Donnie Darko (2001)

[ShogunRua]

Finally, someone that actually wants to discuss the movie!

(By the way, I got a good laugh from JLFM's post, but was sorely disappointed he called me a "big troll" instead of a "big meanie" or "big poopiehead". I feel like those suit his personality much better)

I have been hypnotized myself, and was fully aware of what I was saying and doing. I also had complete control of my movements, and retained perfect memory of the event. In other words, everything about how the movie presented hypnosis was incredibly stupid and wrong!

This is stupid. Why would a movie want to use your boring experience of being hypnotized as entertainment?

By this logic, why should objects in the film obey the laws of gravity? And why are the human characters wearing clothes and teens attending school? Even if a film has science fiction elements, there needs to be some connection to the real world and our understanding of it.

And yes, their depiction of hypnosis was about as retarded and realistic as every character in a 1988 suburb walking around stark naked.

It's even worse because those therapy sessions are treated so damn seriously by the movie, and form the emotional core of Donnie's character. When that basis is pure bullshit, it kind of undermines the character and overall film, no?

Also, since Donnie is essentially a superhero (explained in the director's cut and confirmed by Richard Kelly), why would hypnosis work on him the same as you?

Because according to the therapist's reaction, his reaction to hypnosis is the normal and expected one? And thus, there is no way it's evidence of one of his "super powers"?!

But that doesn't necessarily ruin the film.

I never claimed that it did, by itself. It was just an example, among many, for why the film was dreary garbage.

Lets compare this to Shogun's score and review of Office Space (1999). 86-T10 review: Absolutely hilarious and inspired satire of work culture, with numerous terrific ideas, scenes, and memorable lines. "I'm good with people, WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?!" As if that weren't enough, it's solidly paced throughout, and the various subplots come together beautifully by the end. A true masterpiece of a comedy, with a genuine feel-good vibe throughout. Now, I agree that Office Space is a comedy masterpiece, but it has one of the most ridiculous reactions to hypnosis I've seen in cinema.

Seriously? Office Space is a silly comedy. Donnie Darko takes itself as seriously as cancer, and is incredibly pretentious to boot.

By the way, the depiction of hypnosis is actually FAR more realistic in Office Space than it is in Donnie Darko! Isn't that pretty pathetic? A comedy whose main plot is largely inspired by a Superman film is more realistic than Donnie Darko? We're not talking about a sci-fi comedy either, but more of a sci-fi tragedy.

Anyways, you're attacking a single point in a review (and rather ineffectually at that), but ignoring the larger picture of what made Donnie Darko such a poor film.

[MmzHrrdb]

Finally, someone that actually wants to discuss the movie!

These kinds of users are disturbingly rare on this site. Every other review with a comment seems to be a big Shogun Vs. Someone Else squabble, and it's getting downright tiresome (if admittedly, entertaining).

As far as CM's comments about Shogun having "interesting opinions" and wanting to talk about it, you've basically just described everyone with an account on Critiker. If you're writing reviews on this site, it shows you have an opinion (with varying degrees of interest), and you're wanting to talk about it. Saying Shogun has something that literally everyone on this site also has as an excuse for his, frankly, immature and absurdly childish comments to other users is hardly satisfactory.

The only reason I even bother to reply to Shogun's comments are because I'm always curious as to how troll-esque he can possibly be in his comments. He provides an impressive (and believable) imitation, though admittedly, even the great Shogun isn't a troll in the strictest sense.

[ShogunRua]

Finally, someone that actually wants to discuss the movie!

These kinds of users are disturbingly rare on this site. Every other review with a comment seems to be a big Shogun Vs. Someone Else squabble, and it's getting downright tiresome (if admittedly, entertaining).

A quick look at the subforum front page shows 11 full reviews by others with replies, of which I have argued with someone in precisely 2 of them, one over Argo's political connotations with AFlickering, and the other with JLFM over The Sting, where he got his feelings hurt. And yes, I admit being the only one here bored/dumb enough to actually reply to JLFM's reviews. The rest just get a good laugh out of it and/or ignore you. But the difference between my comments and yours is that I actually discuss the movie. Something you haven't done in this topic even once.

So quit trolling (that's the actual definition of the word, by the way; derailing a topic), and either post something about Donnie Darko, or keep your whining and butthurt over a separate week old topic to yourself.

[CMonster]

I have been hypnotized myself, and was fully aware of what I was saying and doing. I also had complete control of my movements, and retained perfect memory of the event. In other words, everything about how the movie presented hypnosis was incredibly stupid and wrong!

This is stupid. Why would a movie want to use your boring experience of being hypnotized as entertainment?

By this logic, why should objects in the film obey the laws of gravity? And why are the human characters wearing clothes and teens attending school? Even if a film has science fiction elements, there needs to be some connection to the real world and our understanding of it.

I do actually understand this. But realistic hypnosis is not what the audience has to connect with to buy into the film. Most people had teen angst. This is a definitive film of teen angst. Most people had awkward first relationship moments in high school. And things do abide by the laws of physics. Characters wear clothes and teens go to school. There are tons and tons of things to connect with. I would say that this allows for things to kind of break this (like time travel and hypnosis). But what if people didn't wear clothes and gravity didn't work? That doesn't necessarily mean that you can't connect. Read your own review for Cat Soup. There is so little in terms of how things work in reality with that, how can one connect? The best connections happen on an emotional level. So physical reality is good, but emotional is better and allows leeway with the former. Also, I'm not sure how you call masturbating in front of a therapist serious, that was just funny.

