The Sixth Sense (1999)

Want to see it?

Seen it?

0
1
2
3
4
5
Rate this movie.

Buy it now on DVD

Starting at $5.04

Want to buy it?

Write a review

Discuss it

Add to lists

Recommend it

Get recommendations

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

Starring Toni Collette, Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Donnie Wahlberg, Olivia Williams.

In this tense tale of psychological terror, Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is a child psychologist whose new patient has a problem far outside his usual area of expertise. Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is six-years-old and claims to see the spirits of dead people all around him. It seems that Cole has psychic powers and can channel the ghosts of those who were troubled. Cole doesn't understand his powers, and he has little control over them; he's constantly terrified by what he sees, and Dr. Crowe is the only one with whom he feels he can share this secret. However, as the doctor digs deeper into Cole's strange powers, it leads to strange and unexpected consequences for both of them. M. Night Shyamalan, who wrote and directed the film, has a small role as Dr. Hill. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

[more]

Reviews and discussions

Shyamalan’s Latest Surprise End ...
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com

hasn't rated it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"I hate twist endings, especially those in the films of M. Night Shyamalan. Maybe it’s because I was told the twist of The Sixth Sense prior to seeing it and haven’t been able to appreciate the filmmaker ever since. It’s not so much that I believe films shouldn’t have twist endings, it’s that I believe films that have twist endings should be enjoyable even when you know the secret (Psycho is still great after a thousand viewings, for example). The only one of Shyamalan’s movies to hold up even with the spoilers revealed is Unbreakable. So, I had no problem reading about the big secret of Shyamalan’s latest, The Happening. An early review of a rough cut of the thriller has shown up on Collider, and in addition to claiming the thing is “a terrible, terrible movie,” and that, “Mark Wahlberg might very well give the worst performance I’ve ever seen in anything,” the critic includes a complete plot synopsis, including the big revelation of what is causing people to suddenly kill themselv ... " [More]

I Know Why You're Scared to Be ...
by mythman in Watch Everything and Still See ONLY What Is Good

loved it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"Basically, you're afraid to be alone because the human race is a viral species ... one that does not truly live without feeding off of the attention-energy of others.That is the conclusion I reach seeing M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense ... if you can't make a difference in anyone's life, you might as well be dead.The Sixth Sense also echoes a truth of What Dreams May Come, where Annabella Sciorra's character commits suicide in hopes of being nearer to Robin William's character but finds out that--as their son's ghost says--"Suicides go somewhere different ... They refuse to believe that they are dead."I will-be/am one of those, but not a suicide. No, I die like one in The Sixth Sense—going on to do what I do, whether I'm alive or not.Thought? Originally posted on:The Enlightened Xombee " [More]

Mysterious Art
by Demndiary in Demndiary Blog

hasn't rated it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"A young woman being stalked by her ex, has an affair with a handsome venture capitalist. Christian Petzold's Yella is not that simple.Yella is remarkable with a strong cast. Nina Hoss is Yella from first scene. Yella is independent and intelligent. She is moving on with her life and moving away from her father and ex, Ben (Hinnerk Schoenemann). Schoenemann makes Ben a personality nightmare as kind and begging one moment, and violent the next. Philipp (David Striesow) is the knight in shining armor who offers a challenging job, and real love. The film has clues to the story hidden throughout. Subtle suggestions come from music, sounds and light. The deeper meaning is not revealed until the end. It is as big as The Sixth Sense. Petzold's style is stark and minimalist. Rooms are simple and seem close to natural lighting. Shots are composed to add an unnatural edge. The effect molds the story from simple to sublime. Yella is an enigma. It is bold and risky in story. Nina Hoss m ... " [More]

Re: Total Film's Greatest Direc ...
by GradysGhost in Directors

liked it.

