Southland Tales

[The Nth Doctor]

After seeing this, I can understand why it was hated so much (the ethereal and meandering plotting can be off putting, I admit). However, I think I liked it.

I think it can best described as follows: Take the directorial style of Terry Gilliam and the narrative style of Watchmen, mix them together with oddball religious connotations and Moby's music and you sort of have Southland Tales.

I would say my only major complaint about the film is that Janeane Garofalo's role was cut out (other than briefly glimpsing her at the end).

I avoided reviews here at the time of its release, so I'm curious to hear what people thought of it.

 

[Harvey]

The reviews were so universally bad, and the re-tooled "Director's Cut" version of Donnie Darko was so abysmal, that I didn't bother renting it.

But, then again, I may have used up all my street cred by dissing a certain Speilbergian picture with you not too long ago, Meh.

What, exactly, did you like about the film? How does it compare to Darko (the theatrical version)?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

The reviews were so universally bad, and the re-tooled "Director's Cut" version of Donnie Darko was so abysmal, that I didn't bother renting it.

But, then again, I may have used up all my street cred by dissing a certain Speilbergian picture with you not too long ago, Meh.

Indeed.

What, exactly, did you like about the film? How does it compare to Darko (the theatrical version)?

Donnie Darko is far superior without a doubt (both versions, but let's not get into that...), but I think what appealed to me the most about Southland Tales was the complete bizarreness of its characters, motives, and presentation of the story. Plus, my description in my first post, although I have to give emphasis to Moby's music because I felt that his music made the ride enjoyable along with the fun bizarreness. If you're not a Moby fan, then I guess you're shit out of luck.

 

[MyCylon]

I am interested in Southland Tales because it sounds kind of unusual and because I like Donnie Darko a lot (hence I think the director is capable of very interesting stuff).

However, I've never been a big fan of Moby's so that might be a problem. I'll probably check out ST at some point, though.

 

[Nardpuncher]

I seem to recall it was supposed to be released theatrically in 2006, whilst being set in 2008 ( just around the future corner!)...well...it's lost that little aspect of itself by being delayed so long.

 

[T'Baio]

I cannot believe you compared Richard Kelly to Terry Gilliam!?!

I mean...Gilliam is talented.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I guess it's telling that in the cast interviews no one knew what it was about either.

The movie has interesting elements but the parts is greater than the whole here but some enjoyment can be had from the general weirdness on display taken on its own.

 

[Gepard]

but I think what appealed to me the most about Southland Tales was the complete bizarreness of its characters, motives, and presentation of the story.

Is it true there are, as I have heard, fucking cars in it? I mean, cars that literally engage in coitus with each other? Like...cars. That fuck? Because damn.

 

[stonester1]

I loved Southland Tales. I like Richard Kelly's abstract take on the science fiction playground of ideas. Donnie Darko was great, and Southland Tales was good. Southland Tales was a much bigger story than DD, and perhaps less coherent. But the play of ideas was amazing and the commentary was funny.

I dug it.

And yes, Kelly plays in a cinematic playground occupied by few directors. Gilliam, sometimes David Lynch, Cronenburg, some Linklatter.

 

[stonester1]

but I think what appealed to me the most about Southland Tales was the complete bizarreness of its characters, motives, and presentation of the story.

Is it true there are, as I have heard, fucking cars in it? I mean, cars that literally engage in coitus with each other? Like...cars. That fuck? Because damn.

Someone makes a TV spot in the story which features fucking cars. SUVs.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

but I think what appealed to me the most about Southland Tales was the complete bizarreness of its characters, motives, and presentation of the story.

Is it true there are, as I have heard, fucking cars in it? I mean, cars that literally engage in coitus with each other? Like...cars. That fuck? Because damn.

Yes... but that is isn't supposed to be "real", it's in a presentation.

