9. Donnie Darko
Plot Summary- Jake Gyllenhaal plays Donnie Darko, a troubled teenager who is warned by a big, blue bunny named Frank that the world has 28 days left before it is destroyed. Seth Rogen plays a bully.
Why is it confusing? You know, that film that's always free with the paper. Richard Kellys cult breakthrough is the opposition to Memento when it comes to straightforward films told awkwardly, mainly due to the fact that its actually a really good, thought-provoking tale about love, fate, fear and all the other emotions. Its cult success lies in the fact that its often non-linear narrative is accompanied by enjoyably comic scenes, brilliant cinematography, and great performances from almost every a-list celebrity going, including Patrick Swayze as a pedophile. If you didnt get the original, the directors cut of the film even throws in some extra information about time travel, which makes things a hell of a lot easier to understand, and makes you feel a bit like a scientist. So popular was this mind-bender that it even managed to spawn a completely bollocks sequel entitled S. Darko, assumedly about Donnies cousin, as this would give the film the perfect opportunity to justify its completely unknown cast, and random relocation. I havent seen it, perhaps I shouldnt comment. Its ironic that the apocalyptic nature of Donnie Darko echoes Richard Kellys career following the films release; thus far, Kelly is yet to produce more than the average Alpha Dogs and overblown stinker The Box.