Southland Tales
Tags: comedy, boring, neo noir, murder, stupid, allegory, cult, alternate reality, violence, flashback, absurd, psychedelic, satire, alternate history, sci-fi

Plot synopsis:
PrologueThe film begins with home-video footage of July 4th 2005 celebrations in Abilene, Texas. All of a sudden, a huge bang is heard and a mushroom cloud appears in the sky.A narration begins to say that after the detonations of two nuclear weapons in Texas that America went into chaos and a new World War III had begun between Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria and North Korea. Because of this, oil was in short supply so the government looked to alternative fuel sources.
The Patriot Act is upgraded so much that you need a visa to cross from one state into the next. Extremist and rebellious groups begin appearing, the most known is the Neo-Marxists to run out of Venice Beach in L.A. The narrator begins talking about the upcoming election between Clinton/Lieberman and Elliot/Frost and it basically all depends on the votes in California. On June 27th, 2008, Boxer Santaros (Dwayne Johnson) was kidnapped and abandoned in the Nevada desert but the government know that he is back in California but they don't know how.The film fades up on the Santa Monica beach at dawn; Boxer is lying on the sand and awakens. The camera then shows the narrator, Pilot Abilene (Justin Timberlake), an Iraqi War vet who was scarred by a friendly-fire incident. He is sitting at a turret on the Santa Monica pier, and is reading from the Book of Revelations. Pilot introduces himself through voiceover and says that he will tell the story of Boxer Santaros and the journey down the road not taken and then says This is the Way the World Ends...Not with a Whimper-With a Bang. The camera pulls back and reveals a bank of monitors showing various TV footage.The title then appears on the screen...IVTemptation WaitsVarious protestors are standing outside of a public building. The narrator begins to talk about US-IDENT-an agency that was set up by the Republican Party to regulate over cyberspace and CCTV. US-IDENT is run by a woman named Nana Mae Frost (Miranda Richardson) (wife of Texas senator Bobby Frost) (Holmes Osbourne)The film then cuts to Boxer, standing in front of a mirror, the narrator says that Boxer suffers from amnesia and says that he has been manipulated by Krysta Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar), an ex-porn star, who has also convinced him that they have both written a script called The Power. They are both lying in bed watching the film Kiss Me Deadly.The narrator begins to talk once more about Americas quest for alternate fuels and tells of a German scientist named Baron von Westphalen (Wallace Shawn) who created a machine in the ocean that would essentially create a field of wireless electricity called Fluid Karma.Cut to: A man named Fortunio Balducci (Will Sasso) watching TV and flicking through the channels until he finds a show called Now-a talk-show that features Krysta Now and her group of fellow porn-stars where they talk about abortion, terrorism, crime, poverty, social reform, quantum teleportation, teen horniness and war. They begin to talk about why Krysta wont do anal. Krysta walks up the stairs of Fortunios home and Fortunio jokes that with her that great social changes are impossible without feminine commotion. Krysta tells him that deep down, everyone wishes that they were a porn star because she believes America is a bi-sexual nation living in denial...all because of a bunch of nerds-a bunch of nerds who got off a boat in the 15th century and decided that sex was something to be ashamed of-all the pilgrims did was ruin the American Indian orgy of freedom.Then Boxer walks into the room and asks Krysta whether or not she has been lying to him about everything. She tells him that she is protecting him.Later, Krysta goes to a diner and meets with a porn director/Neo-Marxist member named Cyndi Pinziki. Krysta begins talking about how at first she was known as just Krysta but changed her name to Krysta Now! to differentiate herself from the 76 other Krystas in the porn industry. Krysta then begins to talk about her career reinvention with the launch of her new talk show, pop album, clothing and perfume line, an energy drink and a jewelery line. Krysta then asks her if she can keep a secret and reveals that she is sleeping with a very large and important manAt US-IDENT, the head of the organization, Nana Mae Frost is searching for her son-in-law, Boxer. Boxer is married to her daughter, Madeline Frost-Santaros (Mandy Moore). Boxer has been declared missing for several days, but they know that he was in Nevada and that he is back in California. They believe that Boxer was kidnapped at a charity event in a stolen SUV prototype which was tracked to Lake Mead. They also believe that the person behind the kidnapping was involved in the Neo-Marxist group. The car was set on fire and that there were two people inside the car.Pilot starts narrating about the Neo-Marxists and what they stood for Destroy Capitalism, Dethrone God. We cut to Cyndi and another woman named Teri Riley who are doing surveillance on Fortunios house (where Boxer and Krysta are in hiding). Apparently Krysta tipped them off (which is why she was at the diner talking with Cyndi) and that she has promised a marriage AND election killer. They then watch as Krysta and Boxer stand on the balcony of Fortunios home.Revelations 6:8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death...Cut to: Another Neo-Marxist member named Zora Carmichaels and a gun-runner named Walter Mung standing inside of an ice cream truck, which has been retrofitted for holding guns which he sells from the truck. Zora is there to buy some blanks from him but her eye catches a rocket launcher behind him. She gives him a check which he wont accept and calls her a Cro-Magnon bitch. She then grabs his neck and pushes him to the floor. She storms off with the blanks.The scene then shifts to a TV reporter talking with the committee behind Treer Products, who asks them about the usage of Fluid Karma as a drug (According to a scroll at the bottom of the screen-Pilot Abilene released a statement saying that he was involved in a military drug test when he was stationed in Iraq). The camera turns around on Dion and Dream (the leaders of the Neo-Marxists) (Wood Harris and Amy Poehler) and Zora at the Neo-Marxist HQ where they are watching the report. Officer Ronald Taverner (Seann William Scott) is inside the bathroom staring at a big mirror where his reflection seems to be delayed by 2-3 seconds.Pilot introduces him and then says that Ronald is a pawn for the Neo-Marxists who will be used to destroy the Republican Partys chances of winning the state of Florida and also to destroy US-IDENT. He is also suffering from amnesia, like Boxer. Dion and Dream have blood-packs taped to their clothes. Zora goes to the bathroom door and reminds Ronald that he kidnapped an L.A.P.D. officer, which is against the law and that she needs him to help her. Ronald pulls a gun on his own head and then shoots the floor. Ronald then walks out of the bathroom to Dion, Dream and Zora and asks them to promise that no one will get hurt. Ronald walks out and the camera whips around to an unconscious Ronald tied up in a chair (the Ronald that is tied up is his twin brother-Roland)Ronald is outside Fortunios house looking out at the Santa Monica beach. Pilot is still at his turret and recognises Ronald. He narrates by saying that Ronalds mission was to impersonate his twin brother who is an L.A.P.D. cop himself). Fortunio walks outside and invites him in.Boxer and Krysta are upstairs and they begin pitching a movie to Ronald. The movie is an epic Los Angeles crime saga. Ronald can assume that Boxer is playing a cop and that hell want a ride along. Boxer says yes and tells him that its a film that takes place in the near-future (Krysta chimes in by saying that scientists predict that the future is going to be far more futuristic than they originally predicted) and that he plays a paranoid schizophrenic police officer named Jericho Kane-who can see things. One day he senses a change in L.A.