Southland Tales

Richard Kelly makes some of the coolest yet unexplainable films I have ever seen, granted my experience with him extends only to his two feature films but let me tell you Southland Tales is quite the trip. I had a very enjoyable time watching Southland Tales, but I can still tell you I have no idea what it was about.

The film opens with a quaint family filled birthday party in Texas that is being filmed by one of the children a the party when suddenly a bright flash is seen and a bang and a nuclear bomb has been exploded, an act of terrorism that starts the dystopic future that prevails in Kelly’s version of America. Due to WWIII and being cut off from the Middle East our nation is looking for alternate fuel sources, and has just unveiled a thermo dynamic system off the coast of California. Meanwhile, actor Boxer Santos has disappeared and his politician father-in-law is frantically looking for him as it is an election year. Combine this with Boxer’s porn star girlfriend, a terror group called the Neo-Marxists & an overbearing Big Brother government and you have Southland Tales.

Southland Tales is narrated by Pilot Abilene, an actor and soldier who watches over Malibu and deals drugs. Abilene was one of my favorite characters in the film and I am really coming to respect Timebrlake as an actor – he does a dang good job. My favorite sequence in the film is a musical sequence to “All These Things” by the Killers, which is used when Abilene is on a high. Watching the sequence makes me hope that Kelly might one day do a little more with the musical genre, it was beautiful.

I can’t recommend this movie to everyone because I know it would drive quite a few people nuts. However, if you liked Donnie Darko or just want to try a very unique but artful film then give Southland Tales a try. Kelly is a unique artist and I want him to be supported.

Director & Writer: Richard Kelly
Cyndi Pinziki: Nora Dunn
Starla Von Luft: Michele Durrett
Krysta Now: Sarah Michelle Gellar
Boxer Santos: Dwayne Johnson
Vaughn: John Laraquette
Serpentine: Lai bing
Bart Bookman: Jon Lovitz
Madeline Frost Santos: Mandy Moore
Dream: Amy Poehler
Nana Mae Frost: Miranda Richardson
Roland Taverner: Seann William Scott
Baron Von Westphalen: Wallace Shawn
Simon Theory: Kevin Smith
Private Pilot Abilene: Justin Timberlake

Cyndi Pinziki: Nothing an eight ball, a porn star and a tattoo parlor can't handle.

Buffy the Vampire Slayser: Season 1

I honestly think that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best shows that has ever been on television. I know that many of you shake your head at the idea of a teenage girl who kills demons and prevents the apocalypse over and over again as being a ground breaking show, but trust me it is. What is so amazing about Joss Whedon’s Buffy is that he was unafraid of pushing boundaries, evolving his characters, and making unpopular decisions. All of this lead to a show that remained fresh, original and engaging for every episode that aired.

The first season of Buffy was only twelve episodes and was ordered on the new WB network as a mid-season replacement. Buffy was based off an utterly forgettable movie with the same name and very few people expected it to do well but somehow it lasted not through just one season, but seven. The first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is rough to be sure; the show had no budget, the cast was unknown, and it was obvious Whedon didn’t know if he’d get a second season so he did his best to build season one in a way that was self-contained and more than made up for the movie version that was taken out of his hands.

I loved every episode of Buffy’s first year at Sunnydale High, and I am so glad that Buffy, Xander, Willow & Giles became a part of my own high school experience.

Creator: Joss Whedon
Buffy Summers: Sarah Michelle Gellar
Willow Rosenberg: Alyson Hannigan
Xander Harris: Nicholas Brendon
Rupert Giles: Anthony Stewart Head
Joyce Summers: Kristine Sutherland
Principal Snyder: Armin Shimerman

Giles: We're at the center of a mystical convergence here. We may, in fact, stand between the Earth and its total destruction.
Buffy: Well, I gotta look on the bright side. Maybe I can still get kicked out of school!
Xander: Oh, yeah, that's a plan. 'Cause lots of schools aren't on Hellmouths.
Willow: Maybe you could blow something up. They're really strict about that.
Buffy: I was thinking of a more subtle approach, y'know, like excessive not studying.
Giles: The Earth is doomed!