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Another Pair Of SOUTHLAND TALES Reviews For You!

Considering everyones obsession with franchises by BlackIronPrison	Nov 7th, 2007 05:37:37 AM
Why didn't Kelly just break it down and spread it over a few more films? I guess if its as bad as most people make it out to be, it wouldn't of ever made it past the first film. Maybe people would have liked it more though. When something feels unfinished there seems to be more room to project wild interpretations/meanings onto them. Kinda like Donnie Darko or the Matrix(which btw would have been better had they stopped it right there or just gotten Grant Morrison to help them understand the ideas they stole from him). Bravo to Kelly for trying something insane though! The guys got balls.
Sounds like neither of them got it! by FILMFUNK	Nov 7th, 2007 05:46:37 AM
''I usually don't have much of a problem when a film lacks a disorganized plotline as long as it seems almost entirely intentional'' So what you're saying is it has an organised plot line?
I don't care if you ironically cast by comedian_x	Nov 7th, 2007 06:00:50 AM
Sean William Scott, Kelly -- you're still casting him -- and I have to endure watching him. You bastard. I also find it hard to believe that casting SNL and MadTV cast members is an idea that will appreciate over time -- hell it worked for Rat Race, right? Right? For Kelly to save himself he needs to cancel his cable subscription -- he's been watching too much Lost, and SNL/MADTV reruns.
I'll Still Be There Opening Day by RobFromBackEast	Nov 7th, 2007 07:03:02 AM
I think Kelly has got the capacity to be one of the best directors of his generation. This sounds extremely fascinating at the very least.
where's your review, mori? by newc0253	Nov 7th, 2007 07:30:58 AM
i can read reviews from richard kelly fans until the cows come home. where's a review from someone whose opinions i find halfway reliable?
Yes, but does Bai Ling take her top off? by Russman	Nov 7th, 2007 07:41:47 AM
Yes I can see her boobies on TMZ or any other gossip site - but answer my question!!
re-read the graphic novels this weekend by PVIII	Nov 7th, 2007 08:55:58 AM
and they are really, really good. So high expectations on this one. Serpent's trench is pretty cool.
THIS...WILL...SUCK! by BobParr	Nov 7th, 2007 10:16:01 AM
Let's be real people. The 2nd reviewer is one of those obsessive Kelly fans and he didn't really like it. Harry gave it the same kind of bullshit, positive review he gave "Lady in the Water". He says he liked it but he can't explain anything that was good about it. This is a massive, jumbled mess by a decent talent who thinks he's a genius because he has been hanging out with Drew Barrymore too much. Please remember that Kelly's version of Donnie Darko sucked!! The studio "suits" saved that movie by editing it into an enigmatic masterpiece as opposed to the bloated, boring film that Kelly wanted.
This film has been in the oven way too long. by metaluna	Nov 7th, 2007 10:31:35 AM
I thnk it's funny when people who've seen this film report badly but still think it's a good film. Like the director can take a cinematic dump and you still think he's a genius? The words 'horse' and 'blinkered' spring to mind. Ask yourself why no one has released this yet. You can obviously still sell some people anything if you say it's 'genius' and 'misunderstood'. I call it bad storytelling and a failure.
dunno about you, but... by duanejones	Nov 7th, 2007 10:49:17 AM
...it took _donnie darko_ some time to sink in for me, and i think we all recognize its genius now. DON'T WE?? sorry to shout...but, i'd have to say my feeling right after seeing it was roughly similar to the reviewers. i, too, probably would have reported it badly but said it was a good film! and damn, ANY major studio release that troubles audiences this much, with this much (you should excuse the phrase) star power, should be cheered in this era of writer's strikes, childishly predictable storylines and "reality" as defined by the bravo channel. fuck that, and those, and them. and you. (snap, now i hope i don't hate it now, too...)
Donnie Darko = overrated by dr sauch	Nov 7th, 2007 11:08:03 AM
I mean, it was pretty cool, but come on, it was just cool. Also, the direction sucked.
two more thoughts on actors.... by duanejones	Nov 7th, 2007 11:09:08 AM
...the rock rocks. whether as gay hitman or perplexed amnesiac in the company of Buffy the Fluffer, i can't think of another "big" star as willing to challenge (less obvious garbage like _the game plan_ -- gotta keep the man in steroids, after all) his own star status. bring the flames, hatas -- i felt roddy piper had on of the top 10 great performances in the 80's with _they live_ and bet the rock is great in this. why should be surprised professional wrestling produces good actors? finally -- cheri oteri. good lord do i have a thing for this little minx. that cheerleader uniform....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. is duanejones alone in his oteri jones?
Drew was good, your Crazy, and This movie was pretty good too by imantel	Nov 7th, 2007 11:22:12 AM
This is a film you will either love or hate, you will either get it or you wont. Seriously, its not hard to follow, and it may not have a "point" but it is good fun. What did I get of Southland Tales? Absolutely nothing. But I liked the story and the cast, and hell, it was pretty damn funny. It was cool to see how the world would end, and hell, watch some people try to change the world while it happened. Its a sick reality, how close to the film are we as a nation? Because ill say, we aren't that far.
Maybe it's me, but... by Bernard Black	Nov 7th, 2007 11:25:04 AM
I saw the film last month in Santa Cruz, and found it thoroughly enjoyable in a silly way - kinda like a big action/sci-fi/tela novela. I think it's Richard Kelly's take on Revelations - a story that is endlessly convoluted with an overload of symbolism, that people take very seriously and claim to make sense out of, but that is as silly as a very special episode of Melrose Place.
