White Wall Cinema: Southland Tales

Director Richard Kelly’s follow-up to his debut feature Donnie Darko is the entirely remarkable but largely misunderstood Southland Tales. A response to the post-9/11 world and its new absurd political realities, this sprawling Los Angeles near-future dystopian black comedy thriller was screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival to a disastrous reception. In a panic, the film was hastily re-edited, losing much of its core, and released to the public, only to be promptly dismissed.

The story, set in 2008, sees the United States standing on the brink of social, economic, and environmental disaster, in the midst of a Fourth of July heatwave weekend. Action movie star Boxer Santaros (Dwayne Johnson) finds himself suffering from amnesia as his life intertwines with pornstar Krysta Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who is developing her own reality TV show tackling the big subjects of terrorism, crime, poverty, and, yes, teen horniness. Added to this mix is LAPD officer Roland Taverner (Seann William Scott), whose identity seems to have been split in two.

A rip-roaring hybrid of Andy Warhol and Philip K. Dick sensibilities, with an almost hypnotic mix of grandeur, etherealness, and downright absurdist, Republican Party-fuelled phantasmagoria. Miss the Cannes Cut at your peril.

• DOORS: 6.50pm*
• START TIME: 7.20pm*
• RUN TIME: 160 mins
• CERT: 15 (Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult).

*Please note – doors open at 6.50pm, Please try to allow extra time to get seated prior to the performance start time of 7.20pm. There will usually be no admittance from 20 minutes after the films stated start time. No hot food or alcohol from outside the premises is allowed. All alcoholic drinks consumed on the premises must be purchased from the bar as per the conditions of the venue’s licence