Stir of Echoes - Surprisingly good (just don't mention `Sixth Sense') 

'Stir of Echos' is about a regular guy - Kevin Bacon playing an average Joe kind of chap - who, for a laugh at a party, allows himself to be hypnotised and, as a result, starts seeing dead people. Oops, and there was me trying to avoid any 'Sixth Sense' references.

'Stir of Echos' came out in 1999 (the same year as 'The Sixth Sense') and was kind of overshadowed by Bruce Willis' haunting supernatural offering. If you pretty much read any review of 'Stir of Echos,' it almost always mentions 'The Sixth Sense' (just like I seem to keep doing) because they do share a fair about of similarities.  Both have dead people trying to tell our protagonists something from beyond the grave, both films have 'creepy' kids (also with 'the gift') and both were roaring successes at the Box Office.  Okay, so only one was.  And it wasn't the one with poor old Mr Bacon.

It starts off pretty well and, being only an hour and a half long, the first two thirds is pretty tight.  However, it's lack of originality kind of becomes its undoing as the last act is pretty run-of-the-mill and everything wraps up a little too nicely to be believed.  If you're a die hard fan of Kevin Bacon then you'll definitely appreciate it more than most (there has to be a few uber-fans of his out there, doesn't there?).  It's 'his' film through and through as there's not really anyone else on the cast list who you'll really recognise, so it's all on his shoulders.

If I had to choose one, I would go for 'The Sixth Sense' as it was certainly more original (not to mention spooky), but, don't think that 'Stir of Echos' isn't worth a watch. If you like a bit of supernatural drama and solving murders from beyond the grave, give 'Stir of Echos' a try. At least it didn't go for a 'plot twist,' so I can guarantee you that no one is really dead at the end who you thought was alive all the way through.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that