best film this year so far

Rating: 10/10 (23 August 1999)

Everything Blair Watch was not but wanted to be- well written, scary, incredible acting across the board (and I concur with the general concensus, Haley Joel Osment deserve *at least* an Oscar nomination - and not as a token supporting actor, but as a lead. He carries the film), brilliant direction, and most of all, a plot! And what a plot it is. I was totally engrossed in the trauma that this young boy was going through. I had no idea about the twists the film would take and if you read these critiques it's unfortunate that the fact that there is a twist ending is revealed. You're better off not trying to figure it out, but instead allow yourself to be transported into young Cole's world. Lighting and color are used wonderfully to set the mood, often changing within a scene. The music, which can so often ruin a good shock by being more powerful then what's on the screen instead hightened each moment perfectly.
There are some truly scary moments but this is not a horror film. It's drama with some supernatural elements, so don't be put off by a poor marketing campaign. As with most twist endings meant to spin everything you've just seen 180 degrees, this one leaves many questions unanswered but if you believe in the world the movie draws you into, these are easily overlooked. I was unfamiliar with M. Nigh Shyamalan,, but I will certainly be looking forward to his next turn as writer or director (hopefully both again - his singular vision was a huge asset to this film) Don't miss this flick!