Donnie Darko

Is it bad to say I've seen weirder?

I've heard very few, like count on one hand few, opinions on this film and I really just caught it on television and decided to watch it. I very much liked it, and from the few views I have heard all accounts point to a very strange, very weird movie. However, I wasn't that phased by it. I've seen films that disturb me more, I've seen films that make me question a lot more, I've certainly seen films that befuddle the ever living shit out of me, but this isn't one. The story follows a young teen named Donnie who has psychological issues and is told very bluntly by his imaginary friend that the world will end in 28 days, and we mainly follow his regular day to day activities with time jumps and even a countdown timer. He doesn't necessarily believe it but things keep happening that are more than just coincidences. I got to say this is the most laid back and enjoyable armageddon movie I've ever seen. The cast very much is what centers the film, I know some people give Jake Gyllenhall good grief but he was mighty damn good in this movie and is the best performance I've seen him in. Jena Malone does very good work though the romance could be said to be rushed, in this movie I really couldn't complain. Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze pop up in supporting roles which is great, and you know without Drew this film would not have hit theaters at all so my thanks goes to her for helping fund this movie. This might be sort of an odd comparison but I got Blue Velvet vibes from time to time throughout the film, mainly the opening but it felt sort of David Lynch which by the by is no bad thing in my book. The comedy is sparse but very distinct and actually did get a laugh out of me, the more dramatic parts are executed well enough, the proper odd stuff doesn't feel slapped on but incorporated throughout, it's a decently made movie. Now I'm not one to delve deep into meanings of movies, there are far more intelligent people who can voice their opinions superbly, so most of the time I look at it on face value. The ending was certainly different, and had great mood to it thanks to the soundtrack (PS. The soundtrack is actually amazing.), but even I couldn't help but think something still lingered in the character's minds right before the credits roll. You'll know what I mean when you see it. So I didn't try to divulge some deeper meaning behind it all, I can appreciate that kind of work but that doesn't necessarily mean I do it a lot. If I feel there is something there, I dig. But I still had a good time with it regardless, I'd very easily give it 4 stars, a solid 8/10, you should see it at least once before the end just to have your own opinion.

Doctor Who: Series 5

Oh memory lane here we come.

I think I finally remembered how I was introduced to the show, how it all started. I kept seeing adverts for the new episodes of Doctor Who, and they were late adverts too, nearing the end of this series. But nevertheless I was intrigued and maybe caught a bit of an episode though I can't remember which, and I started watching the marathons while this series was still going on. And yet I feel Matt is my Doctor, and in a way it's true, I remember watching his series one after the other, there on my sofa at 8:00 for every new episode! And honestly after all this time I still love this series and every episode is well done and should be watched. So, new Doctor, new companion, new opening, new everything! After a rather aggressive regeneration our new Doctor crashes into a young girl's garden and discovers a visible crack in the universe, and through a severely wounded Tardis he comes back over a decade later with the young girl grown up and so they travel amongst the stars on adventures and try to discern the cause for the cracks in the very universe itself. I think now that writing has shifted from Russell T. Davies to Steven Moffat, you'll notice a new storytelling aspect, Davies dropped hints here and there about the ultimate endgame for the series finale but Moffat centers the series around a conflict and the resolution of the conflict by the series finale. More of I guess a modern take where there's a huge event which is the result of a master plan that must be unfurled by our hero, and it's not bad at all because it causes speculation, theorizing, and something extra to provide the show beyond the elements we already love. I'm fine with that, and the adventures are so varied in time and setting and situation it never gets dull or predictable. Granted it slightly bites the show in the rear later on with the expanding mysteries, but for now it works. And I know so many people who just quit after David left, and I feel that to be such a shame cause Matt's first series is a damn good one! I love Matt to the moon and back for his potrayal of The Doctor, more fun and energetic like a child but still holds great wisdom and spirit. Which makes sense cause Matt is the youngest actor to play our favorite Time Lord since Peter Davison, and he is adorable sometimes! He really can play that full gambit from cute and fun to serious and dramatic and everything in between, I just love him. We have another ginger companion, this time so scottish it would almost put Jamie to shame and Karen Gillan is a dream, I adore her so but I feel her character is just a bit off. It starts out as adventures with friends and then out of nowhere she just wants to snog him. Hwhat?? I take such a grievance with this new companion viewpoint, can't companions just be friends with The Doctor and they both care about each other greatly and leave it at that? You don't need this bullshit romance, it will never happen so why even try? Just cease and desist! Aside from those quite frankly kind of uncomfortable character slips, I love her! Though her boyfriend is a tiny bit of a whiner, does this show just hate male companions? Captain Jack at least was game, I mean he did try to hop in bed with everything but you can't deny his likeability! Rory gets better though about halfway through the series, so I can't complain much there. River comes back and Alex Kingston...she is absolutely smashing in this series, in the acting sense and the looks sense, this woman is amazing and I fully ship her and Matt's Doctor hardcore, bit cougar-ish I know but they're cute dammit! Oh God, I'm rambling. Gotta get back on track. All the episodes are really good, we get the Daleks back with some rad new designs, the Silurians return not seen since the 80s if memory recalls with sleek new designs, an interesting return for the Weeping Angels, and much much more. Best episode hands down, Vincent And The Doctor. God dang it, that ending is still too much for me, it was already a very good episode but the ending just made it excellent. Just thinking about it now makes me want to weep, just flat out ugly cry because it touched my heart deep in the feels and I will never recover! Also The Lodger gets massive brownie points because it is so funny, and such a different episode but so so very welcomed in my eyes. Though I will freely admit I wish they just dropped a flippin' bomb on the audience for the finale, now I won't spoil it but for those of you who know it well and for those who will see it just remember these thoughts: Could you imagine if there was no second part to the finale? It just ended right there and you had to wait until the next entire series for a resolution. Oh my God. It would be talked about for years to come, people would be blowing up message boards and fan sites throwing theory after theory out, think The Reichenbach Fall but with Doctor Who. Maybe that's where Steven got the idea. I mean it gets dark and looks pretty much hopeless, Doctor Who rarely ever gets the chance to just stun the world into silence with an ending. The only time that really happened was Earthshock, in more ways than one, that ending.....you could hear a pin drop at the end of that. People still talk about it, and for good reason, it did the unthinkable in a groundbreaking and incredible way. We need more of that! If we didn't even have music over the credits, just text crawl on pitch black background it would have been a big moment. Not complaining but come on, you have to give me a bit of credit! But anyway, awesome new everything, fully recommend it, Matt will always be nearest and dearest to my heart and we have quite a bit of time with him yet.

Next series, get ready for another real bomb this time.