Donnie Darko - discuss it (megaspoilers naturally)

[solamim]

ok. now that i visited the website i understand all about the timetraveling and why donnie was like he was..
i don´t think it is very believable though.

anyway, what do you think is the point of the movie?

they were dumb enough to almost reveal it in the trailer(which i´m glad i watched after the movie) displaying the word "sacrifice".

cuz that´s what i think it was about. he sacrifices himself to save gretchen.
i almost saw him like a kind of jesus, sacrificing himself so that others could be saved(frank for killing gretchen, gretchen from dying)

but then, what´s the point of that?

but after going through the homepage it seems frank and gretchen made donnie to do this(they are the manipulated dead).

it also says that the manipulated living are offend overwhelmed by regret later and you see jim cunningham crying in the end of the movie and on the homepage there is a papernotice that says he killed himself.
did donnie now that would happen? so by traveling back in time he could let cunningham escape because he was going to get his punishment anyway?
but his movement lived on and noone got to know about his childpornography-basement then.

the physics(?)-professor also died later by driving into a tree, what was the point of that(none?). or maybe i missed somehting in the notice, don´t remember it too well. maybe sparrow was out walking again...

what is the name of the graham greene novel drew barymore reads in the english class?

ideas, theoris, thoughts, post 'em!

[g0dzer0]

the name of the short story was "the destructors"

i loved this movie, but i don't feel like talking about it. heh too late to type a lot...

[leinad]

the point of the movie is to entertain, and it does it brilliantly.

i didnt really fully grasp the time travel bits, i'll buy it as soon as it comes out on dvd here though. anyway, i didnt think donnie meant to die, it didnt seem to me to be anything of his own choosing. perhaps it was something of a thinking man's 'final destination' - he was supposed to die at the beginning of the film, but he escaped death, but not for long.

[solamim]

does he die and then come to heaven (he talks about how he hopes somehting good will wait for him) or does he no die but go to another place in existence, another dimension?

[theshape82]

alls i have to say is...the guy in the demonic looking bunny suit....very cool....very very very cool
:yup:

[greppin]

I think the whole point of the movie is that Donnie Darko sacrifices himself to save the world, because he is a pawn in "Gods" plan, whether it is a Christian god is not really known. The moment Donnie sees a person from his future (Frank) he's pre-determined path changes. The physics teachers mentions in the film that only the intervention of god would allow us to see our future visually, but if we see our future then our pre-determined paths would no longer be true. This would bring about the end of destiny hence the future no longer exists. This is what will destroy the world. Donnie is a marter in this test of "Fate and Time" he is a Jesus like character who sacrifices himself for the greater good by successfully travelling back in time and allowing him self to die. The reason he has to burn down that house is because in the greater picture all bad people get what's coming to them, because Donnie survived when he should have died he changed the future. Hence Frank makes him complete tasks to make everything closer to what is should be.

Well that's what I took from it anyway.

[greppin]

Don't worry the above comment was completely out, I just read the "Theory of Time Travel" book on the website and it's all about instable tangent universes or something www.donniedarko.com check it out! Kinda explains the whole theory behind the movie.


But what I don't get is how did the old lady know about what was happening, did she creat, or control the whole thing read the book and you'll get what I'm pratting on about.:eek:

[jamesglewisf]

That is one funky website. It's about as weird as the movie.

[Tuna]

Yeah, they don't even mention the whole idea of manipulated living and dead and everything else in the book the woman wrote.
Maybe they should have hinted to the viewers to go to the website..like show Donnie going to www.donniedarko.com on his computer =p

[Viscuoa]

This movie was very strange but also empowered an interesting concept. I had to watch the flick twice in order to fully understand the basic point of what the movie was trying to portray. The whole time travelling aspect is a unique idea. At first, I thought that when Donnie cheated death, he later realized that Gretchen gets killed and things got out of hand so he got to experience that (the moments of what would've happened if he was still alive). In order to save Gretchen, he goes back in time by time travelling and dies to save the world. By going to the site, you'll get a better understanding of the movie but maybe, just maybe -- the movie is for everyone to think of what they think it's about. Who really knows though? the way the movie functions is kind of like how Pulp Fiction does. The pieces are all jumbled up and Frank is the reason Donnie was able to cheat death. I don't know -- to each their own thoughts.

[greppin]

Ok, There is a basic concept you must grasp is that is all based on a fictional science that doesn't exsist, you will never ever get the movie by just watching it wasn't created like that.

But here goes, when a worm hole opens a artefact must pass though and kill a person, the person this artefact must kill is called the hero (or something) at the moment the worm hole is opened a new parallel universe is created separate from the one we are in, everything is doubled in this universe except Donnie Darko who is the only person who travels into it. The movie shows the events that pass in this universe. The reason frank helps him is because it is the job of the "affected dead" (person's who die in the parallel universe but not in the real one) to help the hero bring the artefact that will kill him back though the worm hole (the artefact being the plane engine). The theory of time travel talks of a priest who stood on a hill and was killed by an arrow that came from nowhere.

Donnie Darko then set's up the chain of events to cause the plan engine to pass though the worm hole, flooding the school to bring the councillor burning his house to get him arrested which leads to Donnie’s Mother being on the plain and not the teacher it's how the events needed to pass to change what was going to happen. The parallel universe is also very unstable and that it why at the end the sky is falling. Donnie must then return and die as he was always meant to otherwise destiny would then no longer exsists and would cause everything to end.

This movie is very hard to explain as I said before www.donniedarko.com's theory of time travel book explains it in much greater deal.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I think it's ridiculous if you have to read a book to understand what a whole movie was about....

I haven't seen the whole movie, just the end, or all of Act Three.... I didn't like what I saw. I don't know why so many people are into it.

[Beale the Rippe]

You don't need to visit the website! Just use your brain!

The reason people like the movie is becuase it forces you to think.

[LordSlaytan]

Originally posted by Sexy Celebrity
I think it's ridiculous if you have to read a book to understand what a whole movie was about....

I haven't seen the whole movie, just the end, or all of Act Three.... I didn't like what I saw. I don't know why so many people are into it.

Christ Jason, you do that a lot. "I haven't seen it, or I don't want to see it, or I saw just a little...therefore it sucks!" Watch a whole movie then tell us it sucks man. I love this movie.

Let me watch it again, I have it on DvD, then I'll forget about this thread and type nothing further.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Originally posted by LordSlaytan
Let me watch it again, I have it on DvD, then I'll forget about this thread and type nothing further.

Grand.

[LordSlaytan]

Originally posted by Sexy Celebrity


Grand.

Piano. I love games. ;D

[LordSlaytan]

I hope this makes sense...



I’ve watched Donnie Darko six times now. Every time I watch it, I see something else that I had missed before. I’m not sure if I’ve figured out what is going on, I think I have, yet I’m not positive. One thing certainly helped, and that’s the scene titles on the DVD, I’ll be using those titles in my definitions. I’ll put them in (parentheses).

The movie begins with a confused Donnie laying alongside the road up on (Carpathian Ridge). It makes me wonder if he was being manipulated at this point, but it is never really implied. Donnie rides his bike back to town, and on the way passes an orange Trans Am (Frank?). We later find out that Frank does indeed drive an orange Trans Am, and is the boyfriend of Donnie’s sister, Elizabeth.

Later that evening the clock chimes its midnight hour, there’s a storm raging outside. Later we’ll discover that it’s actually a (Time Storm) raging with a wormhole opening up and with it, creating a (Tangent Universe). It’s like another dimension layered on top of our own. I believe it’s the entire town that’s caught in this alternate universe, with the rest of the world still being able to relate to it. I mean, the FAA gets involved, right? I’m a little unclear on this part, quite obviously. I think that when they show the close up of the grandfather clock, that’s when the rift actually transports the inhabitants of the town to the (Tangent Universe). They’re all stuck in it, and when Frank tells Donnie at the golf course that the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds, he’s telling him that’s how long he’s got to get things in order before the (Tangent Universe) collapses, disintegrates, whatever, it’s never disclosed exactly what will happen.

Okay, I think that this next segment of the film is extremely important in cluing us in on what has happened, and what exactly the implications are because of it. Donnie comes home to find out that Frank has saved his life. He stands outside watching as the pull the engine out of the house, and there’s a scene where he stares at the spiral on the engine. That’s the clue to the whole film right there I think. The spiral signifies the time rift that they are all caught in. It spirals onto itself, beginning and ending pre-determined. This same jet engine already exists and will fall again later, repeating, concluding, and beginning the cycle again.

Donnie doesn’t understand the message or know that he’s not in his own dimension, but as the story progresses he starts to understand. Frank is used by ??? to deliver the knowledge so Donnie can set things in motion, albeit unwittingly at times, but he’s the one who is chosen to accomplish all the goals needed to get that jet engine back to the wormhole on time. Man, I can wrap my mind around this until I get a nervous tick in my eye, time traveling concepts coupled with spiritualism, not the easiest thing to grasp. Frank asks Donnie if he believes in time travel. I don’t know if Frank is a ghost, angel, or disguised alien, but he’s obviously been killed. So when he asks Donnie that question, I don’t believe he’s trying to tell him that he’s traveling in time, rather that Donnie has the capability to do it himself. He’s trying to teach him as well as guiding him. Is it God with His Angels, or are they good willed Aliens? The film doesn’t really ever tell us that, though Donnie does struggle with his faith, or lack thereof, but he also mentions ‘them’ numerous times, and the message in front of the statue does say, “They Made Me Do It”.

All I really know, is that everyone is in a (Fourth Dimension), and they are all being used by ‘them’ to guide Donnie. Each and every one of the central characters gives him some clue as to what’s going on, and to unwittingly give him clues as to the secrets of time travel. He sees the ‘manipulators’ using the people when he has the ‘visions’ of the (Liquid Spear’s). He follows his own numerous times, and he begins to understand, with the help of Roberta Sparrow’s book, the true significance of his ‘visions’. That they’re not visions at all! They’re real, and everything that he’s seeing is real. He’s not disturbed at all, more that he’s been gifted with some kind of special sight. At this point all he cares about is figuring out the truth.

