Don't Cast Away This Crop of Movies From 2000

It's funny to look a few years back and realize how few releases I've seen from that year. I would think that all the extra time would've given me plenty of opportunity to catch up, but by my reckoning I've only seen about 15 releases from 2000. So I certainly can't call this a definitive list, but I really did love these ten movies.

Cast Away - I've always had a special fondness for castaway stories, and Tom Hanks has long been one of my favorite actors. Reuniting him with the Forrest Gump dream team for a lost-on-an-island drama sounded like a formula for success to me, and boy, did it deliver. I'm still a little surprised Hanks didn't win for his demanding performance, which includes that grueling stretch of time with no one to talk to but a volleyball. And so compelling is Hanks that he makes Wilson's eventual departure rank high among my list of most tragic movie moments.

Almost Famous - This one caught my attention when I heard Simon and Garfunkel's America on the previews. When I saw it, I got an even heftier dose of my favorite band when the aspiring young music journalist purchased Bookends, and his horrified mother, hilariously portrayed by Frances McDormand, exclaimed that she could tell just from the album cover that they were on drugs. Simon and Garfunkel references aside, I would still be a big fan of this film that offers an inside look at the music business and the perils of potentially losing one's integrity in the pursuit of fame. In many ways it's like Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do!, but darker. Nonetheless, it ends on a pretty uplifting note.

Chicken Run - I love Wallace and Gromit, so I was excited to learn that the team that created that lovable duo would be doing a full-length film. Ultimately, I think Chicken Run is my favorite of all their projects. I spent much of the movie laughing hysterically; these bird-brained biddies are full of great one-liners, and the puns are relentless. The kids' meal tie-in toys and the more elaborate contraptions we snagged from the bargain bin that Christmas are great fun as well.

Fantasia 2000 - I always found Fantasia a strange animal, but there are segments of it I really love. Of course, one of those is The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which is repeated in the 2000 version. As for the rest, on the whole, I like the new segments even better than those in the original. Some of the animation is simply stunning, particularly during Pines of Rome, which features a magnificent pod of flying whales. Other favorites are The Carnival of the Animals, featuring an irrepressible flamingo who annoys the other members of his flock; Piano Concerto Number 2 in F Major, which is the backdrop for a cheerier version of Hans Christian Andersen's Steadfast Tin Soldier; and Pomp and Circumstance, which has a sweet and funny love story between Donald and Daisy Duck taking place on Noah's Ark.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas - The story of the Grinch competes only with The Lorax as my favorite Seuss story, so I was excited to see it come to the big screen. Though it is, in many ways, different from the book and animated special, I guess it was probably necessary to change the focus a bit in order to stretch it out to an hour and a half. The end result is pretty much the same, and along the way we get some absolutely dazzling visuals and the thoroughly endearing performance of Taylor Momsen as Cyndi Lou Who. Oh, and Jim Carrey makes a pretty convincing Grinch.

Miss Congeniality - Despite a fairly lame romantic subplot, this tale of a tomboy forced to go undercover at a beauty pageant is funny and touching. Sandra Bullock is terrific throughout, while Heather Burns is terribly sweet as the ditzy girl-next-door type she befriends. Michael Caine in a gentle mentorly role and William Shatner as a lovable doofus antagonized by Candice Bergen (prefiguring Boston Legal?) add considerable charm to this comedy.

My Dog Skip - A coming-of-age drama about a boy and his dog, it's a family film for the most part, though it does get to be a bit dark in places. All the elements of a great kid-and-animal-companion film are here, and not only is the Jack Russell made famous on Frasier clever and adorable, but young Frankie Muniz turns in an impressive performance that is sometimes emotionally heavy, particularly in scenes with Kevin Bacon as his strict dad and Luke Wilson as the troubled young man the boy idolizes.

