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There’s nothing quite like a movie that can make you terrified of a gently breeze.  But that’s pretty much what “The Happening” is, and of course I chose to watch it one night when the Santa Anna winds were at full-force.  I’m such a stupid-head.

In any event, it’s the M. Night Shyamalan film that ever so subtlety managed to gross over $160 million worldwide.  And it’s about a paralyzing breeze that ultimately leads to suicide and other creepy things.  Mark Whalberg plays a high school science teacher who is, of course, our perfect guide for such a disaster with all his analysis and whatnot.

More than anything, the fear that slowly builds is the best thing about this movie.  It’s perfectly cued by James Newton Howard’s score, which is a kind of throwback to the horror movies of yesteryear.  The rest of the production doesn’t quite keep up, and certainly isn’t on par with Shyamalan’s other work, but the concept is kinda cool.  Unless you’re a die-hard, I’d just as soon watch “The Sixth Sense” again.