Time Travel: Donnie Darko and Looper

"Different temporal parts of the same occurrent can overlap. If we hear a concert delayed in time and the concert itself we accept them as equally real. We notice naturally that there is a difference between the entanglement of meeting a younger ego and the experience of hearing simultaneously a concert and its former replica, only delayed in time. If a wave is sufficiently coherent it can annihilate itself in a region of space or time by interference. We can delay occurrents in time but cannot delay continuants in time. To record the moving image of a person means to access information about a temporal part of him and this record is less real than the continuant itself because it is ontologically dependent on it: an object in time can be delayed in time only as image and by this process the original reality of the object is lost. We cannot accept that two different temporal parts of an object could stand in almost the same space and have the same degree of reality. One of them have to be less real. It is clear that a time journey is itself an occurrent, as it has temporal parts, it is a process and it has phases.A clear four-dimensionalist tendency affects the scientific description of time travel".

- Extracts from "Time Travel and theories of Time" (2000),
written by Ioan Lucian Muntean.

The Terminator: The main timeline is set, and traveling back in time cannot change anything. Indeed, traveling back in time to change the present will sometimes cause the very thing you're trying to avoid, as happens in The Terminator (for obvious dramatic reasons). This is among the more plausible time travel theories, as it avoids those messy paradoxes.Back to the Future: There are, I suppose, many ways to interpret time travel in this movie, but in this theory, there is still only one timeline, but you can change the past (and thus the present). In this theory, it's possible to go back in time and kill your father (before he had you), and in such a case you will "disappear." This is also a common theory, but the presence of paradox makes it less plausible.
The End of Eternity: In Isaac Asimov's novel, a group of people known as Eternals develop time travel and decided to improve upon history by introducing carefully calculated changes in the timeline. There is more to it than that, but the concept of a society using time travel to manipulate history is an important concept that is relevant to DD.Lightning: In Dean Koontz's novel, time travel is only allowed in one direction: to the future. This takes care of the "kill your father" paradox rather neatly. You can, however, change the future. There is a catch though, which is probably more for dramatic effect, but which bears importance in the Donnie Darko discussion - essentially, fate doesn't like it when you attempt to change something in the future: "Destiny struggles to reassert the pattern that was meant to be." Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up disoriented at the edge of Carpathian Ridge' cliff.

Donnie Darko sort of contains elements of all four, and since it includes the Back to the Future theory, it also sort of includes a paradox". Source: kaedrin.com

“Looper is set in a present-day world in which a group of hitmen are sent their victims from the future,” although Johnson assured fans that there was much more to the film than that.My full /Filmcast interview with him (where we discuss symbolism in Bloom, as well as that film’s ending) will be going up on the site shortly, but in the meantime, hit the jump for some details about the next script he’s working on, a sci-fi film called Looper.

It should be noted that Johnson is still working on the second draft of the script and thus, any and all of these details may be different by the time the film goes into production. Among the elements of the film that Johnson revealed:

The film will be set roughly thirty years in the future.

The film will depict a dystopian society that has gone to “hell”.

A disruptive element will have traveled back in time from even further in the future. The time travel element is part of the setup, much like in The Terminator, but not an active ongoing part of the story".
Rian Johnson with Rachel Weisz at "The Brothers Bloom" TIFF Press Conference on 9th November 2008.

Looper will be “very dark, very violent. It’s the exact opposite of Bloom.”Rian Johnson on the set of "The Brothers Bloom" in Prague.