-crime skyrockets for no apparent reason and the apocalypse is occurring-but his character is the only one who knows why the Earths rotation is slowing down at .00000006 miles per hour each day and its disrupting the chemical equilibrium in the human brain which cause erratic criminal behaviour.Ronald isnt exactly thrilled by the pitch but asks how Boxers character stops it. Boxer says that he cant stop what cant be stopped and that only God can do so. Boxer says that his character is killed at the end in a shootout in downtown L.A. while he is whispering the truth to Dr. Muriel Fox (a character who will be played by Krysta Now)Boxer and Ronald are on the ride-along, where Boxer has a camcorder and is asking Roland a bunch of questions. He asks how he feels when hes behind the wheel of a car as a police officer and how he perceives the world. Ronald says that he believes they act like concerned citizen. Ronald then says to Boxer to be honest with you-we have to look out for the n*****s. Boxer believes him to be serious but it turns out he was joking with Boxer (The Neo Marxists had Ronald intentionally say that to make him seem to be a racist cop).Dion and Dream (who are listening in on the car conversation) are pleased that he has said n****r. Dream tells him over a microphone to ask Boxer about his wife. Ronald does so and asks how she feels that is having an affair with a porn star. Boxer doesn't know what he is talking about and says that he isn't married and tells Ronald to stop asking questions (Because Boxer suffers from amnesia, he doesn't know he is married to Madeline Frost-Santaros and this is the first time she is made reference to him). Ronald then asks what Boxers movie really is about. He knows there is something that Boxer wont say. Boxer then says that it all hinges on a top secret experiment a young couple come home from the hospital with a newborn baby but the baby has not yet produced a bowel movement in a week and Boxer then says that the baby is special and that it processes energy differently. Ronald is weirded out by this because he then confesses to Boxer that he has not made a bowel movement in six days.Revelation 11
Two witnesses appear in Jerusalem to speak out against the sins of mankind. They are eventually killed by those who are tormented by their prophecies.Dion and Dream are arguing about Ronald's inability to produce a bowel movement. Dion believes that it is wrong because its going against Mother Nature whilst Dream believes that its not written in the Bible that you have to produce a bowel movement. They then stop arguing because they know they'll never get to a right answer and they are waiting impatiently for a man named Kenny Chan to arrive. Kenny then arrives and they tell him that he is really late. Dion and Dream go to leave but before they do, they tell Kenny that if Ronalds twin brother-Roland wakes up, inject him with the needle left beside him (it is fill off Fluid Karma).Pilot narrates by saying that Kenny works at US-IDENT and that the Neo-Marxists recruited him to infiltrate it as a mole. Kenny is seen talking to Starla Von Luft (a fellow employee at US-IDENT) for his coat back. She had it bugged so that she can track him.A TV news broadcast says that US-IDENT have unraveled a plot by Neo-Marxists to rig the US election by using severed thumbs. Bobby Frost, Vaughn Smallhouse (John Larroquette) (Frosts Hollywood Aide) and Brandt Huntington (Frost's assistant) are watching this report on a laptop. Bobby picks up a CD at the laptop-its Krystas CD entitled Teen Horniness Is Not a Crime and are e-mailed a video file of Boxer and Krysta kissing on Fortunio's balcony. The e-mail was sent from a group called Deep Throat 2.They cant trace the e-mail but immediately, they get a phone call from Deep Throat 2-Its Cyndi, Teri and Krysta. They tells them that they have a tape of Boxer Santaros in compromising positions-they'll give them the tape in exchange for $1 million in cash and a Yes vote on Proposition 69. Bobby threatens them and he hangs up on them. Cyndi and Teri remain calm and tell Krysta that there is always Phase Two. Krysta wasnt aware of a Phase Two but they tell her to be quiet and leave it to them.Back at US-IDENT, Nana Mae Frost is watching Krystas show Now!- one of the women on the show ask about if you are on a flight from London to L.A. and you have sex on the flight, then takes the morning after pill-while traveling over the time zone-then it becomes the morning before pill.Pilot narrates about what Phase Two was...Dream and Dion were going to stage a domestic disturbance that Ronald would investigate along with Boxer and fake their deaths. In an abandoned house, Dion and Dream are dressed as a newly-wed couple and are getting prosthetics applied on their face by another member of the Neo-Marxist group named Bing Zinneman. Zora is also there, playing around on rollerblades. Zora doesn't see the point of them wearing prosthetics, but Dream says that the two of them are cultural icons and that they cannot be recognized.Back at US-IDENT, Starla traces Kenny's whereabouts to an abandoned building in downtown L.A. (The Neo-Marxist HQ). Kenny is on the phone to a female telling her about how some password should work. Nana Mae Frost is tapped into the conversation and when she hears Kenny saying Nana Mae Frost can go eat a fucking dick-she orders in the police to raid the building. They go in and kill two Neo Marxist members (one of which is Hostel director Eli Roth in a blink-and-youll-miss cameo) before they make their way to Kenny upstairs. Kenny hears the shots and runs to Roland and tries to wake him and when he does, Roland sees everything distorted and quasi-animated (similar to A Scanner Darkly). Ronald says Where Is He? Promise Me Youll Find Him. Kenny tells Roland that there is a window that leads to the roof and he should escape. Roland gets out in time while Kenny is gunned down. Once Roland gets to the top of the roof, he jumps off and lands inside of a dumpster.At a diner at Santa Monica Beach, Ronald and Boxer are having lunch and discussing the film. Ronald tells Boxer that he is having a recurring dream where he wakes up in a maze of sand and when he is walking inside the maze, he finds a light source and there is a person waiting there for him Boxer. Boxer then asks him does he ever feel like there is a thousand people locked inside our yourself. Ronald says sometimes. Boxer then adds that its your memory that keeps them glued together and from breaking out and fighting one another a memory gospel (a reference to a song from Moby). Ronald sees two men (one with a Mohawk his cousin Jimmy Hermosa, and his uncle Tab Taverner) and they signal Ronald to go over to them. When he leaves, Boxer notices an Asian women smoking a cigarette who is staring at him her name is Serpentine (Bai Ling). Ronald turns around to Boxer and looks at him very suspiciously. Boxer then gets up from the table and follows Serpentine into a bookstore called Small World Books.He then finds her with Inga Von Westphalen (mother of Baron) and a midget named Dr. Katarina Kuntzler. Inga tells Boxer that no matter what happens next, its not Boxers fault and then Dr Kuntzler says that they have read his script. Boxer takes the script off of her and asks