Wolff rating: EXCELLENT
Plot summary: Young boy filled with terror fascinates a child psychologist.
Biased, pithy comments: I had a bad flash when I started watching this movie. My mother has declared that any movie with psychiatrists is inherently flawed due to such films' over-reliance on straight-faced drama and people intoning deeply, ``How does that make you feel?'' But quickly the movie redeemed itself as the characters got interesting and the story got twisty. Having not seen any previews at all for the film, I was continually surprised as the director revealed twists and, indeed, the ending is worth waiting for. There are some awkward moments, though, most definitely near the beginning as ham-handed exposition competes with irritating hand-held camera work for the most annoying aspect. A well-acted film with a story that is very careful about what it tells you in what order---with gentle spots of humor to lighten the tone just enough to make its overall grimness bearable.
Other Notes: The DVD I watched contained a few deleted scenes that were wisely cut, some really painful self-congratulatory interviews with the director and producers (it's not like you made ``Citizen Kane'' here, guys; have some humility), and (which is awesome) a clip from the director's first film---when he was 13.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams.
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan