I used to love Donnie Darko but now I dislike it quite a bit. There is one overall message to take from this movie: THERE IS NO POINT! That's the brilliance of it. It's like those shows like Lost, where they make you think that there is something profound in there but the writers are just really, really skilled at creating the illusion of something profound, and disguising the truth with obscured meaning. In the obscurity people imagine what they want it to be, like Nirvana lyrics.
I'm SO glad you liked it, too. I've been a longtime fan of yours ever since your first few reviews, and always without exception my opinion walking out of the theater seems to be the same thing you say later (iron man 2 being a prime example, I argued with my family the whole way home about that one xD)
With that said, I'd like to request that you review Death Note. It's great :)
I just got to thinking. You hate "obscurantism" in films, but how about in theatre? Would you consider Samuel Becket an "obscurantist"? What would you think about Endgame or even the theater of the Absurd?
Maybe you aren't too much into the theater side, but I was just wondering if you have ever been exposed to this sort of awesomeness. =P
Okay, Matthew, answer me this: why didn't '2001' make you think?
'2001' is a cryptic, meandering film at times, but it should still spark inquisitive thought in the viewer, if only to get to the bottom of what the f**k these images mean.
@QUANTUMJOKER 2001 didn't make me think because there are no direct questions raised in the film based on the imagry alone, which was all the film was. For example: perhaps the ape scene in the beginning was a playing out of the Cane and Able story. About how knowledge leads us to destroy our selves. On the other hand, maybe they were just recreating a scene from west side story in ape form. Both conclusions are supported based on the imagery alone.
You make a good point, but I don't think that a text needs to pose questions, per se, to provoke thought in its audience.
A film can be rich in subtext and meaning, and drive the viewer to consider how it relates to them and their own lives.
A truly intelligent film, in my mind, brings up more questions in the audience, but does not necessarily need to frame what it tells us in a question. In that respect, I think '2001' succeeded.
@confusedmatthew I've occasionally wondered if parts of 2001 were meant to focus and examine elements of effects shots, particularly the outer space scenes and miniatures. They were cutting-edge at the time, right? And mostly, hey still look great. Many shots have nothing at all going on, for extended periods, so I guess if I'm determined to sit through the film I'm going to get a good look...except the flashy light sequence at the end. no thanks.
You are confusing Democracy with Republicanism. Arguably, if a work force were educated and made decisions about their communities and workforce, then special interests and corporations would not have much sway.
If he means Democracy as it is practiced in the USA, then it is non-existent. Noam Chomsky also holds the view that corporatism is the real threat, not Democracy. But Democracy can only exist if a workforce is educated.
Liked the review except for the Mortimer Adler quote of Moral Philosophy. It doesn't try to simplify life like the "Love/Fear" dichotomy in Darko, it simply tries to evaluate actions and help guide them better. In fact, Adler seems to like Aristotelian virtue ethics, which is centered around things like "love and fear," albeit in a much more intellectual manner.
@KommisarKowl Well, not exactly. Aristotelian ethics do have a few things in common with the love - fear spectrum in that it attempts to find the mean with regard to virtually everything, but what Adler was talking about in the quote was the responsibility of any moral philosophy to try and solve only those problems it is competent to solve and no more.
@confusedmatthew Ahhh. That makes sense. I would still like to say that Moral Philosophy isn't necessarily trying to solve problems, but give humans a means of solving problems. This ties into the is-ought distinction. Fields like Economics, History, and Science tell us how things are. Fields like Political Science and Ethics tell us how the world ought to be.
Cornell West is a huge supporter of Democracy. He's saying that the system in place today isn't a Democracy and should be opposed on the grounds that it isn't a democracy.
Donnie Darko really is a great film - there is certainly a very binary presentation of the world presented in this film, that Donnie rejects and actively rails against and then, as he does not conform, is considered bad.
As to watching it again, I'd certainly recommend it - it's one of those films that one can rewatch and often find details that one might have previously missed.
I've been looking forward for this review for a while, months back when I saw it was on your to do list. I was worried you wouldn't like it and I would have to lose all of my respect for you.
@AndrewTheEternal Its probably this one. I've seen a lot of the reviews I've been asked to review. I had never seen this one, and - thanks to the request - this may turn out to be a new favorite for me.
