Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Darko Metaphilmed
"Donnie Darko is a coming of age film. Donnie is at a time between childhood/adolescence and adulthood. He is struggling with the concept of applying childhood logic to high school/adulthood indoctrination, that is illustrated through adult attempts to look at the simplistic as complex which paradoxically attempts to simplify the adult world (for example via the love-hate dichotomy) when it is not. Adolescence is long-blamed for difficulties within the individual's inability to adjust rather than the schizophrenic organisation of the adult social collective. Growing up is difficult; being grown up is when we all give in to untruths in order to accept the world view of those who set the rules and over which we have no control." - courtesy by Vanzmotorbike
"Fascinating to see just how literally the average viewer/reviewer experiences the role of time travel in the film. Much more interesting to include a metaphoric reading of its function in the film.
Donnie's schizophrenia is his response to a "mad world" in which all human action takes place in an apparently unstoppable procession. Any teenager with enough confidence and intelligence can see the inevitable results of the actions of the individual characters and the society in which they play out, the overwhelming hypocracy. Time travel is a potential solution that makes enough sense to offer hope of salvation for an increasingly desperate Donnie. Only by travelling ahead of the crap served up to him as reality might Donnie be able to save himself and his world from "the hostile reality" he perceives as beyond his control in the present.
The slide of the school towards vacuous box-ticking activities, the pathetic offering(s) of jim Cunningham (so perfectly close to pure cliche that we get that 'of course' sensation on discovering the depth of his corruption), the danger facing Gretchen, the isolation of Susita (sp?) [Cherita], all appear to us, as to Donnie, as inexorable. Donnie finds himself squarely in the fallen world. Unable to return to the innocence of his younger sister nor advance to the adjustment of his elder, he becomes tragically and painfully aware of the fate awaiting us all. He 'invents' Frank to ease the acute despair and isolation such awareness engenders.
Time travel is an extension of Frank in the sense that it actualizes an escape for Donnie, an escape whose reality is reinforced by the existence of both Roberta Sparrow and her book. This also moves Donnie closer to the 'real' world and the notion of success in it. And yet, however possible it may be in the theoretical world of science, whether it can save Donnie is doubtful. Look what it's done for Roberta.
In the primary reality of the film Donnie is as helpless as Oedipus in avoiding his fate. As a teenager, heroic anti-hero of higher intelligence and great compassion that Donnie is, he pushes the bounds of reality all the way and, thanks to the power of (cinematic) story telling, manages to tear the sky open just wide enough for us to stare up helplessly at our own addiction to clean, linear explanations. There are stranger mysteries than an unaccounted for jet engine, something Donnie would agree with as he goes off to sleep."
Posted by: david zoh on Sep 28, 05 Source: Metaphilm.com
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
With Maggie, Peter, baby, dog...
Monday, November 27, 2006
Donnie Darko by Metaphilm
"Like most people who watch DD, I tried to work out what was going on rationally, and always there was something that didn't fit. I gave up in the end and assumed that the writer wanted to just mess with people's minds. But now, the explanation which satisfies me the most is that the whole thing is just a dream. Okay, bear with me...
Donnie is mentally ill, lets say some form of depression. He decides to take his own life; an overdose before he goes to bed. As he lays there, he justifies his actions by coming up with the story that we watch.
I've almost been in that position myself. Everyone is saying "things will get better", and "something might happen tomorrow which could change your life entirely", and "if you kill yourself, it will harm your family".
So, he imagines a scenario in which even if he met the girl of his dreams, she and his family would still be better of without him... well, they would be alive. He justifies taking his own life to save others.
The only bit that we see for real is towards the end when he is in bed, laughing quietly to himself. From this perspective, it's a very empty, sad film. But the saddest thing is that somewhere, right now, someone is seeing their own version of it, just as they breathe their last breath."
Posted by: :-) mark on Aug 16, 05 Source: Metaphilm.com
Donnie is mentally ill, lets say some form of depression. He decides to take his own life; an overdose before he goes to bed. As he lays there, he justifies his actions by coming up with the story that we watch.
I've almost been in that position myself. Everyone is saying "things will get better", and "something might happen tomorrow which could change your life entirely", and "if you kill yourself, it will harm your family".
So, he imagines a scenario in which even if he met the girl of his dreams, she and his family would still be better of without him... well, they would be alive. He justifies taking his own life to save others.
