Donnie Darko. Options

[Fauna]

Has anyone else seen this movie? I've watched it at least 50 times. And I love it. It really makes you think. Your thoughts on it?

[Gribbie]

prove me wrong!

OK!!
YOU ASKED FOR IT!!
WARNING EXTREME SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
donnie darko:"Deus ex Machina"
"The Primary Universe is fraught with great peril. War, plague, famine and natural disaster are common. Death comes to us all. ....The Fourth Dimension of Time is a stable construct, though it is not impenetrable. ....Incidents when the fabric of the fourth dimension becomes corrupted are incredibly rare. If a Tangent Universe occurs, it will be highly unstable, sustaining itself for no longer than several weeks. ....Eventually it will collapse upon itself, forming a black hole within the Primary Universe capable of destroying all existence. Water and Metal are the key elements of Time Travel. Water is the barrier element for the construction of Time Portals used as gateways between Universes at the Tangent Vortex. Metal is the (transitional) element for the construction of Artifact Vessels. When a Tangent Universe occurs, those living nearest to the Vortex will find themselves at the epi- center of a dangerous new world.
Artifacts provide the first sign that a Tangent Universe has occurred. ..If an Artifact occurs, the Living will retrieve it with great interest and curiosity. Artifacts are formed from metal, such as an Arrowhead from an ancient Mayan civilization, or a Metal Sword from Medieval Europe. Artifacts returned to the Primary Universe are often linked to religious iconography; as their appearance on Earth seems to defy logical explanation. Divine Intervention is deemed the only logical conclusion for the appearance of the Artifact.
The Living Receiver is chosen to guide the Artifact into position for it's journey back to the Primary Universe. No one knows how or why a Receiver will be chosen. The Living Receiver is often (blessed) with a Fourth Dimensional Power(s). These include increased strength, telekinesis, mind control, and the ability to conjure fire and water. The Living Receiver is often tormented by terrifying dreams, visions and auditory hallucinations during his time within the Tangent Universe. .Those surrounding the Living Receiver, known as the Manipulated, will fear him and try to destroy him.
The Manipulated Living are often the close friends and neighbors of the Living Receiver. They are prone to irrational, bizarre, and often violent behavior. This is the unfortunate result of their task, which is to assist the Living Receiver in returning the Artifact to the Primary Universe. The Manipulated Living will do anything to save themselves from Oblivion.
The Manipulated Dead are more powerful than the Living Receiver. If a person dies within the Tangent Dimension, they are able to contact the Living Receiver through the Fourth Dimensional Construct. The Fourth Dimensional Construct is made of Water. .The Manipulated Dead will manipulate the Living Receiver using the Fourth Dimensional Construct. The Manipulated Dead will often set an Ensurance Trap for the Living Receiver to ensure that the Artifact is returned safely to the Primary Universe. ....If the Ensurance Trap is successful, the Living Receiver is left with no choice but to use his Fourth Dimensional Power to send the Artifact back in time into the Primary Universe before the Black Hole collapses upon itself.
When the Manipulated(living or dead) awakens from their Journey into the Tangent Universe, they are often haunted by the experience in their dreams. Many of them will not remember. .Those who do remember the Journey are often over-come with profound remorse for the regretful actions buried within their Dreams, the only physical evidence buried within the Artifact itself, all that remains from the lost world.

Living Receiver: Donnie Darko: "Deus ex Machina", followed by "Our Saviour". (Note that Deus Ex Machina is also mentioned in one of the deleted scenes related to the classroom discussion about Watership Down.)
Manipulated Dead Frank Anderson (Manipulates Donnie throughout the film) and Gretchen Ross (Gretchen tells Donnie "And what if you could go back in time and take all those hours of pain and darkness and replace them with something better?" perhaps manipulating him to complete his task later on.)
Manipulated Living Everyone else in the film - list includes Donnie's family, friends, enemies, Roberta Sparrow, etc. Ex: Karen Pomeroy and Kenneth Monnitoff have the conversation "Donnie Darko"... "I know"? Sense something, odd and/or different with Donnie than usual."

timeline
2 OCTOBER 1988
1. Manipulated Dead (MD) Frank coerces Donnie to sleepwalk to the golf course (preventing him being killed).
2. The jet engine strikes the house.
5 OCTOBER 1988
3. Donnie is coerced by MD Frank to sleepwalk to the school and break the water main. Because of this the school is flooded and Donnie walks home with Gretchen, resulting in her "going" with him. Karen Pomeroy will later be blamed for this, due to this same act being seen in a short story she has her students read, resulting in her being fired.
6 OCTOBER 1988
4. Donnie and his friends see Grandma Death walking to the mail box, and Ronald suggests that someone should "write that bitch". Perhaps manipulating Donnie to write to her, so that she is reading the letter when Frank's car swerves to miss her.
10 OCTOBER 1988
5. Donnie discusses the time travel theories with Dr. Monnitoff, and is given the Philosophy of Time Travel.
18 OCTOBER 1988
6. Gretchen tells Donnie "And what if you could go back in time and take all those hours of pain and darkness and replace them with something better?" perhaps manipulating him to complete his task later on.
22 OCTOBER 1988
7. Donnie discusses more time travel with Dr. Monnitoff.
23 OCTOBER 1988
8. Donnie finds Jim Cunningham's wallet outside his house. With the address he knows which house to burn down later. By burning down the house Kitty has to appear at his arraignment, meaning that Rose (Donnie's Mum) has to go to the Talent Contest, meaning the party takes place and Donnie is with Gretchen "cementing" their relationship. Everyone aboard the plain is ready to die at the correct time and place in the new tagent universe, so another paradox is not caused.
9. Donnie sets fire to Jim Cunningham's house that evening.
25 OCTOBER 1988
10. Kitty Farmer asks Rose to chaperone Sparkle Motion as she is appearing at Jim Cunningham's arraignment. The party can happen, and everyone aboard the plain is ready to die at the correct time and place in the new tagent universe.
26 OCTOBER 1988
11. Karen Pomeroy tells Donnie about the phrase "Cellar Door", thus dropping the clue that Donnie picks up on later when entering Roberta Sparrow's house via the cellar.
29 OCTOBER 1988
12. Elizabeth gets her letter for getting in to Harvard. They decide to throw the party.
13. Gretchen's mother has vanished, she comes to the party to find Donnie and stay in a "safe place".
30 OCTOBER 1988
14. They enter Roberta Sparrow's house by the cellar door.
15. Gretchen is run over by Frank, who swerves to avoid Roberta Sparrow reading Donnie's letter.
16. Donnie shoots Frank, allowing him to come back and help him as the Manipulated Dead.
17. The Tagent Unvirse Decays.
18.The "Red Eye" jet engine flies through a worm hole.
19.Donnie Uses "God's channel", that (MD)Frank and Roberta Sparrow's book has shown him; to place his memories and experiences into his past self (Of 28 days ago.), to teach him of the tagent universe.
20.Donnie laughs, knowing that his journey through the Tangent Universe had solved his problem of dying alone through achieving enlightenment, and subsequently he knew he was going to "something better" (from his letter to Roberta Sparrow).

The End.