how they got a copy. Serpentine just says Dont look so scared, Mr. Santaros-the future is just like you imagined. Inga says This Is the Way The World Ends...Not With A Whimper, With a Bang)...VMemory GospelAt US-IDENT, Starla is on toilet duty (basically shes watching hours upon hours of footage of people at LAX excreting. Pilot starts narrating-Starla has downloaded a copy of Boxers screenplay from Krystas website and she is obsessed with Boxer. Upon reading the script, she apparently had a spiritual transformation-she assumed the role of Dr. Muriel Fox and that only she could help Boxer.On the ride-along, Zora radios in a disturbance to Ronald, which he bring Boxer along to investigate. At the house, Dream and Dion (now in their wedding attire and prosthetics) begin to faux-fight with each other (a pretty hilarious scene where Dion accuses Dream of sleeping with another man to which she says yes).Ronald and Boxer pull up to the house, when another police car pulls up beside them. The officer driving is named Bart Bookman (Jon Lovitz). Bart can hear Dream and Dions yelling and offers his assistance. Ronald says no, but Bart doesnt take no for an answer. The approach to the house is very foggy, which Bart explains is caused by Treers tidal generator. Boxer (videoing the entire pursuit to the house) is with them.Dream and Dion see Bart with Boxer and Ronald-they know something is wrong as this wasnt part of the plan. Dream then says a spoken word poem to Bart, which insults him to he kills Dream and Dion. Boxer and Ronald are in total shock. Boxer tells Bart that the two were not armed, so Bart takes Boxers camera and points it at Boxer and tells him to leave. Boxer then runs off along with Ronald. Pilot narrates that the plan should have been perfect a staged double homicide, by a racist cop, and filmed by a Hollywood movie star with political ties, but no one could expect the arrival of Bart. Zora and Bing run away from their hideout on their rollerblades.Boxer and Ronald then run away from each other in opposite directions. Ronald makes it back to his car, where drives off into the distance. Boxer runs as far as he can and he then receives a phone call on his cell phone. He is still shaken from the incident so it takes him some time to find his phone. Once he does, he answers it. Its Starla. She asks if he is Jericho Kane (the character he is playing in his script). She introduces herself as Dr. Muriel Fox and tells him that she has uncovered a secret document about the tidal generator and that Jericho was right in that a space-time rift was created in the Nevada desert near Lake Mead. She says that she cannot say anymore because they are listening and tells him to call her back on her number which she gives. She actually gives him Vaughn Smallhouses cell phone number. So he hangs up and calls the number.A commercial appears for Treer and their new Fluid Karma powered SUV on a TV screen. The commercial starts in a suburban neighbourhood with two Treer SUVs. One of the drives behind the other and drives up it and then a penis shaped exhaust appears from the SUV on top and it inserts itself into a vagina-shaped exhaust and begins fucking-doggy style. Once the commercial ends, there is a round of applause for Baron Von Westphalen. They are inside of Bobby Frosts home, where Madeline is watching the commercial. There seems to be a party going on inside of the house to celebrate the release of this SUV. Madeline is opposed to the idea of the Republican Party associating themselves with the likes of Baron. Vaughns cell phone begins to ring and he answers it. Its Boxer, who claims to be Jericho Kane, thinking that he is talking to Starla. Vaughn recognises Boxers voice and tells him to go to the Baja Cantina in Venice, and there will be a car waiting for him there.Pilot is still sitting at his mount at the Santa Monica Pier and is looking through his sniper scope at the people on the beach. At the Deep Throat 2 HQ, Teri, Cyndi and Krysta are there and they are searching for Boxer through his manager (who happens to be Vaughn). Boxer is picked up at the Baja Cantina and is brought to Bobby Frosts home. At US-IDENT, Nana Mae Frost is looking at forensic footage of Dion and Dreams bodies. She seems pleased to see that two of her enemies are destroyed.Inside Ronalds police car, Ronald, Zora and Bing are contemplating what just happened. Ronald knows that they are dead but Zora is trying to convince Ronald that the shots were just squibs. Ronald believes that they are all lying to him. Bing asks them if he can leave and go home, which Zora allows. When Bing leaves, Zora injects Ronald in the neck and throws him out onto the street and she drives off. She then runs over Bing (who knows too much at this point) which kills him.Revelation 22
It will never be night again and they will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will be shining on them. They will reign forever and ever...Roland is still inside of the dumpster. He looks at his hand where a beam of light appears. He then jumps out of the dumpster and runs down the street. He sees an ice cream truck and runs to it, the driver is Walter Mung the arms dealer. He asks if he can use his phone which Walter does. When Roland dials the number he turns around and sees Walter pointing a gun in his face. Walther then injects him in the neck and throws him inside of the van.Boxer arrives at Frosts home and is escorted inside...Revelation 12 and 13
A pregnant woman, a dragon and two beasts They are the puppets of the Anti-ChristBoxer is then led into a room where Madeline, Booby, Vaughn and Brandt are waiting. Madeline sarcastically says What-Have you got amnesia?...Boxer replies yes. Boxer then realises that Madeline is his wife. Vaughn then hugs Boxer and tells him that he is so happy hes alive.Back at the raided Neo-Marxist HQ, Zora is talking with Bart Bookman. She asks does he have the tape of the murders, which he then gives to her. He asks when hell get paid and tells her that the tape better not get leaked on to the internet. Zora assures him that it wont and that they are going to be paid a lot of money to destroy it.At US-IDENT, Nana Mae Frost is watching Krystas music video on a monitor entitled Teen Horniness Is Not a Crime-it compromises of her and her friends dancing on a beach. Then it shows Madeline looking at a DVD cover with Krysta on it entitled CockChuggers 2: Cockchuggin-she has someone go look for her and to bring her to the house immediately.The Frosts try explaining to Boxer who he really is, they tell him that they believe the Neo-Marxists kidnapped and brainwashed him. Krysta is brought inside the room where she is insulted by Madeline but Boxer steps him and defends her by saying that she just cut her own pop album, developing her own reality show, jewellery, clothing and perfume line and an energy drink. Madeline cant believe her ears-she is convinced that she has set him up and asks if there is video footage of the two of you together. Boxer says no, but Krysta says there is. Vaughn assumes that Krysta wants $1 million and a Yes vote on Proposition 69 (He naturally assumes that she is Deep Throat 2-to which she replies No, Im not in that movie).Madeline tries reasoning with her father and tells him that if the tape is leaked, the election is over but Bobby says no, claiming that he does not negotiate with terrorists. Brandt agrees with Madeline and advises Bobby to comply. Madeline tells her father to take the money from Boxers account. She then tells Boxer that she is pregnant and that he is the father. Vaughn asks Krysta did anyone put her up to this. She says yes and that it was Baron who paid her to bring him back from Nevada into California. Madeline believes Krysta