The Village, part II: A tapestry of charactersAv Dag SødtholtAfter a general evaluation of this M. Night Shyamalan tour de force, the large cast of characters and their relationships are examined, with a special emphasis on subtext and how that is expressed through mise-en-scène.
International EditionUnbreakable, Part I: Characters and relationshipsAv Dag SødtholtOur in-depth look at M. Night Shyamalan's early films continues with Unbreakable: perhaps the only mainstream Hollywood formalist film, a mass-market movie approached with an unrelenting European art film sensibility.
International EditionThe Happening, Part III: Do you think it could be plants?Av Dag SødtholtA Shyamalan enthusiast is struggling mightily to come to terms with the conundrum of The Happening, a split identity film that swings wildly between excellence, rampant quirkiness and unchecked hysteria.
Louder Than Bombs: Joachim Trier’s play on perspectiveAv Dag SødtholtAs so often in films, Louder Than Bombs is not a dissertation, but a meditation on its themes and motifs. Seen in isolation, words and deeds may seem unexceptional – it is as a whole that Joachim Trier film takes flight.
Split, Part III: Meeting of multiple mindsAv Dag SødtholtThe cat-and-mouse sessions between psychiatrist and patient form a thrilling acting laboratory, where M. Night Shyamalan's fundamentally static set-ups are done with rigour and discreet invention. Bonus: film references.
The Village, part I: Motifs and story arcAv Dag SødtholtBefore The Visit came M. Night Shyamalan's early masterpiece The Village. Mismarketed and misunderstood as a horror movie, it has gained a following as a mood piece of pastoral beauty, intense emotion and stylised lyricism.
International EditionThe Sixth Sense, Part III: Motifs and a FuneralAv Dag SødtholtWe conclude our in-depth analysis of M. Night Shyamalan's masterpiece with a close look at motifs and structural aspects, concluding with a shot-by-shot commentary on the post-funeral sequence.
International EditionLady in the Water, Part I: A reappraisal [1]Av Dag SødtholtIt was one of the most hated films of the 2000s, but with the trauma now at a distance, it is time to appreciate M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water for its very real qualities. [1]
International EditionUnbreakable, Part II: Motifs and colourAv Dag SødtholtM. Night Shyamalan's enigmatic superhero thriller is a film where everything seems to be connected to everything else. We look at various motifs and colour codings that move in intricate and sometimes very strange patterns.
International EditionLady in the Water, Part II: Self-reflexivity and visual stylisation [3]Av Dag SødtholtA return to this severely under-appreciated film, for its discussion of storytelling, interpretation, film criticism, artificiality, stylisation, interconnectedness – and whether stories can become real. [3]
Signs, Part I: Delightful entertainment, with meaning [1]Av Dag SødtholtM. Night Shyamalan has created a Signs fiction film about alien invasion, with powerful horror set pieces and comedic touches. An analysis of its dreamlike opening sequence peels away complex layers of motifs and echoes. [1]
Split, Part II: The fine print of M. Night ShyamalanAv Dag SødtholtThe apparent simplicity of Split conceals a surprising amount of ideas, refinement and subtlety. This is a moment-by-moment analysis of the brilliant abduction scene, plus a hard look at isolation, corridors, animals and flowers.
International EditionThe Sixth Sense, Part I: Stature and Style [1]Av Dag SødtholtA stunning piece of high-precision filmmaking, formally inventive, thematically intelligent, emotionally gripping, a momentous commercial success, an almost perfect film. [1]
After Earth, Part II: Figure in a landscapeAv Dag SødtholtWe look at three outstanding scenes in this better-than-you-think M. Night Shyamalan film, along with its pervasive motif of figures in a landscape, visual rhymes and many occasions of elegant staging.