Source: www.slashfilm.com

Time travel: Inception, Donnie Darko, Source Code, Looper, etc.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Arthur in "Inception" (2010) directed by Christopher Nolan

"Inception" Timeline graphic

"Death is not an event in life: we do not live to experience death. If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the present. Our life has no end in the way in which our visual field has no limits." — philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein

"Up to this point in his career, Jake Gyllenhaal can be found, most notably, in an unique and surreal cult film ("Donnie Darko"), in sharply observed American indies ("The Good Girl," "Lovely & Amazing"), tense Middle East conflict dramas ("Jarhead," "Rendition"), a David Fincher-directed serial-killer thriller ("Zodiac"), an English-language remake of a Danish dogma piece ("Brothers"), and an Oscar-winning love story between two men ("Brokeback Mountain," opposite Heath Ledger, of course).
Michelle Monaghan and Jake Gyllenhaal as Christina and Colter filming "Source Code" (2011)

"Source Code", "a science-fiction action thriller" with Vera Farmiga, Michelle Monaghan, and Jeffrey Wright, from Duncan Jones, the director of the eerie art-house android piece "Moon".Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell in "Moon" (2009)

"Love and Other Drugs", a romantic comedy with Gyllenhaal as a pharmaceutical salesman who woos Anne Hathaway. Ed Zwick wrote and directed.
"Annie and I definitely got pretty intimate, because there are a lot of love scenes in the movie, a lot of sexy scenes in that movie. You have to let it all hang out, so to speak." Source: www.newsobserver.com

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Bobby in "Uncertainty" (2009)
Bruce Willis in W magazine photoshoot (2009)

"Rian Johnson’s sci-fi thriller Looper, starring Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is scheduled to begin filming in January 2011, according to Production Weekly.
The script, written by Johnson (Brick, The Brothers Bloom), is set in the near future a few decades before the invention of time travel. An unseen crime syndicate sends its victims back in time where the bodies are shot and disposed of by blunderbuss-wielding killers called “loopers.”
Gordon-Levitt is one of these loopers, carrying out his deadly duty until the arrival of his future, 57-year-old self (played by Willis). Unable to “close his loop” and end his future, Joe and “Old Joe” go on the run from the syndicate. It’s very 12 Monkeys, but the characters, particularly a woman named Sara, are reminiscent of early entries in The Terminator series. A telekinesis mutation only amplifies the action and mind-bending suspense. I checked out one of the early drafts and it is one of the best scripts I have ever read. This is absolutely a project to watch for, sci-fi fans.Johnson’s latest and Duncan Jones’ upcoming film Source Code are two excitingly fresh perspectives on time travel that I can only hope will reinvigorate the genre. While Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel is worrying fans of the classic original(s) and the Star Trek series is gearing up for its twelfth space mission, a new generation of bright filmmakers — those two, plus District 9’s Neill Blomkamp, Tron: Legacy’s Joseph Kosinski, Carl Rinsch and several others — are ensuring science fiction will continue to be a source of creativity, limitless possibilities, and boundary-breaking technology long after Scott, James Cameron, and George Lucas hang it up. Hyperbolic, maybe, but I’m geeking out over what’s to come". Source: www.newsinfilm.com

Source Code is great solid sci-fi raw material

"The general reaction to this film , when it premiered at Austin’s SXSW film festival this week, was amazing. Not only did the audience applaud the film when it wrapped up, but it seems like Source Code is on everyone’s lips. I always appreciate fresh ideas when it comes to sci-fi movies. There’s a lot out there right now, less re-imagined and more re-hashed. Source Code is smart and new without relying too much on what has come before it.That being said, it does deal with quantum physics and parallel dimensions and all that great solid sci-fi raw material. Where it really excels though is in the well-written, smart script and the touching emotional aspects of the story. Source Code is one of those films that will keep you thinking long after you’ve left the theatre. It reminded me a little bit of 12 Monkeys as far time travel and predestination themes, but it came across as less bleak. Either way, the film is a real treat and is a must see". Source: wegotthiscovered.com

EW: Why was Duncan the right fit?