because she believes that Baron is funding the Neo-Marxists. Baron is insulted and then reveals that Boxer is not the father of her child, Brandt is.Boxer then leaves the house and is waiting for his valet to arrive with his car. He sees Krysta who tells him I Love You, Jericho Kane. She then drives off, leaving the estate. Boxers phone begins to ring, he answers it. Its Starla who is still pretending to be Dr. Muriel Fox, she asks to meet her at the Santa Monica Pier tomorrow. She then hangs up. He turns around and looks back inside the house where he sees Dr. Kuntzler who says: We Saw the Shadows of the Morning Light, The Shadows of the Evening Sun, Until the Shadows and Light Were One. Boxers car arrives and he drives off.Baron is on his phone and he says into the receiver This is the Wizard, remove the body from Utopia Three. We cut to who he was speaking with on the phone, a wheel-chair bound scientist named Simon Theory. He says to himself So It Begins...Pilot begins narrating once again. He says that Baron was conducting experiments on soldiers in Iraq by injecting them with Fluid Karma. He was a part of this experiment and was one of a few so lived through the experiment. Pilot says that Barons quest for world domination was almost complete and that negotiations with Hideo Takehashi (Prime Minister of Japan) have finished. Hideo was going to have one of his fingers cut off in return, Japan will have access to Fluid Karma. Serpentine holds a hatchet toward his finger, she swings down and cuts off his whole hand. Baron states that Hideos lawyers should have read the contract in detail, which states that there is a 6 inch margin of error.Walter Mung is driving his ice-cream truck through downtown L.A., where Roland is unconscious in the back. A TV broadcast says that there is record-breaking heat waves occurring all over the Southland.At Arcade Fire (a bar/arcade for soldiers), Martin Kefauver (Lou Pucci) arrives inside and is stopped by two soldiers who tell him not to waste their time. They let him by where he meets with Pilot. Martin is selling him medicinal marijuana. While Pilot examines the marijuana, Martin tells him that he is a big fan of his movies and also lets slip that his father is Pilots plastic surgeon. Pilot then recognises Martin and tells him to tell his father that hell give him a call soon. Pilot then wants to get back down to business and tells Martin of Fluid Karma and how he has been smuggling it from the generator Utopia Three. He shows him the needle used to administer Fluid Karma, it needs to be injected into the neck, he claims the experience is like talking to God, without seeing Him-you hear His voice and see his disciples-their like angels...angels that can see through time. Pilot injects himself in the neck. Martin then leaves Arcade Fire and shortly afterwards, Pilot collapses to the ground.When he wakes, hes standing and staring into the camera, drinking a can of Budweiser, wearing a blood-soaked t-shirt. The song All These Things I Have Done by The Killers begins playing. Pilot is lip-syncing the song to the audience, walking around Arcade Fire in a drunken daze. All of a sudden, eight women dressed as nurses are lying down on skeeball tables and dancing. The nurses are all dancing around him as he continues to sing to the camera. Towards the end of the song, he pours all of his can over his head and begins to stare into the camera...the dream ends.Pilot begins narrating that his face still haunts Ronalds dreams. In an alleyway, Ronald wakes up from his sleep. He gets up from the pavement and runs down the alley....VIWave Of MutilationAt US-IDENT, each employee, led by Nana Mae, are doing aerobic/yoga exercises from their cubicles. Pilot narrates saying that for billions of years, the daily cycles of the ocean tides have influenced patterns of hunting, breathing and feeding behaviour among the developing life forms of our planet. A TV reporter is talking about the excitement of the unveiling of a Mega-Zeppelin named Jenny Von Westphalen-its docking area is right beside the Staples Centre and is over 900 foot long.At Zoras apartment, Krysta arrives at her door and Zora asks what she wants. Krysta tells her that she is boarding the Mega Zeppelin that night and that she needs some drugs. Zora leaves the room for a few moments, when Krysta spots a tape lying on a chair entitled BOXER. Pilot says that Pandoras Box is exposed to prying eyes. She thinks its the sex tape of herself and Boxer so she steals it.She then meets with Shoshanna outside of Zoras apartment and tells her that she has the tape. Shoshanna asks why she has the tape and Krysta tells her that she wants to go public with it, effectively destroying the Republicans chances of winning the election. Shoshanna tells her about a website that Krysta could broadcast it on called USIDeath-a Neo-Marxist website that is running without USIDENT authorisation. Shoshanna tells her that she can just leave it in a dropbox.Krysta and Shoshanna walk by a black SUV, inside the SUV is Martin Kefauver, reading a short letter. He is obviously upset. He takes a gun to his own head, and is prepared to kill himself...he has just been drafted to fight in the army. Down the street, Ronald is walking in a daze, until he sees Martin with a gun up to his head.Ronald walks towards the car and knocks on the window. Ronald takes the gun away from him and enters the SUV. Ronald asks for his help-to help find his brother. Martin says OK.Inside a diner nearby, Cyndi sits down at a table with Vaughn. Cyndi gives him a memory card and she tells him that it is the only copy. Cyndi is about to leave when Vaughn tells her to stay and wants to ask her some questions. He asks her how she sleeps at night. She answers by saying that she sleeps very well, only until US-IDENT wrongfully raids her neighbours house. Vaughn asks her has she ever lost anyone she knew in a terrorist attack. Surprisingly, she does-her two former husbands were killed in Abilene when the nuclear bombs went off in 2005. He calls her by her real name, then Cyndi interrupts and tells him that she has something way more valuable...a tazer gun to his testicles. She shocks his testicles and then tells him that there is another tape in the open of the Dream/Dion murder. She leaves the table, leaving Vaughn in agony.Boxer is arriving at the Santa Monica Pier and is looking around for Starla (who claims to be Dr. Muriel Fox).At The Neo-Marxist HQ, Zora is in a rage...Krysta has stolen the tape of the Dream/Dion murder (she assumed it was the sex tape between herself and Boxer). She is on the phone with Cyndi, screaming about how she will kill Krysta and she then throws her phone at the wall, breaking it.Boxer is walking the Santa Monica Beach and is drinking a six-pack of Budweiser, stalking him in the background is Starla.TV reports are being shown on the screen. The first is a TV commercial of a man holding an AK-47 telling people to vote NO on Proposition 69. The next is a segment of a TV news cast, showing President Bush, who is talking about Treer and their Mega-Zeppelin. The following segment is a new cast about fires occurring spontaneously and many small earthquakes in the Southland area, urging all residents that another massive earthquake could occur so be prepared.Pilot is sitting at his post, reading a newspaper. He looks up and throws his newspaper down and looks at his laptop. Pilot narrates by saying that he is having a premonition-danger was on the horizon. He rotates his post and looks through his scope, he sees Boxer Santaros, standing at the pier. All of a sudden, Starla screams JERICHO KANE-THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE UNCOVERED COULD GET ME KILLED...BUT IT WAS A RISK I WAS