Classic: Donnie Darko (2001)

The Plot

Donnie Darko is a school kid and he has some sleep walking problems and he takes medication also for the same. He has 2 sisters and lives with his parents. The story happens in October 1988

Suddenly he starts getting visions of a big bunny rabbit that gives him instructions to do certain destructive things in and around his place. It also tells him that the world is about to end at the end of the month. Donny treats this imaginary character as a friend called Frank. Donny also meets a doctor Lillian Thurman for counseling. He gets a new girlfriend at school and is not in the good books of his gym instructor because his thoughts are too radical. 

He then starts reading a book about time travel written by a mysterious 101 yr old day in his area called Roberta Sparrow who was a former science teacher at his school. He finds coincidences to what he reads in the book and what happens to him in real life. As he reaches the end of the book, we are startled as a big shocking twist is thrown at us. The movie turns out to be a big mind bender and dreams & visualizations are a major part of the movie. 

                                                                          

Hits

• Jake Gyllenhaal with his wry smile and light eyes is perfect for the part of the mentally affected Donny.
• Other than him, the other characters are just minor additions like the English teacher played by Drew Barrymore, Donny’s parents, his girlfriend, his sisters, his gym instructor, Jake Cunningham, the old lady, Frank, the 2 school bullies, the Chinese class mate etc. etc. 

VERDICT

This is totally the director Richard Kelly’s movie for the stunning screenplay and shocking climax. MUST 

WATCH. Needs repeated viewing of the key portions at-least for total understanding. 

Source Code (2011)

What's it about
A dead American soldier, Colter Stevens is sent on a 'Source Code' mission which is all about time re-assignment and parallel reality. Colter's brain is activated from inside an isolated chamber and Colleen Goodwin and Dr.Rutledge give him instructions as to what he has to do. He is on life support all through the mission.
     Colter assumes the identity of a teacher Sean and he is sent to the scene of a Chicago train just 8 mins before a major explosion. His task is to find out the bomb and also the person responsible for the bombing. This bombing is expected to trigger a series of further explosions in Chicago.
     The thing with this Source Code mission is that the past can't be altered but the future can be affected. So the persons who are on the train with Colter are already dead. He can't save the people on the train or that is what Dr.Rutledge and Goodwin assume.
     Colter finally nabs the person responsible Derek Frost, after a series of failed 8 min attempts where he is brought back and forth between the chamber and the train scene. He prevents the bomb blast, arrests Frost and takes away Christina Warren, a woman who is known to Sean and who is very attractive to Colter as well, for coffee in the streets of Chicago.
    Rutledge plans to use Colter for more such missions by re-initializing him and wiping his memory whereas Goodwin wants to shut down Colter's life support and give him his death after his great service. But Colter proves to them through a message, that the Source Code leads to a parallel world where the past can be altered. Quite a complex and debatable climax.

                                                                     
Hits

• The utterly original cinematic concept of 'Source Code' based on quantum physics and parabolic calculus, by the director Duncan Jones. Too complex and worth paying attention to. 
• Breathtaking cinematography, particularly the aerial shots of the Chicago train and the city.
• Rugged yet sophisticated looking Jake Gyllenhaal is perfect and like-able as Colter Stevens
• Cute role for Michelle Monaghan as Christina. Quite a serious and dignified role for Vera Farmiga as Goodwin.
• The VFX effects for the bomb explosion are decent.
• Good support role for Jeffrey Wright as Dr.Rutledge, the utterly brilliant and path breaking scientist.

Misses

• The climatic twist stating that the Source Code leads to a parallel world blots the otherwise brilliant movie. The movie could have ended at the point when Colter kisses Christina, on preventing the bomb explosion, after his final 8 mins of life support in the chamber. 

VERDICT

Plenty of food for thought and entertaining too. Another mind bending fantasy from Hollywood.