My dislike and outright confusion over Donnie Darko is well documented here on the board, so unbeknownst to me I rented Richard Kelly's(the writer/director of D.D.) Southland Tales. It makes D. D. seem like a simple math problem by comparison. It was so confusing that I watched bits of several times to see if I was missing something, but it turns out it was missing a coherent plot. Kelly tried to make a comedy about the apocolypse and instead wound up an apocolyptic mess.

This one is for film masochists only. IMDB it and see if you don't get a chuckle out the character's names(it only gets worse from there).

A lot of people don't like this film. I did. Not sure why because it definitely had problems. But there was something very engaging in it for me.

One thing I like to point out is that when Donnie Darko came out it was critically bashed and didn't do well at all until DVD where it became a cult hit.

I think Southland Tales may have that happen too... after a couple of years and several viewings I think people may start to appreciate it.

I think Southland Tales may have that happen too... after a couple of years and several viewings I think people may start to appreciate it.

Not a cult I'll be enrolling in; already watched some of it multiple times. I will say that I did get a few laughs out of the first half of the film.

Absolutely LOVE Donnie Darko. I might have to check this one out.

Absolutely LOVE Donnie Darko. I might have to check this one out.

I had a feeling you'd be chiming in. In fact, I titled the thread with you in mind.

Well, I'm going all-out with what I call The Southland Tales Appreciation Experience.

I'm going to read the three "Prequel Saga" graphic novels that Richard Kelly wrote for the movie, and then see the movie afterward. They each take place on July 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and I think the movie takes place on the 4th - and incidentally, I'm pretty sure it all happens in an alternate 2008. Even if I end up disliking the whole damn story (but I have a feeling, and not just hope, that I won't), it'll be an experience that only comes once. Kind of like last year when I read Dracula on its 110th anniversary. You don't get that kind of experience often - or ever. I'm going to see to it that my Southland Tales experience is a fun one. And if I love it, well, I'll be one happy camper!