Movie Review: Southland Tales

Southland Tales, Oh where do I start? Well, I'm glad I asked. Richard Kelly's latest film, post Donny Darko fame, plays like a jumbled mess of a film. This has one of the most interesting casting ensembles in movie history. However, that is not necessarily a great thing. I mean, The Rock, Sean William Scott, Justin Timberlake, Mandy Moore, Cheri Oteri, and John Lovitz just to name a few. Weird, huh? Well that and the fact that Richard Kelly manages to instill no chemistry at all in this bunch and in the characters.
Now, on to the real problem with the film. The real problem is that the plot is full of twists and turns that are there to just confuse the audience. Also, other ideas and concepts are thrown in, without any much further thought as to how it would make the story better. This is the kind of movie that always felt it was going to end soon(or maybe that's what I was hoping), but still manages to provide more and more scenes.
If you are guessing if there is any remnants of Donnie Darko in this film. The truth is yes, but even that can't save it. Richard Kelly looks like he was going for a quirky satirical comedy about the apocalypse in the style of Terry Gilliam. However, it falls short and plays like a first cut of a movie, that has many more cuts to go.
1.5 out of 5