What did you think of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?

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@heineken, I totally agree with you about Being John Malkovich. I’d say it’s one of the ten most creative films ever made. It’s so typical that American Beauty wins Best Picture in 1999 while BJM doesn’t even get nominated. I think BMJ was nominated for Best Original Screenplay lost to American Beauty. Idiots.

Mark



@heineken, I totally agree with you about Being John Malkovich. I’d say it’s one of the ten most creative films ever made. It’s so typical that American Beauty wins Best Picture in 1999 while BJM doesn’t even get nominated. I think BMJ was nominated for Best Original Screenplay lost to American Beauty. Idiots.

Mark
Well movies like BJM will always be considered too niche for the Oscars and such I think, which doesn't really bother me to be honest. Although I remember a certain hype before it hit the movies.

The two are very different movies though. To the point where I wouldn't put them up against each other. I liked them both but can agree that BJM is more novel/original. Kinda reminds me of Vampire's Kiss (1988) for some reason. That one was waaaay off the beaten tracks. Especially for the 80's.



Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is well loved here at Movie Forums. To date it has placed on FIVE of our MoFo Lists, exercises which poll our membership to determine consensus likes in various categories. ESOTSM was #2 on the Top 100 of the Millennium, #6 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 2000s, #19 on the original MoFo Top 100 conducted in 2010, #92 on the refresh of that list ten years later, and #27 on the MoFo Top 100 Science Fiction Films.



After you get past all of Charlie Kaufman's ingenious machinations about erasing memories and the surreal fun of desperately running through those moments as they disappear, what's at the core of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the emotional truth of the way humans love: even knowing exactly how painful the ultimate outcome and how fleeting it all can be, most of us would consciously choose to relive it all over again, because the great parts and the happiness at love's apex are so great it makes the pain worth it, and really what life is all about.
__________________
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra



@heineken
“The two are very different movies though. To the point where I wouldn't put them up against each other. I liked them both but can agree that BJM is more novel/original.”

I like American Beauty a lot, but it was far from the best film of 1999. IMO, Magnolia, Being John Malkovich, Bringing Out the Dead, Three Kings, Eyes Wide Shut, The Sixth Sense, Summer of Sam, eXistenZ, Galaxy Quest, and The Talented Mr. Ripley were better.

Mark



I like American Beauty a lot, but it was far from the best film of 1999.
Agreed. Though I should mention 1999 is my favorite year thus far.
IMO, Magnolia, Bringing Out the Dead, Three Kings, Eyes Wide Shut, The Sixth Sense, Summer of Sam, eXistenZ, Galaxy Quest, and The Talented Mr. Ripley were better.
Well I haven't seen Bringing Out the Dead, Three Kings, Eyes Wide Shut, Summer of Sam, eXistenZ or Galaxy Quest but I strongly disagree on the rest of them. (Removed BJM)



@heineken
“Well I haven't seen Bringing Out the Dead, Three Kings, Eyes Wide Shut, Summer of Sam, eXistenZ or Galaxy Quest but I strongly disagree on the rest of them. (Removed BJM)”

To each his own. By the way, I’d like to see The Talented Mr. Ripley again. I only saw it once a year ago, but it’s one of those movies that I like the more I think about it. It has one of my all-time favorite quotes, which is uttered by Tom Ripley: “I always thought it'd be better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody.” That reminds me of another favorite quote of mine, which Rupert Pupkin utters in The King of Comedy (an underappreciated Scorsese masterpiece): “Better to be king for a night than schmuck for a lifetime.”

“Agreed. Though I should mention 1999 is my favorite year thus far.”

1999 is my second favorite movie year; the first is 1993.
If you haven’t already, I urge you to check out this book. I have it on audio, and it’s fantastic.
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Movie-Ye...s%2C109&sr=1-1

Mark



To each his own.
Absolutely. You just happened to stumble over most of my dislikes in one go. I know Eyes Wide Shut is highly regarded but I'm not a Kubrick fan and I can't stand Tom Cruise. (Magnolia) I'm also not a fan of Matt Damon, which kind of ruined The Talented Mr Ripley for me. I get that his character in that movie isn't supposed to be likable so in that sense he should fit well but still. Not crazy about the rest of the cast either come to think of it.

