Personally a firm believer that M. Night Shyamalan’s best work comes from when he zeroes in on community bubbles and how unwavering belief in the face of harsh disbelief ensures enlightenment rather than suffocation in the face of the most devastating moments of human existence (The Village w/isolation, The Sixth Sense w/death, Lady in the Water w/grief and the mundanity of life). 

Also a firm believer that Bryce Dallas Howard and Shyamalan are an excellent duo, in which Shymalan’s work is elevated by the sheer magnitude of Howard’s atmospheric solidifying performances. Where in The Village most of the ing characters are present but not as “crucial” to Howard’s character’s journey, Lady in the Water is made all the more fun and grounding by its wide array of ing characters whose very existences are the key to avoiding utter devastation. 

I see and I hear the vast criticisms of the film but I wholeheartedly enjoyed every moment of the film in its humor, emotional beats, and fantasy world building. Plenty to chew on here but never too much where it can’t be swallowed and savored. 

My darling, magnificent friend Rachel has been yelling at me to watch Lady in the Water for ages and I finally did it in honor of today being her birthday. ily rachel and ily Lady in the Water.