6. 'Split' (2016)

"We look at people who have been shattered and different as less than. What if they're more than us?" posits a therapist who studies dissociative identity disorder. Her patient is Philadelphia Zoo employee Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) and his various identities, like the 9-year-old Hedwig and flamboyant fashion designer Barry. McAvoy's compelling, precise transformations align with that theory, especially when the Horde, a rogue group, takes charge of Kevin and abducts three teens (including a then-unknown Taylor-Joy) who will be sacrificed to a still-unseen new identity, the superhuman Beast. It's thrilling to watch McAvoy pivot at any given moment — and even more exciting when a final scene connects the story to the "Unbreakable" universe.

5. 'Old' (2021)

Families at a wellness resort enjoy a private beach, but tranquility becomes terror when they begin rapidly aging. Some parts veer into absurdity, but Shyamalan's camera provides stomach-churning tension as the most vulnerable — two 6-year-olds and a tween — experience sudden puberty and even an ill-fated pregnancy. (Notably, no one talks about periods, although by movie math they'd be experiencing 24 every hour.) The body count rises until there's just two siblings left, and they miraculously escape, discover the twist and expose the villiians. It's a return to Shyamalan form with a smart reveal that doubles as a social critique.

4. 'The Village' (2004)

In a remote, bucolic valley lies a village thriving in isolation. Gripped by fear of the scary beasts in the surrounding woods, they never leave their borders. Things go awry when youths provoke them and enter the forbidden woods. Amid the chaos, Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Lucius (Joaquin Phoenix) fall in love, and the latter asks the elders permission to visit "the towns" to retrieve advanced medicines. Once Noah (Adrien Brody), an unpredictable man with a developmental disability, learns of their coupling, he stabs Lucius in confused jealousy. Ivy, who's blind, resolves to brave the journey herself to save her betrothed. There is the revealing of a maddening truth about Ivy's father (William Hurt) and there are some annoyingly unanswered questions by the end. But "The Village" remains one of Shyamalan's best works.

3. 'Signs' (2002)

Aliens have arrived, and they do not come in peace. Crop circles and UFOs suddenly appear around the world, including in former priest Graham Hess (Mel Gibson)'s Doylestown cornfield. The stellar ensemble cast (Joaquin Phoenix, Abigail Breslin and Rory Culkin) provides a genuine portrayal of how a family struggles to survive under extraordinary circumstances with moments of grief and levity. There's tension built into every door creak and wind chime as they try to make sense of the incomprehensible and the aliens come knocking. It's an exhilarating watch, even if the visual effects don't hold up today, and the finale only falters in its odd reveal. The Hess family overcomes, and dad, with faith restored, goes back to being Father. Shyamalan excels in taking what could have been a silly premise and making it feel chillingly real.

2. 'Unbreakable' (2000)

Shyamalan's grounded take on a superhero story is riveting from start to finish. Security guard David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is the sole survivor of a catastrophic train derailment, and comic book collector Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) says he knows why. Seeing comics as true tales of humanity's superpowers, Price insists that Dunn is special even though the reluctant, quiet dad barely believes it himself. His son (Spencer Treat Clark) is so convinced that, in one astonishing scene, he points a gun at Dunn to prove it. The truth is almost incidental when Dunn realizes it was Price (aka Mr. Glass) who derailed the train and orchestrated terrorist attacks in his restless search for a hero — truly a gasp-worthy moment. The film is gut-wrenching, surprising and unforgettable.

1. 'The Sixth Sense' (1999)

This ranking does not have a twist ending: It comes as no surprise that this film is Shyamalan's greatest. Precise performances, remarkable scares and a whopping reveal cemented this superb thriller as an undeniable classic that earned six Oscar nods, including best picture, best original screenplay and best director. (In signature Philly fashion, he didn't win, but he should have.) Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) treats Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), who says the still-iconic line: "I see dead people." Ghosts are everywhere, blurring the line of reality and leading the kid into dangerous situations as Crowe struggles to help and worries about his own marriage. It's a master class in storytelling that soars beyond predictable ghost narratives with cinematography that renders even the most mundane shots terrifying. The film is Shyamalan's crowning achievement and a love letter to Philly's beauty. One Inquirer colleague remembered watching the production filming in Spring Garden and enjoyed seeing the city through Shyamalan's lens, writing: "We are lucky to have him."

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