There are different times through out the movie where it seems that one character or another show some sign that they sense something is not quite right, with the exception of Donnie. Donnie is being ‘allowed’ to see what is really going on. This is where I have a little trouble. There is not one single point during the entire movie where we learn what it is that is manipulating Donnie and the people around him. There are implications of God himself, but we are not given a perspective that puts us in the know. It would be easier to think that they are ghosts or aliens, other than God. Because, if it is indeed God, then there is the whole ‘free will’ topic again. Is it really pre-destiny? Everything that Donnie does with the guidance of Frank and the others, can he choose not to? He tells Dr. Fisher that he has to follow instructions, but then at another time he implies that he only has to do it out of obligation to Frank, for saving his life. I think if Donnie veers of the path laid out to him by ???, then he will doom the inhabitants that are stuck with him in this new (Tangible Universe). It will collapse with everyone trapped inside it. The future has already happened in the new (Tangible Universe), Frank is already dead, and the jet engine fell, so we know that that’s true. That must mean that Donnie has never had a choice??? Gahhhh….. <twitch> Okay, I’m alright now.

Near the end, when Donnie receives his final clue from Miss Pomeroy, with her cellar door, and he follows the clue to Frank’s death, he understands everything. 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds the (Tangible Universe) will end, it’s future already played out. But because of all the people who slipped out of their dimension into this alternate one, it’s future was put into jeopardy. They could have played out the future differently, that’s why they were manipulated into helping Donnie make sure things played out the way it needed to, in order for that jet engine to make it to its destiny. Sigh, it has to be God, it’s the only thing that really makes any sense. Earlier in the movie though, it’s mentioned that if God controlled time, then he also controls the future and free will. That would explain it being such a huge thing that Donnie has actually been let in on the truth. Gahhhh….. <twitch> <twitch> Crap, it’s getting worse.

I think the only real choice Donnie had was at the end. He could have chosen not to stay in his bed I think, but he felt it was better that way, and he was ready for God. Or maybe it was his reward. The reason I believe that the entire township were all in the (Fourth Dimension) with Donnie, is also because of the ending. When it pans across all the characters with that terribly sad song playing in the background, we see them all waking up, remembering it all, only to have it slip away. There’s the clue earlier when Donnie and Gretchen are talking about dreams and how they fade. That’s what happens to them all. They went into the (Fourth Dimension) with Donnie, lived those 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds, some dying, some having there lives torn apart, all experiencing something painful…just to have it all go away and to start over. Except this time with no Donnie. Donnie made sure that it would be different.

The thing with Donnie Darko is that it is totally open to different interpretations. If it was allowed to be a three hour movie, then I think things would be more conclusive. As it is, there are too many things left unknown, but maybe that’s its real appeal.

[akSADDAMak]

Alright, your last paragraph is complete nonsense cause like half the movie talks about how they still remember *in a way* what happened. Anyways, your whole anaylasis is pointless because you don't mention one time what the author is trying to say. Even if you were just trying to explain what happens in the movie, you totally left out the part about how Donnie is a superhero and can do anything he wants. I don't know, I just think that's KIND OF important. Jesus.

[geeWcee]

I love DD.
I have been on a lot of movie websites and to be honest, it is a long time since I have seen a movie that was debated about so much......... ;D

Can only be a good thing......

[LordSlaytan]

you totally left out the part about how Donnie is a superhero and can do anything he wants. I don't know, I just think that's KIND OF important. Jesus.

Donnie isn't a super hero, dude. Jesus.

[geeWcee]

Donnie isn't a super hero, dude. Jesus.

You're kidding ;D

[greppin]

The movies theories are pretty simple it all boils down to split dimension theories originally conceived by Einstein.

Now this is pretty fecked up but bare with me, think of time as a dimension, you have the 1st dimension lines, add multiple of these dimensions and you've got 2nd dimensional shapes, add multiple of these dimensions and you've got 3rd dimensional shapes, add multiple of these and you have 4th dimensions; 3 dimensional shapes being acted on by time (aka existence), add multiples of these together and you get multiple dimensions when Donnie "time travels" he moves to another dimension, and then travels back to his original dimension.

The reason this happens as Einstein theorised was because if you travel back in time in the same dimension your in, you would create contradictions (existing before you did, creating chaos theory, you know, one thing leads to another) thus affecting your own dimension. Thus, you can only move to another dimension without affecting yours. If you went back in time, then you were always meant to, but because you haven’t you never will. If that makes any sense.... It's a bit all over the place but it's a nice theory, I'm not sure if it's completely relevant however.

The theory of time travel (the book thing) does explain the story a little but this is essentially the theory behind split dimensions, so no you don’t have to read a book to understand the movie, however the book helps those who haven’t read into theories of relativity or in my case watching to many late night education programs.

I should change my signature to don't diss my poor grasp of the english lanquage.

[Golgot]

Yeah, Slayt, you've got a pretty cool grasp of this film i reckon (soz, it's been bout 5 months since i saw it so i've forgotten a few of the details, but...)

....in that, i remember coming away with the impression that it was about: a grand scale thing were we have little/no choice (i.e. God controls time, future etc), plus: this small scale alternate-universe example of how we can take responsibility for our actions/make certain core choices (which they present as either-or choices it seems i.e. he can get out of bed and start the whole thing off again, perhaps, or stay and end this alterante cycle that affects so many others)

I did wonder what the author was really trying to say. Perhaps he was suggesting our lives are all about noticing these core choices?? It was a fairly depressive film overall i thought, in that our "hero" (reeeaaally not a superhero who can do anything i don't think. If anything there's only one choice he can make at end, and he does choose the "heroic" choice perhaps) The whole alternate-universe suddenly welded onto Donnie's existence, making him wake up with this mad situation to deal with, is pretty harsh [it's that prankster god again. Bill Hicks was sooo right ;)]

Was the author trying to say some pscitzophrenic (sp) episodes etc are caused by people being tapped into/moving between alternate universes??

Most confusing and cyclical, the whole thing.

[akSADDAMak]

Donnie isn't a super hero, dude. Jesus.
He can cut through pure bronze and split pipes in half. Not to mention that he can hold back a huge brute with a knife. "I can do anything I want. And so can you." You obvoiusly know nothing about Donnie Darko. Just stop now.

[Golgot]

Oops. Just read the "book". Um, seems a little bit daft doesn't it?

Ok, so Donnie does have "super powers" (i.e. mind control etc). So is he the one manipulating people around him then? [they'll do whatever to escape "oblivion" anyway, so it says] It still never explains who or what controls all this. Who lays down the rules that say the Manipulated Dead will always act as they do etc etc.

Even imagining it's just the way things/physics etc etc is set up, that all this naturally occurs when the "Fourth dimension construct" is interrupted by something metal. (And it always pans out like that coz humans are humans and will react like that, hence further examples of god controlling the flow of things, not our choices ;))

But this whole thing that the fourth dimension "construct" "is made of water" is a bit daft [Time is water?? Surely we would have noticed. My mouth would have got older everytime i cleaned my teeth. I would have noticed that. ****, I've just imagined showering ;)]

Anyways, even accepting that, and that the Manipulated Dead are able to use this "construct" to contact and manipulate DD etc, is that supposed to be why Frank uses mirrors etc to contact him?? Is it supposed to be coz mirrors are classified as liquids? [this is true i believe. Just very slow moving liquid. Look at any really old window and you can see it's bulged and drooped in a liquid way]
Therefore he can talk thru time thru mirrors to donnie? [But mirrors aren't really that watery i don't think i.e. the glass is mainly sand etc isn't it? Despite being "liquidy"? Oh, it's a strange world already without alternate versions spinning off all the time ;)]

All very bizarre. I do believe that "Time" is a lot more complicated/varied than we perceive it to be, but i sort of doubt this sort of thing happens everytime a satellite falls down, or someone tosses a coin in the rain.

Would be interesting if the two examples they give of old myths about assailant-less death by flying metal object were real stories.

Who can say.

[LordSlaytan]

Oops. Just read the "book". Um, seems a little bit daft doesn't it?

Is this in reference to my earlier post?

[Golgot]

Is this in reference to my earlier post?

Nah, that bit was more about greppin saying he'd read that book on the website. I was saying generally that i thought the ideas in the book were a bit daft, hence the following stuff. I still think it's a good film tho.

[sphericthor]

Believe it or not I have just watched Donnie Darko for the first time and I have to say that it was just alright, I didn't find anything special within this movie, but it did live up to all expectations on the weird factor

[akSADDAMak]

Is this in reference to my earlier post?
Ok, that's it, you know what, you are officialy banished of anyones respect. You're fired. Get out.

[Yoda]

Ok, that's it, you know what, you are officialy banished of anyones respect. You're fired. Get out.Even if he had been "banished of anyones respect" (might wanna rephrase that, by the way), he, at least, had it in the first place. Unlike, say, you. Grow the hell up.

[LordSlaytan]

He can cut through pure bronze and split pipes in half. Not to mention that he can hold back a huge brute with a knife. "I can do anything I want. And so can you." You obvoiusly know nothing about Donnie Darko. Just stop now.

That makes him super human, not a super hero. What's with the attitude little newbie? Besides, breaking pipes with an axe is not super human, yet the statue may be. I also do not remember him holding back a brute with a knife, unless, of course, you are refering to the bathroom scene when Sean grabbed him and held him in check. Or maybe you're talking about the scene when he's flat on his back and Sean is having his way with him. Donnie was chosen by God. Perhaps to be a novice messiah, but certainly not to be Batman. I haven't read the book, so I only have what the screenwriter and director have to present to me. There are various aspects of Donnie's powers that are not established in the film. The Director during his commentary alludes to the fact that the story is incomplete.