@confusedmatthew Sarcasm is one of the highest verbal artforms around, trufax. XD
Actually, since you bring it up a lot, have you ever considered posting a video on your views on various philosophical views and philsophers? (...And Glenn Beck. Glenn Beck is the only actual human being besides Ann Coulter that warrants a Confused Matthew review. XDDD)
@abridgedfanboy The closest I will probably come to this is my review of Examined Life; the documentary that picks the brain of various contemporary "philosophers".
I think sarcasm, like any form of art, entertainment, or word bandying, can be good or bad depending on how it's used, kind of like how slapstick can be funny if it's used right.
Harvey? Really? If Harvey is beyond you, I'm tempted put down money for a requested review of Stan Brakhage's "Dog Star Man" or Kenneth Anger's "Lucifer Rising" to see what would happen. Probably cause a brain aneurysm or something.
For all the people who think "Donnie Darko" was anything than an attempt at faux-surrealism that throws tons of shit at you and expect you to piece it all together, watch "Southland Tales" (or the director's cut of "Donnie Darko") because that will cure you pretty quickly.
you thought Harvey was bullshit and left you wondering what the hell happened? How you manage to piss me off so bad in the first 40 seconds is beyond me. Then again I should stress over the opinion of a man who thinks Moulin Rouge "rocks"
-"Damn writing music for a musical is hard :( I KNOW! lets take old pop songs and make them really fucking gay!"
-"HEY YEA!"
I liked Donny Darko until I saw the directors next movie southland tales. You wanna know what real bullshit looks like watch that.
I apologize if I caused offense. I might have read to much into the, "man who thinks Moulin Rouge "rocks"" remark. I haven't seen it, so I guess I can't argue either way your judgment of the film.
@Kaulen777 It's pretty terrible, it's the only musical I know that was to lazy to write its own music so it just covers a million pop songs by David Bowie, the cars est. Butchering them in the process. The film has no regrade for the historical Roulin Rouge and the actual personalities that people remember it for. All the sets look like floats from a gay pride parade (not a knock against gays if you saw it you'd agree) I was rolling my eyes the whole time. That movie really pissed me off.
Okay, that wasn't too bad. At least I didn't hit the roof like I did when I saw Frank in that cinema scene. I get the heeby-jeebies just thinking about it.
Interesting y'all should make the Harvey connection. I photoshopped Frank into that James Stewart DVD cover once making some joke about how "you'd have be old enough to know who Harvey is, and young enough to know who Frank is", to get the joke, and nobody did.
This is unrelated, but is Peggy Dow freakin' hot in that film or what?!
So Donnies's smart but insane, sounds like he has a case of Aspergers syndrom and I know this because I have it and have had to deal with its ups and downs, its really changed my life.
@Ryoku75 I know, he liked it :/ I just noticed that. It's not my fault though, he titled this video *MOVIE REVIEW*, and when I saw that I thought to my self, it must be a negative review. He should have titled this video *REQUESTED REVIEW*, with those, you never know if he's gonna love it or hate it.
@theangrymoviedork Well if Matthew gets a lot of heat at least he already knows a therapist to help him deal with crap from the internet.
Speaking of which, I did a little cypherin' and I figured out that if Matthew is 29, (as per his profile), and he entered therapy at the age of 12, then he's most likely still trying to get over seeing, "Look Who's Talking Now" in 1993.
Maybe we could get together with the other three people who saw it, and form a support group or something.
@IRONMANAustralia If anything its the attackers that could use therapy, I've read movie reviews calling the films "dull" and someone responded to it "I hope you and your reviews burn in he11".
I used to love Donnie Darko but now I dislike it quite a bit. There is one overall message to take from this movie: THERE IS NO POINT! That's the brilliance of it. It's like those shows like Lost, where they make you think that there is something profound in there but the writers are just really, really skilled at creating the illusion of something profound, and disguising the truth with obscured meaning. In the obscurity people imagine what they want it to be, like Nirvana lyrics.
gunsmithbasic 1 year ago
you planing on reviewing southland tales or the box
deathcrist2000 1 year ago
I just got done watching this
(you can watch it on youtube)
and I must say, this is my new favorite film.