I saw The 6th Sense in the movies when it came out. Thought it was OK-ish and find it highly overrated today*. Thought Stir of Echoes was way better.

* Exact same story with Seven

1999 is my second favorite movie year; the first is 1993.
Yeah 1993 is second place for me. Closely followed by 1997.
If you haven’t already, I urge you to check out this book. I have it on audio, and it’s fantastic.
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Movie-Ye...s%2C109&sr=1-1
Cool. Thanks for the tip!



Jim Carrey gives a touching performance, i was first hip to that film from being all down with Bjork, and the director of this Michel Gondry had made a few groundbreaking music videos for her.



I find the pretentious title a little off-putting, maybe that's why I've never watched it.



I find the pretentious title a little off-putting, maybe that's why I've never watched it.
Well, get over it, maybe?



Well, get over it, maybe?
Dunno...sometimes I like to revel in off-puttingness.



@heineken
“Absolutely. You just happened to stumble over most of my dislikes in one go.”

Heineken, it sounds like we may have very different tastes in movies. I’m curious, you say 1999 is your favorite movie year. So what are all of your favorite movies from that year. Here are my favorites, from the great to the good:
1.Magnolia
2.Three Kings
3.Being John Malkovich
4.Bringing Out the Dead
5.Eyes Wide Shut
6.The Talented Mr. Ripley
7.Summer of Sam
8.The Sixth Sense
9.Galaxy Quest
10.eXistenZ
11.American Beauty
12.Election
13.Fight Club
14.The Iron Giant
15.Toy Story 2
16.The Insider
17.Man on the Moon
18.Boys Don’t Cry
19.The Matrix
20.The Blair Witch Project
21.Office Space
22.South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
23.Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
24.Tarzan
25.The Virgin Suicides
26.Cruel Intentions
27.Entrapment
28.True Crime
29.The Best Man
30.Girl, Interrupted
31.American Pie
32.Sleepy Hollow
33.The Wood
34.Deep Blue Sea
35.The Green Mile
36.The Haunting
37.10 Things I Hate About You

“Cool. Thanks for the tip!”

You’re welcome. If you like to read books about movies, I can recommend others.

Mark



Heineken, it sounds like we may have very different tastes in movies. I’m curious, you say 1999 is your favorite movie year.

So what are all of your favorite movies from that year.
These are the ones I've rated. First 3 I gave 100/100. I have probably seen a few others but all the good ones should be there. First to worst:

01 Man on the Moon
02 Office Space
03 In China They Eat Dogs
04 Stir of Echoes
05 The Insider
06 The 4th Floor
07 The Cider House Rules
08 Fight Club
09 American Beauty
10 Being John Malkovic
11 Girl, Interrupted
12 The Blair Witch Projet
13 American Pie
14 The Talented Mr Ripley
15 The Sixth Sense
16 Limbo
17 The Matrix
18 The Boondock Saints
19 Magnolia

If you like to read books about movies, I can recommend others.
Well I haven't read any books about movies but will check out the one about 1999. If you have any other tips I'm all ears



@heineken
“These are the ones I've rated. First 3 I gave 100/100. I have probably seen a few others but all the good ones should be there.”

Interesting list. I need to check out The Cider House Rules. Btw, when I did my list, I forgot about two good movies from ’99: Go and The Limey.

“If you have any other tips I'm all ears”

Here are two great movie books that came out just last year:

Box Office Poison: Hollywood's Story in a Century of Flops
https://www.amazon.com/Box-Office-Po...e%2C115&sr=1-1
The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982
https://www.amazon.com/Future-Was-No...s%2C124&sr=1-1

Mark