Review of Southland Tales (2007) by Michael D — 04 Aug 2011

I like movies that are non-linear, when they are good. Eraserhead, Pulp Fiction, Memento to name a few. I also like Surrealism, even though it is not really a USA homegrown type of art in film. Donnie Darko (especially the director's cut) I feel is already one the most important films made in America this century.

So, when every reviewer in the USA panned Richard Kelly's Southland Tales, and also when I noticed the starring cast -- I passed on it and only took a look on DVD recently. Kelly never really went all out in interviews and said "This is a new Dr.

Strangelove" because it would have been douchy, and the douchy tweens wouldn't even get it they would have been like "who is this Doctor? Was he like Dr. Phil but older?" This movie takes on a lot of issues like the apocalypse, duality (what if you met yourself due to a temporal rift in space and time?), social issues, political issues, demented religious fundamentalism, drugs, sex, violence, arms control.

.. It also mangles T.S. Elliot and Robert Frost. Now, if you really pay attention -- all the the various threads of the story do come together it is just that the central concept is what if a person could meet themself? Would it or could it be the end of the world? I feel that is the key that unlocks understanding the story for all of those who said this doesn't have a plot or story.

It also has so many amazing shots and great special effects. Duane Johnson did this little thing rubbing his fingers together like "I'm so nervous" from silent films that I would have told him to not do while film is rolling.

But, it was his character's twin, not his real self, so I guess it was ok. Am I making sense? lol Bai Ling was kind of nothing more than eye candy and so was Mandy Moore (who kind of looked fat but in a good way.

.. like "fat girls need love too," feeling me? I know she wasn't really fat. It was a joke. Kind of. Kevin Smith was almost totally unrecognizable -- he looked like an old bearded version of Wilford Brimley who got boned by a walrus.

Lunchbox.... you loveable snapperhead. My overall feeling additionally was that choosing Mr. Duane Johnson was not a good option. Maybe if Bruce Willis was the star of this movie maybe it would have had a fighting chance to make better sense.

.. Also, parody only works when people in the audience know the original source material.