Pay It Forward - I saw this one solely because of Haley Joel Osment, who became a good enough excuse for me to see any movie after I saw him in The Sixth Sense. He's terrific here as a slightly older boy with some similar issues; he lives alone with an overworked mom, he's not particularly popular with his peers, and he's angry. In this case, the root of his rage is not supernatural; he's upset with his mom for drinking so much and is worried that she might take back his abusive father. Like Cole, he finds a confidant in an older man, a disfigured teacher portrayed by Kevin Spacey, and a purpose in a brainwave that involves a pyramid scheme of random acts of kindness.

Remember the Titans - I'm not much of a sports buff, but I do love a good inspirational sports movie. This based-on-a-true-story film about a football coach struggling to racially integrate his team, in which many of the players are deeply prejudiced, is a powerful testament to the power of close human interaction in breaking down barriers. A stellar soundtrack and great performances from a cast that includes Denzel Washington and a pre-cheerleader Hayden Panettiere help make the Titans very easy to remember.

The Tigger Movie - This was almost certainly the most heavily advertised and merchandised of the various Pooh movies that have come out in recent years. Its clever posters and toys with the various characters dressed up in Tigger costumes were great fun; one of my favorite finds on my trip to England the following year was a nearly complete set of Happy Meal toys with the Hundred-Acre Wood residents all decked out in stripes. The movie is fun and bouncy but also sweet and reflective as Tigger discovers that his friends are his family, so he needn't feel too lonely as the only one of his kind. I love the new songs, with input by notable Pooh fan Kenny Loggins, and the tear-jerking tenderness of the conclusion. It's ever so much better than Piglet's Big Movie. If they ever get around to making a movie that revolves around Eeyore, I hope it turns out as well as this one.

I could definitely stand to see a few more movies from 2000, but I still think this is a fine representation of some of the best 2000 had to offer, especially for a softie like me.

A Fine Bunch of Movies in 1999 Bring the Century to a Close

I graduated from high school and started college in 1999. In the midst of my busy year, I managed to see a few movies. I'm surprised at how few movies from the year I've seen in the decade since, but I think I got around to seeing most of the ones I was really interested in, and a couple of my favorites of 1999 would easily make it onto my best of the decade list.

October Sky - This movie, based on a true story, introduced me to Jake Gyllenhaal, and it's probably my favorite of his roles so far. Here, he's earnest young Homer Hickam, who dreams of building a rocket, despite the disapproval of his no-nonsense dad, played by Chris Cooper. It's a great family film about overcoming obstacles to achieve one's dreams.

Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace - Yes, Jake Lloyd was pretty annoying as mini-Anakin, and some of the dialogue was just silly. But I felt like a true dyed-in-the-wool Star Wars geek when I went to the midnight premiere with my dad and brother in the last month of my senior year, and it sure was fun to see my fellow geeks crawl out of the woodwork and announce themselves just before we parted ways. I loved the light-hearted feel of this movie, the gorgeous seascapes, the exciting pod race, the return of old friends like R2-D2, C-3PO and Yoda and new faces like the lovely Natalie Portman, brooding Ewan McGregor and contemplative Liam Neeson. It was a really terrific movie experience. And Weird Al's fantastic American Pie parody, The Saga Begins, makes me even more favorably inclined toward it.

Tarzan - One of the few major animated Disney features of my lifetime that I didn't catch in the theater, this story of a young man raised by gorillas has elements in common with The Jungle Book, but in this case the civilized join the jungle instead of the other way around. Though I find Jane rather irritating, I love her relationship with her dad, which is reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. The animation is great, and while I tend to prefer character-oriented songs in Disney musicals, the more background-ish songs Phil Collins provides for the movie are terrific, and I always smile when I hear one of them on the radio.

Muppets From Space - As Muppet movies go, this one is a little strange, and somewhat controversial among fans for the unconventional backstory it creates for Gonzo. There are a lot of characters and subplots, and there's not much of an opportunity for the Muppets to demonstrate their musical genius. But it's always fun to hang out with the Muppets, and I know I had a great time when we saw this in the theater. Along with the established characters, I loved the crotchety antagonist played by Jeffrey Tambor as well as the burly bear who serves as his reluctant henchman.