JG: What always scares me is people tend to lose character and a sense of “Why?” on a behavioral, human, psychological level when they’re dealing with something that can be entertaining. When you deal with something that is potentially commercial people just say “Oh, we’ll get to that later.” The movie was not anything I wanted to make unless it was with someone who was a real visionary. And humor too. Duncan has a great sense of humor—dirty and dark and great. I think the great thing about sci fi is there’s a little bit of a campy quality always. I don’t think anybody should take themselves too seriously in time continuum.
Jake Gyllenhaal smiling at "Source Code" SXSW Festival Premiere, 11th March, 2011, Austin, TX

EW: Did you stay to watch the movie?
JG: I did. My best friend lives in Austin and he came with his girlfriend. Literally he grabbed my leg at one point and then at another time, in that scene where I jump off the train, he was like “Oh my god, what the hell?!” I was like “Yes!” Source: insidemovies.ew.com

Pee-wee Herman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Duncan Jones at SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, March 12, 2011

"Only at SXSW will you see Jake Gyllenhaal and Pee-wee Herman teamed up. While attending the ongoing festival in Austin, the two recently paired up to create short videos explaining each other’s projects. Herman explains what Gyllenhaal’s new film Source Code is about, while Gyllenhaal attempts to explain what The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway is about. Pee-wee’s Broadway show will be airing on HBO Satuday, March 19th, while Source Code is set to hit theaters on April 1st". Source: collider.com


Jake Gyllenhaal kicked off the South by Southwest interactive festival with the premiere of his new movie Source Code in LA on Friday night. The actor chatted about the film and also teased a top-secret upcoming project (the new Bourne film, perhaps?), but an awkward run-in with a fan who tried to snap a picture of the star in the bathroom almost put a damper on the evening. Get the scoop on Jake's bad SXSW encounter! Source: www.popsugar.com

Reese is fine with Jake

"She also explains her relationshp with current boyfriend, actor Jake Gyllenhaal, ex-husband actor Ryan Phillipe - and her love of antique lace.

Q: So, you are in a stable relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal, right? How is he?

R: Yes. And we’re just fine. Thanks for asking.

Q: Do you always travel with Jake and your children when possible?

R: Well, My children cannot travel with me because they go to school so they’re back home. And on this occasion Jake has come along. I try to spend as much time as I possibly can with my family.
Q: Are you a romantic person?

R: Very. I think all women have a romantic side.

Q: What are the best moments of your day?

R: My best moments of the day are with my children, whether it's helping my daughter with her homework or tucking them into bed after saying prayers.Q: What makes you laugh?

R: I am a happy and positive person so I laugh easily.

Q: How does it feel to be considered one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood?

R: Oh, Thank you! I feel very blessed, you know. It is a wonderful opportunity to travel all around the world and talk to people. And create films that hopefully brings joy to people, so I feel very lucky in life.Q: Do you have any beauty tips you could share?

R: I just take care of my skin. And for me it’s important to sleep a lot because if not it just shows in my pale skin.

Q: What are your hobbies?

R: I am a homey person and now I share things with my children but I still collect antique linens and embroidery. It’s something that I enjoy a lot.

Q: Who are your favourite fashion designers?

R: I love fashion but I don’t follow it. I grew up in Tennessee. We didn't know what Louis Vuitton was. I had to order all my prom outfits from catalogues.
Q: Is image the key to success in Hollywood?

R: In Hollywood, maintaining an image is a race to nowhere. I know I am never going to be the skinniest, the most beautiful. I just want to be the best version of myself that I can be".
Source: www.thesun.co.uk

Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal, Getting Married? video:

Source Code Infographic, Vera Farmiga SXSW interview

Spoilers ahead: The initial studio-released plot description of Source Code avoids spoiler-y talk of the fictional science within the film, simply noting that Jake Gyllenhaal’s character “cross[es] over into another man’s identity in the last 8 minutes of his life” in order to avert a terrorist attack. But in the weeks leading up to the film’s April 1 release, Summit has increasingly emphasized Source Code’s parallel reality science, and a new poster seems to reveal a few too many clues to what happens in the film.
As depicted in the poster, eight parallel train tracks curved into the same S-shaped path (S for Source Code!) head toward an explosive destination at the eight-minute mark. Ostensibly, the trade-off in hinting at these concepts is that audiences will realize Source Code isn’t just about time travel, a sci-fi conceit that’s been explored exhaustively in other films that have come before. (According to screenwriter Ben Ripley, Source Code’s science is much closer to what real life theoretical physicists suggest is possible.) And of course, how the characters within the film negotiate these parallel tracks and get to the end is what the filmmakers hope will draw audiences in — that, and the prospect of watching Jake Gyllenhaal charm/save his way through the same 8-minute loop for 90 minutes" Source: www.cinemablend.com


