Gen X and Gen Z React to Donnie Darko (2001) First Time Watching

[@randalthor741]

They do such an amazing job of building the atmosphere for this movie. The performances, the cinematography, the sound design, all of it just works so well.

[@RKnights]

This movie was such a trip, the director and the camera work had us on a wild ride

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

Imagine seeing this when you were a teenager and seriously ill where you thought you were dying. It resonated, to say the least. Even grew up in a town like that, with schools like that.

[@michaelconnor1542]

Donnie starts depressed suicidal and generally mentally unbalanced. Unwilling to take his meds. He also, unknowingly, has the power to perceive and bend space/time. In the throws of his depression, his mind opens a wormhole to a point a plane passes over his house. Shearing off it's turbine. However, self preservation or faith causes him to port to the golf course. This near death and meeting this girl give him reason to improve himself and ultimately live. Ultimately, he doesn't die because of depression or life not having meaning or even a reflexive reaction to her death and his killing bunny guy. But as an act of love.

[@RKnights]

So we'll done

[@HeartbreakEsh]

This was such a great reaction. Really appreciate that y'all were trying to pick up on hints and make connections. It's one of those films that seem different every time one watches it.

[@RKnights]

Glad you spent some time with us

[@shwicaz]

Saw this in the theater. Absolutely riveted. I adored the family. Their performances were so 'real'. I know Jake and Magge are brother and sister, but the parents and the younger sister felt believable. The mom was awesome. Great insights along the way in this reaction. Take care, men.

[@RKnights]

This was a lot of fun to watch

[@jesusramirez4537]

this movie filmed at my high school. trips me out. like going back in time literally

[@newmoon766]

I think you'd like "12 Monkeys".

[@Emburbujada]

This is one of my favourite movies! Yes, it feels confusing. You need to think about it once it ends XD Also, one of my favourite soundtracks. If you haven't seen it, I'd love it if you'd react to Dark City. It's also sci fi, but a different type of confusion XD

[@Easy_Skanking]

Dark City is so excellent! The atmosphere is spot on.

[@MABADBledsoe]

Excellent suggestion. Dark City is another I can watch again and again.

[@matthewmille]

Julien had all the important plot points correct. He was even correct when he said at the end “All I understand from this movie is I understand nothing and nothing makes sense.” After a first watch of this movie, that tells me you understand it more than most.

[@ichbinich8738]

one of my fave cult film.

[@Chunchbox]

Such a great film! October Sky has Jake as the lead, and is another great flick.

[@RKnights]

I've been told I need to watch it

[@handsomestik]

“I’m voting for Dukakis” Pops might have to explain that?

[@RKnights]

I did, its in the unedited version. They had no clue :-)

[@cometgirl217]

@12:00 “I love how everybody wants to die” 😂 That’s some TRUE Gen Z energy!

[@jwoodard29]

Another very underappreciated time travel movie is is "Southland Tales," also directed by the director of "Donnie Darko." It stars Dwayne Johnson and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Highly recommended.

[@alebron7046]

This start freak me out. But then I felt bad for him and then it was a twist. What the hell. Love Jake acting!

[@ChrissaTodd]

the reason she wants her to "sit by the boy she finds cutest" is because everything that happens is to help Donnie get to what frank wants him to do.

[@astroworfcraig9164]

Kudos for taking this one on.

[@RKnights]

This movie is not typical to say the least. :-)

[@protovision2010]

fantastic movie + reaction! Its especially fun watching real-life siblings Jake and Maggie argue onscreen :) You should check out "Southland Tales" (2006) also by director Richard Kelly. Star-filled cast, and a weird but riveting story.

[@LetthaWrite1inn]

What you see in this film is literally what's happening

[@andbrittain]

IMO wether the director realized it or not, this film in part is a modern dark reimagining of a film from 1950 "Harvey" staring James Stewart "The story centers on a man whose best friend is a puca named Harvey, a 6 ft 3+1⁄2 in (1.92 m) tall white invisible rabbit, and the ensuing debacle when the man's sister tries to have him committed to a sanatorium"

[@KeeganRusz]

Ngl, this movie always makes me highly emotional at the end. First time I watched this movie I bawled like a bxtch when mad world came on. Also, first time watching y'alls channel. I expected y'all to be loud and obnoxious but y'all are great. Loved this reaction. Also, notice how frankie freedler ( the one his dad mentioned ) has the same namelike structure. Donnie aint the first living receiver. It goes waaaaay back. Makes you wonder how many times it has happened before. The Y made him do it. The Y indicating the split of the primairy and tangent universe, tieing it back to donnies being the living receiver. Lmao gretchen in the bunny suit😂😂

[@jamesbuckley8917]

The whole story is the last minute of sub-consciousness that Donnie experiences after the jet engine crushes him in his bed, as he lay dying.

[@ebaker1968]

Just found your channel and have been really enjoying it so far! I was an English teacher for 25 years, so I really love that you get your former students to react with you. Teachers never stop teaching! Anyway, in my opinion, Frank is Donnie's guide....like Alice following the rabbit down the hole. Frank the rabbit guides Donnie to do what he needs to do to set things right and stop the world from ending. If you watch it again, pause it on scenes that have text in the background....there's loads of information in there.

[@FredtheDorfDorfman1985]

Actually it was Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen who used general relativity to conceive of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge through space-time, and they can be either natural phenomena or artificially created. Stephen Hawking believed that wormholes can NOT be used for time travel, only as shortcuts through space and time.

[@pheenobarbidoll2016]

I saw this movie when it was first released on HBO ( back when HBO played new movies on Saturday night). I recorded it and promptly forced everyone I knew to watch it lol

[@C-Russ]

Oh man I’ve been waiting for this! I’ve been working so hard and so long the last few weeks it’s just been hard to catch up lol. I’m so excited to watch Wednesday as well I’ve had that on my list since it came out! Love you guys! Hope yo ur e doing amazing! P. S. Will you be dropping an unedited on Patreon?

[@tolkienismaster]

Amazing movie. Great reaction guys.

[@grunntalll]

love the movie!

[@boqndimitrov8693]

a strange but memorable movie. something I can't say, for example, about Avatar 2. in fact, I can't say practically anything about it!

[@JonnyQuest64]

What? Avatar 2 was damn near perfect... I love me some Donnie Darko, but let's not make crackhead comments please

[@denverite3742]

Everybody will have their own emotional interpretation of this film. That's one of the things that makes it so great. Don't let some yahoo on youtube tell you what it's 'supposed' to mean. Keep it personal.

[@RKnights]

Thanks 😊

[@christopherking4932]

Disagree 👎

[@OilyAnimal3]

They won't make movies like this anymore

[@thomasanderson1969]

Cult classic the point is that everyone is responsible for there actions and like in the string theory there is a higher power God and don't forget the ego that makes humanity believe there gods excellent movie and he realizes that because he wants to live everything he loves dies like in the movie ... everything dies alone until he realizes God

[@christopherking4932]

Awesome reaction, can you please watch a movie called BACK DRAFT.

[@On_The_Level]

Frank is a Pooka

[@innercircle341]

Happy New Year! You guys are killing it. Please do the rest of the classic Planet of the Apes

[@RKnights]

We will

[@OneThousandHomoDJs]

Beware.............none of the "sequels" or follow-ups were any good.