Oh yeah. Keep acting like a smart ass little child around here. You'll be well recieved by all the regulars. :rolleyes:

[Yoda]

Oh yeah. Keep acting like a smart ass little child around here. You'll be well recieved by all the regulars. :rolleyes:
If you were looking for an instance in which something like the reputation system might come in handy, look no further...

[LordSlaytan]

If you were looking for an instance in which something like the reputation system might come in handy, look no further...

I concur, Doctor.

Part of me wants to ask...are you really Django??? :D

[akSADDAMak]

That makes him super human, not a super hero. What's with the attitude little newbie? Besides, breaking pipes with an axe is not super human, yet the statue may be. I also do not remember him holding back a brute with a knife, unless, of course, you are refering to the bathroom scene when Sean grabbed him and held him in check. Or maybe you're talking about the scene when he's flat on his back and Sean is having his way with him. Donnie was chosen by God. Perhaps to be a novice messiah, but certainly not to be Batman. I haven't read the book, so I only have what the screenwriter and director have to present to me. There are various aspects of Donnie's powers that are not established in the film. The Director during his commentary alludes to the fact that the story is incomplete.

Oh yeah. Keep acting like a smart ass little child around here. You'll be well recieved by all the regulars. :rolleyes:
Donnie has super human powers. Donnie is a hero. Super human+hero=super hero. Tada. Logic works. Nice comeback though, you totally crushed me. Oh, damn, not those regulars, I hope a bunch of douchebags that spend their lives on movie review boards don't gang up on me! The only 'regulars' I'm even remotely afraid of are regulars at race riots. And stop using those stupid smiley faces. The only people you're amusing are the mentally retarded and the ones laughing at you.


Even if he had been "banished of anyones respect" (might wanna rephrase that, by the way), he, at least, had it in the first place. Unlike, say, you. Grow the hell up.
Wow, what a thought provoking comment. Unless by 'rephrase' you mean 'kick your placid insispid midget green ass', then no, I don't wanna rephrase that. Grow up? Into what? YOU? Haha, thanks, but I'll stick with my job and not be a regular to a regular antisocial goth breeding area.

[LordSlaytan]

Donnie has super human powers. Donnie is a hero. Super human+hero=super hero. Tada. Logic works. Nice comeback though, you totally crushed me. Oh, damn, not those regulars, I hope a bunch of douchebags that spend their lives on movie review boards don't gang up on me! The only 'regulars' I'm even remotely afraid of are regulars at race riots. And stop using those stupid smiley faces. The only people you're amusing are the mentally retarded and the ones laughing at you.



Wow, what a thought provoking comment. Unless by 'rephrase' you mean 'kick your placid insispid midget green ass', then no, I don't wanna rephrase that. Grow up? Into what? YOU? Haha, thanks, but I'll stick with my job and not be a regular to a regular antisocial goth breeding area.

Goodbye dude, you've been squelched. :p:p:p:p:p

[Yoda]

Donnie has super human powers. Donnie is a hero. Super human+hero=super hero. Tada. Logic works.
Hey, somebody call Cole Sear -- apparently he's a super hero, too.


Wow, what a thought provoking comment. Unless by 'rephrase' you mean 'kick your placid insispid midget green ass', then no, I don't wanna rephrase that. Grow up? Into what?
Whatever it is illiterate ******** with too much free time on their hands grow up into. My money's on angry local DJ or overzealous student council leader.

[akSADDAMak]

Goodbye dude, you've been squelched. :p:p:p:p:p
ahh..cant...er...cant..deal..with logic...er...being completely ridiculed..er...must ignore

no, but really, i'm glad he decided to stop making a fool of himself. that was getting tiring.

[akSADDAMak]

Hey, somebody call Cole Sear -- apparently he's a super hero, too.
Wow, you managed to throw complete crap into this conversation, too! Congratulations!

Whatever it is illiterate ******** with too much free time on their hands grow up into. My money's on angry local DJ or overzealous student council leader.
You know, cutting off half a response and answering to a rhetorical quesiton isn't clever. Not to mention that you took something like 'growing up' by your standards of maturity and morphed it into a literal translation.

[Yoda]

Wow, you managed to throw complete crap into this conversation, too! Congratulations!
Wow, you managed to completely dodge my point. Congratulations!


You know, cutting off half a response and answering to a rhetorical quesiton isn't clever.
Neither is asking the rhetorical question in the first place to setup a lame joke. And I think I'll take advice on how to be clever from someone whose idea of a wit isn't "You're fired. Get out."


Not to mention that you took something like 'growing up' by your standards of maturity and morphed it into a literal translation.
Actually, it was you who took it literally. Short-term memory problem?

[geeWcee]

Yoda,
you seem to get into alot of arguments on a lot of threads that go way off the mark of the original post and change into personal slanging matches.......

wassup mate? I haven't been here long - is this a regular thing with you?

akSADDAMak I believe that you are quite intelligent (some nice repsonses there actually) so I would back off because I have seen some people get banned by very unforgiving moderators and to be honest I would like it if you stuck around a while....... ;)

[Yoda]

you seem to get into alot of arguments on a lot of threads that go way off the mark of the original post and change into personal slanging matches.......
Have you even been reading this thread? akS decided that, beyond just disagreeing with Bryan, he had to (poorly) mock him, too. I've no tolerance for that sort of childish crap, and frankly, I'm disturbed at your implied condoning of it.

I have seen some people get banned by very unforgiving moderators
Er...like who?

[Golgot]

[QUOTE=geeWcee]Yoda,
you seem to get into alot of arguments on a lot of threads that go way off the mark of the original post and change into personal slanging matches.......

wassup mate? I haven't been here long - is this a regular thing with you?[QUOTE]

Oooooohhhhhhh yes. He be the conservative capo of this tattle tribe. Beware fellow brit, he will harangue you with uncle-sam-isms or general derision, then disappear if you question his logical schisms. (well, he has this time - saw you starting to reply then stopping yodi ;) If your unseen green mightiness would like a more constructive argument/discussion, then come back to the Iraq/Bush discussion. Cooooome baaaaaack)

[Golgot]

Have you even been reading this thread? akS decided that, beyond just disagreeing with Bryan, he had to (poorly) mock him, too. I've no tolerance for that sort of childish crap, and frankly, I'm disturbed at your implied condoning of it.


Er...like who?

Yeah, akS has been cussing people for no reason and is generally dogmatic. But Yodes, youre not doing much better in your attempt at containment to be honest mate.

I suspect the much lamented django might be the example in question

[Yoda]

Yeah, akS has been cussing people for no reason and is generally dogmatic. But Yodes, youre not doing much better in your attempt at containment to be honest mate.

I suspect the much lamented django might be the example in questionI've made no effort to contain, Gols. If I wanted to contain, I'd simply warn him to stop immediately...which is what I'll do if he continues.

As for Django: he wasn't banned, and anyone who regards the moderators here as "very unforgiving" probably hasn't been to many forums. I've been involved in quite a few boards, and I've never seen a group of forum managers put up with as many direct insults and attacks as this gang has.


Oooooohhhhhhh yes. He be the conservative capo of this tattle tribe. Beware fellow brit, he will harangue you with uncle-sam-isms or general derision, then disappear if you question his logical schisms. (well, he has this time - saw you starting to reply then stopping yodi ;) If your unseen green mightiness would like a more constructive argument/discussion, then come back to the Iraq/Bush discussion. Cooooome baaaaaack)What the?

[Golgot]

I've made no effort to contain, Gols. If I wanted to contain, I'd simply warn him to stop immediately...which is what I'll do if he continues.

oookay. You are running a practicing democracy style of site, which is all much appreciated (until some become more equal than others under the starring system. Heheheh, only joking green-one, tis your site. Your star system would indeed make cyclical arguments like this one with you and akS far less likely. i.e. neither of yous is going to back down, or do more than name call really it seems, so what's being acheived? Won't talk about the tangent thing going on here coz i'm a tangent-monster meself. Oh yeah, and I know, i know, the equality thing is from communism. Damn. Frigging tangents)



As for Django: he wasn't banned, and anyone who regards the moderators here as "very unforgiving" probably hasn't been to many forums. I've been involved in quite a few boards, and I've never seen a group of forum managers put up with as many direct insults and attacks as this gang has.

I know Django wasn't banned, you don't ban, but i can imagine it appeared that way to anyone just reading the recent posts.

What the?

Heheh, thought the other stuff wouldn't go down to well (erm, i was well off on the not-posting thing tho ;). A bit of "who's online" amateur sleuthing gone wrong)

I know you're a busy man, arguing about the nature of maturity and all that, but i'll stand by the "sam-isms" claim. It refers to your belief in Bush the second being a reasonable man who is doing and has done no real wrong. I won't bang on about it, and you don't have to come back to it, but some of the reasons for me believing him to be a bit iffy (man, i'm so damn polite ;)) are still hanging around on one of the Iraq threads. Like i said b4, i'd appreciate your views (and am open to being convinced that Bush is indeed an upright and positive influence in society, if you can negate or counter-balance those and other points that i have against him)

Again, your perogative.

The "general derision" comment feels a bit out of order now, considering that this is an open forum and you are a reasonable guy most of the time, but occasionally there is a bit of "rail-roading" into submission by regulars rather than triumph by debate which goes on. Still, pretty inevitable. Very well, have at those that spite thee (or ignore them if they're just out of nappies ;))

Oh, dammit, you're gonna tell me you don't "have at them" at all now and other point-by-point refutations aren't you. Come to the Iraq thread. Cooooome. We should really change it to the why-bush-is-a-bit-iffy thread, but coooooome anyway. I can show you why the Bush/Enron relationship was dubious/highly-unprofessional/bad for the nation. I can tell you many intriguing and no-doubt infuriating things. Coooome. When you've calmed down ;)

[LordSlaytan]

Anyway..................... DD is a very good flick. It's open to interpretation. Enjoy.

