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Community => Watto's Junk Yard => Topic started by: Matt on March 15, 2004, 10:05 AM

Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Matt on March 15, 2004, 10:05 AM
One of the oddest-titled movies I've ever heard of is coming out this Friday.   It's starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, and Kirsten Dunst, and it's written by Charlie Kaufman, the guy behind Being John Malkovich and Adaptation.  I've always been a Carrey fan, more or less, and have always had a thing for Kate Winslet as well.  

I don't know how to describe the plot, because I don't know that much about it, but it looks like it might be a cross between Total Recall and Vanilla Sky or something--neither of which are the greatest movies in the world.  :)  And the first time I saw the trailer, it looked like a mess, but after reading about it over at the HTF, the couple of people who've already seen it had nothing but great things to say about it.  And then on the Today show this morning, Gene Shalit gave it a really good review, too.

Neither are the greatest sources for movie reviews, I realize, but all the positive word-of-mouth makes me really curious about this flick--especially after seeing the trailer, which I was lukewarm at best on.

I'll try and find a synopsis and put it up here in a bit, but until then, anyone interested in this flick at all?
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Scott on March 15, 2004, 10:08 AM
Sounds intriguing, I loved BJMalkovich, thought it was the most enjoyable weird movie I had ever witnessed, my wife really liked it too.  This is the first I have even heard of it though and if I can't make time to go out and see Big Fish I doubt we'll getting out to see ESotSM
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Matt on March 15, 2004, 10:10 AM
Here's the plot summary from the IMDB:

Joel (Jim Carrey) is stunned to discover that his girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had her memories of their tumultuous relationship erased. Out of desperation, he contracts the inventor of the process, Dr. Howard Mierzwaik (Tom Wilkinson), to have Clementine removed from his own memory. But as Joel's memories progressively disappear, he begins to rediscover their earlier passion. From deep within the recesses of his brain, Joel attempts to escape the procedure. As Dr. Mierzwiak and his crew (Kristen Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood) chase him through the maze of his memories, it's clear that Joel just can't get her out of his head.

IMDB page for ESotSM (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/)
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Matt on March 15, 2004, 10:13 AM
Don't you guys have any friends or family there who would be willing to babysit every once in a while?
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Scott on March 15, 2004, 10:19 AM
Oh yeah we do...however, with the whole pregnancy deal going on right now too, wifey goes to bed at around 9 PM every night, sort of a double whammy in terms of movie going experiences :-X :-\ :'(  Add to that general uncomfort for her to sit in one spot for 2.5+ hours and a 6 pound object sitting on her bladder, we have sort of put the kibosh on movies until after the baby comes...
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Matt on March 15, 2004, 10:23 AM
Hoo-boy, remind me never to get pregnant.

 :-\

Thanks for exposing me as the insensitive ******bag I really am.

 :-\ :-\

I'll meet you somewhere, and we'll catch the flick this weekend.  

Kansas City, mayhap?
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Scott on March 15, 2004, 10:31 AM
Mapquest says its 800 Miles from St Paul to Oklahoma City, to Kansas City is 440 miles for me and 360 miles for you, if you can find a theater 40 miles north of Kansas City, for a matinee showing (gotta get cheap tickets to offset the gas it will take) and has some decent corn, then I'll be there.  Just know that we will not share popcorn, in fear of you pulling the Ol' Popcorn Trick (http://forums.rebelscum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=011382) on me
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Matt on March 15, 2004, 10:41 AM
Well, I've done some quick figuring, and determined the place equidistant from both OKC and St. Paul:

Table Rock, Nebraska.

I sure hope they have a theatre there--I guess we'll find out when we get there!

(And oh yeah--ol' popcorn trick.  Mmmmm. . .  Still works just as well if you're by yourself, but just without the surprise factor.)
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Mainland05 on March 15, 2004, 11:05 AM
It is a weird title for a film.  ???

But since Kate Winslet it in it, I will see it.  She looks beautiful in the film, like the hair! ;)
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Famine on March 15, 2004, 06:50 PM
Here's the plot summary from the IMDB:
But as Joel's memories progressively disappear, he begins to rediscover their earlier passion.

Flowers for Algernon, anyone?


Kevin
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Scott on March 15, 2004, 07:05 PM
Yeah...good one Kev, how about Awakenings...or Memento
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: P'dubs on March 15, 2004, 07:06 PM
Here's the plot summary from the IMDB:
But as Joel's memories progressively disappear, he begins to rediscover their earlier passion.

Flowers for Algernon, anyone?


Kevin
I want to be a genass. lol

Sound intresting indeed.
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Matt on March 15, 2004, 07:07 PM
You pulled a Charly Gordon!
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: P'dubs on March 15, 2004, 07:22 PM
Oh yeah baby. Hey reading in english calss just payed off! :o
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: jokabofe on March 15, 2004, 10:14 PM
you know, i went to a toy show near my house on sunday. and during this toy show, this woman was walking around wearing a lab coat, and handing out pens. ball point pens, like the bic ones. she handed me one, i stuffed it in my pocket, and didn't think twice about it. this morning, i was putting on my jacket, and felt the pen there... took it out, and it says "don't forget, with lacuna you can forget" www.lacunainc.com (http://www.lacunainc.com)

so i thought it was just some drug company trying to promote the next viagra or something, but i went to check out the site anyway... it's a promo for the movie. cool site, i really want to see this movie... i love jim carrey and this just looks like a total freak out flick.
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Famine on March 17, 2004, 07:12 PM
you know, i went to a toy show near my house on sunday. and during this toy show, this woman was walking around wearing a lab coat, and handing out pens. ball point pens, like the bic ones. she handed me one, i stuffed it in my pocket, and didn't think twice about it. this morning, i was putting on my jacket, and felt the pen there... took it out, and it says "don't forget, with lacuna you can forget" www.lacunainc.com (http://www.lacunainc.com)


Hahahaha! You got promo'd and didnt even know.

