Excellent movie, and as per the usual with Charlie Kaufman movies, it takes about 15 minutes to figure out what's going on, and from then on it's gold.
Kate Winslet is outstanding and Jim Carrey is very good, but the script and interesting direction are the real stars. Can we please ask Charlie Kaufman to keep writing two movies a year? PLEEEEEEEEEEASE?
Sometimes a film comes along that makes you look inside yourself for answers due to it's introspectiveness. Eternal Sunshine is one of those films. It's funny without being silly. It's heartfelt without being sappy. It's poignant without being preachy. Jim Carrey has never been better. He's toned down. He lulls you down and draws you in...and that is why I think he's going to gradually become one of Hollywood's greatest actors eventually, as he finally shows some signs of reaching the potential that most people thought he had around Truman Show time.
The story is tight. Everybody has something to do. And everybody's story ties into Joel (Jim Carrey) and his quest to rid himself of the memories of his ex. There is no wasted motion, and everything goes headlong into the whirlwind third act.
I can't say enough good things about this flick.
THE FLAMES: 38-26-7-3 for 86 points in 74 games 3rd in Northwest Div.; 6th in Western Conf.; 13th in NHL MAGIC NUMBER: 5.5
Saw it FRIDAY (while I was supposed to be watching Basketball. Shh.)
I'm happy it wasn't as trippy as I might have 3expected, nor is it as head-scratching (Malkovich) or metatextual (Adaptation) as Kauffman's other high-profile scripts.
Who knew Kate Winslet was this good an actress? She's never really much impressed me until now.
I loved Ruffalo and Kirsten Dunst, too.
One small nitpick: The movie said Clementine worked at BN, yet you could tell they filmed the bookstore scenes at a Borders. Wha Happen?
I loved this movie. It was very poignant but, just as Freeway said, without being overly sappy, and it was just super-interesting. I think Jim Carrey was very good (really everyone here was), but I thought Kate Winslet was truly excellent. I don't normally like to go to movies on their opening weekend, but I'm glad I rushed out to see this on. Just fantastic!
Some of the jumping around early and mid-onward annoyed me, but it all nicely rounded out in the end. I still like Malkovich far better than Adaptation or Sunshine, but this still ranks up as one of the best movies I've seen this year.
"Truman Show" is still my favorie Carrey movie, though.
I just saw it today and thought it was great. I've been taking a class on the History of Motion Pictures lately and we've been talking about "meis-en-scene", so i've been alot more attentive to details in movies lately. From a technical aspect, Michel Gondry did some awesome stuff; from the freaky faces, to the walls of the house crumbling down, and my favorite part of all, Joel walking through the bookstore aisles with the lights all going off behind him and walking through a doorway into David Cross' character's house. That rocked. Plus Joel's childhood scenes as well were great.
The story was interesting, fresh, and poignant. Much like Kaufman's previous works, some things seem a little jumbled and confusing as the movie moves along, but then you reach that part where suddenly everything falls into place. Then you go "ahh...ok".
I have to agree, Winslet and Jim Carey both had excellent performances. I wasn't too sure what was going to come up for Kirsten Dunst's character, but it was a good little twist. Also there was alot less Elijah Wood than I expected.
All in all, that was a really enjoyable movie. I already wanna see it again. It's one of those flicks that are good to watch over and over and look out for little things you might've missed out on the first time.
Lastly, and this is pretty random I know, but whenever Dunst's character was on screen, I kept repeating her last name to myself (Svevo). I've no idea why. I guess it's just fun to say.
(hope that wasn't too spoilerish for the other folks out there.)
Add me to the ones who loved the movie. I saw it yesterday, and this is Carrey's best performance since The Truman Show. Kate Winslet is perfect as the somewhat ditzy girl, and I loved David Cross's issues with pot.
I would put this film above Malkovich, although I loved that film as well. The supporting performance in ES were amazing, especially Elijah Wood of all people.
Man, after Dawn of the Dead being better than it had any right to be, and this movie just being great, 2004 has started off pretty well, donchathink?
This movie ought to come with a warning label telling anyone who has had a breakup in the last 12 months that this WILL strike a nerve until it's beaten raw. In this case, though, that's not a bad thing: it wouldn't be the movie that is if it didn't. I appreciated how it doesn't play dumb with the audience and that you do have to pay attention in order to understand everything that happens. God bless Charlie Kaufman for doing scripts that you don't spend the whole movie calling spots in advance
At the risk of admitting something I maybe shouldn't, I think there was a high dust/pollen count around where I was sitting in the theater a few times. And I couldn't tell you the last movie that happened to me at.
That said however, I am reasonably sure I can slot this movie into my Top 3 for 2004. Jim Carrey should be remembered for this come Oscar time next year, and as far as being able to be an AC-TOR, he doesn't have to prove nothing to nobody any more.
