This write-up has mostly been brought to you by Taff
“Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage, but it’s on a par with a night of heavy drinking. Nothing you’ll miss.”
In some ways, it looks like one of the worst Photoshops ever.
31. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
80 points, 6 out of 37 lists
Highest rating by KoC and Kendergardener at #2
Won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth. Also nominated for Best Actress for Kate Winslet’s tremendous performance. Sorry Jim, maybe another year, keep trying. Grossed around $34 million in theatres and later went on to become a strong DVD performer. Currently resides at #47 on IMDb’s Top 250.
A director whose previous highlights were music videos for The Rolling Stones, Wyclef Jean, Kylie Minogue, The Foo Fighters and The White Stripes. A comedy actor continuing his attempt to be taken seriously for his acting ability. A scriptwriter whose previous work was a film about taking control of John Malkovich. A winning formula for a movie, right?
In 2006 RottenTomatoes.com attempted to build a list of the top 100 Sci Fi movies based upon their reviews by various critics. The number one placed film was ET, but the second place movie was a bit of a suprise for some with Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, a film primarily about love, finishing second. However the sci-fi element is key to the story, which is ultimately about the ability of love to conquer, even against the wiping of memories.
The idea for Eternal Sunshine came from a conversation the director, Michel Gondry had with a friend over dinner, where a question was posed to him : what if you were sent a card that told you someone had erased you from their memory and that you should no longer contact them? Intrigued by the idea, Gondry contacted Charlie Kaufman, whose script for Being John Malkovich he had just finished reading, to see if he’d be interested in working together. Kaufman agreed and the process of making a reverse sci-fi love story began.
The film itself essentially is quite simple. Joel (played by Jim Carrey) is sent a note telling him his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had all memories removed of him. Joel is so annoyed he decides to undergo the same process, but as his memories are deleted he starts to realise why he loved her and how much she really meant to him, and battles in his mind against the process trying desperately to hold onto his memories of her as thats all he has left as he falls in love with her all over again. The cinematography is amazing particularly in the way it deals with the memory loss. Methods such as the deterioration of picture and sound are used to show the memory deteriorating, along with other methods like characters and scenery fading away as the process continues.
This story is shadowed by the activities of the people doing the erasing, with Elijah Wood shining in his first role after Frodo, being particulary creepy as Patrick, the technician who becomes obsessed with Clementine and uses the personal belongings given to him by Joel, along with the memories he sees of Joel and Clementine’s relationship to seduce Clementine. This performance made me see “Frodo” in a different light with his character being very far from his hobbit alter ego.
But I’ve told you too much. This film is one that I think you have to see and enjoy and the ending is one of my favourite endings of a film that I feel really expresses what it’s like to love and be loved, especially as it’s left to your own interpretation. It
Never seen it - never even fucking heard of it. Good writeup tho Taff.
Never seen it.
I'm scared of KoC's list.
This movie is about one thing. Pain. And it shows it tremendously realistically. Excellent film that any non-moronic person needs to see once. It was in my top 25. Unless I had it erased from my memory.
Meh. I'd rather re-watch Airplane!
But you haven't seen it.
It's been a few years since I watched it, and back in the day it just seemed to me to be a very "emo-centric" type film. I think I'm going to have to pick it up again sometime. I have a feeling I'd probably enjoy it more nowadays.
I know...I'm just not motivated to either. It could be a great movie. I just am not motivated to sit down & watch it. People have gushed about it to me, people have swore it's the most overrated piece of film ever - neither of those things, or anything in between is influencing my decision.
It's like Spiderman 3. I just have no real want to watch it. I'm not anti-it, and I'm sure at some point, some day, I'll probably end up viewing it...like I said, I'm just not motivated to watch it.
Fuck you Tron, you should watch it. I love this film.
Airplane 2 > Airplane
Like I said, I'm not against it. It could be great. I may even really like it myself...I'm just not motivated to watch it.
One has Shatner and breasts.
The other has June Cleaver.
And Peter Graves.
The Shats steals the show in the sequel but I rate the first slightly higher on the count of the dance scene and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wearing his Lakers shorts and goggles after passing out.
Both awesome films though and both literally piss on Eternal Sunshine On The Predictable Ending Mind.
The Bill Shatner On The Door Monitor gag is probably the best in either film though...
Now I'm torn, might have to watch both of them back to back this weekend to decide again.
For the first time ever, n00B has disappointed me.
Also, Lloyd Bridges.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Airplane2. It's a great flick and definitely one of the better sequels ever made while still being a standalone great movie.
The sequel does have the Jive guy kicking ass in the courtroom scene ("Bro was on!") but then the original has all the little hidden gags you don't notice at first like the fact Kramer is wearing two pairs of shades.
It was the anti-Eternal Sunshine thing wasn't it?
Hopefully, once Big Trouble In Little China makes it's inevitable arrival on this list this will just be seen as a minor blip in the diplomatic relations between us.
It better.
If one of you would like to ready a write-up for that movie, it would warm my heart greatly. It's still a few movies off, but I'd rather have it beforehand than hold up the list.
Its 30 movies off.
Still, preparation is key.
Another movie that should be much higher up on the list. Shame on you all.
I saw this maybe 3 years ago and have wanted to watch it again. Perhaps I will soon.
Haven't seen it. Like Tron, one of those movies people have raved about yet I'm just disinterested. Sorry kender.
Et tu, bender?
This was one of those DVDs on sale at Best Buy for less than $5 that I was pissed because I'd bought it at full price a couple years ago.
Good film. It was in my top 50, not sure about top 25.
I rated this ***3/4 on IL, worth watching once but I have little desire to see it again. Doubt it would even make my Top 50 though.
Fuck, I forgot about this. I'd place it in the 16-20 area if I would of remembered.
Goddammit Buckdiddy.
I started watching this, got bored about half an hour in and starting having sex instead, during which both my parents entered the cinema. I did not enjoy this movie.
I may have to attempt an untainted viewing of it.
uhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I have no desire to see this film.
I was at most 80% sucked in, which Taff will tell you is almost 110%.