Retro Reel by Sreepathy, Volume 23

Editor's note: this is an archived 2014 announcement; the screening has long since taken place.

The Naperville Public Library has long served as a cultural hub for the community, and few of its programs have cultivated a more devoted following than the Retro Reel screening series curated by Sreepathy. Now in its 23rd volume, the series continues its tradition of bringing classic and critically acclaimed films to audiences who appreciate cinema beyond the multiplex.

Volume 23 puts the spotlight on M. Night Shyamalan's 1999 psychological thriller The Sixth Sense, a film that redefined the genre and remains one of the most discussed twist endings in movie history. Bruce Willis stars as Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who takes on the case of a troubled young boy — played by a revelatory Haley Joel Osment — who whispers the now-iconic line: "I see dead people." What unfolds is a taut, atmospheric story about grief, guilt, and the haunting weight of unfinished business.

The Sixth Sense was a cultural phenomenon upon release, earning six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Director. More than two decades later, it holds up as a masterclass in misdirection — a film best experienced knowing as little as possible, and best re-experienced knowing everything.

Sreepathy's Retro Reel series has introduced Naperville audiences to an eclectic range of titles across its previous volumes, from Hollywood classics to international gems. Volume 23 continues that curatorial spirit, pairing an accessible crowd-pleaser with deeper resonance for those willing to look twice.

Volume 23 was one of the series' most talked-about evenings — the kind of screening best experienced knowing as little as possible, and best revisited knowing everything.