Loyola Greyhound

Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: Arts & Society

Media Credit: MCT campus Director M. Night Shyamalan, who broke into popularity with "The Sixth Sense" returns with his latest supernatural mystery, "The Happening" in June.

The entertainment business is known to be unforgiving. But if you stay persistent you may enjoy your glory days twice. It could take years to renew your status or for the more fortunate a few mere months, much like the breakthrough then subsequent breakdown of Amy Winehouse. Winehouse, who bounced back within what seemed to be five minutes, began to say yes to rehab and then pulled off a near perfect sweep of the Grammys with five wins.

But for the rest of the creative population, fame may be a bit more fickle. Luckily in the realm of show business a good comeback story is always more than welcome; and it seems comebacks may be the theme of the year.

M. Night Shyamalan broke through the scene with the powerful thriller "The Sixth Sense," an entertaining ghost story that earned him two Academy Award nominations, a blockbuster hit and a timeless spot in pop culture history.

Who could forget one of the most quotable lines, "I see dead people?" It became the second highest grossing film of 1999, just after a little comeback from this series of movies you might have heard of, "Star Wars."

But the once golden boy director, whose name was also attached to the well-received hits "Unbreakable" and "Signs," can't seem to relive his successes from the past. With the most recent films, "The Village" and "Lady in the Water," he has lost his magic. Both were critical and commercial flops especially when compared to his high standard status.

His great opportunity for a comeback is set to be released on Friday the 13th (June 13), of this year. "The Happening" stars Mark Wahlberg as a teacher faced with protecting his family from a global scale attack, one that is unknown, but causes more and more lost communications and "infected areas." The slick trailer oozes with paranoia and panic with sweeping shots of America's great cities with cuts to people on the run.

Rather than handing in an understated thriller, he is taking on the world and with a bang.

This may be the year in which he is reinstated to the fraternity of A-list directors with this seemingly smart approach to the shock and awe of an apocalyptic-like yarn. What makes this film seem so promising is the well cut trailer (and the preview of what looks to be a great performance from Mark Wahlberg) and the fact that a young brilliant director has faced defeat. And now more than ever, he is determined to get back on his feet and climb the box-office mountain once again.

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