Angela's Ashes - Somehow, I never did read the Frank McCourt memoir upon which this movie is based, but after finally seeing the film a couple years ago, I was reassured that I really need to do that sometime. The movie tells the gritty but inspiring tale of the author's impoverished youth in Ireland and how he escaped his dire circumstances to pursue a teaching career in America. We watched it on St. Patrick's Day, but it's definitely worth a look any time of year.

Pokemon: The First Movie - It's not exactly superior cinema, but I recall this one fondly as an icon of my time with my brother Nathan that year. I was a bit befuddled when he first became obsessed with the Japanese series that was taking America by storm, but he soon got me hooked, and we spent many an afternoon watching the cartoon together. Eventually, he and our neighbor also taught me how to play the rather involved card game, which led to me spending way too much money on supplementary packs whenever we went to the mall. I was a full-fledged fan by the time the two of us saw the movie in the theater, and I reveled in both the cheesiness of the dialogue, especially on the part of demi-villains Jesse, James and Meowth, and the touching message of brotherhood that it espoused. And adorable, electrically charged Pikachu. Sooo much Pikachu...

Toy Story 2 - I tend to be a little suspicious of sequels, especially those put out by Disney. A lot of them aren't really up to snuff. But this fantastic film by Pixar was every bit as good as the first buddy flick that so dramatically introduced computer animation to much of the populace. The first was about two very different characters overcoming jealousy and learning to work together. The second has more to do with the fear of obsolescence and dealing with the changes that come with the passing of time. It's both darker and funnier than the first, and the animation quality is even better.

Galaxy Quest - As a lifelong Star Trek enthusiast, I just loved this film that spoofs everything about the show and especially its fandom. Tim Allen is hilarious as the egotistical actor who played the captain on the Trek-like show a number of years earlier. He and his castmates now subject themselves to conventions and other rather degrading events, since they can't find work anywhere else. Though they're all sick of these roles, they find themselves having to do the acting jobs of their lives when a group of peaceful extraterrestrials welcomes them aboard their ship, seeking aid from the heroes whose adventures they have studied so carefully, believing them to be "historical documents." There's a constant battery of jokes aimed at those who have grown up with Star Trek, so it's ideal for Trekkies who don't take themselves too seriously. Great performances all around, especially the fantastically dry Alan Rickman as the world-weary Shakespearean actor who hates being reduced to a catch-phrase.

The Green Mile - One of my two favorite films of the year. I wanted to see it when it first came out, but it took me a couple of years, in part because the length and Stephen King scared me off. I've come to consider myself quite a fan of King, but I usually can't stomach his stories; I don't do horror as a rule, and King is king in that genre. But The Green Mile hardly qualifies. Yes, there are elements of both the violent and the supernatural here, but mostly it's a contemplative and deeply moral film. Tom Hanks stars as the warden of death row in a southern prison. He and his fellow guards are calm and fair, treating their prisoners with dignity, with the result that they have few problems among their prisoners. But the arrival of a psychopathic prisoner, a sadistic guard and a meek alleged murderer named John Coffee who, despite his enormous size, doesn't seem capable of harming a fly, mark a season of great change for these guards. Moving and thought-provoking with an excellent cast, it's an outstanding film, and after reading the book, I can say that it's one of the most faithful adaptations of a novel that I've seen.