I'm SO glad you liked it, too. I've been a longtime fan of yours ever since your first few reviews, and always without exception my opinion walking out of the theater seems to be the same thing you say later (iron man 2 being a prime example, I argued with my family the whole way home about that one xD)
With that said, I'd like to request that you review Death Note. It's great :)
~knee
KneeTV 1 year ago
I just got to thinking. You hate "obscurantism" in films, but how about in theatre? Would you consider Samuel Becket an "obscurantist"? What would you think about Endgame or even the theater of the Absurd?
Maybe you aren't too much into the theater side, but I was just wondering if you have ever been exposed to this sort of awesomeness. =P
insidetrip101 1 year ago
I watched this movie and I didn't like it. I didn't even finish it because I found it so boring.
littl3x 1 year ago
I wanna watch this movie now
marscaleb 1 year ago
Also, 2001 was boring and Donnie Darko was not. Just saying that's a noteworthy difference.
am0resperr0s 1 year ago
Okay, Matthew, answer me this: why didn't '2001' make you think?
'2001' is a cryptic, meandering film at times, but it should still spark inquisitive thought in the viewer, if only to get to the bottom of what the f**k these images mean.
QUANTUMJOKER 1 year ago
@QUANTUMJOKER 2001 didn't make me think because there are no direct questions raised in the film based on the imagry alone, which was all the film was. For example: perhaps the ape scene in the beginning was a playing out of the Cane and Able story. About how knowledge leads us to destroy our selves. On the other hand, maybe they were just recreating a scene from west side story in ape form. Both conclusions are supported based on the imagery alone.
confusedmatthew 1 year ago
@confusedmatthew
You make a good point, but I don't think that a text needs to pose questions, per se, to provoke thought in its audience.
A film can be rich in subtext and meaning, and drive the viewer to consider how it relates to them and their own lives.
A truly intelligent film, in my mind, brings up more questions in the audience, but does not necessarily need to frame what it tells us in a question. In that respect, I think '2001' succeeded.
QUANTUMJOKER 1 year ago
@QUANTUMJOKER
That's exactly what Matthew claims makes a movie fail. The absence in the director's mind of a specific question.
Kaulen777 1 year ago
@confusedmatthew I've occasionally wondered if parts of 2001 were meant to focus and examine elements of effects shots, particularly the outer space scenes and miniatures. They were cutting-edge at the time, right? And mostly, hey still look great. Many shots have nothing at all going on, for extended periods, so I guess if I'm determined to sit through the film I'm going to get a good look...except the flashy light sequence at the end. no thanks.
kranktank 1 year ago
I agree.This was a great movie,but I really don't understand the supernatural stuff.Hopefully rewatching it multiple times will help.
Invincible5972 1 year ago
@Converse75
>Democracy
>Representatives.
You are confusing Democracy with Republicanism. Arguably, if a work force were educated and made decisions about their communities and workforce, then special interests and corporations would not have much sway.
KommisarKowl 1 year ago
@Converse75
If he means Democracy as it is practiced in the USA, then it is non-existent. Noam Chomsky also holds the view that corporatism is the real threat, not Democracy. But Democracy can only exist if a workforce is educated.
KommisarKowl 1 year ago
Liked the review except for the Mortimer Adler quote of Moral Philosophy. It doesn't try to simplify life like the "Love/Fear" dichotomy in Darko, it simply tries to evaluate actions and help guide them better. In fact, Adler seems to like Aristotelian virtue ethics, which is centered around things like "love and fear," albeit in a much more intellectual manner.
KommisarKowl 1 year ago
@KommisarKowl Well, not exactly. Aristotelian ethics do have a few things in common with the love - fear spectrum in that it attempts to find the mean with regard to virtually everything, but what Adler was talking about in the quote was the responsibility of any moral philosophy to try and solve only those problems it is competent to solve and no more.
confusedmatthew 1 year ago
@confusedmatthew Ahhh. That makes sense. I would still like to say that Moral Philosophy isn't necessarily trying to solve problems, but give humans a means of solving problems. This ties into the is-ought distinction. Fields like Economics, History, and Science tell us how things are. Fields like Political Science and Ethics tell us how the world ought to be.
