Donnie Darko: Yay or Nay

JasonBourne 2.0

Personally i found this film strictly average and could not relate to the hype or cult following surrounding it, so it would have to be a nay for me. Opinions

I love it then again I did see it well before the hype. I was one of the few who preordered the R1 dvd and managed to see it hype free well over a year before it became so big over here. Like every film so people like it and some don't.

Purple Gorilla

I like it so much I have it on VHS

Lobelia Overhill

I remember think "Oh thank gawd I'm not a teenager any more" ... I liked the movie, but I've not bought the DVD or made any effort to watch it when it's been on telly

chillywilly

Deleted User wrote: »

I love it then again I did see it well before the hype. I was one of the few who preordered the R1 dvd and managed to see it hype free well over a year before it became so big over here. Like every film so people like it and some don't.

any link between the film and the username?:pac:

i i liked the film.

chillywilly

chillywilly wrote: »

any link between the film and the username?:pac:

I lost count of how many pms I got asking that question. My username is from a character I created years and years ago. Been meaning to change it to the name that I'm refered to on other boards and online.

ipnface

It's great, interesting characters and intruiging and well-paced storyline along with an amazing soundtrack. Allows a bit of freedom to come to your own conclusions and makes for a good discussion post viewing. However the Director's Cut wasn't up to the same standard and Richard Kelly's (the director) Southland Tales was also very poor.

*Simone*

It would definetly be in my top 10-20 fav films of all time. I dunno there's just something about it that really draws you in. If it was played by anyone else other than Gyllenhaal it probably wouldn't have worked.

cabrwab

It was a huge YAY from me at the time, however being years since i've seen it.
I saw it before the major hype started back in 02/03 (i think)
Must stick it on one of these days have a look at it! I never saw the directors cut version.

ipnface

the sequel is going straight to DVD next month:

http://www.amazon.com/S-Darko-Donnie-Tale-Widescreen/dp/B001RP975G

unreggd

Found it dreary and boring!

[/marmite]

*Simone*

Oh no. Why do they always ruin perfectly good stand-alone films with sh*te sequels? It's an insult to the original!

unreggd

*Simone* wrote: »

Oh no. Why do they always ruin perfectly good stand-alone films with sh*te sequels? It's an insult to the original!

Not very hard to do that though :rolleyes:

*Simone*

Yes but why, WHY GOD DAMMIT!!





(and no one go posting 'because they're cashing in on the sucess of the previous blah blah' ... I'm not stupid )

Galvasean

*Simone* wrote: »

Yes but why, WHY GOD DAMMIT!!





(and no one go posting 'because they're cashing in on the sucess of the previous blah blah' ... I'm not stupid )

Because they're cashing in on the sucess of the previous hate us.

I like Donnie Darko, but don't really understand the massive following it has.

Peyton Manning

Ill watch S. Darko for the simple fact that Daveigh Chase is in it. And she got super hot.

gman2k

Yeah as earlier poster says - the directors cut is not that great, and should be avoided.
It was even given away free with a Sunday rag a few years back?
The original was super though - it's originality and timelessness was a major draw for lots of people. 80's kids dig the soundtrack of course!

purple_hatstand

There was also a disproportionate amount of hype surrounding the cover version of Tears For Fears' song 'Mad World' which plays over the final montage and into the end credits and seems in some way to "explain" certain themes/aspects of the film.

I remember enjoying DD immensely a few years ago when I had seen it only a couple of times. As has been mentioned here before, the Director's Cut is a disaster of epic proportions on several different levels and, for those who haven't seen it I advise avoiding it completely.

The original film is still enjoyable enough to watch - not least because of the genuinely quirky feel to the casting and the humour; but I don't think it's as clever as it thinks it is which is a shame given the serious nature of some of the themes it pretends to be addressing. Kelly's subsequent failures/lack of output leads me to the conclusion that DD was a fluke.

Redpunto

its a brill movie but has to be watched a few times to get everything in it. First time i didnt like it but second time around i loved it.

damselnat

I have to say I absolutely love this film. For me, it was less about the weirdness and difference (though I did enjoy that too) but at the time I watched it (I was about 14/15) I really identified with it, the whole teen-angst thing and all that. I think there's so many levels you could enjoy and appreciate this film, I particularly enjoyed the humour:


Principle Cole: Let's go over this again. What exactly did you say to Ms Farmer?
Kitty Farmer: I'll tell you what he said! He asked me to forcibly insert the lifeline exercise card into my anus!
:DGold

Ann22

I couldn't make head nor tail of it...something to do with time travel or something. Can somebody explain the gist of it to me?

Futurism

Ann22 wrote: »

I couldn't make head nor tail of it...something to do with time travel or something. Can somebody explain the gist of it to me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp22Rh2c-3o

Ann22

Oh riiiiiight.....thanks. I'm a teeny tiny bit wiser:o.

