Still with me? Okay, you have chosen to venture into my reactions to Southland Tales, a film so chock full of content that it may require, no, demand multiple viewings in order to properly digest what is there. That said, upon my lowly single viewing I have to say that this movie is nearly incomprehensible. Scenes begin and end with little relation to what goes on before and after. Many sequences would go by and leave me absolutely dumbfounded by what I had seen. When the film ended and I left the theater, I could not help but question what I just saw. Was it a stroke of genius? Was it some glorious disaster? Is it a misunderstood potential classic? Perhaps it was just a plain old run of the mill bad movie? I am tempted to go with glorious disaster.
While I left with a question on my mind and a mocking smirk on my face, the more distance that grows between the credit roll and the time I sat down to write this, I have to wonder if my reaction was made in haste without enough afterthought. What I initially thought was a complete mess is not becoming any clearer, but I am thinking that there may be more to it than meets the eye. In this regard, I suspect it will become something of a cult hit, as fans will undoubtedly discuss the symbolism and hidden meanings that may or may not be there.
A movie star, named Boxer Santaros (Dwayne Johnson) is kidnapped, found in the desert, has a case of amnesia, and is shacked up with a porn star named Krista Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar). Krista is seeking to break free of her porn star trappings by releasing a pop album and setting her sights on reality television. Meanwhile, another amnesiac. Roland Tavener (Seann William Scott), is being used by the left wing group (headed by SNL's Cheri Oteri) to replace his twin brother, Roland (the names may be reversed, I can't remember which was which), a police officer. Then there is Baron Von Westphalen (Wallace Shawn), with his entourage featuring John Larroquette and Bai Ling, who has developed a form of perpetual motion energy, a project which has culminated in the launch of a mega-zeppelin.
I cannot offer any great praise, but I would like to offer some praise to two of the individuals involved. First is Dwayne Johnson. His character is actually compelling and gives another look at his charisma, talent, and potential. He is the one character that I really liked and I hope that he gets the attention he deserves for other projects. The other is Richard Kelly. This guy has vision; he has obvious talent and likes to take the road less traveled. I just wish that he finds a collaborator who will focus his talents. It is clear that he has what it takes to be a great director and there is a good chance that he could develop into one, he just needs to be harnessed and focused.
Bottomline. I do not think that Southland Tales is a good movie. It is a miscalculation made by someone with the best of intentions. I cannot recommend the movie as really being worth watching. At the same time I have to recommend it, if only because of how ridiculous it is, some of the dialogue is laugh out loud hilarious. See it. Please. It may not be a good movie, but it is completely entertaining.
Recommended?
0 comments:
Post a Comment