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[StoOgE]

Holy shit, go see this movie. NOW.

Not only does the movie manage to get in a very substantial debate about exestentialism in throughout the movie it manages to do it in an absolutely fascinating way and be funny as hell at the same time. The acting in it is superb top to bottom. Schwartzman is playing his usual brooding/confused self, Hoffman is good as allways, Jude Law is again really awesome, and by far marky mark steals the show. He has a handfull of scenes in the movie that are an absolute riot... Im talking the entire audience gasping for breath funny moments. He charachter is the logical outcome of a nihlist who thinks nothing he does matters to the point where he has become numb to the world and really doesnt give a shit what anyone thinks of him. There is a scene in particular where he is trying to create a distraction that is absolute comedy gold.

Oh damn, Im gonna go see this again tommorow.

Disclaimer: I am a philosophy grad student. My opinion of this film will very likely differ from your average viewer.

 

[Jak140]

I hate you for living in a city where this movie is showing.

 

[StoOgE]

I hate you for living in a city where this movie is showing.

Oh, I thought it went to wide release this week. Guess I got lucky . Our major art house closed down a few years back and has recently reopened in a new location so we are just not starting to get the early openings back in Austin. Also got to see the motorcycle diaries, which I saw last week. Also an amazing movie about an underappreciated/demonized figure.

 

[olimario]

I just got Eternal Sunshine out of the way and this is next on my 'need to see' list.
I can't wait.

 

[White Man]

Humor and existentialism? That's blasphemy!

 

[shuri]

This movie is trying so hard, its a big turn off

 

[enjoy bell woods]

I fucking hated it. One of the worst movies of the year, riding above Garden State.

 

[StoOgE]

I fucking hated it. One of the worst movies of the year, riding above Garden State.

lol, those are my two favorite movies so far this year. In the last few years movies have come along that have slowly started to both have points and not become preachy, these are good examples of that to me. Throw lost in translation into that same category... these are the sort of off beat films that I really do enjoy. Leaving the theater feeling slightly numb.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

The best movie I've seen this year is The Motorcycle Diaries, which you earlier mentioned.

Honestly, I would've walked out of I Heart Huckabees if I walked out of movies.

 

[StoOgE]

The best movie I've seen this year is The Motorcycle Diaries, which you earlier mentioned.

Honestly, I would've walked out of I Heart Huckabees if I walked out of movies.

Motor Cycle Diaries IS an amazing movie.

I can understand not liking I heart Huckabees, it is not a movie that everyone will like.. but if you enjoyed movies like Garden State or Eternal Sunshine I think you will be very likely to find it an excellent movie.

 

[Mercury Fred]

I absolutely loved Huckabees. StoOge, you forgot to single out Lily Tomlin's performance which was hilarious and so effective--

Spoiler

"we bring her in once a year as a treat for our clients, a sort of spiritual petit four"

--I almost spit my soda all over the people in front of me when she said that.

Not only does it engage with existentialism in a playful way, it deals with principles of psychoanalysis with the same exuberance. Few movies have made me laugh this much while challenging me to be thoughtful at the same time.

This was number two in a solid trio of excellent movies for me: Raspberry Reich (which is wildly funny, smart and hot, but not for the faint of heart re: homosex), I Heart Huckabees, Team America (and an honorable mention for A Dirty Shame).

 

[Fifty]

The best movie I've seen this year is The Motorcycle Diaries, which you earlier mentioned.

Honestly, I would've walked out of I Heart Huckabees if I walked out of movies.

Heh...I loved Diaries...hated Garden state (Ok, not hated...but I didn't love it like most people did) but I really enjoyed Huckabees. Maybe it was because I saw it amidst a bunch of crappy films at the TIFF, but I thought it was great.

 

[Drozmight]

Big bump I know, but why make a new thread.

I just saw this movie tonight and I loved it as well. A lot of things had me just laughing my ass off. (IE: the dinner table scene, ect...) It was just great.