I didn't even finish watching it, partially down to the fact that I didn't have a fucking clue what was going on, and partially down to the fact that the rental disc was scratched and I couldn't be bothered to put up with the occasional freezing and stuttering video.
I did enjoy some of the lines, and Sarah Michelle Gellar did the "Clueless airhead" role very well. Dwayne Johnson always surpises me, too, I like him. But after the shagging cars, and the scene were all of a sudden they burst out singing "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier" I just kinda lost interest.

 

[Gepard]

Yes... but that is isn't supposed to be "real", it's in a presentation.

Okay, good. I guess I can sleep easily tonight.

 

[Faldor]

I watched this the other day, really enjoyed it. It's not great and certainly not a patch on Donnie Darko. I was expecting something pretty awful and got a rather entertaining movie.

It's one of those films that concentrates so much on the little character details that it almost dosent show the big picture, which made for a nice change.

I like how Kelly plays sci-fi as secondary to the character stories but can't help feeling the sci-fi aspects just feel like old episodes of TNG

I think the B-movie dialogue towards the end of Southland Tales made it feel forced in a way Donnie Darko never did, I think they were trying to be knowingly cheesy yet never indicate the knowing part.

not a great movie, but I liked it.

 

[trekkiebaggio]

Me and a mate rented it because it does have a great cast and sounded good. It was just too weird and meandering for my tastes though. It had some nice shots but the actual substance of the thing was hidden.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

but I think what appealed to me the most about Southland Tales was the complete bizarreness of its characters, motives, and presentation of the story.

Is it true there are, as I have heard, fucking cars in it? I mean, cars that literally engage in coitus with each other? Like...cars. That fuck? Because damn.

Someone makes a TV spot in the story which features fucking cars. SUVs.

Actually that part was funny, taking car marketing to its satirical extreme much like the SUX 9000 of Robocop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCYB0lzoofc

 

[stonester1]

Yup, that's what I thought as well. And it was funny. Wouldn't have been nearly as funny with little German smart cars mounting each other.

 

[Forbin]

I want a job sitting in a tower with a .50 cal sniper rifle.
I mean, you need to pay people to do that?

 

[Hyperspace05]

I liked it.

Sometimes you just sit back and enjoy the weirdness and don't try to make too much sense of the experience. This is that kind of movie.

Of course, with some further refinement I'm sure it would have been improved.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I seem to recall it was supposed to be released theatrically in 2006, whilst being set in 2008 ( just around the future corner!)...well...it's lost that little aspect of itself by being delayed so long.

That is true, although it never had a full release in theaters. It was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2006, but didn't get a theatrical release until November 2007 and it was limited to only 63 in the US. The DVD came out this year, in March.

I cannot believe you compared Richard Kelly to Terry Gilliam!?!

I mean...Gilliam is talented.

What, no complaining about comparing Kelly to Alan Moore, too?

Sarah Michelle Gellar did the "Clueless airhead" role very well. Dwayne Johnson always surpises me, too, I like him.

Both of them impressed, as did Cheri Oteri. Jon Lovitz and Miranda Richardson were gold as usual, but didn't have much to do, while Wallace Shawn stole every scene he was in (but that's par for the course for him).

[...]the scene were all of a sudden they burst out singing "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier" I just kinda lost interest.

I like the song sequence because it was demonstrating the drug experience.

I want a job sitting in a tower with a .50 cal sniper rifle.
I mean, you need to pay people to do that?

That's definitely a pretty sweet job.


Oh, and yes, the fucking cars was very weird.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

[...]the scene were all of a sudden they burst out singing "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier" I just kinda lost interest.

I like the song sequence because it was demonstrating the drug experience.

It wasn't the scene itself that put me off, I kinda liked the scene, but that was where the dvd started messing up worst, it froze up and then I had to take it out and clean it, but it was still stuttery and stuff. So I gave up, I wasn't following it without the problems with sound and video
So I suppose it's wrong to say I got to there and lost interest, I just couldn't be bothered trying to watch it any more.