Donnie Darko (2001)

[turtlefocker]

DONNIE DARKO (2001)


This is a thread for discussing the 2001 cult film Donnie Darko. This post is my opinion of the film it is a negative one. I am eager to hear others opinions and am open to them no matter how much they differ from mine. I hope that this thread can be a place of meaningful discussion for a film that is growing a larger following by the day.

________


If you are young and dissatisfied with your family, if you do not have too many good friends, and you are having a feeling that the whole world is stupid, evil and against you, and you are wishing that someday you will have some special scientific power to destroy all evil and save the world... Donnie Darko is the perfect movie for you. Sadly it is not the perfect movie for me. No for me it is a convoluted emo mess.

Donnie Darko is a movie that tries to deal with personality disorders, time travel, predestination, and many other things. It fails to tie any of these themes together in a coherent manner. The film feels like it is intentionally trying to be confusing and philosophical. It succeeds at being confusing.
As a rated-R movie, one would at least expect the audience could handle in-depth conversations about time travel and predestination; however, the audience is greeted to teen-angsty explanations of the two. The film's dialogue relies on '80s nostalgia and discussions of pop-culture like every other post-Tarantino indie film that can't put intelligent dialogue into its characters' mouths

The cinematography is dark and murky and the only well directed sequence was basically a Tears For Fears video.


On top of that the film is unable to stand on it's own and doesn't make sense. Here are some random points to consider next time you want to call this a masterpiece.

1) I don't see how the end of the world is prevented by the new timeline. Shouldn't there still be trouble in the universe considering that the same jet engine from the future crashes through the Darko house? How does he change anything if everybody still dies when the universe collapses?

2) The film shows that Swayze is caught after Donnie sets the blaze at his house. By choosing to let himself be killed at the end of the film, Donnie doesn't set that blaze. The "you can see by his face that he's changed man" defense just isn't good enough. That does not guarantee the safety of Donnie's community, including his little sister, who's still within that guy's reach after Donnie's death. At the end of the day, you're simply conjecturing that he gets caught after the house lights come on. As Tarantino once said, "If it isn't in the movie, it didn't happen."

Now I wont disagree that this film makes you think. I tried to contemplate what happened and this is the best I could come up with as a possible explanation:
"Everyone dreamed what happened" -Even though the timeline isn't lived out, their lives are all affected by their "dreams." Donnie Darko opens everyone's eyes through his actions and then gives them a second chance by sacrificing himself.

But then I started thinking about the engine:

3) So if the engine misses the wormhole, why does it still go back in time with Donnie? With Donnie being dead that means the same thing happens all over again, (but just without Donnie), and the same airplane is going to be in the same spot with the wormhole. Whether or not the people remember what happened last time doesn't matter because the universe is still going to end. Now you could argue that Donnie did the best he could under the circumstances, he followed all the clues, but he still failed preventing the end of the universe. Richard Kelly did not communicate what he meant to, you have to read a bunch of **** on the dvd and website. The film doesn't stand on its own.

… And, don't anybody give me that **** about it being on the website or dvd. As Tarantino once said, "If it isn't in the movie, it didn't happen."

turtlefocker

[Arcturus]

Donnie Darko is one of my all time favorite films.

[Untilteld]

Originally Posted by venom4life

Donnie Darko is one of my all time favorite films.

Same here. Turtlefocker needs to just relax and watch the movie without trying to make up an extravagant analysis.

[Tempest19]

Originally Posted by turtlefocker

If you are young and dissatisfied with your family, if you do not have too many good friends, and you are having a feeling that the whole world is stupid, evil and against you, and you are wishing that someday you will have some special scientific power to destroy all evil and save the world... Donnie Darko is the perfect movie for you. Sadly it is not the perfect movie for me. No for me it is a convoluted emo mess.

I'll just call you out for that right now dude, since you left yourself wide open.

It is obvious that you are rushing to conclusions as to who and who doesn't like the film. You're overly "this is for emos!" opinion is laughable, dude. I also highly doubt the term emo was around back then.

I liked the film, so I must be emo- right? WRONG!

I am young, I'm more than satisfied with my family, for the most part alot of the world is stupid- lol, if it wasn't do you think movies like 'Date Movie', 'Epic Movie' and 'Little Man' would make money? Have you ever watched Jay Walking?. The whole world is NOT evil and is NOT against me, it is stupid though on some aspects. And your next line doesn't make sense- what guy doesn't daydream about being a superhero? Lol. That's more or less what you said- scientific powers, save world from evil.

I am, more or less, a Sam Witwicky type suburban teen with the same suburban parents. (Transformers reference)

Now, the correct reason why people like this film without trying to score at ridiculous name calling:

- The dark science fiction elements.
- The pace of the film and how it blends with it's musical track.
- The surreal elements in the film, particularly involving Frank.
- The at moments comical parts and some parts are really down to Earth, such as the awkward silence to repeatedly be broken at the family table moment. Lol.
- The chilling and haunting ending.

So no, this is not a film that was made for emos and it is not an emo film. Some emos might like it, but that doesn't make it a film targeted for emos. Hell, I don't even think emos were around back then during the 80s (?)!

I didn't read anything else you wrote due to that first paragraph that I felt urged to comment on trying to group all those who like Donnie Darko into one category- those of depressed teenagers.