KommisarKowl 1 year ago
@Converse75
Cornell West is a huge supporter of Democracy. He's saying that the system in place today isn't a Democracy and should be opposed on the grounds that it isn't a democracy.
KommisarKowl 1 year ago
Damn, been waiting for this.
VIDMonsta 1 year ago
well thanks for at least acknowledging dr cornel west
juggernaut44 1 year ago
Donnie Darko really is a great film - there is certainly a very binary presentation of the world presented in this film, that Donnie rejects and actively rails against and then, as he does not conform, is considered bad.
As to watching it again, I'd certainly recommend it - it's one of those films that one can rewatch and often find details that one might have previously missed.
ProphetTenebrae 1 year ago
I've been looking forward for this review for a while, months back when I saw it was on your to do list. I was worried you wouldn't like it and I would have to lose all of my respect for you.
am0resperr0s 1 year ago
I had to watch it several times to pick out all of the clues and easter eggs in it.
Joekitty001 1 year ago
You know, now that I think about it, what is the requested video you enjoyed most, ConfusedMatthew?
That was the most praise I had heard from you for a requested review, but your opinion might have changed on the others.
AndrewTheEternal 1 year ago
@AndrewTheEternal Its probably this one. I've seen a lot of the reviews I've been asked to review. I had never seen this one, and - thanks to the request - this may turn out to be a new favorite for me.
confusedmatthew 1 year ago
@AndrewTheEternal It seems to me that Pulp Fiction is the movie he has praised the most.
KajiCarson 1 year ago
Omg i love you. You loved Donnie Darko too. And even though you got the plot COMPLETELY wrong it's still ok. Can you review s.Darko now?
MooOinkQuackWoof 1 year ago
@MooOinkQuackWoof We'll see. Haven't seen it yet.
confusedmatthew 1 year ago
@confusedmatthew S.Darko isn't worth your time, man. It's just a retread of the same story, that goes nowhere with way worse acting and directing.
moeezS 1 year ago
@Converse75 Yeah, so is Glenn Beck. ... You know, you never realize how hard it is to get sarcasm across via text until you actually try to do it.
confusedmatthew 1 year ago
@confusedmatthew Sarcasm is one of the highest verbal artforms around, trufax. XD
Actually, since you bring it up a lot, have you ever considered posting a video on your views on various philosophical views and philsophers? (...And Glenn Beck. Glenn Beck is the only actual human being besides Ann Coulter that warrants a Confused Matthew review. XDDD)
abridgedfanboy 1 year ago
@abridgedfanboy The closest I will probably come to this is my review of Examined Life; the documentary that picks the brain of various contemporary "philosophers".
confusedmatthew 1 year ago
@confusedmatthew I'm actually kind of amazed What the Bleep do We Know isn't on your main list, considering how little sense that made, lol.
abridgedfanboy 1 year ago
@abridgedfanboy
I was always under the impression that sarcasm was the lowest form of wit...
Kaulen777 1 year ago
@Kaulen777 Depends on who you talk to. XD
I think sarcasm, like any form of art, entertainment, or word bandying, can be good or bad depending on how it's used, kind of like how slapstick can be funny if it's used right.
abridgedfanboy 1 year ago
Harvey? Really? If Harvey is beyond you, I'm tempted put down money for a requested review of Stan Brakhage's "Dog Star Man" or Kenneth Anger's "Lucifer Rising" to see what would happen. Probably cause a brain aneurysm or something.
poparena 1 year ago
For all the people who think "Donnie Darko" was anything than an attempt at faux-surrealism that throws tons of shit at you and expect you to piece it all together, watch "Southland Tales" (or the director's cut of "Donnie Darko") because that will cure you pretty quickly.
Deliratio 1 year ago
at last new requested review
Mysio 1 year ago
you thought Harvey was bullshit and left you wondering what the hell happened? How you manage to piss me off so bad in the first 40 seconds is beyond me. Then again I should stress over the opinion of a man who thinks Moulin Rouge "rocks"
-"Damn writing music for a musical is hard :( I KNOW! lets take old pop songs and make them really fucking gay!"