The only bit that we see for real is towards the end when he is in bed, laughing quietly to himself. From this perspective, it's a very empty, sad film. But the saddest thing is that somewhere, right now, someone is seeing their own version of it, just as they breathe their last breath."
Posted by: :-) mark on Aug 16, 05 Source: Metaphilm.com
Sunday, November 26, 2006
New Award for Maggie
STOCKHOLM (AFP) - The US movie "Sherrybaby," starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and directed by Laurie Collyier, won the Bronze Horse for best film at the Stockholm International Film Festival, organizers said.
Gyllenhaal also took home the award for best actress for her role in the film as Sherry, a young woman released from jail after serving a three-year sentence for a crime she committed as a 19-year-old heroin addict and who struggles to reestablish a relationship with her young daughter.
"A pure and heartbreaking work about survival and dignity. It takes you on a desperate quest for love, through a landscape of struggle, guilt and broken dreams which at times is hard to watch yet impossible to forget," the jury said in its motivation.
The best actor award went to Ryan Gosling for his role as a junior high school teacher who is caught by one of his students in a compromising situation in the movie "Half Nelson", while best directorial debut went to Daniel Sanchez Arevalo of Spain for "Darkbluealmostblack."
The award for best screenplay was won by Beatrix Christian for the Australian movie "Jindabyne," while the best cinematography nod went to Anthony Dod Mantle of Britain for "The Last King of Scotland."
US family road comedy "Little Miss Sunshine" by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris took home the festival's Audience Award.
Earlier on Saturday, Swedish director Lasse Hallstroem, known for his movies "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "The Cider House Rules," "Chocolat" and "Casanova," was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Source: News.Yahoo.com
Gyllenhaal also took home the award for best actress for her role in the film as Sherry, a young woman released from jail after serving a three-year sentence for a crime she committed as a 19-year-old heroin addict and who struggles to reestablish a relationship with her young daughter.
"A pure and heartbreaking work about survival and dignity. It takes you on a desperate quest for love, through a landscape of struggle, guilt and broken dreams which at times is hard to watch yet impossible to forget," the jury said in its motivation.
The best actor award went to Ryan Gosling for his role as a junior high school teacher who is caught by one of his students in a compromising situation in the movie "Half Nelson", while best directorial debut went to Daniel Sanchez Arevalo of Spain for "Darkbluealmostblack."
The award for best screenplay was won by Beatrix Christian for the Australian movie "Jindabyne," while the best cinematography nod went to Anthony Dod Mantle of Britain for "The Last King of Scotland."
US family road comedy "Little Miss Sunshine" by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris took home the festival's Audience Award.
Earlier on Saturday, Swedish director Lasse Hallstroem, known for his movies "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "The Cider House Rules," "Chocolat" and "Casanova," was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Source: News.Yahoo.com
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Friday, November 24, 2006
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Thanksgiving Day
"Are you going on Thanksgiving Day
To those family celebrations?
Passing on knowledge down through the years
At the gathering of generations
Every year it's the same routine
All over, all over
Come on over, it's Thanksgiving Day
Papa looks over at the small gathering
Remembering days gone by
Smiles at the children as he watches them play
And wishes his wife was still by his side
She would always cook dinner on Thanksgiving Day
It's all over, it's all over
It's all over the American way
But sometimes the children are so far away
And in a dark apartment on the wrong side of town
A lonely spinster prays
For a handsome lover and a passionate embrace
And kisses all over, all over
All over her American face
It's all over, it's all over, it's all over
'Cause today she feels so far away
From the friends in her hometown
So she runs for the Greyhound
She'll spend hours on the bus but she'll reach town
For Thanksgiving Day
Come on over, come on over
Come on over, it's Thanksgiving Day
At a truck stop a man sits alone at the bar
Estranged in isolation
It's been a while now and he seems so far
From those distant celebrations
He thinks back to all the mistakes that he made
To a time when he was so young and green
Innocent days when they both looked forward to that
Great American dream
Now it's all over, it's all over, all over
And all over America people are going home
On Thanksgiving Day
Now Papa looks out of the window
The sight brings a smile to his face
He sees all his children coming back home
Together on this special day
Come on over, come on over
Come on over, it's Thanksgiving Day"
"THANKSGIVING DAY" song by Ray Davies.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)