Change Your Image
glowierin
Reviews
S. Darko (2009)
As a sequel, it fails. As an homage to Donnie Darko, there are some redeeming qualities.
I'm going to go against the grain with this review.
As a SEQUEL, this movie doesn't remotely live up to the original. Donnie Darko is a fantastic masterpiece. I am a Richard Kelly fanatic, and have literally delved myself into his world further than most people have. I've watched all his audio commentaries multiple times, bought the Donnie Darko book, read the original screenplay a gazillion times, and just generally fangirled to the point of embarrassing myself. I know Donnie Darko inside and out (as well as his other two films, Southland Tales and The Box).
And that is why I enjoyed S.Darko. Is it a good sequel? No. (Donnie Darko didn't need a sequel). But as an homage, it's actually not bad. I was pleasantly surprised at how loyal Chris Fisher was at sticking to The Philosophy of Time Travel, and Richard Kelly's made up rules for that world. He was incredibly faithful and did a brilliant job in that respect.
Also, the overall tone of the film matched Donnie Darko's tone, which is something that I felt was really important. Even the score and the soundtrack matched, which is no simple feat considering Donnie Darko had a score that was unique and unlike any I had ever heard.
Most of all, the creativity that is shown in S.Darko really impressed me. Showing the story from the point of view of the Manipulated Dead instead of the Living Receiver was a wonderful choice that showed S.Darko wasn't just trying to be a Donnie Darko copycat. Also, the idea of a Tangent Universe within a Tangent Universe was interesting. Not my favorite thing about this film, but it was fun to think about.
The character of Justin had to be my favorite thing about S.Darko. He was like Donnie in many ways, but he was also the opposite -- Donnie had many people in his life who loved and cared about him, and so he chooses to die at the end to destroy the Tangent Universe and save their lives. Justin, on the other hand, doesn't have anybody. Everyone around him treats him as an outcast and couldn't care less if he existed or not. And yet, at the end of the film, he still makes the choice to sacrifice himself to save everyone else. A truly heroic and tragic character (and I am a sucker for those).
So, will you like S.Darko if you aren't a Donnie Darko die-hard? Definitely not. Will you like S.Darko if you ARE a Donnie Darko die-hard? Probably not. But are there redeeming qualities about this movie? Definitely and absolutely.
The Anna Cabrini Chronicles (2005)
Well...
First off, I live in Eugene and the director was showing a screening in a small theater here, filming all of our reactions as we left the theater. As if he expected a big look of shock in all of our faces. The movie tries hard to be shocking and very disturbing, but the whole thing really drags out and takes too much time. Basically, it's in a documentary style, about a girl named Anna Cabrini who chronicles lives and deaths of people who are suicidal. The movie then goes into the lives of three people who have committed suicide and their stories. The first one is too long, the second one too short, and the third too loud and confusing.
All in all, four stars. I would give it three, but I thought the director portrayed suicide very well. Other than that, the movie isn't one I would recommend.