The Sixth Sense - As much as I loved The Green Mile, I wasn't entirely surprised; I'd heard that it wasn't really a horror movie, and I knew that King had written things before that weren't entirely terrifying. But all I had to go on with The Sixth Sense at the time I saw it were trailers that were designed to make it look as creepy as possible. I watched it under duress, planning to bury my head behind my popcorn for most of the movie. But gradually, I found myself drawn in, and by the end of the movie I realized that this hadn't been a horror movie at all. A thriller, yes, but that's an important distinction. I loved the twist ending, the compassionate solution to Cole's problem, the touching relationship between Cole and his mother. But mostly, I loved Haley Joel Osment. I'd seen him before, in Forrest Gump, but I didn't realize it at the time, and anyway his part in that movie was too small to make much of an impression on me. But boy, is he amazing in this movie! With this film, he hooked me for life. Which makes it very distressing that he hasn't been in a movie in several years...

One of these days I'll rent a batch of movies from 1999 and see if my list needs to change a little, but for now, I'm quite content with these selections, especially the last two, which haven't lost any of their luster in the past decade.

Secondhand Lions is Not Second-Rate

There was a beautiful moment during the Academy Awards in 2000 when Michael Caine, during his acceptance speech for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, gave a nod to young Haley Joel Osment, nominated for The Sixth Sense, praising him for his masterful performance. The respect evident in that instant made the prospect of a future collaboration appealing, and fans of both actors got to see two masters at opposite ends of the spectrum work together in 2003's Secondhand Lions. Make that three. Osment stars alongside not only Caine but veteran Robert Duvall, another favorite actor of mine. When I learned of their collaboration, it sweetened the deal on a movie I already wanted to see just based on Osment’s participation.

The film’s premise intrigued me all the more. Walter (Osment) is an awkward boy just on the cusp of adolescence, as evidenced by his often squeaky voice. His mother (Kyra Sedgewick), a rather shifty woman with a knack for falling for abusive guys, decides to leave Walter with his uncles for the summer while she goes fishing for men, and we’re not talking in the spiritual sense. She has more expansive goals than getting rid of the kid for a while, though. She sees Walter as the key to a fortune, as Hub (Duvall) and Garth (Caine), recently returned from who-knows-where, are rumored to be filthy rich.

I was particularly drawn to these uncles because of two gentlemen in my family who have rather legendary status in our folklore. In The Land That Gives and Takes Away, the book I wrote chronicling the memories and family stories abundant in my grandma’s birthplace of Little Pine Valley, I devote a poem to these two eccentric brothers whose booze was in such demand during the Prohibition that they wound up fabulously wealthy. Like Hub and Garth, though, you wouldn’t know Oren and John were rich. They lived as though they were scraping for a living, and no one expected to find money stashed away in every corner of the house when they died. Seeing two of my favorite actors step into similar roles was thrilling; it was almost like they were bringing my long-departed relatives, whom I’d never been able to meet, to life.

They’re an ornery old pair, unused to company and none too fond of it. Walter suits them all right, though, because he doesn’t talk much and consequently doesn’t bother them. He just observes, jittery, while Garth and Hub demonstrate their idea of entertainment: shooting traveling salesmen. They never hit them, of course, but it’s a little too close for comfort. Then there’s the fact that he’s trailed constantly by several dogs and a pig, all of whom are rather intimidating to him at first. But Walter finds a reason to stay in the stories he first discovers in an old trunk and later draws out of the mellower Garth. The uncles, meanwhile, find his presence beneficial once they discover he’s a deterrent to the visits of another set of relatives who happen to be utterly obnoxious.

What unfolds is a gentle coming of age tale in which Walter finally begins to grow out of his paralyzing timidity and the uncles recall the glory of living life to its fullest. We see their magnificent past through a series of stories told by Garth. There is an air of fantasy about them. The colors are too bright, the action too choreographed, the victories too complete. We are left to determine the degree to which what we see through Garth’s telling is reflective of reality. Hub eventually tosses in his two cents, noting that sometimes it’s worth believing in something whether it actually happened or not. A similar line was once uttered in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The point we are left with is that truth goes beyond cold fact; sometimes pure fiction can be more meaningful than what actually happened, and in any case faith is worth holding onto no matter how improbable the object of that faith seems.

