Donnie Darko (2001)
Though no one will believe, it’s never just teenage angst.
Presentation:
Surrealist storytelling that was revolutionary for its time, on par with fight club influencing teenagers all over the globe to save the world. Surely every male teenager has dreamed of this in some way in Tom Sawyer like fashion. Dark, mysterious, iconic imagery that can shape an upbringing if you watched it at the right time.
Analysis:
The story is presented in a very ambiguous manner, but is revealed when you uncover director notes and other materials. Gyllenhaal using this fluid time travel prediction technique is able to avert a disaster, saving everyone he loves, which is why he laughs in the end. It's something innate in young men, fulfilling a duty even if it goes unnoticed. This is much better than all the straight forward time travel films through machinery that we see.
Conclusion:
Gyllenhaal could be your childhood hero for this film, a champion for angsty brooding teenagers satisfying that dark hunger in our rebellious period in life. Lightning in the bottle, it's unclear how well this film will translate to modern audiences.
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Recommendations
Hollywood film noir doesn’t seem that high up anymore.