10 Amazing Horror Movies That Are Total Nonsense

2001 was a towering cinematic year, due to films like Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Spirited Away, and The Lord of the Rings. Despite competing against massive brands and studios, Richard Kelly made a colossal impression with his directorial debut, Donnie Darko. Not only was the psychedelic thriller one of the best movies of the year, it was also the weirdest, by a long margin.

While sleepwalking, the titular character (Jake Gyllenhaal) encounters a person wearing a demonic bunny costume called Frank who pinpoints the end of the world down to the second. Donnie begins researching time-travel, hoping to find a way to avert armageddon.

Despite being discussed and dissected to death since its release, Donnie Darko still proves to be a real head-scratcher. The story deals with many complex concepts, including quantum mechanics, tangent universes, wormholes, and liquid spears jutting out of people's chests. Not only that, these scientific phenomena are barely explained, making it harder to grasp Donnie Darko's themes and overall message.

Of course, the sci-fi masterpiece doesn't need to be understood to be enjoyed. Due to its haunting atmosphere, quotable dialogue, iconic soundtrack, and terrific performances, Richard Kelly's first film still stands the test of time.