The acting is solid throughout. Though it won’t be the most acclaimed performance by any of its leads, all three do an excellent job, imbuing their characters with warmth and humor. Hub, the crustier of the two, takes a while to come around, but in the end it’s clear he’s grown as attached to the boy as Garth has. Sedgewick is eminently irritating as Walter’s mother, and I wonder whether that’s good acting or just the way she is. She annoyed me in Phenomenon, too, and she wasn’t supposed to. The supplementary characters, particularly the interfering relatives and salesmen, are a hoot. I love the rural setting and the fact that all of Walter’s new companions are quadrupeds. He soon doesn’t mind being trailed by a gaggle of dogs and one pig with an identity crisis, and he lavishes love upon the weathered old lioness he adopts after his uncles deem her an unsuitable hunting target. In spite of his initial trepidation, he establishes a rapport with these creatures quickly, as evidenced in a funny moment early on when he glances uneasily from his uncles’ sausage and egg breakfast to the pig standing outside the door with a chicken resting on his head.

The flashback moments are fun, but they’re a bit over-the-top and are really just meant as a visual interpretation of Garth’s stories. (When that style joins with the present in the alternative ending, it really doesn’t gel. The more subdued finale they chose works much more nicely.) There’s nothing quite like being regaled by a master storyteller, and one of the best parts is filling in the visual blanks for yourself. Secondhand Lions is a story about stories, about family history and how truth and legend become intermingled to the point that no one knows just what really happened and no one really cares. It’s what the stories mean to the people today that becomes important.

One interesting aspect of the film was the end credits. I love when a movie rewards those who bother to stick around for the credits. In this case, we learn that Walter has grown up to be a cartoonist. The credits show us scenes from his youth as told through his artistry – another form of storytelling. The cartoons come courtesy of Berkeley Breathed, who complied with director Ted McCanlies’ request to furnish illustrations. It was the first time his work had been seen in several years, and from what I read the gig reinvigorated him, leading him to create the weekly strip Opus, which revived one of his most popular characters. That may or may not have been a good thing...

Secondhand Lions didn’t get all that much attention when it came out, and many critics who did bother to review it weren’t kind. But I think it’s a sweet, down-home family film led by a stellar trio of actors, and I would heartily recommend it to help you remember “the things worth believing in.”

Almost Human: Space-Age Pinocchio Seeks Humanity

From the moment I heard of A.I., I wanted to see it. Science fiction - about a robot, no less. I used to spend hours dreaming of building my own robot, and I even tried to start the project a few times before realizing that this was something way beyond my grasp. There is something very intriguing about the idea of an artificially created being wishing to be real. Short Circuit remains one of my all-time favorite comedies, and Data was always my favorite character in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Robots have always fascinated me. There was also Steven Spielberg. I don't like all Spielberg movies - I hated Saving Private Ryan - but usually they have a great deal of heart and ultimately leave me feeling good. But the main reason for wanting to see A.I. was, I'll admit it, Haley Joel Osment. I finally have an answer to that "Who's your favorite actor?" question, and I can't wait to see what he does in the future. I'm hooked on this guy for life.

So, I was determined to see A.I., even though I heard bad things about it from all directions. I intended to see it in the theater, but it came while I was out of the country. So when I returned, I awaited its arrival in the dollar theater. It came, and my friend and I said we would go see it that week. That was the second week of September, and it never happened. I think perhaps it is good that I did not see it at that time. As much as I wanted to see Castaway, when I found out I was going to England I did not want to watch it until I had arrived safely home. I had no such forewarning about A.I., but if I had seen this film on September 9th or 10th, I think it would have driven me over the edge. Watching it now was eerie enough.

