Sir Terrence dislikes on Southland Tales

[AppleCrumbDlite]

So I just read the review for Southland tales and sadly Sir Terrence gave it a 2.5/5 for movie quality. =( I know this movie was bizarre and dwayne johnson rubs his hands at strange times. But as a whole this movie was a crazy awesome mind(f*word). It's almost too artsy and I think that's why it was never really mainstreamed. It's set in the near future and many of the things that are happening in the movie seem to be where the US is heading its very own near future. I think everyone should rent it though. I happened to love it.

Sir Terrence, you make me sad

[jdc115]

Originally Posted by AppleCrumbDlite

So I just read the review for Southland tales and sadly Sir Terrence gave it a 2.5/5 for movie quality. =( I know this movie was bizarre and dwayne johnson rubs his hands at strange times. But as a whole this movie was a crazy awesome mind(f*word). It's almost too artsy and I think that's why it was never really mainstreamed. It's set in the near future and many of the things that are happening in the movie seem to be where the US is heading its very own near future. I think everyone should rent it though. I happened to love it.

Sir Terrence, you make me sad

Even good arty films can generate good reviews or sometimes become a bit mainstream. But in this case, I just hear that the movie is a complete mess and not much to do with it being too arty.

I am interested to see this one for myself but I do have my reservations. I really enjoyed the theatre release of Donnie Darko but thought the director's cut was much worst.

It will be the kind of movie I have to watch on my own, if I start to think the person next to me is just wondering "WTF" then it takes me out from enjoying the film itself. Hopefully it will come out on rental here.

[xander]

Honestly, I thought the 2.5 was generous as he had nothing really good to say at all. I felt like the review kind of cut off when I was expecting to hear what he actually enjoyed about the film to warrant the score. If you just read the film portion without knowing the score, I would have expected a 1 or less.

A 2.5 is more like mediocre to average (IMO), not exactly hating.

[mikejet]

Richard Kelly does not make "artsy" films. He makes films for a very specific audience and those people love his films. Everyone else hates them. I fall into the hate category. From both his films there is only once scene I love and it was from Donnie Darko. THe scene in slow-mo of the girls jumping rope. Everything else I despise.

But that's just my opinion. I know some people who love his films. They are not for everyone. Kind of like how I love and think Battle Royale is a deep movie while many people would disagree.

[aramis109]

Sorry, I saw this awhile back on DVD and think he was too kind to it. It was a contrived, convoluted mess of a plot with gimmicky actors (check out the screenshots on the review) who were there just to add to the weirdness.

How did this mess ever get made?

[diamondfoxxx]

Uh, hate to break your bubble but it's universally regarded as a horrible film.
The reviewer was kind enough to give it 2.5 stars, which I thought was too much.
Just another example of a cult director going up his own ass again.

[raskal66]

This review is my just desserts for all the hate I spray toward 2003 Hulk and Indy 4, which I still firmly believe warrant rankings on the worst films of all time list as well as anything with the Star Wars name on it made after 1984.

Hearing that many others did not like this film is no major shock because it is weird and out there. A viewer either gets it with respect to this movie or they don't. Is that my justification for a widely panned movie that I really liked and enjoyed? Probably so, but I'll be picking this up regardless of the review because I liked the graphic novels and I liked the movie.

This review was just a karma debt paid back because, as with the nature of opinions I will forever believe that even with all it's eccentricities and nonsensical moments to those who aren't a fan of this, I will still say it's 5,000,000 times more than the schlock which was 2003 Hulk or Indy 4.

We all know what opinions are like however, and I can respect not only the reviewer's but fellow forum users' opinions are as well. If we all liked the same stuff the world would be a very boring place indeed.

[zardoz]

people who say this film is horrible being probably some big Transformers fan, i will give it a look

[raskal66]

Originally Posted by zardoz

people who say this film is horrible being probably some big Transformers fan, i will give it a look

LOL.

