Donnie Darko

Russ

Russ

Jedi Master
Hmm, strange film, but really good. I don't really know how to describe it - maybe, psyhological suspense? I only just saw it, and really.. I don't know exactly what it was about. I think I know, but its going to take another watch before I fully "get it". Actually, its a lot like fight club, if you like that kind of movie, you will like this. However, this film is more emotional than FC. In a nutshell, you could say its about, time travel, remorse, abilties, madness, confusion, eventual understanding, love, sacrifice, philosophy, truth, lies, erm.. etc etc... lol ;)

If you want a taste of what the film is like, visit the website - http://www(dot)donniedarko.com/ - you can see why its hard to describe ;D
 
I agree Russ. The first time I watched it, after Jason recommended it on the Top Ten Movie podcast, I didn't really get it and was confused. The second time there were a few a-ha moments, which deepened my appreciation of the film. I would like to hear from other members on what their take on the film was, cuz I think more than a few things went over my head. Come to think of it, I felt the same way after I watched Fight Club the first time, but I eventually 'got' FC.
 
honestly... i hope the 'top 10' films recommended werent intended as 'the most important films worldwide' or something. if so a remedial course in the auteurs of film history is needed.
 
i hope this doesnt seem like a slight.. it certainly isnt. there are SO many amazing movies out there i think relate to human nature, psychopathy, religion, etc.

i would be more than willing to list a few of my faves if anyone is remotely interested.
 
I love this film. The first time I saw it, I was a bit confused as well, but then I caught on to the 'time loop' thing, the time travel and the idea that his schizophrenic visions actually appeared to be communication from the future into the present/past. I also liked the whole 'time line' idea and resulting alternate universe in which the movie ends, with Donnie's girlfriend having never met him and just waving at his mom, because she is sad for her - but his mom waved back as if she thought she knew her, or should know her. Makes you wonder about those times you meet someone and feel as though you've known them forever - maybe you just know them in an alternate reality or 'time line'.

I've probably still not 'caught' all the meaning, but I really enjoy the film and the sound track is good too.
 
as for DD. bits of the movie were quite interesting.. the disrupted space time thing with the visitor, the woman who had written the book about time travel. i remember feeling disappointed by the end though.. havent seen the movie in quite some time.
 
I liked the ending after a few watches. Kinda tied in all the events that happened in the alternate reality with the resulting affects by the individuals involved showing up in a somewhat non-linear way. Like the guy who drew the picture of the rabbit head at the end. Maybe that's where some of our creativity comes from, some alternate place which manifests in seemingly unrelated ways.
 
pescado said:
honestly... i hope the 'top 10' films recommended werent intended as 'the most important films worldwide' or something. if so a remedial course in the auteurs of film history is needed.
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I believe the list was intended to be about which 10 films one should watch to be able to better understand humanity and the state that we are in. Not as a Top Ten list of a subjective kind.
 
even still i think there are other movies out there that might have a greater vision that serve the same message. although i suppose maybe pop cinema is good evidence for the 'state we are in' but not necessarily 'how to understand humanity' better.
 
Has anyone seen the director's cut of Donnie Darko? It is edited together rather nicely and also includes some "pages" from the time travel book (although you may want to pause at that point if you want to take your time reading it).
 
Pescado said:
even still i think there are other movies out there that might have a greater vision that serve the same message. although i suppose maybe pop cinema is good evidence for the 'state we are in' but not necessarily 'how to understand humanity' better.
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Well, how about you propose your own list here and we can all have a look at them?
 
Ive only seen the regular and first released version of DD, but I was blown away the first time I watched it. the main character Donnie reminded me of myself somewhat in my teenage years going through school, I was very against the system and not exactly one of the people who would "run with the crowd". The moment when Donnie was trying to explain about the smurfs to his two male friends reminded me of my own rants about how wrong the world was and my peers would generaly give the same vacant kind of responce as the two friends of Donnies in the film.

I think this is somewhat of a breakthrough movie as it's one of the few films Ive watched which wove the threads of time loops, alternate realities, control mechanisms (as represented by the oppressive female teacher and school...I forget her name), love, sacrifice, empathy, and evil masquerading as a touchy feely love and light teacher (played brilliantly by Patric Swayze) together is such an accessible way.

I think this film has touched the hearts of many young people who share a feeling of the same alienation from the frivolous society we live in and the people we live around such as family and friends. There are also a great many people who I've spoken to who don't necessarily "get" the movie or the themes, but who empathise with the character of Donnie and feel there are similarities in his character to their own.

My second faveourite scene was not actually included in the first release of the movie, but was viewable as one of the deleted scenes. It was a scene between Donnie and his psychiarist in which Donnie had asked if he was going to be put on more drugs, but the psychiatrist replied "You don't have to take them anymore, there only Placebos, they don't really do anything". I thought this sumed one of the main themes of the film nicely,in that there was no real problem with Donnie, orther than he would not conform to "The norm", and type of behaviour demanded by the system, and they just created a false treatment for his condition as they knew there was nothing really wrong with him in the first place.

My favourite scene was Donnie in his bedroom with his mother. It was a really beutifull moment and had brought a few tears to my eyes, when Donnie said "How does it feel to have a nut-job as a son" to which his mom replies "it feels wonderfull".

One of my faveourite films and 10/10 in my book.
 
pescado said:
honestly... i hope the 'top 10' films recommended werent intended as 'the most important films worldwide' or something. if so a remedial course in the auteurs of film history is needed.
Click to expand...
You tread on my dreams. Remember, Deceive the Emperor to cross the Sea, all truths are hidden where they will be seen by all.

pescado said:
i hope this doesnt seem like a slight.. it certainly isnt. there are SO many amazing movies out there i think relate to human nature, psychopathy, religion, etc.

i would be more than willing to list a few of my faves if anyone is remotely interested.
Click to expand...
Please do :)

Pescado said:
as for DD. bits of the movie were quite interesting.. the disrupted space time thing with the visitor, the woman who had written the book about time travel. i remember feeling disappointed by the end though.. havent seen the movie in quite some time.
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I don't think the movie had anything to do with time other than as a grand deus ex machina. Time was simply a vehicle, the contents of the delivery van are more important than the body and driver combined.

As always we see what we want to see first, then what we are meant to see, and then what we need to see.
 
Yeah, quite a few tears were bought to my eyes while watching it, also a lot of laughter - there were also strange moments where I would laugh and then the scene would change, to be incompatible with laughter, which made me reflect on my own laughter. Its definately a very powerful film. By the way, the version I saw was the Directors Cut as I read a few recommendations that it was the better of the two choices :)

The film pretty much has everything really, and it doesn't even make sense! Either that or I'm just not clever enough to work it out. But thats the thing about this film, its still good even though I don't understand it. Its as if the "tangent universe" stuff is just there as an excuse to put all of those excellent scenes together, and doesn't need to make sense.
 
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