From out of nowhere, THE SIXTH SENSE burst onto the scene and achieved instant success, deserving every bit of it too. Clearly, Bruce Willis made a wise choice when he selected this film. For he and young Haley Joel Osment give outstanding performances here, as well as Toni Collette and Olivia Williams. Osment is so good that I think he deserves an OSCAR nod for his portrayal, maybe even the award itself. Let’s be honest, child actors like him, who can really act, are rare these days.

      The film itself is just eerie and will likely make you jump, more than once, thanks in part to a fabulous score by James Newton Howard. And what begins as a thrilling horror is then melded brilliantly into an emotional drama. Writer and director M. Night Shyamalan clearly understands that horror can be so much more than cheap scares and grisly gore. I just wish other filmmakers could too. For me, SIXTH SENSE is not only a great film, but vindication, in that it proves what I’ve been saying for years. Because whether it’s horror or whatever, any film can be good if you only take the time and imagination to put it together. Movies like SCREAM and FRIDAY THE 13TH are just pale attempts really and hardly show what this genre is capable of. THE SIXTH SENSE, however, does and I hope there will be more like it.

      So forget about the BLAIR WITCH and see this instead! :-)