Donnie Darko

[bgeno]

Re: Donnie Darko

Probably my favorite movie of all-time.

It's well-acted, has an incredibly fascinating plot, and it does require you to think about the movie outside of watching it.

I absolutely despise a movie where I watch it and that's it. I cant take action movies or crime dramas or anything like that. Intellectual (if you would call it that) movies are my thing...

And Donnie Darko is the best intellectual that I've seen.

[Shaver]

Re: Donnie Darko

The most overrated movie in film history. This current generation wanted to attach itself to a "cult classic" since they didn't have one, so they chose this. The movies non-sensical and the "Director's Cut" is an illogical afterthought to try to explain away a movie that is a Freshman year film school project at best.

At least the "cult classics" of past generations had some substance... Reservoir Dogs... Swingers... Clerks... Rocky Horror... The Wall... A Clockwork Orange... The Last Picture Show...

When the filmmaker is TRYING to make a cult classic... it instantly loses the ability to be one.

[CM1847]

Re: Donnie Darko

Really funny to read this thread. One post: "best movie ever!", the next "worst movie ever!"

And both sides think they are 100% correct and they are writing as if it were fact that it is the best/worst movie of the past 10 years.

[dieselboy]

Re: Donnie Darko

At least the "cult classics" of past generations had some substance... Reservoir Dogs... Swingers... Clerks... Rocky Horror... The Wall... A Clockwork Orange... The Last Picture Show...

What an amazing movie.

[Shaver]

Re: Donnie Darko

What an amazing movie.

Did you read this???

[dieselboy]

Re: Donnie Darko

Did you read this???

Are we attending?

[Shaver]

Re: Donnie Darko

Are we attending?

Yep... I'm crashing at The Drotar's.

[bgeno]

Re: Donnie Darko

Why is it you think he "tried" to make this a classic? He couldn't have just thought up this story and wrote and it?

I believe had it been releaesd at a different time, a time that wasn't just a month and a half after 9-11, the film would have done MUCH better in theatres.


What makes the film so poor in your opinion?

[eXperiment63]

Re: Donnie Darko

This and Equilibrium are my two fav movies of all time.
1)Donnie Darko
1a)Equilibrium

[dieselboy]

Re: Donnie Darko

This and Equilibrium are my two fav movies of all time.
1)Donnie Darko
1a)Equilibrium

Two movies that didn't make much money in theatres, but have become very popular since being released on DVD.

[Acid]

Re: Donnie Darko

What an amazing movie.

Agreed.

One of my favorite movies for sure.

[ODogg]

Re: Donnie Darko

Probably my favorite movie of all-time.

It's well-acted, has an incredibly fascinating plot, and it does require you to think about the movie outside of watching it.

I absolutely despise a movie where I watch it and that's it. I cant take action movies or crime dramas or anything like that. Intellectual (if you would call it that) movies are my thing...

And Donnie Darko is the best intellectual that I've seen.

Sounds like you and I have the exact same tastes in movies man, even though I do watch action, crime, etc, i always prefer philosophical dramas more than anything. Have you seen The United States of Leland? It's the most recent movie I've seen that stayed with me and made me think about things. Also some other good movies that make you think long after they are over that I like are Crash, The Crossing, About Schmidt, City of God, The Crow and American History X.

[ODogg]

Re: Donnie Darko

The most overrated movie in film history. This current generation wanted to attach itself to a "cult classic" since they didn't have one, so they chose this.

Clay, i'm 36 years old, and this is one of my favorite films of all time. I don't say that because I care about it's status in the community, I say that because I believe it. Not sure what generation you're referring to but i'm guessing the 20-something crowd, but even then I don't think anyone ever likes a film in hopes of by them liking it it will become a cult classic or the "in-thing" that defines their generation. Sorry but IMO people don't think that broadly in general.

The movies non-sensical

I can see why it would be viewed that way because it is based on supernatural occurences which alot of people deem impossible, issues such as time travel, alternate dimensions, etc, it raises alot of issues of life and death many do not wish to ponder and gives only cursory answers to all aspects of those, leaving most of it to the viewer to fill in the blanks, but by saying it's non-sensical applies there is very little or no logic or cohesion to it which isn't really true. If you can put forth some belief in some of the concepts then it most certainly makes quite a bit of sense.

and the "Director's Cut" is an illogical afterthought to try to explain away a movie that is a Freshman year film school project at best.

Actually the Directors Cut does offer answers as you say, although I don't think it's illogical ones, it fills in much of the "lore" that is mostly leaved to the imagination in the original movie. As for whether time travel or alternate dimensions makes any logical sense to you I guess is where one could consider it "illogical". If you don't believe in the supernatural or supra-ordinary then yes it's completely illogical.

As for the Freshman year film school project comment, I think that's really absurd, it's very well directed I think most would agree, even if they disagree with it's content or story.

At least the "cult classics" of past generations had some substance... Reservoir Dogs... Swingers... Clerks... Rocky Horror... The Wall... A Clockwork Orange... The Last Picture Show...

Most of those movies on that list do not pose existential or philosophical questions which is what has made Donnie Darko a cult classic, with the exception of The Wall and A Clockwork Orange. Those others on the list are cult classics in a sense they are popular movies because they did poorly on the initial run and got popular once they went to DVD, which is also what Donnie Darko did. However Donnie Darko is a true cult classic not because of the popularity of it on DVD but because of the questions it raises will ensure it's a long term movie which can be watched and debated for years.

I guess to make my point a bit more clearly i'd say that the movies on your list are mostly popular, widely viewed DVDs, or classics, whereas a cult classic is more than that, a cult classic, at least in my opinion, is a movie that goes far beyond the movie itself and can cause debate long after it's been viewed and can stand up to multiple viewings without failing to make the viewer think about philosophical issues.

When the filmmaker is TRYING to make a cult classic... it instantly loses the ability to be one.

I've heard this before and in fact the director was confronted with this and he answered as follows (paraphrased) "When I made this movie I never attempted to make a cult classic, I wanted this movie to be successful because it was an intelligent film, I never dreamed that it would fail so badly at the box office and yet go on to become a widely viewed cult classic with such rabid following and so many varying theories on what the movie represents"

Anyways, I know you and I see the movie differently, just out of curiousity what are your views on the concepts put forth in the movie? If you do not have any belief whatsoever in the concepts it puts forward then I can 100% entirely see your point of view. If I didn't believe somewhat in some of those I can see why it would be a waste of time, although I'd still disagree that the directing of the movie was poor

[eXperiment63]

Re: Donnie Darko

Two movies that didn't make much money in theatres, but have become very popular since being released on DVD.

I had never actually heard about EITHER movie when I watched them. I was flippin stations and landed on HBO right at the beginning of Donnie Darko, so I sat there and watched it. Equilibrium, my friend had it and said, "You HAVE to see this movie. It could be about finding the best flavor of ice cream in the world and it would still kick ***!"

I view Equilibrium as matrix with a very possible plot/storyline. I also think the acting is better; I know they show no emotions for the most part, that follows the storyline though. The gun scenes in that movie are truly amazing. Sure, they are a little outlandish, but they are amazing.

I didn't jump on any bandwagons because of internet-lure; I know that isn't what you were suggesting, or maybe it was. Just figured I would clarify that though.

[Admiral50]

Re: Donnie Darko

Clay is as funny as ever. Love it.

Wait, again he wasn't trying to be...