The movie is a joint project of Steven Spielberg and the late Stanley Kubrick, the far less warm and fuzzy director of 2001 and Dr. Strangelove fame. Based on the short story Supertoys Last All Summer Long, it takes place sometimes in the future, after global warming has caused the icecaps to melt and flood many of the world?s major cities. In order to accommodate the needs of a new age, the leading scientists create androids who appear fully human but cannot feel emotion. This changes with the creation of David, an android in the form of a child programmed to love. David is given to a couple, Monica (Frances O'Connor) and Henry (Sam Robards), whose son Martin (Jake Thomas) is in a cryogenic coma while doctors seek a cure for his medical condition. By speaking a series of seven words, Monica imprints herself upon David, causing him to take on the eternal mantra of I Only Have Eyes for You, a song repeated several times throughout the film in another context.

David's obsession with his mother makes him a prime candidate for the Oedipus complex, as do his interactions with Henry and Martin, who recovers from his mysterious disease. I was reminded of Harry Potter briefly, between David's being locked in the closet at one point and the dreadful treatment given him by his "brother." At any rate, David becomes the outsider shortly after Martin's return, and Monica feels forced to dispose of this monster she helped to create. Releasing him into the woods with Teddy (Jack Angel), Martin's outdated supertoy that is reminiscent of Teddy Ruxpin, Monica makes David, a "mecha," promise to avoid people, who are "orga." David is left crestfallen but determined to win his mother's love by seeking out the Blue Fairy and asking to become a real boy.

The journey is dark and depressing, and his only friends throughout most of the journey are the wizened Teddy and Gigolo Joe (Jude Law), a quirky character programmed to be a lady-killer. Others pass through momentarily, including a robot nanny (Clara Bellar), a human child (the little girl from the Disney Scrabble commercial) and the Einstein-like hologram Dr. Know (Robin Williams sounding a lot like his earlier Genie). A cozy-sounding narrator (Ben Kingsley) whose voice begins and ends the movie provides a fairy-tale context, albeit a very dark one.

Osment is haunting as David, turning in a performance no less fine than I expected. He is passionate, he is tormented, and yet he is clearly mechanical. A very unnerving characterization. The other character I most enjoyed was Teddy, the gruff but gentle companion of David throughout the journey. Gigolo Joe was slightly off-putting at first but ultimately I found him pretty entertaining, and the trick he has of providing ambiance is quite nifty. I also enjoyed the manic Dr. Know. But that was about it.

The other characters did not move me, not even Monica. She annoyed me, actually. Something about her did not seem right, did not seem real. She failed to move me, and her dialogue was at times dreadful. (Example: Upon being told by her husband that she must be sure before she lets David imprint on her, she says, "Silly man, of course I'm not sure." Silly man?? Give me a break.) David seemed to show more emotion than she did, and when she did it seemed forced. I just could not bring myself to care about her. Her husband Henry comes across as wishy-washy, stupid, and mean-spirited. Above all, he seems extremely selfish. Her sadistic son Martin is a horror, as are his friends. The birthday party scene reminds me a lot of the party scene from The Sixth Sense. Haley definitely carries the day, and more than anything he is disconcerting.

This movie was no E.T. My dad complained because of the lack of dialogue. This was one of his major complaints with E.T., and he felt that A.I. also failed to have enough talking. This time, John Williams' score did not seem to annoy him as much, however. He thought the music in E.T. to be sickeningly saccharine. I never saw the sparseness of speech to be a problem for the former, so it didn't really bother me in the latter, either. A friend of mine forewarned me that while he thought the movie was pretty good up to a point, the ending spoiled the social commentary. If he was able to make enough sense out of this movie to see a social commentary and to tell that the ending shattered it, I salute him. I was never entirely sure what was going on and how I was supposed to feel about it. It definitely did not make me feel good like E.T. did. In fact, it sent cold shivers down my spine on a number of occasions.

