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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

post #1 of 30
11/2/07 at 9:46pm
Thread Starter 
Still one of the most breathtaking modern films I've seen. It's probably my favourite Kaufman film, largely because of Gondry's ability to translate Kaufman's prose without being painfully in awe of his writing like Spike Jonze seemed to be. There's a balance between the two talents, Gondry's visual style matches up perfectly and is never overshadowed by Kaufman's brilliant script.

In fact I have to hand it to Gondry completely for making what could have been an overly complex movie completely logical and easy to follow. Despite the serpentine nature of the plot, you never really lose track of what is happening (unless the film requires you to lose track).

I also love the Huckleberry Hound moment right at the start, it's such an obvious little thing but it makes rewatches so much more fun because it's one of the first major clue that something is awry.
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post #2 of 30
11/2/07 at 11:18pm
This is still probably the most affecting movie I've seen in a theater. I think it was mostly just where I was in my life at the time, but so much of the movie and Joel's state of mind really hit home.

It's been a while since I've watched it, but there is that part when he's on the train near the beginning (I think) and he says to himself, "Why do I have to fall in love with every woman who shows the slightest bit of interest in me?" There is just something about that that seemed really honest and genuine to me.

In general I found the editing and score to be pretty overwhelming, in a really good way. The scenes where Joel and Clem are running through disappearing memories was so frantic that the first time I saw it I started having a panic attack and had to leave the theater. I'm sure that sounds kind of lame, but in a weird way it felt really great to have a movie get so deep inside my head.

Anyways, the 5 minutes I spent in the bathroom catching my breath turned into a good reason to insist I go back to the theater later that week to catch the movie again.
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post #3 of 30
11/2/07 at 11:41pm
My favorite film released this so far this decade, and slowly creeping into my top 5 of all time. I love everything about it. The first time I saw it in the theater I was so emotional I had to refrain from calling anyone (I usually call at least one person (most of the time my brother) after every movie just to talk about it) for about two hours because I was a blubbering mess. I never liked Kate Winslet, but fell in love with her after watching this. And Jim Carrey - what a performance.

Nearly everything about this flick is perfect, and when Kaufman didn't win the Best Screenplay award I was legitimately pissed off.
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post #4 of 30
11/3/07 at 12:47am
For every Number 23, or Ace Ventura 2, or Trouble with Dick and Jane, I think of Carrey's performance in this movie, and how much clout I give him for it, and how many countless bad movies I can forgive for it. The tone of the movie, the heart it shows, and the amazing creativity of Kaufman's script are all incredible.

With any of Kaufman's scripts, I'm always blown away at how he is able to represent great humor and wit along with heartbreak and paranoia. Then again, I think that kind of describes life in general, it's just that Charlie Kaufman is able to twist reality in a way that makes you re-examine a lot about life through his quirky pen.
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post #5 of 30
11/3/07 at 1:08am
I saw this movie for the first time when I was with a girl that I thought I was going to marry and be with forever. It was a fantastic relationship through and through. Then the movie came out on DVD not long after we parted ways and I looked at it (the movie) from a whole new angle and I grew to love it even more. Now that I'm in a solid relationship again I'm seeing it another way. I'm endlessly fascinated by every aspect of it, and it's one of those movies that no matter what mood I'm in, I always end up emotionally fucked-up (in a good way) after I watch it.

EDIT: Chris Miller: I completely agree with you on Carrey's performance. He got a lot of kudo's for Man on the Moon, but this is by far his best performance. It helps that Kaufman created such a strong character on the page, but the performance pushes the character into what I think is one of the greats of our time
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post #6 of 30
11/3/07 at 2:12am
This is a film that really caught me off guard. The first Kaufman film I saw was Adaptation and I was freaked out by the opening scene. Cage's character's inner monologue could have been a recording of my own inner voice. I loathe to use a cliche like "the film spoke to me" but I was astonished to have connected like that. When I saw Eternal Sunshine I felt similary affected by how closely Kaufman caught the essence of a relationship.

My film preferences skew to escapist fare; the Indianna Jones, James Bond, Die Hards etc....out there. I like to imagine myself being that cool and having those adventures. Visceral vs Emotional, I usually shy away from films like this because I don't really want to analyse where I'm at. But with Adaptation and especially Eternal Sunshine I love how they move through a thrilling story and still get to me.
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post #7 of 30
11/3/07 at 2:49am
This is one of those rare films that is damn near perfect it its originality, concept, and execution.
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post #8 of 30
11/3/07 at 6:34am
Near-perfect indeed, but I thought the heavy lifting was done by Winslet rather than Carrey. She has to make a bitchy neurotic lovable, Carrey just plays the sensitive shmoe. Still a good performance.