-"HEY YEA!"
I liked Donny Darko until I saw the directors next movie southland tales. You wanna know what real bullshit looks like watch that.
jamesedwardclard 1 year ago
@jamesedwardclard
Your comment is relatively sexist.
"Your a dude, Matthew, so you can't like Moulin Rouge!"
Uh.... huh...
Kaulen777 1 year ago
@Kaulen777 it's got nothing to do with him being a guy and everything to do with Moulin Rouge being a complete piece of shit.
jamesedwardclard 1 year ago
@jamesedwardclard
I apologize if I caused offense. I might have read to much into the, "man who thinks Moulin Rouge "rocks"" remark. I haven't seen it, so I guess I can't argue either way your judgment of the film.
Kaulen777 1 year ago
@Kaulen777 It's pretty terrible, it's the only musical I know that was to lazy to write its own music so it just covers a million pop songs by David Bowie, the cars est. Butchering them in the process. The film has no regrade for the historical Roulin Rouge and the actual personalities that people remember it for. All the sets look like floats from a gay pride parade (not a knock against gays if you saw it you'd agree) I was rolling my eyes the whole time. That movie really pissed me off.
jamesedwardclard 1 year ago
Oh Jesus, I don't know whether I should click the link.
Frank really scares the living shit out of me.
IRONMANAustralia 1 year ago
Okay, that wasn't too bad. At least I didn't hit the roof like I did when I saw Frank in that cinema scene. I get the heeby-jeebies just thinking about it.
Interesting y'all should make the Harvey connection. I photoshopped Frank into that James Stewart DVD cover once making some joke about how "you'd have be old enough to know who Harvey is, and young enough to know who Frank is", to get the joke, and nobody did.
This is unrelated, but is Peggy Dow freakin' hot in that film or what?!
IRONMANAustralia 1 year ago
Love this movie. Hate 2001.
RYANL22 1 year ago
I never thought of Harvey as engaging is obscurantism. I loved that film as a kid, and I never questioned whether or not the rabbit was real.
JoshuatheAnarchist 1 year ago
Oh boy, 2001 fanboys are gonna have a FIELD DAY with this review...
ElBombastico883 1 year ago
LOL dude from the angry tone you had in the intro i thought for sure you were gonna go all "Minority Report" on this one
kranktank 1 year ago
So Donnies's smart but insane, sounds like he has a case of Aspergers syndrom and I know this because I have it and have had to deal with its ups and downs, its really changed my life.
Ryoku75 1 year ago
@Ryoku75
Aspergers doesn't make you smarter, and is not indicative of high intelligence.
Kaulen777 1 year ago
@Kaulen777 Maybe not, but from my own experiences it can make someone seem insane during meltdowns, God I'm glad to be done with those.
Ryoku75 1 year ago
I can tell poor Matthew is gonna get alot of heat for this one lol.
theangrymoviedork 1 year ago
@theangrymoviedork If you watch the review he liked this one.
Ryoku75 1 year ago
@Ryoku75 I know, he liked it :/ I just noticed that. It's not my fault though, he titled this video *MOVIE REVIEW*, and when I saw that I thought to my self, it must be a negative review. He should have titled this video *REQUESTED REVIEW*, with those, you never know if he's gonna love it or hate it.
theangrymoviedork 1 year ago
@theangrymoviedork Point well taken. The title has been changed.
confusedmatthew 1 year ago
@theangrymoviedork
Wait, he actually LIKED Donnie Darko?!
I'm going to have to watch the review now....
Kaulen777 1 year ago
@theangrymoviedork Well if Matthew gets a lot of heat at least he already knows a therapist to help him deal with crap from the internet.
Speaking of which, I did a little cypherin' and I figured out that if Matthew is 29, (as per his profile), and he entered therapy at the age of 12, then he's most likely still trying to get over seeing, "Look Who's Talking Now" in 1993.
Maybe we could get together with the other three people who saw it, and form a support group or something.
IRONMANAustralia 1 year ago 2
@IRONMANAustralia If anything its the attackers that could use therapy, I've read movie reviews calling the films "dull" and someone responded to it "I hope you and your reviews burn in he11".
Ryoku75 1 year ago