I like this movie as well as Transformers, but once Transformers came out on home video it got immensely better because I can enjoy the movie more by getting past all that obnoxious Michael Bay dialogue. (I still do pause for any Megan Fox shots though.) I hope for that sequel, there are two directors. I'd be happy to let Bay direct the action scenes, but I just don't know if I can handle him vomiting all over my hopes with another thoroughly deplorable, unfunny when it tries SO hard to be cute, uninspired script. Soldiers in battle getting a credit card pitch while in battle? Really? I watched this movie after downing a whole bottle of Grey Goose and still haven't laughed at that. The action scenes still kicked major butt though.

I just love Southland Tales but admittedly, I'm weird. Maybe Richard Kelly could script Transformers 2.... I hope he wouldn't write it as weird as Southland Tales, but dear God let ANYONE but Bay be in charge of that script.

[Teabaggins]

I don't mind strange quirky movies if they are interesting. this one probably sounded good in concept but falls apart on screen. I enjoyed Donnie Darko.

maybe I will have to re watch Southland tales with no expectations and think otherwise at the end

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by zardoz

people who say this film is horrible being probably some big Transformers fan, i will give it a look

I am a fan of Transformers, but I'm not sure what that has to do with the current discussion. I realize you're trying to pigeonhole myself and others as "lowbrow", but it fails.

A movie either succeeds or fails on its' own merits. There was a five-minute voiceover (by Justin Timberlake, I believe) at the beginning of this movie in an attempt to explain all of the improbable changes in tech ("fluid karma" for one) and political manueverings. It really says something when you have to explain major plot via exposition/voice over as opposed to telling it via the film. And that's just the first five minutes.

There is some humor here- Krista Now is hilarious just about any time she's on screen, and Dwayne was ok though he was completely over the top. And that's really the whole film- over the top with a couple chuckles. It's such a convoluted mess that the message (if there is one) gets lost.

So, again, if you want to bash people for having an opinion- perhaps rethink it.

[JJJ225]

Richard Kelly doesn't make "artsy films". He makes faux-artsy films where his followers mistake quirk for quality.

[ryoohki]

Originally Posted by raskal66

LOL.

I like this movie as well as Transformers, but once Transformers came out on home video it got immensely better because I can enjoy the movie more by getting past all that obnoxious Michael Bay dialogue. (I still do pause for any Megan Fox shots though.) I hope for that sequel, there are two directors. I'd be happy to let Bay direct the action scenes, but I just don't know if I can handle him vomiting all over my hopes with another thoroughly deplorable, unfunny when it tries SO hard to be cute, uninspired script. Soldiers in battle getting a credit card pitch while in battle? Really? I watched this movie after downing a whole bottle of Grey Goose and still haven't laughed at that. The action scenes still kicked major butt though.

I just love Southland Tales but admittedly, I'm weird. Maybe Richard Kelly could script Transformers 2.... I hope he wouldn't write it as weird as Southland Tales, but dear God let ANYONE but Bay be in charge of that script.

LOL i not a Artsy film guy nor like movies that have people talking 90 minutes in it with no point in it (that's why i absolutly hate everything that Tarantino touch). But come on... Credit Card in TF.. It's a freaking ROBOT from Planet Cybertron movie LOL! Yeah that's completly realistic.

Bay was a Music Video director and all his movie as constructed the same way, it's fast, dialog use a minimum of intelligence, it appeal to a wide audience and most of his movies make money and pay themself... that's why he exist. IMHO, a Transformer movie should have been totally horrific since most adaptation for 1980's are downright horrible (99% of them). Just wait for Gi Joe.. pretty sure l'am gonna laught myself off with ridiculousness. But hey i said that with TF and i liked it for what it was. I rinse and repeat cartoon that had the same story each week, but likeable character..