[blind_fury]

These Donnie Darko threads always go nowhere. The movie is an enigma.

[turtlefocker]

Originally Posted by Geekz

Same here. Turtlefocker needs to just relax and watch the movie without trying to make up an extravagant analysis.

When people post something negative about a film here they get flamed for not giving reasons. I try and give resons and you get upset that I didnt just say "tis film suckz"

[turtlefocker]

Originally Posted by Tempest19

I'll just call you out for that right now dude, since you left yourself wide open.

It is obvious that you are rushing to conclusions as to who and who doesn't like the film. You're overly "this is for emos!" opinion is laughable, dude. I also highly doubt the term emo was around back then.

Back in 2001?

[turtlefocker]

Originally Posted by Tempest19

I liked the film, so I must be emo- right? WRONG!

The film is emo, the characters are emo, the fans are well i dotn really care. Im not being critical of the fans (well maybe a litlle). My opening paragraph clearly said I was open to hearing what people had to say.

[Tempest19]

Oh yeah, lmaol. My mistake.

The film taking place in the 80s (I believe) is what screwed me up.

But, still- maybe my memmory is out of place... I don't remember that term being as widely used, to the point that it's become a cliche, until recently. Maybe the term did exist back then, but has just come to the forefront of "this is emo, your emo, I'm emo, that's emo" status now (calling everything emo). Lol.

[turtlefocker]

Originally Posted by Tempest19

Oh yeah, lmaol. My mistake.

The film taking place in the 80s (I believe) is what screwed me up.

Lol.

Ive made worse mistakes. Other than that your post was nice and informative. I just think you focussed on a very small point in my post!

[Kevin Roegele]

Weirdly enough, I watched Donnie Darko today.

The thing I love most is the atmosphere. Donnie Darko has a mermerizing, beguilling atmosphere. Most horror movies would love to be as atmospheric.

[Figs]

Originally Posted by Kevin Roegele

Weirdly enough, I watched Donnie Darko today.

The thing I love most is the atmosphere. Donnie Darko has a mermerizing, beguilling atmosphere. Most horror movies would love to be as atmospheric.

I think that's largely due to the fact that most horror movies try a little too hard and miss the point. While for Donnie Darko it's not exactly a horror film so they probably weren't aiming for a horror like atmosphere but managed to strike gold.

[turtlefocker]

Originally Posted by Geekz

Same here. Turtlefocker needs to just relax and watch the movie without trying to make up an extravagant analysis.

When people post something negative about a film here they get flamed for not giving reasons. I try and give resons and you get upset that I didnt just say "tis film suckz"

[Cyrusbales]

I was told DD was a 'brilliant' movie and when I saw it, I was heartily disapointed. It's complexity was superficial, as the story was remarkebly obvious and somewhat predictable.

People who don't get it boggle me, the problem with the film is it's attempt to be quirky and interesting without much substance, the writing was nothing special and editing was the only plus side, with some decent rythmic montage and perfect shot lengths through most of, it's just the contents of the shots that lacked.

It seemd very much like a film made for early teens.

[Cyrusbales]

Originally Posted by turtlefocker

When people post something negative about a film here they get flamed for not giving reasons. I try and give resons and you get upset that I didnt just say "tis film suckz"

Yeah, people will bite your ass no matter what, that's their response to arguments they can't provide counterarguements for.

[enterthemadness]

Anyone seen the director's cut? Read.. it explains too much. Also has improved CGI and a different soundtrack.

[turtlefocker]

Originally Posted by blind_fury

These Donnie Darko threads always go nowhere. The movie is an enigma.

Perhaphs you are right

[Cinemaman]

It's in my TOP 20!

Donnie Darko's central plot (the main idea) is not time travel as most people think, it's about What would happen, If...? (like what would happen, if Donnie didn't die)

[turtlefocker]

Originally Posted by Cinemaman

It's in my TOP 20!

Donnie Darko's central plot (the main idea) is not time travel as most people think, it's about What would happen, If...? (like what would happen, if Donnie didn't die)

Glad you stopped by, I made this thread after our talk on the LOTR thread.

[Cinemaman]

Originally Posted by turtlefocker

Glad you stopped by, I made this thread after our talk on the LOTR thread.

Yeah, I remember this

[DieSmiling]

I love Donnie Darko. Blew my mind, son!

Also, if you find the movie overly confusing, check out the Director's Cut. It expands on A LOT of stuff and makes it much clearer.

[turtlefocker]

Originally Posted by DieSmiling

I love Donnie Darko. Blew my mind, son!

Also, if you find the movie overly confusing, check out the Director's Cut. It expands on A LOT of stuff and makes it much clearer.

Thats the second tiem I was told ot watch teh directors cut, Ill have to rent it but my opinon of the theatricul verison will not change.

[Lots o lafs]

Does anyone like Donnie Darko as much as me?

[Figs]

I don't know...how much do you like Donnie Darko?

Do you like him enough to want to sleep with him?

Sorry man, couldn't resist. It's just that I think the film Donnie Darko wins the award for most new and unnecessary threads started than any other film thread.

No one ever bothers to do the thread search and we end up getting multiple Darko threads.

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

I thought this movie kinda sucked balls.