Snake Plisken

yay for the theatrical version, one example where the studio were right to step in and stop the release of the Directors cut which would have been a disaster!

Great Soundtrack as mentioned before very much so for 80's kids, the bit I love is the Head Over Heels part, brilliant!

Nay for the directors cut as per the above!

Recently picked up the Region A Blu-Ray which has both versions on the one disc, but don't go out and import unless you have a Region A PS3 or Blu-Ray player!

That_Guy

It is quite possibly one of the most over rated films in the last God knows how many years, but I thought it was good.

I've only watched it twice and I could slightly understand it a bit better the second time.

It wouldn't be in my top 10 favourite films but it was good. I just wish they weren't making a sequel to it. *shudders*

humanji

That_Guy wrote: »

It is quite possibly one of the most over rated films in the last God knows how many years, but I thought it was good.

I've only watched it twice and I could slightly understand it a bit better the second time.

It wouldn't be in my top 10 favourite films but it was good. I just wish they weren't making a sequel to it. *shudders*

+1 to this. It's hugely overated, but I enjoyed it. It's not the greatest movie I've ever seen, but it had some amazing elements to it. The whole dreamlike quality of it was fairly hypnotic.

Oddly enough, I think I must be the only person who loved Southland Tales. I know it's not a great film, but I just think it's amazing for some unknown reason.

The Recliner

humanji wrote: »

+1 to this. It's hugely overated, but I enjoyed it. It's not the greatest movie I've ever seen, but it had some amazing elements to it. The whole dreamlike quality of it was fairly hypnotic.

Oddly enough, I think I must be the only person who loved Southland Tales. I know it's not a great film, but I just think it's amazing for some unknown reason.

Fear not

You are not alone

I think both movies benefit from being seen on the small screen and rewatched, there is too much to take in at the cinema

faceman

I didnt like it the first time i saw it but i "got it" the second time. I liked it more then.

Mr.Lizard

First time I saw DonnieDarko I didn't want to just be one of the crowd praising this movie so I fought with it at every moment.

Second time round however I decided to just lie back, accept my fate an enjoy it.

quickbeam

Yay from me.

I can't say I fully understand it even still, but not every film has to make 100% sense. I loved it anyway, and have seen it multiple times (first time before the hype too).

frapp

a big YAY for me aswell , i loved the OST and yes theres elements that make no scence but highly enjoyable , ive watched a Kevin Smith DVD where he talks in collages and he said he worked with the director and asked him what the movie was about and he couldnt even explain it himself lol

Richard Dower

It was pretty good...but not "wow", hard to understand but i do like movies that make you think and concentrate.

nyarlothothep

Its not a film I instantly appreciate, but it taps into something existential I can identify with, not just through the time travel plot but the way everything is presented in a kind of oblique slightly sinister way. Someone mentioned dreamlike, I think that sums it up well. Its very trippy yet hyper real as a result.

Acacia

Yay. I loved it.

Driver 8

Donnie Darko-yay!

Southland Tales-boo!

Demeyes

I heard so many people raging on about this movie, I was pretty let down when I saw it. I mean, it's good but it's no where near making my favourite films list.

Galvasean

frapp wrote: »

ive watched a Kevin Smith DVD where he talks in collages and he said he worked with the director and asked him what the movie was about and he couldnt even explain it himself lol

I'm not so sure that's a good thing...

Max Cohen

Oh most definetely a YAY
i have a theory on exactly what its meant to mean which i cant be arsed goin into but i know im 100% right like *sarcastic tongue smiley* - i hate smileys.

i love the sideline story about the paedofile ring and the theme music is class.

wikky flick

purple_hatstand

frapp wrote: »

a big YAY for me aswell , i loved the OST and yes theres elements that make no scence but highly enjoyable , ive watched a Kevin Smith DVD where he talks in collages and he said he worked with the director and asked him what the movie was about and he couldnt even explain it himself lol

I might be missing something......Kevin Smith is director of 'Clerks', 'Mallrats' etc.....is he connected to 'Donnie Darko' in some way or did you mean Richard Kelly?

Talking "in collages" sounds like fun! Did you mean colleges?

Genuinely just interested in understanding you properly - because if the film's director is travelling around telling film students he can't explain his own film then, firstly; it explains an awful lot of the problems associated with the Director's Cut and also; can we expect more muddled, incoherent films pretending to be more intelligent than they really are from a new generation of writers/directors?

victoriaa

It's a yay from me. Unique and original story/script, very well played and who could forget the "stupid human suit" quote?

JC 2K3

I've only ever seen the Director's Cut, am I missing out?

It was all right, but not half as intelligent as people make it out to be.

banshee_bones

NAY.NAY.NAY.

Watched it before the hype, disliked it intensely, didnt get the hype or the culture surrounding it, did not see what all the fuss was about. Watched it a second time juuust to make sure. Still feel the same.

Spunge

i got it on dvd in 03ish and i really enjoyed it but never really understood it properly.