Rating: 
Summary: WATCH IT AT LEAST TWICE
Review: BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT GET IT THE FIRST TIME AND THEN WRITE A NEGATIVE REVIEW LIKE OTHER PEOPLE WHO DIDNT GIVE IT A CHANCE.
Rating:
Summary: Head-scratching goodness
Review: I'm not a big DVD buyer. I purchase perhaps one disc per quarter. After renting this film on a whim from an online DVD flix provider, I was floored, and spent the next day hitting four separate stores until I finally found a copy. It's that good. And I'm difficult to please, moviewise. This movie made me memorize Jake Gyllenhaal's name--including the spelling. I've since gulped down every movie he's been in, including the undeservedly maligned "Bubble Boy," and this man's range is astonishing. The film itself is aptly summarized in the rest of the glowing reviews. All I can add is that in 30 years, when Gyllenhaal's episode of Biography is in the works, this will probably be the film that's called out as the pivotal moment in his career. DD won't please all tastes. If you're inclined to love action pictures, I can't imagine you'd find much to admire here. But if you enjoy films that take risks, defy categorization, push the envelope, and risk moving way outside the mainstream, this one's a must-see.
Rating:
Summary: the ONE dvd everybody should own!
Review: this movie really IS something else. i've never seen quite anything like it and don't expect to see a movie which can compare to it in some time (talking of years here). if you like twisted movies with tragic moments you simply HAVE to buy this! and even if you don't give it a try. at least if you're into movies where it's not only about action. every friend i've showed this movie to was fascinated. it's not one of those flicks where you can lean back and "switch your brain off". donnie darko has almost everything - happy moments, sad moments, funny moments, a creepy atmosphere from time to time and an ending that's... well it's very touching and outstanding. i didn't like it when i watched DD for the first time but it really makes sense ... somehow ... if you think about it. the soundtrack is really great too and all actors in the movie seem so ... i don't know - it ... they seem pretty "real". in the audio commentary they're saying that they almost felt like kind of a real family and i think it's noticeable in the movie itself. also i had absolutely no problem identifying with donnie - actually it's one of those rare times where i felt like almost "being" there - one really seems to be able to "get into" donnie darko. a very touching movie i bet you won't forget so fast.
Rating: 
Summary: Admirable original attempt but flawed realization
Review: I did expect quite a lot more of this movie as I went through all these reviews in amazon. It definitely wasnt bad, but not thought provoking either. Though it claims to have transcended all genres, this topic was fairly bordering postmodernistic thought (for eg, darko's nihilistic imaginary pal, Frank, the caricature of the determinist, Jim Cunningham, and the meaningless destruction of donnie's room by an unknown aeriel vessel emphasizing dissociation with rootedness), and so this movie immediately springs to one's mind, masterpieces like "un chien andalou", "lost highway" or "trainspotting". However, there is very little basis for comparison as the concept was treated in a very simplistic and linear fashion. Not even vaguely stunning or fascinating. The direction was original but the pace and stylization were mediocre and the concept of time warps and worm holes was treated too simplistically. The characters didnt unfold many surprises either. The treatment of characters was like that in a Television serial with no mysterious aura around anyone else other than the protagonist and his imaginary pal, Frank. The picturization was not even vaguely aesthetically pleasing nor shocking. Regarding performances, Jake Gylenhaal definitely stood out and did an above average job with his role. And so did Drew Barrymore lending some dignified charm to her role as a school teacher intent on breaking deep seated conformistic moulds. On the whole, this movie deserves to be watched once (if you cant get a copy of any other intellectually stimulating masterpieces of lynch, kubrick, jodorovsky, etc). Wanna-be (pseudo)intellectuals who wanna impress their girls, could definitely find some use for a late nite show of this movie.
Rating:
Summary: GET THIS FLICK!
Review: This is probably one of my top three movies! Actually, it may be my favorite! It is a very symbnolic tale and if you haven't seen it yet, what is wrong with you? An amazing cast, Jake Gyllenhal, Drew Barrymore, Noah wylie, Patrick Swayze...come on now! I wont say more becuase the other reviews have covered it well, but GET THIS FLICK!!!
Rating: 
Summary: frank the bunny is a hottie!
Review: so i saw this movie with my boyfriend. first of all, it creeped me out, but was also one of the better movies i have seen in a while. definatley different from a lot of movies that come out lately. of course, try explaining why the movie was so scary to your friends.. "yeah, this guy dressed up in a bunny suit was really scary.." the kind of movie you need to see to understand in my opinion. and then see again for maximum understanding. i still don't get parts of it! so yeah.. i would recommend it to people who like dark humor.