WILLING TO TAKE, THE FATE OF THE WORLD REST UPON YOU, JERICHO KANE.Boxer turns around and nods at her. She tells him that he must board the Mega-Zeppelin and that the secret he is looking for is inside Barons secret chamber. Boxer asks what the secret is. She tells him that there was a dead body retrieved from inside Boxers car in the desert. Boxer asks if he killed the man. She whispers that she cannot say anymore as they are listening. She then says I want to suck your dick, Jericho, she pulls out a gun and threatens to kill herself, if he does not let her. Pilot is watching all of this through his sniper scope, he puts a round into the rifle and loads it. Starla tells Boxer to take his pants off immediately. Boxer says Okay-Jericho Kane is going to make your wish come true and turn you into a new woman. We can rent a room with shutters-thats my favourite place.Pilot pulls the trigger and kills Starla, causing mass hysteria on the pier. Boxer runs away in fear.At US-IDENT, Nana Mae tells her men that Bart Bookman and Zora are on their way to retrieve a tape from Krysta Now. Cut to Krysta driving her Lamborghini with her friends along the beach.At the beach, Krysta and her friends are filming a scene for her show, and they are talking about how they have obtained their first SteadiCam for the show, but Krysta is still pissed off because she wanted a read Hollywood SteadiCam. The four girls go to a bar called the PoopDeck (where Krysta plans to drop off the tape). She walks inside of the ladies toilets and leaves the tape to be collected. When she goes outside, she sees Zora running inside of the PoopDeck. Krysta then runs to a nearby man and tells him that Zora and Bart are trying to kill her. He attacks Zora, who easily takes the man down. As this is happening Krysta and her friends run out of the bar to escape.A soldier, who is stationed on the pier, sees this all happening through his scope at his post and he loads his rifle. Zora and Bart run out of the bar and chase after them. Zora shouts at Krysta and tells her that it is the wrong tape. Bart runs up onto a table and fires warning shots into the air. This grabs the soldiers attention, who quickly kills him. The soldier quickly reloads his gun and aims at Zora (who shots at him, calling him A FACIST PIG) kills her. Everyone runs away from the scene and Krysta and her friends drive off in her Lamborghini.Boxer is still around the beach. He takes out his phone and calls Fortunio. Fortunio tells him that he will meet Boxer at a bar nearby.At US-IDENT, Nana Mae is watching footage from the beach and seems to be thrilled about the murder of Zora. As she is watching the footage, its mostly all people partying, which disgusts her.As Boxer is walking along the beach, he runs into Fortunio, who is with the two men from the diner (the two men that called Ronald over). Pilot narrates saying that Fortunio is on the Barons payroll. A man comes from behind Boxer and begins strangling him. Fortunio approaches him and then injects him in the neck, rendering him unconscious. The Baron ordered Fortunio to bring Boxer back to Treer Plaza before the end of the day. The men then drag Boxer to an ambulance, they throw him inside and then drive off.At Deep Throat 2 HQ, Teri and Cyndi are toasting one another. Cyndi has obtained a ticket for the Mega-Zeppelin, but unfortunately, its not +1-so Teri cant go.Pilot narrates: The day is becoming night and that Neo-Marxist cells were grouping together in downtown L.A.Inside Walters ice cream truck, he is driving towards downtown L.A. with Roland still tied up inside. According to TV reports, riots are breaking out in L.A.-a first since 1992.Inside Martins SUV, Ronald asks Martin why he wanted to kill himself. He tells him about how he got drafted. Ronald comes to a realisation and says Fallujah...Martin asks was he stationed in Iraq and how he managed to get out. Ronald tells him that its none of his business. Ronald tells him that they should try crossing over into Mexico and starting fresh.In Treer Plaza, Boxer wakes up inside a bedroom with Madeline. She tells him that he says something while he was asleep We Saw The Shadows of the Morning Light, The Shadows of the Evening Sun, Till The Shadows and Light Were One. She asks what it means. He responses: Three Days...The Final Three Days...It All Ends Tonight.Krysta and her three friends are wearing ropes and toasting one another inside the Mega-Zeppelin. Baron walks towards Krysta and hands her a purse and tells her that she did a good job. She asks him what will happen to him. He responds by saying-Only time will tell.Madeline takes off Boxers hoodie and sees all the tattoos he got while he was gone. She looks at one of them and asks what it means. Boxer says There Is A Path To End All Suffering...You Should Take ItCyndi is onboard the Mega-Zeppelin and is on the phone with Simon. She asks if he got the DVD from Deep Throat 2. Simon tells her that he did and that hes going to broadcast it.The video is leaked out on the internet and all the news networks. Ronald is exposed as a racist cop and Bart Bookman is shown killing Dream and Dion, the video shows Boxer briefly.Boxer is getting ready to board the Mega-Zeppelin with Madeline. Madeline asks how does it end?, Boxer replies With a handshake. Madeline tells him that she had a dream that he died. Once they arrive on the Mega-Zeppelin, Boxer is invited to the Marx Suite alone. Boxer leaves Madeline and tells her that he isnt going to die.Boxer goes down the elevator and exits. He walks to a box where he takes out a handgun that was left inside. He goes down a second elevator.Revelation 22
Very soon now, I shall be with you again, bringing the reward to be given to every man according to what he deservesThe elevator doors open and Boxer whips his gun at the person behind it. It is Simon Theory along with Dr. Kuntzler and Dr. Soberin Exx (Curtis Armstrong). Simon tells him to enter and lower his gun.Nana Mae Frost is calling Bobby. She tells him that the Neo-Marxists are rigging the election in their own favour and that something must be done about it. She then hangs up on him. Vaughn asks Bobby why she isnt at the party. He tells her that she is still caught up at work, but Brandt tells him that the Neo-Marxists have infiltrated it and she must leave immediately.Soon afterwards, the Mega-Zeppelin is finally launched and begins orbiting around L.A. Down in the Marx Suite, Simon tells Boxer about Serpentine Dream Theory-an experiment orchestrated by Treer. Dr. Soberin tells Boxer that the tidal generator in Utopia Three has created a simulation of perpetual motion, because of this, its slowed the rotation of Earth down that environmental anomalies have sprung up. One of these anomalies was a rift in the fourth dimension was created in the Nevada desert. Boxer knows where the rift has occurred and where exactly and how big it is (this is probably due to The Power script). Once Treer had discovered this rift, they launched monkeys into it. Boxer tells them that a monkey couldnt survive that trip but only a human with a soul could. After trial and error with the monkey, Baron decided to send Boxer through it.Boxer then asks why he was chosen. Dr. Kuntzler explains that it was because of his political ties and his celebrity persona. He is told that he travelled through the rift and when he did, he subsequently travelled 69 minutes back in time, creating two Boxer Santaros- a past and a present. Boxer realises that he is his present-self. Dr. Soberin shows Boxer his past-self, the burned-up corpse the Baron told Simon to have moved. He goes on to say that his corpse could help them unlock the secrets of humankind. Boxer is freaked out by the corpse. Boxer tells them I dont