[Golgot]

i did

reckon you should check out the website Slayty all the same. I think it's designed to give more insight into the world they've generated and help with your appreciation of the film. Understand you wanting to take it as is tho.

gol-gantuanargument-got

[akSADDAMak]

Yeah, akS has been cussing people for no reason and is generally dogmatic.
That's right mother ****er. Haha.
Actually, it was you who took it literally. Short-term memory problem?
You know what, if I didn't have a short term memory problem then I would come back with something witty. Maybe another time. As for the literal thing, uhm, nope, never did that.
so I would back off because I have seen some people get banned by very unforgiving moderators
yea, good idea man, I just noticed I was cussin at an admin. I'm just gonna tone it down a bunch.

[Yoda]

As for the literal thing, uhm, nope, never did that.
"Grow up? Into what?"


yea, good idea man, I just noticed I was cussin at an admin. I'm just gonna tone it down a bunch.
My status as an admin is irrelevant: if you continue to cuss at anyone like that unprovoked, action will be taken. Harsh, maybe, but wholly necessary to preserve worthwhile discourse.

[akSADDAMak]

Yoda, uhm, I never took it to the literal level. I don't see how where you quoted me I talked about the literal sense of aging and growing up.

[geeWcee]

Yoda I never mean any personal offence, but it just seems you use your position as admin (not irrelevant at all) to be a bit of a ball-breaker.
Most forums I subscribe to, the admin running it would shut down a thread as soon as an argument not relevant to the original post ensued.
Try keep it that way. And movie forums will be a better place.

[MyRobotSuit]

That would be boring, I like a bit of irrelevance........said the pig choking on carbon dioxide.

[geeWcee]

That would be boring, I like a bit of irrelevance........said the pig choking on carbon dioxide.

Me too - but not a lengthy personal slanging match between folk.....
Maybe there should be a new forum: Yoda vs public

That way in there it would be relevant ;)

[Golgot]

Me too - but not a lengthy personal slanging match between folk.....
Maybe there should be a new forum: Yoda vs public

That way in there it would be relevant ;)

t's kinda traditional round here - but you've gotta admit, the yodsters strangely beguiling dialectic did get akS to calm down and be a bit more reasonable - so hopefully he won't be so over the top in future ;)

Besides, the Yodes has got so many scuffles and rebuttles pending his nodes might explode if he took them all on on one thread.

Apologies for the "derision" comment Yodilini - i take it back (it ended up there mainly to fit the rhyme. Poncy poesy and practicality don't mix so well, i keep forgetting ;)). The derision normally comes from other corners. Not convinced your logical points are always that logical, but logic's not my strong point, and you are pretty damn reasonable in the face of fire (more than i'd be anyway ;)).

Hmm, makes me wanna start a slightly ageist thread of a positive type

gg (super-hero in an alternate-reality)

[LordSlaytan]

This is a thread about a movie. If you want to have a "Blast Yoda" thread, then go start one. I've been here for almost a year, and have had my share of scraps with the Yodaler. He's frustrating because he is so single minded sometimes, but he is respectful and never tries to censor any thread, without a very good reason, or ban others for having different points of view. He is a class act as far as Admin's I've ever known, and all of your complaints, after only being here a short while, are groundless and ignorant.

[geeWcee]

This is a thread about a movie.
Well, it was........... :rolleyes:

after only being here a short while, are groundless and ignorant.
I could get into a Yoda style argument here, but I can't be bothered. My name isnt Django.... :rolleyes:

[blibblobblib]

This is a thread about a movie. If you want to have a "Blast Yoda" thread, then go start one. I've been here for almost a year, and have had my share of scraps with the Yodaler. He's frustrating because he is so single minded sometimes, but he is respectful and never tries to censor any thread, without a very good reason, or ban others for having different points of view. He is a class act as far as Admin's I've ever known, and all of your complaints, after only being here a short while, are groundless and ignorant.

I couldnt have said it better. Well done Slay. All the newbies (u know who u are) should do some research before you start throwing accusations around about your assumptions of this board and its members. :yup:

Anywhoo, i loved Donny Darko, not sure i agreed with all the interpretations on here though but its still a fave movie of mine. :p

[akSADDAMak]

i'd like to meet this Django character.

[Sir Toose]

i'd like to meet this Django character.

Look in the mirror.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Apologies for the "derision" comment Yodilini

Yodilini....... :laugh:! That sounds like a type of pasta.

[slug_slug]

i know i'm a lazy ass for doing this, but i didn't read all the posts, so i will just put what i think the movie does...
donnie is dreaming, and he doesn't wanna kill the girl who could eventually be the love of his life, so he stays in his bed instead of going walkies and meeting frank.
that's all...

latersxxx

http://artist4hire.net/anymate/anibunny.gif

[Spoon]

"Once the dead are buried, it's not very polite to dig them up and ask them for money" -Me

[Sedai]

This may be a bit of topic, but is anyone else moved to tears by the music in the theatre scene? I cannot find this on cd ANYWHERE, and it's not on the soundtrack.

The piece is called "Show Me" by Quito Colayco. Any help would be appreciated.

-S

[outTHERE2003uk]

Donnie isn't a super hero, dude. Jesus.

Actually Donnie is a super hero because he is given super powers. That's how he was able to put the axe in the bulldog. The film is set in a tangent universe..

[outTHERE2003uk]

Also yeah I nearly cried during the cinema scene hearing Donnie say "frank, when's this gonna stop?" and I nearly cried at the end when donnie died....

[outTHERE2003uk]

Everyone in this forum is wrong expect GREPPIN. The film is set in the tangent universe and Donnie's mission is to put the artifact (the jet engine) into the wormhole otherwise the universe will collapse or as frank said "the world will end"

[LordSlaytan]

Everyone in this forum is wrong expect GREPPIN. The film is set in the tangent universe and Donnie's mission is to put the artifact (the jet engine) into the wormhole otherwise the universe will collapse or as frank said "the world will end"

Shut the hell up you nuisance.

[Sedai]

The director comes right out and says donnie is a super hero-ish character in the commentary. He says it twice actually.

Commentaries are great for clearing up any some of the confusion in films. Check em out.

Cheers

[LordSlaytan]

The director comes right out and says donnie is a super hero-ish

That's more or less what I was trying to say. Others have claimed that he's a super hero, but it's more that he is "like" a super-hero. I only argued because a former member was such an ass about it.

[DrenaiWarrior]

Ok, now I like to figure things out on my own... and I have my own personal theories about the movie which I could share, but as we all know opinions are like genitals....everyone has them and you should keep them mostly to yourself (well if they are filthy anyway :D ).
But despite all the hubbub about DD I will say that I loved the movie, and it really makes you think. About what you think...well that is your call but it does make ya think. And Mad World by Gary Jules is just an awesome song.

Bottom line DD owns all other movies I have seen this year. Hands Down!

[led_zeppelin]

I really didn't like this movie. Okay, it had some good parts, and the first time i saw the rabbit I got a bit freaked out, but other than that, this movie didn't really appeal to me. I'm not saying this movie was terrible, just. . .different.

[DrenaiWarrior]

Anyway..................... DD is a very good flick. It's open to interpretation. Enjoy.


There is no way that anyone could have taken such a large and engrossing topic such as Donnie Darko (with which i will squabble about the meaning of the movie with my friends till the day i die) and some it up so quickly,nicely and neatly

Thank you Slaytan :D

[jrich07]

the point of the movie is to entertain, and it does it brilliantly.

i didnt really fully grasp the time travel bits, i'll buy it as soon as it comes out on dvd here though. anyway, i didnt think donnie meant to die, it didnt seem to me to be anything of his own choosing. perhaps it was something of a thinking man's 'final destination' - he was supposed to die at the beginning of the film, but he escaped death, but not for long.

Donnie had to die at the end. If he were to get out of bed then he would be leaving the path shown to him by the "spears" and would be deviating from God's plan. This would have resulted in another alternate reality which would force him to have to send the engine back into the wormhole again in order to prevent the two realities from collapsing and destroying all of existence. The chain resulting from this would continue endlessly. He knew this, so by allowing himself to die he is fulfilling God's plan for him and allowing the primary world to continue as intended.

[Sedai]

Donnie had to die at the end. If he were to get out of bed then he would be leaving the path shown to him by the "spears" and would be deviating from God's plan. This would have resulted in another alternate reality which would force him to have to send the engine back into the wormhole again in order to prevent the two realities from collapsing and destroying all of existence. The chain resulting from this would continue endlessly. He knew this, so by allowing himself to die he is fulfilling God's plan for him and allowing the primary world to continue as intended.


I second this.

The fact that he went to see a double feature at the theatre in the movie, which was showing The Last Temptation of Christ should get you thinking about sacrifice, and that Donnie is just starting to realize (during that same scene actually) that for everything to get back on track, a sacrifice has to be made. Also, the director says as much in the commentary ;)

Led Zepp - Hopefully you weren't watching this film expecting a horror, because I bet it would be a let down. It was never supposed to be a horror, It was meant as more of an adventure/philosophy film. Poor marketing kind of put it across as a horror-esque movie and that just isn't the case. As with any film, one can watch it just to be entertained, or one can dig deeper into the metaphor (which is what film is for in my opinion) and try to figure out:

1- what the director was trying to say to the audience

2- what deeper, personal meanings you can draw from the messages in the film, that the director (or anyone else for that matter) hadn't thought of.

The fact that this movie makes you think about life, existence, time, love, sacrifice, and a slew of other issues is why I hold the film in such high regard.

Also- Mad World is covered by Gary Jules for this movie, it was written by Tears for Fears (falling into the 80s theme nicely)

I like the DD/Jules version more though, a lot more.

Cheers

[Garrett]

I like the DD/Jules version more though, a lot more.

Cheers

Definitely. :)

[rimarima]

This site has a really interesting Richard Kelly Interview:

http://www.rollcredits.com

[Psion]

Hey im a Bit Confused at the End of Donnie Darko can anyone Explain it to me?

[Garrett]

This (http://www.anthroid.net/autopsiadonniedarko.htm) might help.... if you're willing to read it, that is.

