I tend to agree that awful effects of depiction are over-used, and I think the deepest effects are psychological. That's why I rank Invasion of the Bodysnatchers high--it's a disturbing psychological premise, and the writing really holds up, years later. Some of the most casual-seeming lines are momentous.

   The final image in Blair Witch was nicely disturbing--the map guy standing in the corner, held there by some awful but logical force. It wouldn't have fit any other character as well. It was so nicely prepared, so measured, lingering, poetic. I can't understand how anyone could be disappointed--I fully expected the whole thing to end up stupid, but it kept surprising me by finding nice touches, not trying too hard.

I liked Mel Gibson in signs. I don't mind the director that much--he has a neat comic-book story sensibility. There's something fishy about Kevin Smith complaining, since M.Night S's best qualities are very old school Stan Lee-ish. I suspect a little envy in that, since Smith admires Stan Lee, but has't got the same kind of blatant charm at all. Smith is comic/comedic. M.Night Shwhateveritis is comic like those old comic-book origin stories.

Come to think of it, Speilberg's The Duel is one of the best suspense/scary movies I've seen, and my favorite of all his stuff. Hee did okay with Jaws, I guess. He ought to do a straight scary movie sometime.