Donnie Darko ehh...

[Anarch_Mesa]

So, I just finished watching Donnie Darko, and I didn't think it was that great actually. My main problem lies with the fact that

Frank "The demonic bunny" was apperantly guiding him to clear up his universe in a certain amount of days or it along with the alternate universe will be destroyed. The thing that gets me though is if this bunny is trying to help him then why would he have taken him out to the golf course the first time he meets him. Donnie had to eventually let the engine fall on him to save the universe so if Frank wouldn't have called him outside he would have died by the engine.

[Plagueround]

I wouldn't get too caught up in trying to figure out the exact nature of the alternate reality plot. Donnie Darko is essentially just "It's a Wonderful Life" turned inside out.

[Pirate Utopian]

lol. I didnt really get it either, but I love the darkness and the acting.

[Anarch_Mesa]

The only thing I could figure out is that it's one of those why didn't they just build a boat to get off Gilligan Island kind of things, one of those we wouldn't have a movie so shutup sort of accidents.

[which doctor]

It's a pretty bad movie, don't worry about understanding it.

[shorelinetrance]

It's a pretty bad movie, don't worry about understanding it.

Agreed, hipster kids love to fellate donnie darko because apparently "shit's deep".

[Hit The North]

You're all crazy! It's a great film with an interesting central premise, a great subplot which also acts as a satire on the religious right, and a killer soundtrack.

I'll admit it flirts with pretension - but the best art does.

The director's follow up though, Southland Tales, really does suck.

[Led Zeppelin]

Yeah, I liked the movie a lot too, it was interesting.

[Invader Zim]

Its a good film, and yeah, there is no point trying to 'get' it; largely because there are so many different ways of looking at the story. You can take it all at its face value and assume that Donnie goes back in time, chooses not to allow Frank to save him, and in doing so save Gretchen. Alternatively you can read the story as saying that Donnie was batshit insane, as the shrik said, and that is the point of 95% of the story, the engine landing on him thrown in only to 'weird' you out. Or, on the other hard, assume that 90% of the film is just Donnie's (or some other character, it doesn't really matter) imagination, because none of it happened because Donnie actually died a few scenes into the film. And various other reading of the plot, ad infinitum.

Personally I like the film, but I can see why people might not.


Agreed, hipster kids love to fellate donnie darko because apparently "shit's deep".One word, 'no'.

Though, I see where you are coming from. People often confuse a mix of banal, inane, complicated and extremely pretentious with 'deep', not that Donnie Darko is any of those. If you want to watch a film that tricks people into thinking that this 'shit's deep', watch Primer.

[Raúl Duke]

Although ironically my name is a play on the movie title...

Like Zim said, Don't get caught up into it much...instead of making up a dozen of theories about it just watch it and get on with your life (see it as is).

Also, it's not such a big deal of a movie. If you don't like it ok, if you do ok. It's no big deal either way.

I also understand the idea about the "hipster kids" (mostly scene-emo kids, IMO) fellating to the movie. In a way it's not deep but I liked the movie. I also watched Primer once (don't remember much) and that one was crazy and it did gave off a vibe like Zim mentioned....maybe it's more "whoa" if watching it high.

Although I would have used a different example then Zim's....but don't know of any right exactly now.

[which doctor]

If you want to watch a film that tricks people into thinking that this 'shit's deep', watch Primer.
Dude, shit is deep with primer. :laugh:

[John Lenin]

I saw it as an analogy of Christ with Donnie as Jesus (and yes I'm an Athiest).

Out of love ... Donnie sacrifices his life so the rest of the world can have theirs ...

The Bunny represents God.

If watched through this prism ... there are several interesting obervations one can take from the film.

[Mujer Libre]

Searching for one meaning in a film like Donnie Darko is stupid (you could argue that the same goes for any film, any piece of art). It's deliberately obfuscatory and vague enough that people can draw their own meanings from it. Although the Director's Cut makes things too obvious for my taste. What I enjoyed most about the film was the fact that you could watch it, enjoy it, be slightly confused at the end, go away and think/talk about it, then watch it again and get more out of it. That feeling, when you go away after watching a film and desperately want to talk about, is the sign of a good film.

IMO the film that nubs fellate because they think it's deep is Fight Club. I'm sick and tired of being drawn into discussions about how it's really the meaning of life and is this awesome leftist text... But this really isn't the place to complain about that so I'll zip it now.

[BurnTheOliveTree]

IMO the film that nubs fellate because they think it's deep is Fight Club. I'm sick and tired of being drawn into discussions about how it's really the meaning of life and is this awesome leftist text... But this really isn't the place to complain about that so I'll zip it now.


This. I found the film pretty vacuous really, it just seemed like it was aiming to be meaningful rather than actually being so.

Donnie Darko is an excellent film. If only for the motivational speaker character - awesome sature.

-Alex

[Bastable]

I despise Donnie Darko, its so damn pretentious like its trying too hard to be artistic. that and it was cool to love it when I went to school.

[trivas7]

You're all crazy! It's a great film with an interesting central premise, a great subplot which also acts as a satire on the religious right, and a killer soundtrack.

I'll admit it flirts with pretension - but the best art does.

The director's follow up though, Southland Tales, really does suck.
I, too, loved it. Here's (http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/movies/feature/2004/07/23/darko/index.html) the best review of it i've found.

[Invader Zim]

Dude, shit is deep with primer. :laugh:

Like I said, it tricks many people. In reality, the film actually draws upon the relatively aged concept of time travel = paradox. It just uses a scientific and highly esoteric lexicon, and a shit load of fucking about, in order to confuse people into thinking that its 'deep'. Basically The Butterfly Effect for movie fascists* who only watch cult films with low budgets.

* don't take that too serously please.

[Edgar]

I must confess to watching this movie at least three times when it first came out, but that may just be because I had a crush on Jena Malone at the time.


Alternatively you can read the story as saying that Donnie was batshit insane

That's pretty much how I took the movie, as a story about a guy with some emotional/mental problems who tended to fantasize a lot. He was seeing a shrink and taking medication, after all.

/

[KurtFF8]

You're all crazy! It's a great film with an interesting central premise, a great subplot which also acts as a satire on the religious right, and a killer soundtrack.

I'll admit it flirts with pretension - but the best art does.

The director's follow up though, Southland Tales, really does suck.

I liked Southland Tales quite a lot actually. The political environment Kelly created was a perfect example of the mood of most people in that year. I'll admit that it took on quite a lot and may have been a little ambitious, but I still liked it.

[jake williams]

I'll admit it flirts with pretension - but the best art does.
This. Also it's a combination of funny and fucked-up. I appreciate.

I'm pretty sure it was consciously written so as to not be able to be "gotten". I don't think Richard Kelly gets it.