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 JacquesCousteau
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Registered: 06/10/03
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 The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. 
#2867886 - 07/08/04 08:13 AM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Hey guys, what's up.. I just watched "The Butterfly Effect" last night.
At first I thought it was going to be weak (the acting almost scared me off at the beginning) but it turned out to be pretty interesting after all. Kind of a downer, but I've seen worse downers.
So anyway, the question I wanted to ask to those who have seen both was:
(SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't seen both, I don't recommend reading below.)
Did anyone else notice the similarity of the storylines? I mean, the overall storyline is, in a way, almost identical.
I'm referring specifically to the "lifeline" of each of the main characters.
I guess what I'm wondering is: Is there a reason for the common theme of the main character realizing that the only way to end the suffering of the people he loves is for him to have not existed?
Does anyone draw any metaphorical conclusions from this common theme?
It definitely gets my brain whirring, but I'm not quite sure what the creators might have been trying to suggest.
Or maybe The Butterfly Effect just stole Donnie Darko's plotline in a way, heh. Shrug.
WHATCHOO THINK, MANG?!?!
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 April
the tiniestspark
Registered: 05/14/04
Posts: 94
Loc: Maryland
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 Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: JacquesCousteau]
#2868559 - 07/08/04 01:20 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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I have not seen "The Butterfly Effect," but "Donnie Darko" is one of my favorite movies of all time. I've thought sooo much, ad nauseum, to the meaning of it all. Your question is, "Is there a reason?" That's almost as hard as asking the question, "Is there a God?" Which I think you're supposed to ponder after seeing the movie...
The best stuff you'll read on it is here: http://darkomovie.proboards24.com/index.cgi
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DF2K
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: April]
#2870132 - 07/08/04 09:50 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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I have seen both films
but what kinda "bothered" me about both films is the fact that both the characters "took the easy way out" instead of changing certain aspects of there problems, they just said fuck it, and avoided the whole situation altogether
(i know, what i just said, makes no sense, but i have a hard time explaining things)
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JacquesCousteau
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: DF2K]
#2870170 - 07/08/04 09:58 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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No no, I definitely thought something similar.
It seemed like their "suicides" were still suicides in a way. Justified by their logic, but at the same time... why couldn't he have (for example) stayed in the life where he had no arms? Everyone else was happy.. and he would have learned to be happy like that, even after his mom died of lung cancer. I mean, she wasn't going to live forever. EVERYTHING can't always be perfect...
It definitely seemed to me that he should have just cut his losses at some point.
I considered THIS to be the metaphorical value, actually.
Perhaps the message is that you should be happy with what you've been given. (Life.)
Perhaps the whole "be satisfied before it's too late" thing is the whole point.
He eventually found himself in a mental institute the last time.. at a point where his entire time travel ability has been defined as a disease and a fantasy he created in his head. This is the "too late" point I think. So he suicides.
I find it kind of strange though, that it should be glorified if this were the message.
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DF2K
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: JacquesCousteau]
#2870190 - 07/08/04 10:02 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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i think if he had given more thought, he could have been haoppy as a frat guy..just dont kill his g/f's brother problem solved
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Ripple
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: JacquesCousteau]
#2870198 - 07/08/04 10:04 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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I have seen both films, but I don't remember "The Butterfly Effect" all that well, must have been stoned, but I understand your thought process and can see the similarity.
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The bus came by and I got on that's when it all began!
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JacquesCousteau
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: DF2K]
#2870201 - 07/08/04 10:05 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Yeah, ROFL, I thought the same thing there too.
Infact, I actually noted how his ego destroyed him more often than not.
I'm willing to bet there was a specific event in every single one of his "situations" in which he could have made a better key judgement and been able to make things turn out better.
But at the same time that's like saying "everyone is capable of making the right choice, so why don't they?" The fact is, it is human nature to act on instinct in feverish moments, which is exactly what got him in trouble in most of the "situations".
This could be another metaphorical value to the movie.. trying to teach people that even in emotional situations it is best to step outside yourself and view things logically instead of allowing our emotions to get the best of us.
I think this movie was meant to be deeper than it comes off as in that sense.
I also noted that there were scenes (like when he was the frat boy talking to the pledges and he started bitching one of them out and it started to sound "natural") where it was like he was "trying on his new ego."
Edited by JacquesCousteau (07/08/04 10:07 PM)
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JacquesCousteau
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: Ripple]
#2870221 - 07/08/04 10:09 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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"I must have been stoned"
Ahaha.. story of my life.
Ripple, I didn't get to see the caves man! Next year we are so going to check out the caves. (Next year I'll know people right off the bat so I won't be such a shy little undersea explorer.)
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Ripple
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Registered: 05/16/02
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: JacquesCousteau]
#2870238 - 07/08/04 10:12 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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yes.....next year will be cool I too will be less shy!
And im going to spend more time there as well!
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The bus came by and I got on that's when it all began!
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April
the tiniestspark
Registered: 05/14/04
Posts: 94
Loc: Maryland
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: DF2K]
#2870982 - 07/09/04 01:03 AM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Donnie wasn't taking "the easy way out." As far as his mother and sister... They would have died because the mother had to go to LA for her daughter to perform in the talent show. Mrs. Farmer would have gone if Donnie never uncovered the child molestor's secret. He was fucked both ways, and chose to save his family instead.
Another thing to consider though... You have to consider God and the path He has chosen for you. Donnie discusses this with his teacher. You have to travel within God's path. I don't think he had much of a choice.
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JacquesCousteau
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: April]
#2871943 - 07/09/04 08:50 AM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Indeed... i'd definitely say Donnie was more steered into his fate, while Ashton there more or less steered himself into it.
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JacquesCousteau
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Registered: 06/10/03
Posts: 7,825
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: JacquesCousteau]
#2873217 - 07/09/04 04:10 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Ahahahaha.. I just realized something.
Back in school they used to always make us write papers "contrasting and comparing" two things.
I hated those papers.
And yet here I am doing it voluntarily on a message board.. and succeeding, at that. :P
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redgreenvines
irregular verb
Registered: 04/08/04
Posts: 22,933
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Re: The Butterfly Effect and Donnie Darko. [Re: JacquesCousteau]
#2874319 - 07/09/04 10:26 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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butterfly effect story was well constructed.
on a parallel matter:
many times I emerge and try to piece it all together.
how did I get here?....
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