One painfully long scene in the film involves David's being captured and taken to a Flesh Fair, a ghastly gladiator-like spectacle with the motto "a celebration of life." Androids are rounded up for these events and tortured in the arena before a bloodthirsty mob in the stands. It was a horrifying sight reminding me of the gruesome garage in The Brave Little Toaster. That movie still gives me the willies... The Flesh Fair provides nightmare material for a week, and it's not the only disturbing part of this movie. It's dark and depressing at every turn, and its extended ending (my friend also pointed out, and I definitely agree, that the movie felt like it should have ended about 20 minutes before it did) did nothing to salvage the warm and fuzzy feeling I was hoping to get. It left me dazed, disoriented, and down in the doldrums.

Add to that the scenes of a Manhattan flattened by floods, with just Lady Liberty's arm rising above the waves and the Twin Towers lording over the ruined city. New York City virtually destroyed. And, at one point, David leaping from the top of a building, and a shot of him plummeting to the waters below in a scene that looked far too much like those scenes of the WTC jumpers for comfort. It was all a little too eerie for me to say that I enjoyed the movie very much.

And yet, perhaps that sense of eeriness is what was intended. Though A.I. did not give me the reaction I had hoped for, it did produce a strong visceral reaction. Strange pairing that it was, the film made excellent use of Osment's talents and the available technology to give a glimpse of a possible future. And so I cautiously commend it and award it four stars. But it leaves me uneasy and hoping that Gene Roddenberry's vision of the future was more accurate than this. Please, Lord, tell me this is not where we are headed!

Riveting

When I first saw the previews for The Sixth Sense, it freaked me out. The commercials made it look like a terrifying horror flick, and I was sure that I couldn't handle it. However, I went to the movies one night with one of my more courageous peers, and I decided to give the movie a shot. After all, it was only PG-13, and it starred a kid. How bad could it be? I figured I'd suffer through it.

I needn't have worried. After a couple of minutes, I was drawn into Haley's riveting performance and Bruce's low-key display of sensitivity. The story was simple incredible, and the characters, mainly Cole Sear, his mom, and Dr. Malcolm Crowe, displayed an impressive depth. Cole was especially fascinating. The first time we hear him speak, he is huddling in a church with his toy soldiers murmuring a Latin prayer. Strange things seem to happen around him, and he tells Dr. Crowe that what he wants more than anything is "not to be scared anymore."

Dr. Crowe is chilled by the similarity between Cole and Vincent, a child who he misdiagnosed several years before. Vincent broke into Dr. Crowe's house one day and shot him before killing himself, and the doctor hasn't been the same since. He works feverishly to figure out where he went wrong with Vincent and help Cole. He becomes so engrossed in Cole's case that he never has time to talk to his wife anymore.

Meanwhile, Cole suffers in silence as he is haunted by visions of dead people. When he breaks the secret to Dr. Crowe -- after a frightening incident which landed him in the hospital -- Malcolm assumes that Cole has been hallucinating. But then how to explain those scratches all over the boy's body? When we see through Cole's eyes, we are presented with a gruesome line of ghosts who have died horribly. Be prepared for a couple jumps, maybe a shriek or two.

I came to "The Sixth Sense" expecting a horror movie, and I left feeling what was almost a spiritual experience. Aside from some gory graphics, this movie is a touching drama that will give you a lot to think about. When you leave the theater, you may thin twice about whether you believe in ghosts. I was especially touched by the fact that in the end, Cole simply had to listen to the ghosts and help them. They were just normal people who had died with unresolved issues.

Then there was the tender relationship between Cole and his mother, and her pain over the not-so-recent loss of her mother. Watch for Cole's comment at the dinner table: "Sometimes you miss something, and you think it's lost, but it really just got moved." While his mother doesn't catch his meaning at the time, it is one of the most meaningful lines in the whole movie.

Haley is brilliant in this movie, creating an enduring character more convincingly than many adults could. He deserves an Oscar for that performance. Toni Colette and Bruce Willis are also remarkable. Come to the movie prepared to laugh, to scream, and to cry. And if the end doesn't twist your head around 180 degrees, I don't know what will.