[Psion]

Thx it kinda helped.... Do you get it Garrett? Can You Explain it in an Easier way?

[Psycho]

Its an extremely confusing movie hey psion. But it has to do with the whole time travel thing and altering events

[Carissima]

i happen to think donnie darko has a lot to do with fate and destiny and how you cant change it as well as time travel. it shows how time travel can alter ones destiny or fate, but in reality we are not able to do it. Alot of its probably to do with the fact that donnie's kinda schizo!

[Fall-from-Grace]

I always thought that Donnie was choosen to save some people (ie: his girlfriend) and "frank" took him to the future to show what would happen if he lived, and his death would stop that chain reaction which would cause his future girlfriend's death...or something. I don't know, its fun to watch though.

Some of the delteted scenes with Frank should have stayed in I think.

[Sci-Fi&QTfan287]

donnie dies, so that the world wouldn't end, becaause if he didnt live then Frank wouldn't have exsisted.

[Hellraiser]

I disagee with the interpretation that Donnie Darko decided to die to save the world. That makes no sense to me. I saw the end of the world as happening regardless of his actions, and he died by the plane engine because he forgot about it. If Donnie did indeed stop the end of the world from happening, the plane engine would have never been sucked into the wormhole to begin with, and he would of never died by the engine.

To me the movie was a rather bleak tale of destiny and how we cant change it. Darko was meant to die by that engine and the world was meant to end. He and the bunny couldn't change that regardless how hard they tried.

[Shaolin]

The destiny of the manipulated living is to return the artifact to the tangent universe in order to save it.. Donnie did save the world.

[Hellraiser]

Then explain the engine. Didnt it rip through the wormhole that was created at the end of the world if Donnie stopped the end of the world from ever happening?

I guess Ill have to rent it and listen to the commentary again, but I still dont see how donnie darko dying saved the world.

[Sedai]

I disagee with the interpretation that Donnie Darko decided to die to save the world. That makes no sense to me. I saw the end of the world as happening regardless of his actions, and he died by the plane engine because he forgot about it. If Donnie did indeed stop the end of the world from happening, the plane engine would have never been sucked into the wormhole to begin with, and he would of never died by the engine.

To me the movie was a rather bleak tale of destiny and how we cant change it. Darko was meant to die by that engine and the world was meant to end. He and the bunny couldn't change that regardless how hard they tried.


Pretty off base here. Watch the commentary, where the director says Donnie did indeed die to save the "real" world. There is a tangent universe (one of the DVD chapters is actually called "Tangent Universe") that is created, which sets the events for the destruction of the 'real' universe and Donnie is shown what must be done to prevent the tangeant universe from being created. Roberta Sparrow had actually already traveled through time, seen what was to be, and then wrote the book for Donnie to be given later, and then proceeded to walk back in forth in the middle of the street (looking for the letter she knew Donnie would write, insane from her knowledge) so she could be in front of Frank's car when she needed to be, causing Gretchen to get killed, finally pushing Donnie into the knowledge of the sacrifice that had to be made. As for sacrificing himself to save the world, do you see the correlation between Christ and Donnie here? In the commentary, the director states there are heavy religious themes in the story. This fact, coupled with the conversations between Donnie and Noah Wiley, lead me to believe the sacrifice theme was religious in nature.

Barrymore, who helped fund the project, also wanted to comment on the exploitation of children (a bitter commentary on her own childhood perhaps?), hence the whole Sparkle Motion story thread. This film is rich with social commentary, and although it has a few warts due to the lack of experience on the (very talented) directors parts, I think it is a fascinating and thought provoking movie. I look forward to the next R. Kelly project :)

[Sedai]

Then explain the engine. How did that rip through the wormhole that was created at the end of the world if Donnie stopped the end of the world from ever happening?


That would be called a paradox, and in any instance of a time travel scenario, there is invariably a paradox...

[Hellraiser]

That would be called a paradox, and in any instance of a time travel scenario, there is invariably a paradox...

No that would be bad writing...

[LordSlaytan]

No that would be bad writing...Are you saying that there's a single time traveling movie out there that doesn't have a paradox in the story? Think about it.

[Sedai]

No that would be bad writing...

Ok, please explain how you solve the paradox conumdrum that exists with time travel. Some things can't be quantified, or explained, or "written well", because the possibility doesn't exist. It's the whole "Chicken or the Egg" theory, which has no solution. It is a great philosphical question of our time, yet can never be proven either way. The same is true of paradox. Imagine you somehow discover time travel, build a device that can carry you back in time (not forward, that can't happen, as the future does not exist yet), to the day before your father met your mother. Your time machine is quite bulky and heavy and you manage to materialize on your father, killing him, before you were concieved. How is it possible that you just killed your father when you don't exist yet? There is no way to write this so it makes since, thus creating a paradox. This happens invariably with thime travel theory, there is no way around it. Eventually you reach a set of events that can not possibly take place.

Now, to look into the future (as Donnie was), one would only need to KNOW future events with certainty, not actually travel any where. If one is certain, absolutely certain, of events that will take place at a later time, they have, in essence, traveled through time into the what they now would know as the past (what we know as the present) and can now change what is to come. As Wiley explained in the film, this very idea negates the existence of those future events...creating a paradox.

The inherent problem with time travel.

To understand this one must try to disregard thinking about time travel as physically moving to and fro through time in some sort of device (like in my earlier, hollywood-esque example). One must consider the perceptual concepts of space-time: stop thinking of space and time as separate entities, and start attempting to perceive them as inextricably linked to one another. I am a graphic designer and a musician, and am unable to properly explain all these concepts clearly enough for someone else to understand, and I only understand the concepts to a certain point myself. I recommend reading The Universe in a Nutshell and A brief history of Time by S. W. Hawking, for more concise information on the subject.

Back to Darko: Not everything in this film can be explained, and that is on purpose. The director states this. He wants his audience to think about things. I believe he achieved this.

[Hellraiser]

Are you saying that there's a single time traveling movie out there that doesn't have a paradox in the story? Think about it.

Offhand I can think of no paradoxes that extreme in any time travel movie. Be it the time travler, any of the back to the futures, or millenium.

[Hellraiser]

Sedai, you make a lot of good points but I still have a hard time swallowing the engine problem. In the movie Millenium a paradox occuring meant a threat to all existence; which makes more sense to me. In other movies and stories, usually one time stream prevails, never both. Overall I think Darko is a pretty good film, but I have a problem with this paradox.

[Shaolin]

In the movie Millenium a paradox occuring meant a threat to all existence; which makes more sense to me. In other movies and stories, usually one time stream prevails, never both.

Your description can be applied to Donnie Darko as well.

[Fall-from-Grace]

Then explain the engine. Didnt it rip through the wormhole that was created at the end of the world if Donnie stopped the end of the world from ever happening?

I guess Ill have to rent it and listen to the commentary again, but I still dont see how donnie darko dying saved the world.


It's all pretty obvious to us really intelligent people. Pfff...you and your paradoxes.

[Hellraiser]

It takes quite an insurmountable level of intellegence to watch the directors commentary. If you're a blithering retard like yourself, that is.

[blibblobblib]

If you're a blithering retard like yourself, that is.
Unlike You, that "blithering retard" hasnt managed to get themselves banned. See ya!

[ProfGreen]

It takes quite an insurmountable level of intellegence to watch the directors commentary. If you're a blithering retard like yourself, that is.

One of the things that I liked the most about this film is it's obscurity and how there's no REAL certainty in its ending. For this reason, I doubt I'll be seeing the director's cut of the film -- I like the mystery (which isn't so much of a mystery anymore bc I've done so much reading about the film)

[LordSlaytan]

So, what happened to Hellraiser? What did I miss?

[Holden Pike]

So, what happened to Hellraiser? What did I miss?

In his criticism of Schindler's List, things went way bad way fast. He wound up insulting everybody, throwing "Nazi" around like it was going out of style (especially at Yoda), and basically slit his own throat...board-wise. It was all rather fruitless.

Oh, well.

[Equilibrium]

Um..that hellraiser was sumthin eh?

[Sinny McGuffins]

Donnie Darko was very confusing, perhaps the upcoming Director's Cut will answer a few questions.

[KenkamaniaV1]

You don't need to visit the website! Just use your brain!

The reason people like the movie is becuase it forces you to think.

This is the reason/meaning of the movie. To get people thinking and disscussions like this developing with different oppinions

[7thson]

Think of something you will do 1 minute from now: lets say....touch your monitor with your index finger of your right hand. Now for this to work yo uhave to agree to touch the monitor no matter what; Do you agree? If you say "No" then my experiment is a failure and you can move on. If you do agree then after touching the monitor scroll down..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Did you touch it? If so you predicted something you will do and therefore were able to predict an action that will happen in the future, if you did'nt touch it you knew you were not going to and also predicted the future. What does this all mean? I have no freakin idea, but I had fun doing it. Just as I had fun watching Donnie Darko. Amazing movie.

[Tolstoy]

Perhaps someone could explain it to me, but why is there so much discussion on Donnie Darko? Ive watched it 3x, and I cant say if I do or don't understand the movie, but the point is I really don't care. The movie never really stood out as anything except something that tries to be F**ked up. I never googlized Donnie Darko to see if I was correct in my interpretation, nor did I ever realize I was supposed to until I kept reading about it on the internet.

It just kinda reminds me of a very sorry version of Mulholland Drive, which I immediately went onto the internet and read interpretations then watched it again, went on the net, then watched it again, then just gave up and kept watching it.

[Sedai]

I think Darko is great. It's no Mullholland, that's for sure, but I still like it considerably.

[Piledriver]

Perhaps someone could explain it to me, but why is there so much discussion on Donnie Darko? Ive watched it 3x, and I cant say if I do or don't understand the movie, but the point is I really don't care. The movie never really stood out as anything except something that tries to be F**ked up. I never googlized Donnie Darko to see if I was correct in my interpretation, nor did I ever realize I was supposed to until I kept reading about it on the internet.