But regardless, my post was mostly just to get to my last point, which was it's really sad to see people stupidly reply to you commentary on a film with no real point beyond, "You're mean so your opinion is wrong." I would say they sound more boring than your explanation of being hypnotized.

As far as CM's comments about Shogun having "interesting opinions" and wanting to talk about it, you've basically just described everyone with an account on Critiker. If you're writing reviews on this site, it shows you have an opinion (with varying degrees of interest), and you're wanting to talk about it. Saying Shogun has something that literally everyone on this site also has as an excuse for his, frankly, immature and absurdly childish comments to other users is hardly satisfactory..

Do you consider yourself one of these people with "interesting opinion who wants to talk" about them? Because I explain how Shogun, while impolitely, actually tries to have discussions. The last time he tried with you this was your reply

Everyone's entitled to their own opinions, but insulting me for my own is obviously completely out of line. Maybe you should go back to cartoons if you insist on mistaking a different opinion for a lack of intellect.

If you could get over a stupid personal attack or two you would see he was making a real point...which I outlined in my previous post! So don't claim to want real discussion and then add nothing when the discussion topic is your opinion. And all you add to other topics is complaints about how much of a "troll" Shogun is. Wow. Thank you for adding that. It added sooooooo much to the analysis of Donnie Darko.

[ShogunRua]

I do actually understand this. But realistic hypnosis is not what the audience has to connect with to buy into the film.

Actually, it is. However, most people simply have no clue what realistic hypnosis is like, so they accept the film's version. But a movie getting away with something stupid/inaccurate due to viewer apathy/ignorance is not an excuse. It's only excusable if we're talking about a silly, pure entertainment film where such things aren't important.

That's not the case with "Donnie Darko", where those therapy sessions form the emotional core of Donny's character.

Most people had teen angst. This is a definitive film of teen angst.

I probably would have hated this film even more in high school than I do now. Yes, I had angst back then, but it was of a completely different form than what Donnie has, and I could relate to his character even less back then than I can now.

I never had trouble in school. I loved my parents and respected them, even when we bickered. Even if that wasn't the case, I'm not sure I would have sympathized with such a poorly constructed protagonist. Donnie is a disrespectful, whiny, entitled little shit. With few interesting character traits or even consistency.

I would say that this allows for things to kind of break this (like time travel and hypnosis).

The standard line in science fiction is that you make all the other things besides the fantastical (like time travel) as realistic as possible, so that it makes the fantastical more believable. Whether that's true or not, hypnosis is NOT a fantastical element! It's very much a part of our world.

By the way, depicting it accurately wouldn't even have harmed the plot or character arc much. And by itself, it's just a badly fucked up detail. A nuisance. But taken together with everything else, it's an example of why the film fails. (In addition to being really boring...)

Also, I'm not sure how you call masturbating in front of a therapist serious, that was just funny.

That scene was comical, but the scenes where he is crying and breaking down in front of his therapist about being and dying alone? I doubt we were supposed to find that humorous...

Everyone's entitled to their own opinions, but insulting me for my own is obviously completely out of line. Maybe you should go back to cartoons if you insist on mistaking a different opinion for a lack of intellect.

If you could get over a stupid personal attack or two you would see he was making a real point...which I outlined in my previous post! So don't claim to want real discussion and then add nothing when the discussion topic is your opinion. And all you add to other topics is complaints about how much of a "troll" Shogun is. Wow. Thank you for adding that. It added sooooooo much to the analysis of Donnie Darko.

Heh, I wasn't even personally attacking him in that other topic. I was only attacking his opinions about movies. The fact that he replied that way is just more evidence of his personality and behavior. Or the fact that he brings it up in a different topic a week later.

Anyways, my best advice is just to ignore him, CMonster. You just know he's going to reply to your post now, and it will have nothing to do with Donnie Darko or any movie discussion whatsoever...

[MmzHrrdb]

So quit trolling (that's the actual definition of the word, by the way; derailing a topic), and either post something about Donnie Darko, or keep your whining and butthurt over a separate week old topic to yourself.

I'll give you points for trying. I do, actually leave comments discussing movies on this forum topic, though they are only in replies to others on my own reviews. Yes, there are several users who do, in fact, bother to comment on my reviews, and even when they disagree, they merely state why they disagree, and do not even for a second question the quality of my opinion. This will be my last comment on this thread, as you are clearly growing tired of this quarrel (which is a shame, because things were just heating up), but I may add before I check out of this review, that I was not the one that started this argument. Another user noticed your absurdly childish attitude to my review which disagreed slightly with your own opinion on the film (yes, believe it or not, is is completely okay to have a different opinion than you), and obviously ruled it as immature and silly. Other people are noticing these arguments, and the only one that's looking foolish is you.

Because you mentioned my reviews can be "calmly ignored" (though you've obviously been reading them anyway), I don't expect to hear from you again. Good day.

[nauru]

Original post is bang-on.

[ShogunRua]

Original post is bang-on.

Thanks. While I was annoyed enough by the picture to write a full review, there were a lot of good mini-reviews of Donnie Darko as well, yours included.

[hellboy76]

This post hurts my feelings and also something something douchy? Good review.