But what I like most about it is it's honesty, and I attribute that to Kaufman and his characters. Just about everyone is giving a significant dramatic turn or two, and it always feels like it's not far from emotional reality.

And the ending is one of the greatest modern endings I've seen, wonderfully ambiguous I think.
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post #9 of 30
11/3/07 at 6:36am
As good as this is, I think Adaptation is Kaufman's masterpiece. That thing is just flawless.
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post #10 of 30
11/3/07 at 5:19pm
I would argue that Adaptation is actually deeply flawed. The third act works much better conceptually than it actually does as part of a movie.

Eternal Sunshine is just wonderful. It is one of my favorite films of the decade as well, but it's sort of like I don't even need to rank it. It's so beautiful that it just sort of stands outside of any of that bullshit, at least for now.

I like to think at the end that the two of them decide to go through it all again, because even with all the heartbreak and misery that comes with a relationship, the ecstasy of love and those truly good moments win in the end. Thematically, I think that's a pretty strong part of the movie.
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post #11 of 30
11/3/07 at 6:38pm
There's been a bunch of threads talking about various aspects of this movie (though I think this is the first actual official thread for it) so I'll just echo my love for it. I love Michel Gondry as a director, but I don't think there will ever be another script as perfect for him as this one is.
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post #12 of 30
11/4/07 at 1:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dannychico
I would argue that Adaptation is actually deeply flawed. The third act works much better conceptually than it actually does as part of a movie.
While I disagree that its flawed for the third act, I understand the argument. Its for this reason that I admire and can endlessly marvel at Adaptation (so much so that if i catch it on tv part way through, I'lls top it and immediately watch it from start to finish), but absolutely LOVE Eternal Sunshne.

They're both equally amazing, but just produce very different responses
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post #13 of 30
11/4/07 at 1:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll
though I think this is the first actual official thread for it
There was a discussion thread linked to Smilin' Jack Ruby's review. Unfortunately the current search function does not link back to threads started before the previous CHUD MB revamps. I hope whenever the next revamp finally takes place, we'll be able to find past threads. It's the one major problem with the CHUD boards that has irked me for years as the message boards have expanded.
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post #14 of 30
11/4/07 at 2:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva
Unfortunately the current search function does not link back to threads started before the previous CHUD MB revamps..
Back to 2002. You simply need to click on the "advanced search" function after the initial little pop-up thing comes up.
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post #15 of 30
11/4/07 at 2:43pm
I always use advanced search and can never find threads that I know exist. Also, that link you posted isn't the discussion thread I was referring to. In fact, there's no discussion in that one. It's one post. The one I'm talking about was in 2004 around the release of the film. I think Devin started it, but I also could just be thinking that because he usually starts the threads related to main page articles.
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post #16 of 30
11/4/07 at 2:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva
I always use advanced search and can never find threads that I know exist. Also, that link you posted isn't the discussion thread I was referring to. In fact, there's no discussion in that one. It's one post. The one I'm talking about was in 2004 around the release of the film. I think Devin started it, but I also could just be thinking that because he usually starts the threads related to main page articles.
Hey, lookee here!
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post #17 of 30
11/4/07 at 3:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chavez
The link you posted brings me to a message box that says, "Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms."

Edit: Also just to prove that I'm not a complete idiot (at least when it comes to the search), this is what comes up for me when I search for the title: http://chud.com/forums/search.php?searchid=2526099

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amphibatron
I think he was just saying that was as far back as the search went.

Is the thread you were looking for in the below search?

http://chud.com/forums/search.php?searchid=2526065
Yes thanks.
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post #18 of 30
11/4/07 at 3:18pm
Thanks for the tip.
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post #19 of 30
11/4/07 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva
The link you posted brings me to a message box that says, "Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms."
Hmm. It brought up over a page of Eternal Sunshine links for me, the furthest back of which I posted a link to.

I think sometimes you may recall a discussion being in a different thread than you thought it was; I know that happens to me.
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post #20 of 30
11/4/07 at 4:39pm
Who needs the Memory Eraser People when we've got the CHUD Search Function? The important thing is that our love for this movie endures...
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post #21 of 30
11/4/07 at 5:09pm
Amen!
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post #22 of 30
11/4/07 at 8:41pm
My favourite Kaufman remains Being John Malkovich, but this is a decidedly close second. The imagery here really is absolutely masterful.
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post #23 of 30
11/13/07 at 11:30pm
This is one of my favorite movies ever. I make a point of recommending it to anyone who hasn't seen it. I bought it without knowing much of anything about it, and, like Chris O, had the all too rare experience of discovering what to me is definitely a classic.