It just kinda reminds me of a very sorry version of Mulholland Drive, which I immediately went onto the internet and read interpretations then watched it again, went on the net, then watched it again, then just gave up and kept watching it.

Tolstoy, if it makes you feel any better, some of the people who were IN the movie don't understand it either. I had to watch it about 4 times before I started to begin to understand a little of what was going on in the film. Watching the movie more helps....that and hearing Sedai rant about it for 3 weeks and explain it in a language I could relate to, worked wonders!

[ste]

I have. Not happy. Not very ****ing happy at all. What the hell was going through his head? Anyone who likes the original, DO NOT SEE The DC. Done a Lucas on what was beautiful. Ort to be illegal to do a DC and if it really needs doing, get a jury of 12 fans and present the case (because sometimes it can work eg. Blade runner and Apocalypse now Redux).

He has chopped it into mash. Added absolute crap. And turned gold into ****.

Think I’m going to ignore its existence and re-watch the original till its gone from my mind.

[MysticalMoose]

Donnie darko isnt supposed to be confusing. You just have to use your head a little. Very well directed, acted, and very well written, just the perfect touch of special effects. Highly approved, a must see.

[LordSlaytan]

Um...I don't think it's that easy to figure out.

[FrankTheBunny420]

One of the major themes of the movie that very few in here seem to notice is the aspect of the chaos theory. Donnie falls in love and realizes that his pathetic existence is the cause of Gretchen's death. Donnie can't bare to live knowing he killed the only person on earth that understood him. So, coupled with his Schizophrenia (sp?) he controls what happens by going back in time and ultimatly killing himself, therefore saving Gretchen and making use of the chaos theory.

Donnie Darko is a beautiful story of the decency of human nature, even if it is just a misunderstood teenage boy.

Those of you who didn't like it are watching it for all the wrong reasons.

[Tazz]

i love donnie darko
Cant wait for director's cut to come out on DVD

[Ryan]

im an avid Donnie Darko fan and the movie has kept me up nights so i decided to check out the webpage. However I can't seem to get past the page that has the words changing variously with Donnie sitting on his car and levels 1,2 and 3 reading "Active" although i've read the Philosophy and have a password for level two. Help anyone? reply to my email address [email protected]
Be sure to post topic as "Donnie Darko Info" so I don't discard it as "Junk"
cheers!

[georgia hunter-witkowski]

georgiasiennaDonnie Darko-The Christ? georgia hunter-witkowski

This movie was lovely. It has a very simple premise and you would be surprised to know that it is all about faith in not just any God, but the God of the Christian Bible. Now this might be hard to see because of the parody of i.e. Christians depicted in the movie. Real Christians know that there is a culture of, yes, Born Again, sorry to say, that seem to know nothing of the True Father's nature. This is more obvious in America where this film is made. Anyway, thank God for the ones who know what people struggle with and this movie deals wisely with the subject of faith. Perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18) is the point of the movie. Perfect love which could only be grasped when face to face with the God of the Bible, interacting with the scriptures and seeing revealed in them, the Truth of life represented in all-seeing time travel. Donnie admits that what he is reading in the book he is starting to see in himself. Isn't that just sci-fi, putting larger ideas into a smaller forums in order to discuss them practically without highfalutin' terminology.
The circus arena parody of fundamentalists, we will expound on a little later. First I want to simply distill the plot to reveal who the characters are. Although because things keep occurring to me, I wonder if I could distill every one of the hidden meanings. Like Highlights For Children, I might miss a picture or two. (or five or ten) The movie was well made, so lets' give it a go...
First Donnie as Christ. He willingly gave his life so others would live. Although he began by dodging his death bullet, as his father said, in the end he took it. Ms Sparrow as God. The movie moves through revealing all of this so effortlessly it seemed almost God had lent a hand. As if He enjoyed being depicted in so unconventional a role. Most Christians are familiar with the hymn line, "His eye is on the sparrow and I know He cares for me." If not they are familiar with Jesus saying in Matthew 10 that no sparrow falls to the ground without the fathers knowledge. So this popped immediately into my head. One, she was very old and so you felt she could go anytime, indeed Donnie's father almost ran her over. She seemed neglected and almost forgotten, by the community, so before I knew what the movie was about I knew she was an allusion to this verse of scripture. (After all the close up to the name on the mailbox was intentional)
Culturally this movie speaks directly to the Hebraic-Christian. Obviously this is the stronger religious influence in America, yet I believe that the writer was trying to make some fun for the more discerning Christian to discover his plot. There are so many reasons Sparrow is God and that she was so frail. "Therefore what you do to the least of my brethren you do unto ME." The most important reason Sparrow is God though, is that she was the author of the time travel book, given Donnie by the Science teacher. Christians know God to be the author of scripture. The author and finisher of our faith and that all scripture is God breathed and so able to provide instruction... Also it was sweet how she kept looking ever so very hopefully into her mailbox, but never got a letter. We all know God is on the bottom of most people's lists to communicate with, so I thought that very acknowledging.
The whole Shrink Dr. situation was interesting as she turns out to be the theologian. First you think her a goof. Was that to inform you that movie was ultimately comedic? She ends up being the filmmaker's apologetic clarifying medium. Assuming the average person could miss the points, as the film's bizarre overall effects could be distracting? Or perhaps he really did not want his point to be missed by a single soul. She was also equipped to know what Donnie was going through. She knew exactly what he was struggling with. Donnie tells her that Sparrow had said (actually whispered) to him "everyone dies alone." (God was not in the wind, but in the whisper 1 Kings 19). In fact Sparrow never says anything without whispering, yet she knows a powerful storm is coming before anyone else does. Obviously this is an essential element of time travel, but it also is an essential part of growth toward God. Donnie voices to the DR that to die alone is not something he can face. She suggests the darkness has meaning. When she felt he had a faith she knew her job was done. Donnie had created hallucinations, she told his parents, to protect himself from a world that is unpredictable and that he had no control over. She also recommended stronger medication. Yet when she told Donnie that he was not an atheist but an agnostic and pronounced him cured she said that she had only been giving him placebos. She knew his struggle was spiritual and not physical all along. (This is rich but I won't go into all of it here. I mean we saw him flood the school. He flooded the school, another association with the bible as well as burned the evangils house down and discovered the horrid sin he had well covered in his caring outward façade, we saw the hallucinations). Her letting him go here marks the place, (we had seen him searching), where he finds enough faith so that he was 'okay' to go back and face his death. The whole problem of fear of dying was the major issue of the movie. Sure there were other fears, but ultimately all other issues get settled when the one about death gets settled. The whole Patrick Swayze character was important because it exposed the frailty of man. Opposed to God's "frailty," Swayze wore a bold front, a powerful front, to represent a powerful God, missing God's point, as God wants to be portrayed a humble servant. Swayze's character was so very fallen. Why would anyone want to put their faith in a man capable of corruption? Yet this is a natural propensity for us. People are tangible. God is not.
The books in the movie were telling their own story. When the parody of the fundamentalist believer, in the form of an Anita Bryant type, sorry I can't remember names, but when her character was introduced she was carrying the 'evangelists' book, with HIS (Swayze's) picture on it. ("be careful, you might miss something" ....the Donnie Darko movie chant..this is perhaps it). This seems to be ever the fad that people elevate an evangelist or guru and following him and not God. Unfortunately many men of God fall to temptation at this level; that should teach us not to put our trust in man, but in God alone.
The science teacher's character makes it clear that we are talking about a God of a book. He loves Donnie's brightness and keen mind and gave him his free time. It is getting dark by the end of their conversation when Donnie asks about time travel. The teacher gets a little excited too and reaches into his bag and pulls out the book authored by Sparrow on time travel, and he asks Donnie not to tell anyone he gave it to him. Donnie is of course incredulous that Sparrow was an author. Later again after he has read the book, he wants to talk about what he read with the teacher. They have a real conversation about the plausibility of time travel and the teacher takes what Christians call an Armenian view, juxtaposed to Calvinist who believe in predestined salvation. Donnie argues that all is a mute point if you are in God's timeline, God's path. The teacher then tells him if he discusses this any further he will loose his job. Every Christian worker I know who works in the public school system as well as in the Medical field acknowledge that they are strictly warned never to share their faith not even if someone is dying! Most ignore this in the hospitals, which I think often feel like retreat centers, but schools are harder. Now that this was in Virginia, a real Waspy place, and why the 'fundamentalist' won and the nonconformist teacher played by Drew Barrymore "failed" and looses her job is blamed on the culture of fear that that type of religion exudes. Only a token win for Bryant though, and short lived it was, when her little "god" (Swayze) was found to be into kiddy porn is arrested and taken away.
That both the parody of the "fundamentalist" and the science teacher had books about God, though so very different reminds me that, "our rock is not like their rock" Deuteronomy 32:31 This is a major point the film makes. So that any true believer who simply can't breathe in sadly perhaps a mainstream church in America can see their feelings plainly drawn here.
Donnie writes Sparrow a letter just before he (goes back) to die, accepting his 'fate,' also showing that he has put himself there in communication with God and is no longer afraid. 'Watership Down" becomes the book the class reads alternatively to Graham Greene's; and here I show my ignorance because I don't know what Greene wrote. I know my dad had some of his books and I know they were "fleshy", kind of an American Gunther Gras, but what he was saying I don't know. I wonder if this whole allusion to teachers corrupting young people's minds was a culture thing too in Virginia and in the states in general, but I wonder where I stand on that. I know our teacher had us read The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, by Tom Wolfe, an influential journalist/auther of that time and the nun's permitted it! Our nun's were hipper than this brand of fundamentalist. Still, the English teacher here is bold and relaxed, though she had to be the looser in the culture of fear. ("Bryant" was a gym teacher-the flesh?).
However when the English teacher chose "Watership Down" (a Christian allegory) as her alternative, before she was forced to go, the God thing got pretty clear, and even though Donnie is the Christ figure he also is a boy struggling with the classic questions and he wonders why we, (the readers, so also in the privileged place to judge; like me that this movie was really wonderful), should care about stupid rabbits even though in his adolescent biology he admits to have admiration for their veracity. His girlfriend points out that he is in fact wrong and that we should care about rabbits because they are a product of the authors mind and the author cares for them and so therefore should we. This is the Bible. When Donnie finally looses his fear through seeing his own struggle in Sparrows book and is helped by this, he finds courage, and he can then in the final moments "be Christ" to his fellows. This conversation about 'Watership Down' goes on in the unconventional class, which is very at odds with the parody 'school', who all teach in the same school, so you can be sure that what the movie is conveying is being spoken in this 'real' class. However the number one author of a book in this movie is Sparrow, writer of the Principles of Time Travel, and so I believe we are asked to understand that what Donnie is learning, the point of all his learning, is this selfless caring for others and we are pointed to time traveling, or the God of the Bible, to be the source of his great secret wisdom.
That Swayze wasn't per se a Christian evangelist though Anita (I allude to Bryant) wears a 'God is awesome!' T-shirt, allows him to be anything that people get swept up into as an easy answer to their problems. And on the surface what they say seems to be simple and irrefutable. These are pointed out to be no answer at all in that while Donnie is struggling with what the movie maker feels is the number one issue, fear of dying, the Bryant character is obviously threatened by him and so is Swayze really because he has little accolades all around to protect him and his smile is obviously saccharine toward Donnie.
The movie maker believes and I agree that the only way to peace is believing or in this case allowing for the possibility that there is a God who knows us. The visions and the voices all build Donnie's faith, and the DR actually gives him a clean bill of health to assure him he is on the right path and sends him home.
He finally realizes he has a gift that he is tickled pink over and we all are wondering if he hasn't lost his mind for sure now, and the movie isn't just another shameful example of a troubled child falling through the cracks in our imperfect system. His girlfriend is dead, he's shot a young boy, granted what was the relevance of that rabbit suit if it all ended this way? Just premonition? Is it going to crumble into coincidence? And isn't that what the devil wants us to think? What a disturbing feeling we are going to be left with if with loving parents and a good shrink he still went off on a violent rage? How horrible. But the truth is, Donnie gets it, and he knows he can make this tragedy a comedy by believing all he has read about "time travel." That he will loose nothing by willingly putting down his life. For he who gains his life will loose it but he who looses his life for my sake will gain life eternal" Math 10:39
Donnie Darko sheds light on why some of the bad things that happen in life happen. It is also just a really fun look at human behavior with some wild special effects.

