9. The Narf's Quest To Get Home - Lady In The Water
The Plot: A utopian almighty will change the world with his wondrous stories. In a slice of blind indulgence, director M Night Shyamalan takes it upon himself to portray this ingenious martyr. Many have claimed that Lady In The Water is an embarrassingly hedonistic venture for Shyamalan. It was the first time he'd had a significant role in one of his movies, and it was obvious to see the parallels between this brilliant writer, and what Shyamalan's own opinion of himself. To top off the similarities, a foolish critic is brutally killed. The Subplot: A water nymph called Story (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is found in a widower's (Paul Giamatti) swimming pool. She's at danger from the wolf-like Scrunt that will kill her if she tries to return home. Not only is the dynamic between Howard and Giamatti more compelling than anything Shyamalan has to offer in front of the lens, it's a simple idea and fairytale-esque plot that sounds more exciting than his rehashed "intriguing person with amazing powers" idea. Lady In The Water could be so much better had it have not indulged in Shyamalan's fantasies; the story of the Narfs, told through illustrated sequences, was just one of the examples of the potential squandered with this movie.