I thought it was a poignant, yet happy ending. Two people get a second chance at a relationship, and have none of the emotional baggage, but enough knowledge to be careful not to fuck it up this time.

I watched it many times while I was getting divorced, and found it oddly comforting.
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post #24 of 30
11/14/07 at 7:25am
I must echo many of my fellow chudites here in calling this easily one of my favourite films of this decade and the perfect meeting of screenwriter and director.

My much better half and I walked into the cinema to watch this under the cloud of a nasty fight we were in the middle of, by the films end we were all over each other and all we could say over and over was I love you and appreciate you.

The most realistic look at relationships I personally have ever seen. A film solid with brilliant performances (Career best turns by Winslett, Carrey, definately Dunst and special mention to Tom Wilkinson in making as much as he did with such a small role), I have trouble faulting this film on any level.

It still emotionally effects me today as much as the first time I saw it. My missus feels the same way and thats even after teaching the film as a text in her high school literature class.

Oh and hearing David Cross insist "I'm building a bird house!" never ceases to make me piss myself.

Just one of my favourite films frankly
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post #25 of 30
11/17/07 at 3:46pm
No dig at the movie, since I think it's brilliantly made. But I'm going to have to one of those people who weren't hit that hard by the film.

But I harbor no ill will towards it. I just appreciate it more than I love it.

In the case of Garden State (mentioning this movie is an insult to Eternal Sunshine), I was completely let down by a mediocre movie. The fact that everyone seemed to love it made my disinterest turn into utter dislike.

Not the case with Eternal Sunshine. I know people love this film and while I don't, it doesn't bug me. In this case, I actually think it is a good film, whereas Garden State is not.

I wish I could love this film. Perhaps someday I will.
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post #26 of 30
2/11/08 at 7:21am
Maybe it's not entirely necessary to bump this revamp-disabled thread, but hey I'm on a roll.
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post #27 of 30
9/17/10 at 8:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcnooj82 View Post
No dig at the movie, since I think it's brilliantly made. But I'm going to have to one of those people who weren't hit that hard by the film.

.....

I wish I could love this film. Perhaps someday I will.
Do you love it yet Nooj?

I rewatched having been sparked off by a comment in the (500) Days Of Summer thread, and this film is aging like the greatest fine wine, but it's not mentioned particularly often anymore it seems. Carrey's never matched this (Jeez, Winslet's never matched this either) and it retains an almost painful honesty. The argument about Summer in 500 was that it was Levitt's movie so we didn't need to really understand her. This movie takes place mainly in Joel's head, yet Clementine is so much more fully realised than Summer it's incredible, and kind of ruins that argument.

Anyway, besides that, this film just deserves regular bumping.
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post #28 of 30
9/17/10 at 8:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdrianDyka View Post
Do you love it yet Nooj?

I rewatched having been sparked off by a comment in the (500) Days Of Summer thread, and this film is aging like the greatest fine wine, but it's not mentioned particularly often anymore it seems. Carrey's never matched this (Jeez, Winslet's never matched this either) and it retains an almost painful honesty. The argument about Summer in 500 was that it was Levitt's movie so we didn't need to really understand her. This movie takes place mainly in Joel's head, yet Clementine is so much more fully realised than Summer it's incredible, and kind of ruins that argument.

Anyway, besides that, this film just deserves regular bumping.
I know this a fantastic movie, but when I haven't seen it for a while only the negative tends to shine out. Which is kind of fitting, but completely unfair. The point you make about Clementine is especially great considering how many movies really embraced the Dream Girl concept in that same time frame. The fact that it breaks that archetype down without being overly bitter is impressive.

Though somebody around here said the original script called for the final shot to be both of them getting their memories fried again, so that optimism and softness probably belongs to Jonze more than Kaufman.

It's easy to forget how hilarious the movie is since it's such a success in the drama department. The bird house line above has been unabashedly stolen as a non-sequiter.
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post #29 of 30
9/18/10 at 12:47am
So its been entirely way too long since I've sat down and watched this. I need to rectify that on my weekend off.
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post #30 of 30
9/21/10 at 4:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by audioofbeing View Post
Though somebody around here said the original script called for the final shot to be both of them getting their memories fried again, so that optimism and softness probably belongs to Jonze more than Kaufman.
I'm not sure how optimistic that last scene is though- these are two people who are pretty likely to make the same mistakes this go round. This movie also owes a huge debt to Annie Hall, although I reckon that Alvy Singer is actually in a better place emotionally than Joel at the end of the respective films.
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