[raskal66]

Originally Posted by Teabaggins

I don't mind strange quirky movies if they are interesting. this one probably sounded good in concept but falls apart on screen. I enjoyed Donnie Darko.

maybe I will have to re watch Southland tales with no expectations and think otherwise at the end

It certainly took a healthy suspension of disbelief and a large tolerance for sequences that don't really appear to make sense for me to have the affection for it that I do.

This movie was more about the themes in it than the actual performances or linear qualities of narrative (which are more parabolic than linear), and this movie had the paranoia and apocalypse themes nailed. Sony probably didn't like taking a $14.6M loss at the box office on this, but I would shake Richard Kelly's hand for this movie if I ever met him. If you can, check out the graphic novels before a re-watch. It doesn't necessarily make the film more coherent, but you at least get a fair amount of exposition on the main characters that film assumed you already had before going in to see it. It certainly wouldn't change the consensus opinion of this movie. Gone With The Wind, it is not, but I loved it orignality. I like this the way rabid David Lynch fans adore his stuff.

[raskal66]

Originally Posted by ryoohki

LOL i not a Artsy film guy nor like movies that have people talking 90 minutes in it with no point in it (that's why i absolutly hate everything that Tarantino touch). But come on... Credit Card in TF.. It's a freaking ROBOT from Planet Cybertron movie LOL! Yeah that's completly realistic.

I wasn't upset about the realism of the script or the action, as you're right, how realistic are robots from cybertron. It was the total abysmal state of the humor they included. It's like they hired a TV commercial guy to write the jokes, or maybe someone who's just not funny but thinks they are like Mike Myers. Same thing with the doofus parents, Shia when he starts talking fast, and the John Turturro character. They just tried too hard to be funny.

Totally agree on Tarantino as well. Loved True Romance, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and on the right day I like Jackie Brown. But the Kill Bills and the grind house stuff were where it looked to me like Quentin started living off his reputation for cool when that train had left the station. Now I feel like he's jiving me with every film, although the hustle isn't part of the film but the part where he got me to pay for watching it.

I Netflixed Southland Tales originally and had no expectations, and I can tolerate a strange tale when I think it's got an interesting overall point even if the narrative is conclusively out there in the tall grass.

[Lucy Diamond]

I bought this on DvD and I will never get that money or the time spent on this flick back.

I stopped it halfway through and never put it in again.
I think I bought it for Mandy Moore...I can't even remember now.

[zardoz]

one of my "favorite" TF's scene, is the one where they manually freeze the robot (megatron ?) with some liquid Gas and absolutely no protection.

i am not a big fan of brainless action where it's all about distroying more cars and make the more noise possible.

i like sci-fi flicks a lot though.

[El Negro]

without Mandy Moore this movie gets 1/5.

[jw]

Originally Posted by AppleCrumbDlite

So I just read the review for Southland tales and sadly Sir Terrence gave it a 2.5/5 for movie quality. =( I know this movie was bizarre and dwayne johnson rubs his hands at strange times. But as a whole this movie was a crazy awesome mind(f*word). It's almost too artsy and I think that's why it was never really mainstreamed. It's set in the near future and many of the things that are happening in the movie seem to be where the US is heading its very own near future. I think everyone should rent it though. I happened to love it.

Sir Terrence, you make me sad

I thought that film was horrible myself, I watched it awhile ago and figured with the names it would be decent, I was wrong

[krazeyeyez]

just curious, to the people who say they like this movie, ONE did you experiment with hallucinogens at any point in your life LOL, and TWO did you also like movies such as "revolver", "the nines", "existenz", etc....

i personally loved this movie, ALL my friends hate it, but they also don't like anything that doesn't hit at the box office. i thought this was a very artistic movie and was supposed to stimulate thought and discussion when your left with that huh feeling at the end. the imagery and multiple story archs were great, and when watched multiple times you see there are really multiple movies within a movie here and that premise was great. i fully understand why 99% of people wouldn't like this but i thought it was a refreshing and original release in a time of hollywood bs being thrown up on a weekly basis. doubt i will buy this on blu anytime soon, but thought it was a great movie and brave release by the director.