Southland Tales

From the director of the brilliant Donnie Darko, comes the cryptic, apocalyptic Southland Tales. Set in (then-futuristic) 2008 Los Angeles, the city stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental disaster. A large ensemble cast of characters includes Boxer Santaros (Dwayne Johnson), an action star stricken with amnesia, Krysta Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar), an adult film star developing her own reality television project, and Roland Taverner (Seann William Scott), a Hermosa Beach police officer who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.

Sadly and very frustratingly for those eagerly awaiting Richard Kelly’s follow-up, this had major delays in reaching NZ screens. The film first premiered in Cannes 2006 and was, by and large, despised. Variety said “Rarely has a picture been so self-consciously designed to be a culturally meaningful touchstone, and fallen so woefully short”. "Bollocks!" we said at the time. "Let us see it!" The film was recut and made 20 minutes shorter, but upon release still fared poorly at the box office and with critics. Today, Southland Tales enjoys a cult following amongst fans who feel it was unfairly maligned. 

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