Zur Feier der heutigen Deutschland-DVD-Veröffentlichung des neuen Films von Donnie-Darko-Regisseur Richard Kelly die Rezension des großen US-Kritikers Roger Ebert zum letztjährigen US-Kino-Start:

„After I saw the first cut of Kelly’s „Southland Tales“ at Cannes 2005, I was dazed, confused, bewildered, bored, affronted and deafened by the boos all around me, at the most disastrous Cannes press screening since, yes, „The Brown Bunny“. But now here is the director’s cut, which is 20 minutes shorter, lops off a couple of characters and a few of the infinite subplots, and is even more of a mess. I recommend that Kelly keep right on cutting until he whittles it down to a ukulele pick.
(…)
It’s like the third day of a pitch session on speed. What does he imagine an audience feels like while watching this movie? Did his editor ever suggest that he might emerge with a more coherent product if he fed the footage through a revolving fan and spliced it together at random?
(…)
Two Texas towns have been nuked, including Abilene, the prettiest town that I’ve ever seen. America is in a state of emergency. A left-wing revolution is being masterminded from Venice Beach and the Santa Monica Pier against the oppressive right-wing government. A Schwarzeneggerian actor, related to a political dynasty, has been kidnapped, replaced with a double, and — I give up. A plot synopsis would require that the movie have a plot.
(…)
When I tell you I am helpless to describe the plot, perhaps you will have pity on me if I tell you it involves characters named Boxer Santaros; Krysta Kapowski, a k a the porn star Krysta Now; Dr. Soberin Exx; Starla Von Luft; Inga Von Westphalen, a k a Marion; Dion Warner, a k a Dion Element; Nana Mae Frost; Baron Von Westphalen, and Simon Theory. Boxer Santaros is played by Dwayne Johnson, who used to be billed as The Rock, and should have led a movement among characters to change their names.
(…)
Note to readers planning to write me messages informing me that this review was no more than a fevered rant: You are correct.“

(Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times)