"I agree with pippin06 on the vast majority of his points.I kinda see Shyamalan as the new Joel Schumacher. Shall we compare?Schumacher's Flatliners -- A fun movie with an eye for grandiosity about death and the afterlife, whatever it is. It turns into a sort of horror flick with heart as the film wears on. The characters find themselves haunted by the horrors they've commited themselves, but find redemption in the act of apology.Compare to Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense -- A really fun movie with a focus on the individual about death and the afterlife, whatever it is. In the end it's remembered as a horror film, but it has a sort of heart as well. A small child brings realization to a middle-aged man who never realized he'd actually passed away, and brings a sort of redemption to his mother who always doubted her own mother.Schumacher's The Lost Boys -- This makes for one hell of a popcorn flick and it's got a popular cast: The Two Coreys (as they are ... " [More]

Top 100 AFI - 2007
by drknstormy in drknstormy Blog

loved it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"I absolutely love this movie. For whatever reason it really struck a chord. I've watched it so many times now that I appreciate the writing to level of Oscar worthy. There are so many clues and set ups that whiz right by. "I see dead people" has been repeated so many times now that it almost seems trivial. But how come those four words resonated with what some call the collective unconscious? Don't want to rant or claim this film to be anything other than what it is to me. " [More]

Re: What are your favorite endi ...
by GradysGhost in What An Ending

liked it.

"Oh, and for sheer popularity, The Sixth Sense. " [More]

Most suprising endings?
by blakngold in What An Ending

loved it.

"Here is were we will discuss the films with the endings that suprised us the most. Think back at those films that knocked us right off of our "Pre-determined cliche" chair. Why did the ending suprise us so much? I'll list a few to start it off.Three Extremes- Im talking about the "Dumplings" story. EwwwwwThe Others- Even though I didn't love the movie, that doesn't take away from the fact that I had no clue that that would be the ending.Sixth Sense- This was very well played and the ending suprised everyone so much that they all watched it again.The Wizard of Oz- I loved this film and the ending was perfect and I bet it suprised you the first time you saw it.Mulholland Dr- I know the entire movie was one suprise after another, but after the film was over and you actually thought about it's randomness, don't tell me it didn't suprise you.Now it's your turn! " [More]

Re: Deception
by Windbreaker in Philosophy of Film

loved it.

"I agree. It's troubling to see Moore films paraded as fact when they are really characatures of events or issues. The general public is told "go see this movie to learn the truth". Or the opening pages of Dan Brown's "DaVinci Code" saying a large portion of the historical content was actual history. First Brown said it was factual. Then people started boycotting, so he made the rounds in Christian circles saying it was fiction. Then it sold lots of copies and he went back to saying it was factual. Bah... I digress...Distortions in "mainline" fiction movies are fun, I think. As long as the filmmakers don't cheat. For example, the tricks in The Sixth Sense were effective and "honest" in context. Bruce Willis was... (dare I even say SPOILER alert?)... dead, but no living person without the special gift ever made contact with him in that state. I'm racking my brain for the title, but I saw a movie that flat out LIED in its context and I'm not down with th ... " [More]

One Hit Wonder
by i-heart-art in i-heart-art Blog

liked it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only person that thinks that this is M. Night's only truly good film. That superhero one with Samuel L. Jackson could have been great if it weren't so underdeveloped and predictable and now they're all even worse - just my opinion. I truly believe that some people only have one great artistic contribution in them (doesn't mean they should stop trying, but I do think that Hollywood should stop financing so many of them...) " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

liked it.

A successful update of ghost stories and thrillers that forego gore and violence to create suspense, this breakthrough film by writer/director M. Night Shyamalan reconfirmed star Bruce Willis' credibility as a leading man and as an actor, in his most sensitive screen work to date. Newcomer Haley Joel Osment won heavy acclaim (and an Oscar nomination at age 11) for his quietly studied portrayal of a haunted youngster, and Toni Collette shines as his working-class mother who doesn't understand his strange abilities. The film is too moody by half, and too reliant on its ending (which, admittedly, is quite well-done), but the director's perceptive study of young people's fears and the consequences of death is highly admirable. A giant summer hit that nobody anticipated (it was rumored that Disney, its distributor, originally planned it for a fall release until they realized what they had), Sense rejuvenated the suspense thriller in a way no one had seen in ages. Additionally, the film garnered six major Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and two for Shyamalan. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

Tags: ghost , great-twist , child , death , suspense
View all