch than he remembered.
Glass 2019
The trilogy-closer both agree gets lost in its own mythology again: a $20 million movie that made $247 million worldwide.
Old 2021
The first 70 to 75 minutes are, per Sean, one of the best thrillers in years before the movie strains under its own construction. He calls it a "solid B."
The M. Night Shyamalan Rankingsworst to best, revealed live on the show
No. 1
Unbreakable 2000
No. 1, the take they knew would get them "flambéed": better than The Sixth Sense.
No. 2
The Sixth Sense 1999
No. 2: "good, it's dope," but neither host revisits it as often as Unbreakable.
No. 6
The Visit 2015
No. 6: the comeback movie, still not quite as impressive to Sean as The Village.
No. 9
The Happening 2008
No. 9: "it would be hard for me to recommend any of these four movies to a stranger."
No. 10
After Earth 2013
No. 10: Sean's pick, over Van's objection given his personal attachment to it.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Not in the core 12 (Shyamalan's pre-Sixth Sense films) Praying with AngerWide Awake
In passing Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenaceVarsity BluesInceptionThe Dark KnightNo Country for Old MenThere Will Be BloodIron ManCloud AtlasThe Matrix ResurrectionsMajor League IIAnnabelleDollsChild's PlayThe Toxic AvengerSgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.Robin Hood: Prince of ThievesThe GodfatherMo' Better Blues
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Wayward PinesServantWhat We Do in the ShadowsGame of Thrones
Books I Got SchooledThe Man Who Heard Voices
Podcasts Higher LearningThe Midnight BoysThe Ringerverse
Ads Boar's HeadNetflix FIFA World CupWhite ClawFeeding AmericaFull Court Fits