http://www.donniedarko.com/

snippet from further debate L & I had on line..feel free to chime in....
gives insight
Ist I want to say (to L) it isn't really my lead..this is in the movie..I believe these are the clues the Director left
ok I gave it a thought...1st of all it does not take one minute after you take meds for an effect..this further proves that they were placebos/even if he was nearing his time for a hit/he saw the rabbit under hypnosis in the Dr's office..I think we can be right sure that this movie is not following any real conventions of logic when it comes to how the DR reacts to Donnie after his hallucinogenic episode/she let him go home and tells him to forget about taking medication they are water pills anyway/an allusion to the water?.
the website says I can do anything I want&so can you..this is to go against the behaviorism that the power of the gospel has been reduced to by more corrupt controlling natures..sadly..we don't judge them..we pray for them...but they make life really a pain still...Freedom is what it's all about God does not want puppets..you CAN do anything you want...not everything is beneficial, but when you create a culture where kids think they CAN'T or they'll loose love, then you create a desire for those things that are not healthy..blagh blagh this too is quick...
The Website gives some insight too into that responsibility idea...it is a very simple website..there are two documents and some graphics that you interact with and then that's it...It basically says that Donnie should be released freed from his incarceration because he had a condition of sleep walking..this also covers the Gospel because in order to take away our sins Jesus had to be a perfect lamb.."There's nothing broken in my head Mom" Donnie tells his mother...She's like Mary in my soul magnify's the Lord! And if you really don't get it the dad says to Donnie, "You're my only son"..this is a very pronounced moment...dad also says a bit more I don't need to go into--So Donnie Like Christ gets to be fully human/fully divine
In as much as my friend Linda says we are in a state of dreaming for eternity our dreams are seeds for eternal realities..that this is kind of a womb experience for all of us...The ones we are talking about then are the sons of man..humans...people!..The very ones Christ lay His life down for..who He took responsibility for because hey, "we know not what we are doing".....walking around asleep..that is my first thought

[gummo]

Did anyone else find Donnie's oldest sister to be really annoying in this movie?
Besides this, I liked the movie.

[Ezikiel]

Did anyone else find Donnie's oldest sister to be really annoying in this movie?
I didn't. I love Maggie Gyllenhaal, and I really did wish she had more screentime.

[chicagofrog]

I love her too.

[FrankTheBunny420]

I have. Not happy. Not very ****ing happy at all. What the hell was going through his head? Anyone who likes the original, DO NOT SEE The DC. Done a Lucas on what was beautiful. Ort to be illegal to do a DC and if it really needs doing, get a jury of 12 fans and present the case (because sometimes it can work eg. Blade runner and Apocalypse now Redux).

He has chopped it into mash. Added absolute crap. And turned gold into ****.

Think I’m going to ignore its existence and re-watch the original till its gone from my mind.

Hey man i'm curious to know what he did with the DC....if you get this msg me or something...IM KUEKA79

[chicagofrog]

well, i'd like to say
i don't debate it anymore
but i'd be lying...

and and and... :confused: what was Donnie's father tell his wife about Frank's father dying while going to the prom?
does it mean Frank's father died under the same circumstances, in the past? :dizzy:
or/and Frank told Donnie in the theater that they're all named Frank - is he taling about the messengers? about his family?
or is Frank son and Frank father one and the same person?
help...... :scream:

[georgia hunter-witkowski]

this father idea is wow. If you can get the Christ thing...

well, i'd like to say
i don't debate it anymore
but i'd be lying...

and and and... :confused: what was Donnie's father tell his wife about Frank's father dying while going to the prom?
does it mean Frank's father died under the same circumstances, in the past? :dizzy:
or/and Frank told Donnie in the theater that they're all named Frank - is he taling about the messengers? about his family?
or is Frank son and Frank father one and the same person?
help...... :scream:

[chicagofrog]

this father idea is wow. If you can get the Christ thing...
:rolleyes:
so, you have an idea?
"Christ thing"?

[Piddzilla]

Ok, I am too lazy to read through this entire thread (hey, at least I used the search engine instead of creating a new thread!).

The first time I saw Donnie Darko I thought about the whole chain of events in the movie as events taking place in Donnie's head at the moment just before he dies. Like a projection of Donnie's thoughts on his own life and the world around him; things he has done and things he would like to have done differently and also an expression of the apathy he appears to be experiencing in life.

Last night I saw it again. Now my theory is that Frank is going back in time through a worm hole OR coming back as some kind of ghost (Donnie did kill him after all). And he does this to convince Donnie that he too has to go back in time through a worm hole if he wants to prevent the death of Gretchen. Frank wants to get rid of the guilt of causing Gretchen's death which is haunting him. Donnie goes back in time even though he pays with his own life, which does not bother him much since he does not seem to find a place for himself in this world. He did with Gretchen, but without her, what does he have to live for?

I am still thinking about some of the other things that Frank made Donnie do. Like burning down Cunningham's house and flooding the school. What are your thoughts about that?

I'm sorry if I repeat what someone else has said or discussing things you "finished" long time ago.

[Frin]

I haven't read many of the previous posts so I apologise if I am simply restating what others have said… After analysing the movie, watching it with the directors commentary, cracking the website and loving it to bits, it all seems pointless. You see every single action in the movie made by the 'manipulated dead' (frank and Gretchen) was designed to lead Donnie to transport the jet engine through the time portal back to the original universe, correct? But no one knows who manipulates the manipulated (dead or otherwise)... the theory is that god does it. But then why didn't he just manipulate Donnie straight out so none of the plot need happen? Basically because then it would be a crap movie… Which brings us back to the fact that it's just entertainment and the weeks of my 'cult following' so I could fully understand this fact seem almost in vain... but not quite. Sorry if that doesn’t make sense... Have good lives anyway, and I shall leave you all with what I have discovered:

All we can understand is that which we perceive. And our perception is so tiny… I am yet to find it’s point. To quote Donnie: “It's, like, I could spend my whole life thinking about it... debating it in my head. Weighing the pros and cons. And in the end, I still wouldn't have any proof. So ...I don't even debate it any more. Because it's absurd.
:eek:

[chicagofrog]

is it absurd that Gretchen apparently doesn't have a name beginning with "d"?? her real name, after all, we don't know.
all "d"'s are manipulated, or so it seems. my real name begins with "d" too, so yes, this is absurd.

[Sedai]

I haven't read many of the previous posts so I apologise if I am simply restating what others have said… After analysing the movie, watching it with the directors commentary, cracking the website and loving it to bits, it all seems pointless. You see every single action in the movie made by the 'manipulated dead' (frank and Gretchen) was designed to lead Donnie to transport the jet engine through the time portal back to the original universe, correct? But no one knows who manipulates the manipulated (dead or otherwise)... the theory is that god does it. But then why didn't he just manipulate Donnie straight out so none of the plot need happen? Basically because then it would be a crap movie… Which brings us back to the fact that it's just entertainment and the weeks of my 'cult following' so I could fully understand this fact seem almost in vain... but not quite. Sorry if that doesn’t make sense... Have good lives anyway, and I shall leave you all with what I have discovered:

All we can understand is that which we perceive. And our perception is so tiny… I am yet to find it’s point. To quote Donnie: “It's, like, I could spend my whole life thinking about it... debating it in my head. Weighing the pros and cons. And in the end, I still wouldn't have any proof. So ...I don't even debate it any more. Because it's absurd.
:eek:


Well, this all pre-supposes that a film must be about something, or have a direct point, which is just bull****. Did the film affect you in any way? Did it make you think differently about anything, at all? Did it affect your emotions at all? Than it wasn't pointless. If those things don't count, than NOTHING has a point, ever, and everything you think or do is arbitrary and just doesn't matter, so why live? I mean, Brian Greene, author of "The Elegant Universe" poses this hypothesis in his new book:

"Since nothing a person ever does or thinks really matters or affects anything, should one persist in existing?" (or something like that)

I like to think it isn't the fact that we have the roses, but that we can smell them if we choose...


