The world is going to end

It's funny how everyone is worrying about what to write in their -somewhat mandatory- blogs. Some have even asked me how I do it. The truth is, I can't tell you how to begin writing. In my case, there's just something that sets me off and that makes me want to write about it. Not at all predetermined. More accidental.

A few hours ago, I went to the videostore and rented S. Darko, the sequel to Richard Kelly's masterpiece Donnie Darko. I was mentally prepared to see a weak-ass version of its predecessor, but there's always that tiny spec of hope that you cling on to, hoping it won't be as bad as you think. Sadly, Hollywood isn't exactly known for its stunning sequels. There are exceptions, I mean, personally I think RE - Apocalypse and Extinction were far better than the original. Scary Movie also got more interesting as the sequels started to build up. Sure, now the franchise has hit a brick wall, but I still find myself enjoying each time Anna Faris takes some random object to the head.

So I had some hope for S. Darko, but I was deeply disappointed. I don't know how many of you have seen Donnie Darko, but for those who haven't, mind you that what follows will undoubtedly spoil the movie for you. What I liked most about DD was the way Kelly played with the concept of time travel. The first image of the gnarly rabbit saying 'The world is going to end' stays with you forever. The movie was so strong in the way it interwove all of these charismatic characters and placed them into this bizarre world of impending doom and a storyline that slowly, but surely reached its shattering crescendo. Since the movie ended with the death of Donnie, it was fairly obvious that a sequel wouldn't include him. So they had to find somebody else who'd become tasked with saving the world. And I guess they were being smart by keeping it in the family.

Samantha 'Sam' Darko was chosen as the new savior of mankind. The casting was great; nobody else can play the haunted, fragile sister of Donnie better than Daveigh Chase. But pretty soon, her sad puppy eyes and reluctance to communicate like a proper person, makes you want to blow the whole thing off. The only character that was really worth watching was Iraq Jack, played by One Tree Hill's James Lafferty. This is because he is the only one who comes closest to what Donnie Darko was. A Cassandra-esque prophet who proclaimed the end of the world and was visited by someone from the future.

S. Darko is stitched together by seemingly endless shots of accelerated cloud movement and still lives. When Sam comes into focus, you keep your fingers crossed she'll do something that makes you want to appreciate her, but in the end, all she does is whine and wander around aimlessly with a look of retardedness that seems permanently imprinted on her facial structure. In any case, don't waste your time on this little eyesoar. Do yourself a favour and don't let the good name of Donnie Darko be tainted by his lesser sister.

The two movies do get points for the way they use the whole time-travel idea as a means to push the story forwards. Because, let's face it, time is the one thing we'll never get our hands on. We can fly off to the moon, construct the tallest skyscrapers the world has ever seen and alter the human body in a way never imagined before, but we'll never be able to control the flow of time.

If I have a glass in my hand and I let it fall to the ground, I can't do anything to change this. I can't go back in time and warn me not to let the glass fall. I can't go forward and catch it before it falls. Trapped in the present. Unable to change the past or to anticipate the future.

So forgive me if my rantings about time become a worn-out subject for you, but it's just something that has always captured my imagination. For those who've played the Prince of Persia series, you know how amazing it is to rewind your actions and undo every mishap, even your own death. The same goes for the Terminator series. Who wouldn't want to be visited by someone from the future, telling you how great you'll be one day?

I can give you an endless list of games, books and movies that toy with the idea of time. So that's why I've got a soft spot for Donnie Darko and why I can appreciate -just a little, though- the magic of S. Darko.