Kev-El
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: P'dubs on March 17, 2004, 07:21 PM
LOL. That's great.
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Scott on March 22, 2004, 10:13 AM
Anyone see this this weekend???
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Rob on March 22, 2004, 11:43 PM
I saw it last Thursday night.

Definitely the best movie I've seen in quite some time.
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: FX-7 on March 23, 2004, 01:30 PM
We saw it...I didn't really like it, my girlfriend loves Kate Winslet so we had to drive a long way to go.  It was good and all but just wasn't my thing
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Ben on March 24, 2004, 01:07 AM
It's not playing here. Damn, I hate this town. I don't know if it's limited release or what, but it's not playing here.
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Muftak on March 26, 2004, 12:02 PM
I saw it...no one else did??

If you liked the mind-twists and psychological ideas explored in Being John Malkovich, you will like this moive. My fiance' and I were surprised to see how true to life the "love story" really was. It's not as zany (a surprise to me, with Carrey starring) but is much more touching than Kaufmann's previous work. There are few players in the movie, but everyone gets something interseting to do. Mark Ruffalo does well, as do Frodo Baggins Elijah Wood and Mary Jane Watson Kirsten Dunst.

It also doesn't explain itself as obviously as some mind-bending movies do (even BJM explained what was really going on in more detail than this) so you sort of have to pay attention.

I'd recommend it, if not for a weekend viewing then definitely as a must when it hits video.
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Scott on March 28, 2004, 10:23 PM
Well, I had to choose between this and The Ladykillers, and I chose Eternal.  Glad I did because it was a helluva movie.  I loved the whole thing, the twists and turns, the neat little effects where his memories were fluid and changing based on how fuzzy they were in his mind.  Neat story, neat plot, neat twists.  Great performance by Carrey, he was really perfect and I can't say much more or less, also wonderful supporting roles by Frodo and Dunst

Kate Winslet is a Goddess, she is so above and beyond so many other modern day actresses of her age its not even close.  Her character really connected with me, she reminded me of some my ex-girlfriends and friends a lot.

I agree Bobb, the love story was really well done, not over the top schmaltzy romance, troubles and embarassing moments and wonderful things you never want to forget about the person you love

Great movie, on the OCB scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest I'll give it a solid 9
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Nicklab on March 28, 2004, 10:47 PM
This is the best film I've seen in a while.  It was fascinating to see Jim Carrey in a whole new light.  Kate Winslet had me transfixed, and Charlie Kaufman brought me there into Joel Barish's mind perfectly.  It was tremendous.
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Scott on March 28, 2004, 11:46 PM
I also need to see Being John Malkovich again, I remember it vaguely and I really liked it at the time a ton...I also need to go and rent Adaptation which I haven't seen yet
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Matt on April 19, 2004, 01:53 AM
So, I finally got around to seeing this tonight, and I think I really liked it.  Probably a movie I'll need to see again just to get totally straight with, but I liked it.

Jim Carrey--like I mentioned earlier, I've always been a fan, and this movie is just more proof of what a talented actor he really is.  Shame that he had to start his career with Ace Ventura--not that I didn't like it, but with that role, and the next couple after it, he totally turned some people off to him, that now won't give his performances in The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, The Majestic, and this role the time of day.

Kate Winslet is amazing.  Beautiful, smart, funny, interesting--all those things.

What I liked about the movie is that the memories feel like memories do.  Fleeting, brief moments.  People remember brief little snippets about things, and this movie really captures that feeling.

. . .Adaptation which I haven't seen yet

Well, just remember:  

"That's how f--k fish."
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Scott on April 19, 2004, 09:28 AM
I also like how the memories get screwed up and weird stuff is happening in the background, like his memory isn't perfect and this is all he can remember...

LIke the scene in the book store near the end where all of the books on the shelves are backwards
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Xander on April 19, 2004, 09:43 AM
Great flick.  Its a testament to the writers' skill that I didn't get lost in this complex story.  There is so much back and forth in time, and a lot of figuring out when this or that happened, that usually I would have to see it a second time.  The color of her hair was a great visual clue let you know what's going on in the scenes.  Clementine in that kitchen memory was hilarious.  Its great to see these big actors show their chops in a movie that's not cliche or predictable. You could figure out what was going to happen early on, I think, but it was a nice way to end it.
Title: Re: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Post by: Force Guy on April 19, 2004, 10:53 PM
I watched it last weekend & enjoyed it a lot.  The story was very original & the casting was perfect.  Jim Carrey (Joel) & gorgeous Kate Winslet (Clementine) were convincing in their roles & their relationship seemed believable (good chemistry).  The only negative part about the movie was Frodo.  Anyway, it's fun to ponder the consequences of erasing a person, experience, or memory (pleasant/unpleasant) from the "hard drive" that is the human mind.  If the possibility to escape the past became a reality, would you take the plunge & remove a few unwanted memories or "mistakes?"