If debating it is absurd, than thinking is absurd, and I don't buy that. :nope:

[hazii82]

at first i didnt understand the movie it took me 4 days to actually sit down and watch the whole movie all the way thru, To me this was a good movie worth seeing.

[Frin]

Well, this all pre-supposes that a film must be about something, or have a direct point, which is just bull****. Did the film affect you in any way? Did it make you think differently about anything, at all? Did it affect your emotions at all? Than it wasn't pointless. If those things don't count, than NOTHING has a point, ever, and everything you think or do is arbitrary and just doesn't matter, so why live? I mean, Brian Greene, author of "The Elegant Universe" poses this hypothesis in his new book:

"Since nothing a person ever does or thinks really matters or affects anything, should one persist in existing?" (or something like that)

I like to think it isn't the fact that we have the roses, but that we can smell them if we choose...


If debating it is absurd, than thinking is absurd, and I don't buy that. :nope:

You missed my point. I loved the movie because it made me think. I mean I think normally, but it just nudged me into considering possibilities that I would not have delved into by myself. I said it all SEEMS pointless. I didn't say it was. And about the reasons for existing? I don't actually really know of any... I mean sure there are some, I'm not that ‘sad’ (as in pathetic), but, I simply exist because to end my own life I believe would be completely pointless. So, therefore I continue to live, and perhaps, on occasion, learn. I was quoting Donnie when I said, "it's absurd" I wasn't talking about debating, (Nor was Donnie) I was following his point that had something to do with dying alone. ;)

[chicagofrog]

after all, we'll all die alone - dear Kirkegaard!

[Sedai]

You missed my point. I loved the movie because it made me think. I mean I think normally, but it just nudged me into considering possibilities that I would not have delved into by myself. I said it all SEEMS pointless. I didn't say it was. And about the reasons for existing? I don't actually really know of any... I mean sure there are some, I'm not that ‘sad’ (as in pathetic), but, I simply exist because to end my own life I believe would be completely pointless. So, therefore I continue to live, and perhaps, on occasion, learn. I was quoting Donnie when I said, "it's absurd" I wasn't talking about debating, (Nor was Donnie) I was following his point that had something to do with dying alone. ;)


Right, I was just lobbing some thoughts out, I wouldn't kill myself either, especially over DD ;) I think it's a great film though, and I went on the same sort of binge with it that many seem to have went on....

[chicagofrog]

I wouldn't kill myself either, especially over DD ....

DD is reserved for Daredevil!
(and who would kill himself over the Daredevil movie??...)
;)

[Sexy Celebrity]

Finally saw all of Donnie Darko not too long ago. I thought it was a beautiful film. I own the Director's Cut, which is what I saw. This past weekend, I saw a winterguard perform "Mad World" at the WGI World Championships (winterguard is like colorguard, a performing arts thing, schools do it).

[Thursday Next]

Watching DD on tv as I type...I love this film, drama, comedy, sci fi, horror, romance, cool. The music is one of the best things about it....Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, spooky score as well, all in the right places :)

"He asked me to forcibly insert the spectrum into my anus!"

[CountCristo]

i liked the movie, but im not sure why. its a weird movie that seems to want to be dark and deep, make people believe they are watching something that is too abstract to fully understand. it has its moments of pure enjoyment but i cant help but think what was the meaning of it all? after i watched it i just sat there in a blank stare trying to figure out if donnie was just a crazy ass kid or possibly something special. good movie, but the point is shrouded in shadow and i dont have a light

[chicagofrog]

well what, you want'em to interpret it for you?

[adidasss]

if it weren't for the ending, i would have thought it was a great movie about schizophrenia, i couldn't be bothered to read all of the theories that you guys wrote about it....i think it's a subjective viewing experience and therefore everyone perceives it in their own way......something confused me though, the clouds start above his house, so he folowed them to the other end?as in , the other end of the portal? and the plane his mother and sister were in, it got cought in the vortex? and the engine fell off, so they were gonna die if donnie didn't go through the vortex?
hmm....i think i'm going to have to see it a couple of more times to understand it a little better...funny...i thought it was very clear while i was watching it.....then i opened this thread and it all got jumbelled up.....
damn it!! now i'll be up half the night thinking about it.....damn damn damn!!!

[X Randeath X]

I've seen this pretentious garbage five times now, and believe me, you're wasting your time trying to look deep into this movie.

You guys act like every action that takes place in this movie is some metaphorical important action. I'm sick of over-hearing: "I believe that when Donnie was eating his breakfast, the bacon represented the future, and the eggs represented a spiritual evil. The milk however, remains a mystery."

You see how stupid that is? The only thing you need to know about this film is that Donnie could travel back in time, and he saved Gretchen.
That's it! I mean, the film requires a bit of thinking, but to analyze every ****ing aspect and think that it means something is just rediculous. This movie isn't as deep as everyone thinks it is.

ADMIN EDIT: Spoiler tags added. And while I'm here, be a bit more respectful in your disagreements.

[chicagofrog]

is it fashionable these days to write "rEdiculous" with a /e/??????????
is English the only language native speakers cannot master?
not only Donnie raises questions........



















but really, what did his breakfast symbolize? ;)

[Sedai]

is it fashionable these days to write "rEdiculous" with a /e/??????????
is English the only language native speakers cannot master?
not only Donnie raises questions........


It's almost impossible to master, because it is one messed up language, but you knew that! ;)

RanDeath- Sorry, but there is indeed quite a bit of metaphor in the film, albeit pretty vague metaphor. The religious metaphor is clearly there, and the director states in the commentary that he wanted religious metaphor in the film, and put it there. However, I will agree the film is just a bit pretentious, but I love it anyway, just because I find it an interesting watch. I don't think the film can be deciphered completely, so I don't bother. The film is by no means a masterwork, but I think it is pretty impressive for a writer/directors freshman outing...

[X Randeath X]

It's almost impossible to master, because it is one messed up language, but you knew that! ;)

RanDeath- Sorry, but there is indeed quite a bit of metaphor in the film, albeit pretty vague metaphor. The religious metaphor is clearly there, and the director states in the commentary that he wanted religious metaphor in the film, and put it there. However, I will agree the film is just a bit pretentious, but I love it anyway, just because I find it an interesting watch. I don't think the film can be deciphered completely, so I don't bother. The film is by no means a masterwork, but I think it is pretty impressive for a writer/directors freshman outing...

I guess so. I just think people who over analyze and think too much about it are wasting their time. Chances are, you can "solve" it in one viewing (I did).

Imo, it's no better than The Butterfly Effect.

[Sedai]

I guess so. I just think people who over analyze and think too much about it are wasting their time. Chances are, you can "solve" it in one viewing (I did).

Imo, it's no better than The Butterfly Effect.

I sort of agree that one can spend too much time over-analysing a film, and DD seems to be one of the films this occurs with the most. Something must be said for the interest it generates, though. The Butterfly Effect was not anywhere near as interesting to me, mainly due to the poor lead as opposed to Jake Gylanhall's wonderful characterization...

[chicagofrog]

The Butterfly Effect was not anywhere near as interesting to me, mainly due to the poor lead as opposed to Jake Gylanhall's wonderful characterization...

agreed, but ô poor Gyllenhaal family all misspelled - they deserve a thread......... oh wait! they have one! ;)

[Sedai]

agreed, but ô poor Gyllenhaal family all misspelled - they deserve a thread......... oh wait! they have one! ;)

I did that on purpose to piss off the frog, and it worked. I even looked it up on IMDB to make sure I had it wrong.

mun, I lurv the engrish langguash!

[chicagofrog]

I did that on purpose to piss off the frog, and it worked. I even looked it up on IMDB to make sure I had it wrong.

mun, I lurv the engrish langguash!

1) you didn't piss me off at all, you gave me an occasion to post once more! :cool:
2) i don't believe you have to check on IMDB to write some name wrong... ;)
3) oh! i didn't know you spoke Gaelic! :p

[DeathDealer]

Donnie Darko was a superb film, I own it on DVD as well.
Very well put together, and has a solid cast. Who wouldn't love this movie?

[chucklesges]

no, in a way donnie is a super hero. Earlier in the movie when Frank and Donnie are in the bathroom while Donnie's taking his meds and then samantha comes in, while Frank and Donnie are talking, Donnie says to frank something along the lines of "You can do anything..?" and then Frank says back to Donnie, "I can do anything I want to, and nobody can stop me. You can also do anything you want to and nobody can stop you." so that in a way makes a hero out of Donnie, and even if you think that's wrong, Donnie knows that the Engine is going to fall in the room, and that he's in a Tangent Universe, so Donnie knows that if he sacrifices himself, everyone and everything else can keep going as they are while the Tangent Universe collapses, but the only harmed person/thing being himself. In short, Donnie sacrifices himself so that everyone else can keep living their life, and if he didn't sacrifice himself that everybody would die. Technically, he's commiting an act similar to what Jesus does according to the bible. Sacrifice himself so all others may exist. If you ask me, sacrificing yourself so everyone else can live makes you a superhero, especially if you know that when you die, all others don't die.

[Darkrose]

I must have seen this movie over 20 times. Goes in my top 10 list :bashful:

[genesis_pig]

anyone seen the sequel, is it any good??...

I wonder why they went for a sequel with Samantha's character, when they could have gone with Drew Barrymore & Noah's characters or even a prequel with the Mrs Sparrow.