my favourite movie of all time

Rating: 10/10 (15 March 2003)

When the IMDb registration system asked me what my favourite movie was, I hesitated for a moment then decided to go with what came into my mind first - Donnie Darko. As a film, I give it 9 out of 10, because there are plenty of little flaws dotted throughout the film, and because I find it impossible to bestow the title of perfection on any film (or anything).
However, as a movie-going experience, Donnie Darko is exactly the kind of film I always hope for. I could go on for some time about its cleverness, its humour, its shocking moments, its acting etc etc etc... but what mattered most for me about this film was that I was transported out of the movie theatre and into a different world. Almost every character, in particular the members of the Darko family, was so perfectly realised that I couldn't help but constantly identify with the acts I was seeing.
This is what happens when the magic of film really hits you. For me, it is the characterisation in a film that determines the effect it has upon me (with a few notable exceptions, such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, where the special effects are the driving force). I walked out of Donnie Darko and into the light of the real world feeling confused and disoriented, wishing I could have spent more time in that alternate universe, but with a different outlook on the universe I was returning to.
Kudos to Richard Kelly and his many associates who were able to create a world which seemed to be made especially for me. And it wasn't just me either - there are plenty people I've spoken to who felt a similar way. If you don't like this film, then fair enough, it's certainly not for everyone. I'd like to hope, though, that as many people as possible can gain as much from it as I did.