understand, Ive NEVER contemplated suicide...Im a pimp, and pimps dont commit suicide.Dr. Soberin tells him that they do not know the consequences of two identical souls occupying the same space and come into contact could do.In Martins SUV, Roland finds a Fluid Karma syringe beside his seat. He picks it up and asks Martin where he got it. Martin tells him that he got it from Pilot Abilene. Martin asks him if he bleeds. Roland injects himself in the neck. Pilot starts narrating saying what happened in Fallujah was called friendly fire accident. Martin asks him where they are going. Roland tells him that they must go downtown. Roland somehow knows that his brother is inside an ice cream truck. Rolands hand begins to glow (just like what happened to Roland in the dumpster). The two of them pull up to an SUV, where Martin has to empty out his bank account. Martin tries to take out his money but it wont let him. Roland starts to become impatient so he tells him that they are going to take the ATM machine with them to Mexico.Onboard the Mega-Zeppelin, Rebekah Del Rio (famous Latin American singer) is announced onto the stage and everyone rises for the National Anthem sung by her. Strangely the first few lines are sung in Spanish. As this is being sung, Ronald and Martin are chaining up the ATM and attaching the chain to the SUV, they go inside the SUV and floor it, ripping out the ATM and dragging it along the road.In downtown L.A., there are riots occurring on the streets. A police force soon arrives but this is just the tip of the iceberg, they are also enthralled into the fighting. Soon after, Walters ice cream van begins driving through this chaos in the streets. Out of nowhere, Martins SUV cuts in front of them at a crossroads and the ice cream truck crashes into the ATM machine, sending the truck spiralling in the air. Martin skids to a stop while Ronald notices the ice cream truck.Onboard the Mega-Zeppelin, Cyndi is on the phone with Teri (whos dressed as Coffy, wielding a shotgun and wearing an afro-wig), and is fighting in the riots. Boxer approaches Serpentine and he asks if he is still alive. Serpentine replies In more ways that one. Boxer realises that she was there to make sure Ronald travelled through the time rift with him and she was the one who killed the past-Boxer, not himself (confirming that he didnt commit suicide). Serpentine tells him that he is a pimp and that pimps dont commit suicide. Boxer asks Serpentine were Ronald and Roland even twins. She says they are two identical souls walking the face of the Earth, coexisting in the same domain of chaos. She asks Boxer what would happen if the two of them shake hands. Boxer says that the fourth dimension would collapse and the universe will be destroyed. Boxer leaves her and looks at a TV report on a monitor he then says that the ocean is in control now. He turns around and sees Senator Bobby Frost, Madeline, Vaughn and Brandt staring at him. He walks up to them and says that the Mega-Zeppelin is a Tower of Fire...they must evacuate everyone off the Zeppelin now.Back in downtown L.A., Ronald grabs a gun and climbs out of the ice cream truck, when Roland finally sees him. Roland and Martin get out of the SUV and hide beside it. Ronald notices Roland for the first time, but is caught off guard when Ronald is shot in his eye. Seeing this, Roland runs towards Roland and tries to help him up. Martin tends to Walter, who is badly hurt. He takes the rocket launcher that Zora was looking at earlier in the film and hands it to Martin.Ronald climbs inside of the ice cream truck and once he grabs Rolands hand, they seem to fuse, with a white light shining from their hands. The ice cream truck begins to float into the sky, with Martin standing on top of it, with the rocket launcher. A strange aura is beaming out of the ice-cream truck and over the L.A. skyline.Onboard the Mega-Zeppelin, Krysta and her three friends are The Memory Gospel Dancers. They are onstage wearing gasmasks and dancing to Moby-Memory Gospel. At this time also, at US-IDENT, all the power is shut off, leaving Nana Mae Frost by herself inside of her office. She hits the panic button and immediately, many rioters (including Fortunio) break inside of the building, killing all of the workers and then finally, shooting her down inside of her own office.Boxer sees Krysta performing on the stage so he walks onto the stage and begins slow dancing with her. She says It had to be this way. He just replies I know. Madeline sees this also and walks on to the stage also. The two women begin dancing with Boxer, and then just the two women. Madeline tells Krysta that Boxer will die, but Krysta just says that there is nothing that anyone can do about it. Boxer lets the two women continue dancing with each other. He stands back and takes his gun out and fires into the air. Boxer puts the gun to his head and tells everyone to leave the atrium and move to the rear of the Mega-Zeppelin or he will kill himself (and this time, he means it). Baron assures everyone that nothing is wrong and tells everyone to remain seated.Inside the ice-cream truck, Roland is trying to let go. When Ronald refuses, he puts a gun to his head. As this argument continues inside the truck, Martin is still standing on top, holding the rocket launcher. He places it on his shoulder and aims at the Mega-Zeppelin.Back on the Mega-Zeppelin, Baron is trying to talk some sense into Boxer. Boxer tells him that this is all in his head, and by pulling the trigger, he can finally wake up. Baron says that their mission is to Dethrone Capitalism, Dethrone God (The Neo-Marxist mantra). Boxer tells him that he isnt who he wants, its Ronald.Roland asks Ronald if he remembers what happened in Fallujah. Ronald tells him that he remembers everything now.Outside of the atrium, Cyndi is staring out into the L.A. skyline and she spots the glowing, floating ice-cream truck and a man armed with a rocket launcher on top of it. Martin fires the rocket towards the Mega-Zeppelin. Onboard the Mega-Zeppelin, Boxer puts down his gun and assumes the Messiah pose, and his tattoo of Jesus Christ on his back begins to bleed through his shirt. The Mega-Zeppelin explodes, killing everyone onboard. Martin watches the Mega-Zeppelin fall down onto the streets. He assumes the Messiah poses and drops himself off the ice-cream truck, killing himself.Inside the ice-cream truck, Roland repeatingly says I forgive you, which Roland keeps responding Friendly-Fire (Its Pilot Abilene talking through Ronald, telling him that all is forgiven between the two of them and what happened in Fallujah). Roland finally puts down his gun and gives in.Revelation 21
And God wiped the tears from his eyes, so the new Messiah could see out to the New Jerusalem....His name was Officer Roland Taverner of Hermosa Beach, California; my best friend. He is a pimp...and pimps dont commit suicide.THE END

Review: The music, while not perfect (I'm pretty sure Black Rebel Motorcycle Club won't have the kind of comeback that allows them to host LA's 4th of July weekend party next year...) creates some of the movie's more memorable moments, such as JT's Killers dance number and the captivating three-way dance toward the end.The deliberately exaggerated performances are, for the most part, very good, with Johnson capturing the action man (playing an action man - going through a crisis - playing an action man) role very well.
For all its mystery, intrigue, and action, it feels a bit soulless, and goes out with a whimper as opposed to the bang it so desires.Southland Tales is an ambitious film, but a messy one, and while it may not work on the kind of level it's aspiring to, in a movie climate where so many films play it safe, at least Kelly tries.