FILMFUNK by the beef	Nov 7th, 2007 12:52:20 PM
No. I'm saying that if the disorganised plotline that it has seemed to be purposely confusing I may not have minded because the intent was to confuse. But, it didn't seem deliberate, and therefore I minded.
Russman by the beef	Nov 7th, 2007 12:55:00 PM
Nope. How much would it matter if she did though? If it was fitting for any of the cast members it would've been Gellar, who plays a porn star. Nonetheless, no nipples.
agree with 2nd review...backwards by jaireaux	Nov 7th, 2007 01:53:29 PM
I came at this film the other direction than PZAdvance but came to the same conclusion. Saw the movie, was confused, read the novels, was less confused but still thought movie was ill-fitting. It tried do too much to make up for being the first movie of the second part of a story.
Lynch gives me a headache by Jack Burton	Nov 7th, 2007 03:20:20 PM
I dug the trailer for Southland Tales but apparently it is as bad as has been reported. Too bad. I'll see it eventually but the Lynch comparisons aren't helping. I made it 20 minutes into Lost Highway before stopping the movie. His brand of pretentious chaos just does nothing for me.
finally, a balanced review by oisin5199	Nov 7th, 2007 04:00:52 PM
unlike the last reviews, the second review finally seems to capture the conflicting opinions that the film seems to engender. It's not all praise or condemnation. That messy, brilliant failure does make me want to see it more.
I thought Kelly was supposed to be tightening this up? by performingmonkey	Nov 7th, 2007 05:31:18 PM
With the Cannes screenings no-one knew what the fuck the movie was. That should have been the nod to Kelly to make something coherent out of it. Looks like he couldn't manage it. Who knows, maybe it's one that needs to be seen at least three times (usually by that time you've convinced yourself that there's a worthwhile movie there...). It sounds like a clusterfuck, and it's only being defended by people who think they're 'deeper' than everyone else and actually get what picture Kelly has painted. For fuck's sake, if you need to be a stuck-up idiot to enjoy this then something is wrong. I can't wait to see it to judge for myself.
Wait a minute! Wait a minute! by johnnyangel	Nov 7th, 2007 07:59:34 PM
I don't mind people trashing That Donnie Darko director but trashing David Lynch? David Lynch is a god! And yes, his movies can be incredibly difficult to understand, but they do make sense if you can figure them out (or just read about them them on the internets.)
Oh yeah, what was my point? by johnnyangel	Nov 7th, 2007 08:05:51 PM
So my point is, I don't know what Kelly was trying to say or if he's trying to say anything, but in Lost Highway (and Mulholland Road) David Lynch knows what he's saying and he's saying it about a believable human being told from the perspective of that human being. The fact that human being happens to be crazy is what makes it interesting and unique, and yes, difficult. The fact David Lynch can get into the head of a person who is crazy and show us what it is like, is what makes him an interesting and a damn great director. So, no more silly talk about David Lynch, please. Take the trouble to know what he's saying or just leave him alone. Your choice.
I agree, johnnyangel by Knuckleduster	Nov 8th, 2007 08:46:17 AM
Lynch is an fuckin God of cinema. I like Donnie Darko, but it is overrated. Lynch for kids.
frickin' speed... by duanejones	Nov 8th, 2007 09:45:19 AM
...capt. lou albano is the lee strasberg of the age, and all of steve austin's work is an extended sense memory of his traumatized past, eating turnbuckles...anyway, i was joking, half-ly ("half-wise"? i was half-joking...). tell me the acting craft of keanu, drew, &c., &c. wouldn't improve immeasureably from some time spent abusing steroids and metal folding chairs in the ring. then the rock will write the peerless guide to the young thespian, _an actor bodyslams_...
Where did the Lynch/Darko comparisons originate? by the beef	Nov 8th, 2007 11:13:48 AM
I compared SOUTHLAND to being Lynchian, but not Kelly's storytelling style in general. I may even be off-base with saying SOUTHLAND is semi-Lynchian, but the multiple characters and subplots reminded me of something similar to Mulholland Drive. I wouldn't say that Darko is Lynchian.
There is no doubt that Donnie Dark is overrated by slone13	Nov 8th, 2007 11:40:40 AM
And after listening to the commentary on the DVD it was rather apparent that Richerd Kelly was not 100% certain of where he was "going" with the flick.
Well, I was one of the first to see it. by Knuckleduster	Nov 9th, 2007 06:28:35 AM
I thought it was great, showed it to all of my friends, they loved it, good. But then it turned into this worldwide "cult phenomenon" and every second asshole with an opinion would proclaim Kelly the future of cinema, but the truth is that it's simply a very impressive little film, nothing more. And sure, Kelly shows promise, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. As for the Lynch comparisons, it's actually quite understandable. The idea of the 'surreal' influencing and affecting suburban America was typical Lynch, especially in the 80's (Blue Velvet, followed by Twin Peaks in 1990). The reason I called Darko Lynch for kids is because Darko is the kind of film mostly teens discuss and are in awe of. Most of them have never seen any of Lynch's work. I they had, they probably wouldn't be so impressed with Darko, because Lynch's abstract storytelling is simply much more challenging and thought-provoking than anything seen in Kelly's little film.

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Another Pair Of SOUTHLAND TALES Reviews For You!

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