Amazing movie, but go for the Director's Cut

Rating: 8/10 (5 October 2011)

As a HUGE movie guy who takes pride in unique, yet quality taste, I was almost disappointed that this movie ended up being in my top 5 of ALL TIME. Maybe even top 3. But I suppose it was a lesson in judging a movie by its following. True, though many DD fans are confused teens who listen to too much Insane Clown Posse and frequent Hot Topics, this movie is actually great. Really. I must've watched this movie over 20 times by the end of my second week with it. The story is just fantastic, the casting was excellent, and the score/soundtrack is flawless. Without bringing up all the things I have to say about this movie and muddling up the review, I WILL say that this movie, when interpreted correctly (sorry Hot Topic fans, this movie is NOT just about a kid with schizophrenia. That completely destroys the potential magnitude of this film), can lead to hours and hours of discussion. I talked for weeks about this movie, and my friend (who loaned it to me) and I had conversations that took us to very profound places...
You can tell a movie is great when it changed something about your personality. Just like seeing Batman for the first time as a kid had me running around in a batman costume for over two years of my life, this movie has changed me. Which if you think about it, is the greatest thing art can do, right? I compare Donnie Darko to Casablanca, in the sense that it was a movie that is too good to have come from the conditions it was made under.
By now it may not be clear why this is ranked a 7 out of 10, because I liked the movie so goddamn much. This is because I am talking about the Director's Cut only. The Director's Cut is flawless, except for one or two things I might have done differently, but these things are trivial. The theatrical version for me left a lot to be desired, and had a few bad notes in it that killed the mood for me. I know a lot of people firmly prefer the theatrical, but if you were to see the Director's Cut, you would know that it is everything the original was meant to be and so much more. Richard Kelly says it himself on most of the commentary over deleted scenes in the theatrical release. A lot of these scenes he considered (rightly so) to be very important to the film as a whole, but was forced to cut it due to the constraining time limit at Sundance (I think he had to cut 20-30 minutes in total, I can't recall now). Trust me when I say that the scenes cut REALLY enhance the experience, and I'm thinking of one in particular that made the movie for me. Also, Kelly adds a lot. Remember that the Director's Cut was made in 04, giving Kelly a lot of time to mull over what he really wanted his masterpiece to SAY. A lot of great effects are added that give it more of an art house film vibe. It truly is amazing, and though I understand the sentiments to the original (I don't like the remastered Star Wars just as much as everyone else), in the end it's a better movie. Really. But the theatrical I would rate at about a 7.
But anyway, this movie's good, and if you're weary of it: it's not as weird as your goth friends say it is. It's just original. And they're kinda dumb.