Unfortunately, to make the actions in that alternate world make sense, you basically have to either watch the movie multiple times, or at least know what you're dealing with.There are at least 4 layers to everything that's going on: 1) political/social commentary on contemporary American society and the apocalyptic undercurrent therein; 2) sarcastic/caustic pop culture references (Philip K.
for instance, the Rock was Sean William Scott's protector in "The Rundown" and plays a similar role here); 3) a self-consciousness or self-referentialism: actors cast against type, some similar themes to Donnie Darko, actions that play out in the film are largely based off of the AWFUL screenplay written by one of the characters (as seen in the graphic novel prequels); 4) the actual plot of the movie, which has deep ties to the Book of Revelation, and makes much more sense if the graphic novels are read first.These layers are pretty consummately intertwined.
Its imagery was provocative, and because Richard Kelly has created such a densely layered world for himself, putting in the time actually is incredibly rewarding.It should also be said that this film, like Blade Runner or There Will Be Blood, does not let its plot set specifications on its scope, or what it's about.
He could have had somebody like Will Smith play the part of Boxer Santeros, but instead he went with a less-talented Dwayne Johnson, because he wanted the story to tell itself instead of relying on an in-depth performance.The movie is a little slow at times, and even though it's a hell of a lot shorter than the version shown at Cannes, it could definitely have used another twenty minutes of trimming.
There are so many characters with their own agendas and so much who-is-doing-what-to-who moments that you should value every image and second of footage that you can, because these are all the clues Kelly has left behind for the people who will spend years figuring this movie out, just as they did with his brilliant "Donnie Darko."A part of the film I particularly enjoyed - and which were commonly shown throughout - were the futuristic television broadcasts, there to give you a little hint of what was going on in the world.
It's also very beautifully portrayed because, as you will notice as you watch the film, nearly every single camera shot features an American flag, showing how America wants Americans to think that it's the best country of all, especially in a terrorist world such as the one in this film...and in our world today.I don't understand everything that I saw in "Southland Tales;" in fact, there is probably a lot about it that I have no idea about, and that anyone who simply goes out and sees it won't be able to pick out on his own.
Anyone who has "gotten" ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, PRIMER, or, yes, the original cut of DONNIE DARKO on the first viewing, gotten them enough to figure out the broad outline of the plot, should be able to do the same here (as did my companion at the theater).There is a big difference, though, between the movie half of SOUTHLAND TALES and these other flicks.
Well I enjoyed the visuals, the tone, the soundtrack and the way the film was made (but couldn't understand why as I didn't really understand the movie itself).Like when I watched Magnolia I was confused and disappointed, but just like Magnolia I watched it the next time it was on T.V. with little or no expectations and better equipped to understand the story.This is not a film that can be summarized clearly in a paragraph (without begging more questions then answers).
SOUTHLAND TALES, richard kelly's much-maligned, oft-questioned, studio-crippled but still hotly-anticipated follow-up to DONNIE DARKO is guilty of most of the accusations that critics have hurled at it.indeed, it's a mess - but it's one of the most beautiful, most engaging, most daring messes i've seen in awhile - especially considering the fact that this is a big-studio film with such an abundance of marquee stars.
"Southland Tales," the latest film by "Donnie Darko"'s Richard Kelly, is like the movie equivalent of one of those whistles that only dogs can hear; it is pitched so far out of ordinary human range that most viewers will be left scratching their heads, wondering where the hell the joke is and why they just don't get it.The movie, made in 2006 and released in 2007, takes place in Los Angeles in the not-too-distant future (July 2008), three years after a series of nuclear explosions have all but obliterated Texas and placed the rest of the country on a state of high terror alert.
The movie features Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) as a conservative movie star and future son-in-law to a Republican vice-Presidential candidate who becomes a pawn in the life-or-death match between the two clashing ideologies - the outcome of which might well spell the demise of the human race as we know it.Despite the seriousness and topicality of the subject matter, "Southland Tales" is basically played for laughs, turning the end of the world into an absurd, over-the-top, dystopic farce that thinks it's being hip and knowing about life in a post-9/11/Homeland Security/ Patriot Act world, but which is actually only cheesy, smart-alecky and incoherent.
As a result, we quickly lose interest and focus, while the enterprise itself spins ever increasingly out of the filmmaker's control.Janeane Garofalo, Sarah Michelle Gellar, John Larroquette, Jon Lovitz, Mandy Moore, Amy Poehler, Miranda Richardson, Seann William Scott, Wallace Shawn and Justin Timberlake are just some of the actors who might want to seriously consider getting this piece of cinematic excrescence expunged from their resumes.The greatest offense wrought by this eclectic and unholy mixture of sophomoric satire, comic book realism, grunge chic and apocalyptic paranoia is that it runs for an interminable two hours and twenty-four minutes, making this hands-down the most unendurable and unwatchable movie travesty of the past several years..
The most pretentious movie i have ever had the misfortune to experience, Sarah Michelle Gellar is her usual wooden self over pronouncing every single word to such an extent that it just sounds as if shes reading instead of acting (in saying that everyone in the movie puts in a terrible performance which has to be the fault of the director) and the Rock in a dramatic role don't make me laugh, the dialogue sounds as if it has been written by your 85 year old granny trying to sound "with it".Richard Kelly has let himself down with this overdone piece of rubbish such a far cry from the genius that was Donnie Darko..
the score is very reminiscent of Vangelis' opus from Blade Runner- in a botched attempt to honor the great film - the dialog is trite- -the science is poor and tries to just on the bandwagon of preposterousness that was Buckaroo Bonzai- -the directing of the actors was just half-witted- look at anyone's hand- Boxer has this 'twitch' where he taps his fingers when needing to make an important decision - which in turn makes the actor's performances unbearablei'm reporting this as i am watching the movie and i want to rip my eyes outi don't think i can go onthis is SO BAD i don't think its even worth a bad dare0 i would much rather have a Paris Hilton marathon than see this again-artistic sniper.
Though their movies tend to alienate a large portion of viewers, they still create their art, with their audience in mind, knowing full- well that at the end of the day, a connection needs to be made between the film and the people.Richard Kelly's DONNIE DARKO, while clearly the work of a not-yet-matured filmmaker, gave us the promise of a budding artist whose intentions might have been similar to those aforementioned filmmakers.
Richard Kelly has already succeeded as an indie cult film director with Donnie Darko, but I think Southland Tales- by accident rather than intelligent design- will be considered his masterpiece...
Even the casting, which, whilst may at first appear strange, is actually, by and large, inspired, with Gellar, Timberlake and, in probably his best movie role to date, Dwayne Johnson (AKA, wrestler, 'The Rock') giving terrifically crafted performances, perfectly suited to the weirdly tongue in cheek tone of the film.Overall then, I'd say this film is a success and a definite step in the right direction for Kelly.
