but nevertheless gave the film a thumbs down. J. Hoberman defended the film, yet again, in his review for the theatrical cut. "In its willful, self-involved eccentricity, Southland Tales is really something else. Kelly's movie may not be entirely coherent, but that's because there's so much it wants to say." Manohla Dargis also gave the film a positive review in The New York Times, writing, "He doesn't make it easy to love his new film, which turns and twists and at times threatens to disappear down the rabbit hole of his obsessions. Happily, it never does, which allows you to share in his unabashed joy in filmmaking as well as in his fury about the times." The film remains enigmatic to many viewers and even some of its makers. In a 2011 interview, Justin Timberlake himself said, "To me, Southland Tales is performance art. I still don't know what that movie is about." In a 2013 interview, Kelly said he considered this work as "the thing that I'm most proud of, and I feel like it's sort of the misunderstood child or the banished child." Future In January 2021, Richard Kelly announced that developments are underway to expand the film into a franchise with intention being that the original cast return. The filmmaker explained that the original film is chapters 4-6, while a prequel project will explore chapters 1-3 with intentions being to do so through an animation medium; while additional projects can explore events that take place in 2024. Kelly later expressed regret in releasing the latter chapters first through the original film, stating that this placed the audience at a disadvantage. The filmmaker stated that discussions are ongoing as to whether the projects should be released as films or in a long-form format through a streaming service. See also List of American films of 2007 99 Francs A Scanner Darkly and its film adaptation References External links 2006 films 2000s English-language films English-language French films English-language German films 2006 comedy-drama films 2000s dystopian films 2000s thriller films American alternate history films American comedy-drama films American thriller films German alternate history films German thriller films French alternate history films French thriller films Films about amnesia Apocalyptic films Films adapted into comics Films directed by Richard Kelly Films set in 2008 Films set in California Films shot in California Films shot in Los Angeles Films shot in New Jersey Independence