Rating:
Summary: The New Era of Genres
Review: The public is getting sick of hollywood. Times are changing, movie plots seem to repeat themselves more then those awful songs on the radio. Innovative directors (like Richard Kelly) are commitied to bringing art based movies to life. That is exactly what Donnie Darko penetrates...the risky chance of creating a new type of movie.
In the DVD itself, the director points out that this film, while having a structure and definate ending, is certainly open for personal interpretation. Similar to a conceptual painting, viewing this movie takes an incredible amount of intimate focus. The plot is not served on a silver plate like most movies. One must concentrate, evaluate, love, trust, and solve the many mysteries of the characters and goals. Truely unique, you slowly start to comprehend Donnie and his situation (i liked the comparisons to "catcher in the rye"). The ambitious mix of genres is just a desperate way to try and define this conceptual drama. Those who rated it poorly did so because the film insulted their intelligence. And it will insult your intelligence, too.
I gave this film 4 stars simply because while it is undeniably original, it certainly wasn't a masterpiece. There are many issues that needed to be cleaned up (continuity, some acting (jake however was amazing), cutting VERY IMPORTANT SCENES). I hope to see this new generation of film making in the future. It has given me faith that the enertainment industry of this disgustingly capitalistic society still might have a chance. Maybe my generation will actually be encouraged to think. As a senior in highschool i will hope to show this film to as many friends as possible. You should do the same...
Rating:
Summary: An amazing film!
Review: Having missed seeing this film in the theatre because of 20th Century Fox's terrible advertising campaign, I decided to rent it on DVD. After my first viewing, I didn't know what I had seen but I knew I liked it. So I watched it again. I have to say that I think this one amazing, powerful little film. While I did not get every clue as to what was going on, I understood enough to see how clever this movie and story is. Basically this film is about a corruption in the timeline ... where an object from the future gets transported into the past ... and the need for reality to "fix" itself before everything collapses by manipulating characters directly and indirectly ... shaping reality so that the events that cause the tangental universe to occur actually happen ... plugging the hole, so to speak. Now I realized, for the most part, what was going on ... but I have many friends who did/do not. This is a very obscure movie ... where you have to figure out what is going on as the characters are doing so ... some clues are obvious ... others not. Regardless, I would recommend reading the book "The Philosophy of Time Travel" which can be found on www.donniedarko.com or at www.tonystuff.co.uk/darko-time.htm ... additionally this second site has a synopsis that explains what is going on in this film. Read this information and then watch the film again ... you will see that everything makes sense ... everything seen or said has a purpose (in terms of fixing the tangental universe) ... I just wish that this film had been given a better chance in the theatre ... thank god for DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Very good, very twilight zone, and a bit sad.
Review: I finally got my hands on this film after reading all the reviews here. It certainly is very well-made, and quite original.
I think some people are going over the top in their comments though. I mean this could've also been an extended TWILIGHT ZONE or OUTER LIMITS episode. That being said, it does draw you in with it's moody, matter of fact storytelling. The acting is fantastic. Oddly, this film does parallel with the style of AMERICAN BEAUTY as everything seems hyperreal, and the actors make you believe you're almost watching a documentary of a story that just happened in some neighborhood even when it's being somewhat sarcastic or purposely strange with the dialogue. Definitely includes great 80's song choices, and a beautiful score. I can't wait to see what the writer/director will follow this up with. Still, I'm only giving it 4 stars because I felt some of the quirkiness, and jumbled style is unsubstantiated. I couldn't help feeling as if something was missing overall. Perhaps the answers lie in the deleted scenes? I guarantee the film raises more questions than it answers, so it won't appeal to action fans or those who prefer a tidy ending. Otherwise if you like films that leave you wondering about things in general afterwards, this comes highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Why is a movie like this so hard to make?
Review: if the several hundred reviews before this don't convince you that this is a remarkable movie, then I don't know what will. This is incredible, smart filmmaking. A hodgepodge of genres, it leaves you unable to verbalize your feelings about the full spectrum of sensory stimulation that you just sat through...add the fact that it didnt even MAKE it to most theaters, and you begin to get very cynical about the way Hollywood makes movies these days. Folks, this is worth 10 times what it costs. Buy it, and buy a back up copy for when you wear out your first one.
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