This film has one of the most offbeat ideas I've ever come across.They are so unique in a way that they make Donnie Darko look cheap.But it has the same problems like any other film with outstanding ideas.It lacks a definite focus.I got a chance to get a look at the film at the Cannes festival where it was premiering to a bunch of critics who pretty much didn't like it.And there's no surprise to that.Although,you have to admire Kelly's attempt on something way out of anyones imagination.The film is given a very different approach and it will go down in history as the most offbeat/outstanding failures.He has it all,a mind blowing story,that we hardly get, watching the film the first time, great characters,excellent writing,sets,music,cinematography and perhaps a decent directing.Kelly surpasses any one's expectation when you go into details about this film.But he leaves a chilling disappointment when you actually watch the entire film ,which is longer than it needs to be.He misses his audience from the very beginning.It seems like he is lost in a cloud of ideas and never gave a hard thought on how to put them on screen,and most importantly ,how will people interpret those issues he is trying to depict.The story,I don't know how to put it,is kind of out of my reach.It requires repeated viewing to fully understand the plot,but if you do get it, it could turn out to be a cult classic.The sad thing is that I didn't quite get it.Okay,here goes....The film is set in the year 2008,about the downfall of the American society,the economy,and major environmental disaster which is taking place.The whole world is at the brink of destruction,war ,poverty and all those issues are getting more and more serious,and in between these events, a number of Characters are having problems of their own.A Boxer is an action star who seems to be amnesiac and somehow he meets this porn star Krysta ,who is starting her own reality show.David Clark ,who is a police officer with a secret to a conspiracy within the government.And all their stories intervene and chaos begins and confusion reigns.Trust me ,I didn't get what was going on the first 30 minutes,then it kind of made sense and I knew what Kelly's intentions were.He was trying his ass out to bring us something new but loses everything and never achieves what he could achieve.I would say this film had massive expectations from audiences ,me personally.Donnie Darko was a film unlike anything I've seen before and it was unique in a number of ways.Here he tried but fails miserably,and in total embarrassment.Kelly somehow may have been affected by the failure of Domino ,which he wrote.But I have to say, you guys should check this film out.For his first film's sake.I mean there is a lot to watch here,the sets are highly creative and a splendid Cinematography in aid.There are some wonderful comic moments and a number of interesting dramatic and exciting moments,even when ideas were floating all over the film.The films main problem is that it doesn't decide what to do.How to present it's story,it's full of confusion and hardly will there be a positive reaction to Kelly's execution.I really found the film somewhat frustrating at time and also somewhat astonishing.It had its moments but it never tries to be the next big thing.For one thing,the characters were underdeveloped,and I had no idea what Kelly was trying to prove.There are hardly any explanations,but I believe if you watch it several times,there is a great chance that you might actually get it.And then you can call it classic.Performances are okay.The Rock underplays his part,Gellar is fine as a porn star turned reality TV host.And as usual Sean Willaim Scott ain't funny.And the rest of the cast is quite comme si comme sa!Overall,a film that should join "I heart Huckabees",or "Life Aquatic" as being different and unique on the surface but from the inside it's all shallow and bland.And yes utterly confusing.An interesting disappointment ,I guess.OR,Maybe because it was only half complete and everything was jumbled,and mismashed.That's why I didn't get it.Or maybe something else..
The musical sequence with Justin Timberlake is a direct homage to "The Big Lebowski" and works so well, I was dumbfounded at how the movie packs so much and provides the viewer with a plentiful supply of genres and imagery, but yet people look past this and insist on calling it an ugly mess Along with a huge cast of other wacky characters including Officer Roland Taverner (Sean William Scott) this movie may not satisfy the needs of someone who needs a direct answer to every question, but heavily appeals to those who are open to question and give their own meaning without even having read the prequel comics, as I have not..
An oddly beautiful big old mess of a film that just so happens to be a masterpiece of ideas, visions and social commentary, Southland Tales remains to this day a decade on from its initial release, a barely spoken about oddity that marked what appears to be at present time the beginning of the end of the short but unique career of Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly, who on the back of his beloved cult debut seemingly had Hollywood right where he wanted it only to be shunned from the industry limelight after this opus of a future America was quite literally booed out of the cinema.Premiering to a disastrous reception at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 where it was ridiculed by a hate mongering audience, Kelly's film was originally intended as a near 3 hour journey to the depths and underbelly of a United States where oil has all but disappeared, Karl Marx loving underground movements exist to overthrow the government, a drug known as Fluid Karma is taking over the streets, oh and there's a rip in the time space continuum and vehicle advertisements have taken on a whole new level of odd.Accompanied by a prequel-set graphic novel and armed with more ideas than even the eventually shorter 138 minute released version of the film can handle, there's little denying Southland Tale's bizarre narrative and attitude towards its themes are often off-putting but when one allows themselves to be taken into this vision of the Los Angeles landscape there's both artistic merits, darkly humorous observations of human nature and dare I say it emotional payoffs that rewards repeat viewings.Kelly's grand vision attracted a name cast including Sean William Scott (in one of his better big screen turns), Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, Amy Poehler, filmmaker Kevin Smith, Justin Timberlake (who delivers the films best singular scene with a rendition The Killers track All These Things That I've Done) and in a turn that at the time suggested a much more interesting actor than his now become, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in one of his first truly hefty turns as the amnesia suffering celebrity actor Boxer Santoros.
Kelly seems to be trying to call attention to the hypocrisy and absurdity of Hollywood, popular culture and our political system, yet there's not even cheese appeal in this movie, and the poorly done narration/screen console is amateurish, preachy and annoying.Southland takes had an all-star cast, yet none involved wanted their names associated with this movie, and I think that's very telling.Most frustrating of all, once or twice in the course of 3 hours of tortuous viewing, you can catch fleeting glimpses of the beauty inherent in DD, which makes the entire experience all the more frustrating.These echoes of what could have been are the only reason I've allotted this monstrosity 2 stars, rather than the negative it deserves.A fine examples of what happens when you give a gifted yet arrogant auteur unbridled freedom over a huge project, with a heavy dose of liberal self-righteousness thrown in.Half an hour into the movie, I wanted to walk out- 3 hours later I was left numb and addled.
He offers us Southland Tales, not so much a film as a random collection of oddball characters in search of a comprehensible storyline.It's usual in reviews like this to give a rough idea of the plot and I will try, God know I will, but I'm not making any promises.
Quite Bad. I can't properly describe how hard it was to watch this movie.I really liked Director Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko...As for Southland Tales...
Now I know it would make some people puke to even think of watching Southland Tales twice, but unfortunately sometimes you just have to accept that good art is bigger than you are and you have to view it two or more times before you can begin to understand it.The Rock, or should I say Dwayne Johnson, gives probably the best performance of his career as Boxer Santaros, and the rest of the ensemble cast gives excellent performances as well.