EDIT: SEVERE force of habit when it comes to spelling a name like that with 2 N's.
Originally posted by Blanket JacksonGod bless Charlie Kaufmann for doing scripts that you don't spend the whole movie calling spots in advance
True indeed, but about midway through the film, I did figure out that. . .
Spoiler Below: Highlight text to read
The scenes leading up to the opening credits took place after Carrey's memory was erased.
I know this is definitely gonna be in my Top 3 in 2004, and I hope Charlie Kaufman continues to write screenplays for a long, long time. I've seen Being John Malkovich and Adaptation; are there any other Kaufman works I should be aware of?
Super super awesome! The best Kauffman yet! That guy is a kook! Awards for Carrey and Winslet! Dunst in her underwears! Dr. Tobias Funke married to Dr. Mel Carnosky!
Originally posted by Blanket JacksonGod bless Charlie Kaufmann for doing scripts that you don't spend the whole movie calling spots in advance
True indeed, but about midway through the film, I did figure out that. . .
Spoiler Below: Highlight text to read
The scenes leading up to the opening credits took place after Carrey's memory was erased.
Not to to be an asshole or anything, but I'm pretty sure that that was supposed to become apparent partway through the film, and wasn't a big twist ending or anything like that. The real surprise for me was the big reveal with Kirsten Dunst's character. In fact, that was a just a big ol' shocker for me!
Personally, I loved the way Kaufman played with the story structure here. The more I think about it, I realize that this is probably my favorite of his scripts so far.
-Clementine's hair is faded green when she first meets Joel, and blue after the erasure. Maybe that's why "nothing makes sense" to her. -Joel had Huckleberry Hound erased (along with Clem), so he wasn't being polite after the erasure...he just didn't remember. -Almost every background in the film is out of focus until Mary finds out about the Doctor erasing her memories. Then things come into focus, so to speak. -Most of the shots that were inside Barnes & Noble were shot in Barnes & Noble. Says so in the credits. I'm guessing that any reshoots took place in Borders, if they shot there at all.
Awards Won by Jim Carrey: THE TRUMAN SHOW: Best Actor - Drama [Golden Globes] MAN ON THE MOON: Best Actor [Boston critics]; Best Actor - Comedy/Musical [Golden Globes] Carrey's the ONLY actor in the history of the Academy Awards ever to win TWO Golden Globes and not even be nominated for the Oscar.
THE FLAMES: 38-26-7-3 for 86 points in 74 games 3rd in Northwest Div.; 6th in Western Conf.; 13th in NHL MAGIC NUMBER: 5.5
Originally posted by Dagent913Not to to be an asshole or anything, but I'm pretty sure that that was supposed to become apparent partway through the film, and wasn't a big twist ending or anything like that.
Yeah, I pretty much felt the same way after posting it but didn't bother to change it.
Well, as someone who spent 2+ years working at Borders, I can recognize their interiors (wooden shelves, slatwall endcaps), vs. BN (green/gold/black color scheme, black shelves).
Again, almost no one probably noticed or would even care. except me, of course. :>
This movie ought to come with a warning label telling anyone who has had a breakup in the last 12 months that this WILL strike a nerve until it's beaten raw.
Ditto. Oh, how I wish I had taken your advice and just stayed home. Awesome movie anyway.
Best quote of the movie: I'm not a concept. I'm just a fucked up girl, trying to find my own piece of mind.
I wish I had thought of that first.
Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come. Matt Groening (1954 - ), "Life in Hell"
This is my favorite Kaufman script/movie. I loved this movie. The performances and the directing and the script were all spot on and perfect. I can't really say much more about it that hasn't already been said, but everybody should see this movie. I think it's more accessable to a wider audience than any of Kaufman's other movies, which could tend to get a bit confusing to "Average Joe Movie Goer".
I place Sunshine above Malkovich, which was my favorite movie of that year (was it 2000?). I didn't really get into Adaptation too much, though. I appreciated the script and performances and everything, and it was a good movie, but it just didn't click with me like Sunshine and Malkovich did. I also really enjoyed Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
The problem with Adaptation is that your love of that movie completely depends, like with all Kaufman scripts, that you are able to buy into the concept...but here's the kicker: the more out there Kaufman's concepts are, the more believable they are. And for some reason, I bought into the portal to an actors mind on a 1/2 floor formerly occupied by midgets AND the Memory Eraser 3000 before I bought into the superego-driven twin brother who may or may not have existed.
I loved the little details that were thrown in. (woman in the office with her dog's "memories", & the forgetting "Oh My Darling Clementine" explanation in particular)
Also, I'm not sure if it was just me, but when he grabbed the big cookie in the childhood memory I literally had to hold back a spit-take. :-)
I have no actually documents to back this up but I remember watching Millionaire in late '99 and Survivor didn't debut until Summer 2000. So, Millionaire came first, Survivor second. Hope I could help.