It's difficult enough for an actor to work off of another highly animated actor. It is another thing entirely to have to act the majority of a film off of a camera alone. That is where actress Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Up in the Air) found herself in Duncan Jones' Source Code. Vera Farmiga as Carol Goodwin in "Source Code" (2011)

She plays Goodwin - Jake Gyllenhaal's guide and connection to the "outside" as he attempts to uncover first-hand who bombed a train. I had the honor of sitting down with Farmiga at SXSW to discuss working with Duncan, her character, not wanting to look into the camera, and the straight-man approach she took working against Jeffrey Wright's crazy eccentricities. Source: www.firstshowing.net

"Donnie Darko" celebrated in Genre Films at the Spirit Awards

Jake Gyllenhaal leaving the Vanity Fair Oscar party in LA on 27th February 2011
Jena Malone (Jake's co-star in "Donnie Darko") attending The Vanity Fair Oscar Party in LA on 27th February 2011

"Best First Feature category has been a hotbed for filmmakers who quickly make their mark with genre films. Although audiences didn't immediately embrace Richard Kelly's time-travel drama "Donnie Darko" in 2002, the Spirit Awards instantly recognized the qualities that would make it a cult classic with nods in the Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay categories. Jake Gyllenhaal and Jena Malone as Donnie and Gretchen in the theatre scene from "Donnie Darko" (2001)

Last year, the biggest stir when nominations were announced came with the announcement of Oren Peli's "Paranormal Activity" the surprise box office hit that was made for just around $15,000 by a software programmer and went on to gross $107 million domestically with the simple premise of a couple tormented by supernatural house guests.

Still of Ashley Bell in The Last Exorcism (2010)

This year, another found footage flick found its way into the category with "The Last Exorcism" which also earned a nomination for its star Ashley Bell in the Best Supporting Female category for her portrayal of a young woman that appears to be possessed by the Devil. Incidentally, the film isn't actually the first from director Daniel Stamm, whose previous mock doc thriller "A Necessary Death" won an audience award at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles in 2008 and brought him to the attention of executive producer Eli Roth after the film's original directors, screenwriters Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland had to leave to direct their other script in development, the comedy "The Virginity Hit." That bit of luck gave Stamm the chance to show his mettle on a substantially larger (but still meager $1.8 million) budget and paired him with Roth, who has injected a much-needed sense of humor into the usually deadly serious arena of horror.
The somewhat tricky nature of Spirit Award paperwork led to a similar nomination oddity in 1997 and 1998, though it was no less prescient when Larry Fessenden picked up the Swatch Someone to Watch Award a year before the Spirit Awards would nominate him again for Best Director - the catch is they were for both for the same film "Habit". Still, there's no argument here about acknowledging Fessenden, who has gone on to become one of the most prominent and important promoters of independent genre films, both as a director himself on films like 2006's Ron Perlman frightfest "The Last Winter" but as the chief of Glass Eye Pix, which has produced such films recently as "Bitter Feast" and "The House of the Devil", introducing the world to filmmakers like Ti West and Joe Maggio.

Duncan Jones director of "Source Code" (starring Jake Gyllenhaal) was a revelation with his indie debut "Moon", a low budget sci-fi film.

In general, indie filmmakers have long pushed the boundaries that often prevent even most mainstream films from presenting the world as they know it, so it only makes sense that many work in horror and science fiction, where at its best, they can offer effective social commentary in a way few other genres of films can be. That the Spirit Awards chooses to acknowledge it keeps the ceremony on the cutting edge and always ahead of what's next". Source: www.ifc.com