Southland Tales
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Movie Reviews of Southland Tales
Movie Review: See This Movie Twice
Summary: 4 Stars
Sometimes you don't have to understand everything to enjoy it. Some movies are like amusement park rides, or maybe like hurricanes--you just have to sit back and ride it out. Let it be what it is, forget what you want it to be and let it wash over you. There are so many layers here. This movie is a subliminal experience.
Much of it is sensationally enjoyable to me. It's a wonderful satire. I loved most of the message--particularly the anti-war, anti-government and pro-freedom, pro-sexuality messages--these were among the most overt thematic elements. There are many layers here, and people who aren't well versed in socio-political theory will miss some of them, as well as those who don't connect such ideas with biblical apocalyptic theology. Yeah, that's a lot to expect, and I could probably do just as well with less of the biblical. But you don't have to know how the trigonometry moved the wheels to enjoy the roller coaster ride.
It's an epic fantasy period piece, with less emphasis on traditional storytelling and more of an eye for creating a memorable cinematic experience. Of course there will be at least as many who "don't get it" as there are who have no real understanding of our current socio-political reality. Most of the countless nuances here seem to have real meaning, and connect to both the themes and story. This is what separates literate communication from artsy trash. ST manages to remain the former, if by a hair's breadth.
I'm not entirely certain whether this movie is as smart as I would like to believe, but it certainly is never boring. It is engaging, original, beautifully filmed entertainment, with one of the finest soundtracks in recent memory. Even Gellar's single is remarkable--not to mention one of the boldest and truest political statements I've heard in years.
"This is the way the world ends." That's what it is, not a story so much as a moving portrait--mostly of our schizophrenic, self-destructing culture, but also of the hope that we may ultimately find in self-forgiveness,in the hovering interdimensional ice-cream truck of love.
Movie Review: An Odd Epic to Watch
Summary: 4 Stars
I feel Richard Kelly is a genius, blending science fiction plots into the modern film the way many top writers do. It seems the reviews are going towards the negative for this film. I agree: odd. But if you want entertainment, a movie with sci fi themes that you can follow, Southland Tales is it.
I just watched it for fun. I didn't plan on reviewing it, but, since so many think the film is "terrible", I saw a reason to write.
In short, you have what others are saying: A picture of how the world ends. You have Justin Timberlake, The Rock, and a ton of other young actors, or actors who seem to specialize in more B films. This is, in many ways, a B film. It comes close to the complexity of Donnie Darko, one of my favorite films of all time. And it's far more ambitious, almost, almost realizing its ambition. While the film is odd, so was Donnie Darko. While it has some odd science fiction elements, so did Donnie Darko. The point with Donnie Darko was you didn't feel like you were traveling around the world in a huge, sprawling epic, which is what Southland Tales is.
You have travels through time and memories and lost identities. You also have B movie stars rising above their general acting skills. It's a portrait of a future that could be.
The soundtrack was done by Moby, which truly fit in with the odd film that Richard Kelly has here. I am not sure if I would buy it; perhaps you should watch it first. It's an odd epic for people with odd tastes.
Movie Review: Stupid
Summary: 1 Stars
Some films just fail and this one is one of those. The story is just a mess.
Movie Review: Yeah... what were you expecting?
Summary: 5 Stars
Weird? But of course. If you watched Donnie Darko you know Richard Kelly revels in the bizarre and absurd. Now imagine he had a bigger budget and the carte blanche to do whatever he wanted. Yea... that's about what this movie is like. My ex-girlfriend hated it when we saw it opening night. That's all I need to say...Movie Review: Are there Cliffs Notes for this Film?
Summary: 1 Stars
Seriously, this film is bad. It is incomprehensible. The cast is stellar, the plot is nonexistent. I am a huge fan of The Rock, but this movie just doesn't make sense.