 

[Alucard]

I <3 Huckabees has a pretty great soundtrack as well. It was just a really charming movie to me. The existentialist stuff was a bit heavy-handed and I sometimes wondered whether the writers knew what they were talking about, but it added a little something extra to think about. Mark Wahlberg totally stole the show though. When he said "word!" I busted out laughing in the theatre. It's not an amazing movie, but still a very interesting and entertaining one. The philosophy wasn't that important to me since a lot of it was very general to the point where I can only see teens thinking it was a "really deep movie". I mostly liked the movie for the laughs and some standout performances. "NOW."

 

[cubicle47b]

I didn't think the film was heavy handed in any way. They were using existentialism as the backdrop for an excellent comedic film. Was there anyone in the film they weren't making fun of, anyone you'd actually try to learn from?

 

[Amir0x]

I liked it, although I think calling it "amazing" is hyperbole.

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Finding Neverland (TIE)
2. Before Sunset (TIE)
4. Motorcycle Diaries
5. Kill Bill Volume 2
6. Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself
7. Spider-Man 2
8. The Incredibles
9. Maria Full of Grace
10. Kinsey
11. Garden State
12. HERO
13. Dogville
14. Hellboy
15. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... And Spring
16. Anchorman
17. Collateral
18. Ray
19. The Passion of the Christ
20. I <3 Huckabees

Actually, since I saw Million Dollar Baby and Hotel Rwanda they're way higher on this list, so I have to modify.

 

[Drozmight]

Haha, yeah. Everyone in the film was just funny in their own way. Whalberg's character''s obsession with oil consumption... the tall african guy...

Another funny as hell moment I just remembered:

Spoiler

At the end in the elevator. That whole sequence was great. "You know, I've thought about chopping you up with a machete many times... ect." The other people's reaction was great.

Edit: Yeah. I didn't think the philosophy was really deep for a reason. I took it more as just all these guys taking a hard look at their own life, we the audience get to watch the hilarity.

I thought the moment at the beginning where Hoffman and the main char are just looking at eachother randomly while their faces turn into pieces and float around. At that moment I realized this movie was going to be awesome. I love just wierd things like that in a movie.

 

[Meier]

I saw this the day it came out in the theatres and enjoyed it quite a bit but it wasnt until the second time I saw it that I really loved it. Great flick.

 

[Jim Bowie]

God damn is this a good movie. It touts the best performances of all who are involved's careers. Jason Schwartzman is absolutely hysterical, everything he said in the movie basically made me laugh. It also had a great, great soundtrack. In many ways, I would consider it to be the perfect comedy.

 

[etiolate]

I almost bumped this thread last night, too. I just watched it and really enjoyed it. I like "life is absurd" sort of comedies. Not any really deep meaning hidden int he movie, just "figuure things out yourself."

 

[soundwave05]

I loved Eternal Sunshine and thought Garden State was good, but I just didn't click with I heart Huckabees.

I think the plot felt a bit forced and I have to agree with Chris Rock ... why is Jude Law in every other freaking movie?

I did like the Schwartman-Walhberg team though, they were funny in their scenes together.

 

[Date of Lies]

Saw the movie and really enjoyed it. It's refreshing to see that there's still originality in show business.

 

[StrikerObi]

My favorite part of the movie is when they get in the big religion argument in that old dude's house. It's funny because on the way out Wahlberg says "God bless you!" It put me in stiches.

 

[Mike Works]

Eternal Sunshine and Garden State were my top 2 movies of 2004, but I Heart Huckabees was just.. slightly above average because of the effort. Jason Schwartzman is one of my favorite actors, and I liked Wallberg a lot here, but the movie just didn't fully work for me. I think I need a little more structure, even if it's dealing with subject matter like existentialism.

 

[SickBoy]

I thought it was good. That's all I really have to say. Not life-changing, not fantastic, not superlative. But good.

 

[={<SMOKE>}=]

i just watched this last night and thought it was great. i agree that it's hilarious and mark wahlberg steals the show. i've been a fan of his ever since boogie nights (he's equally funny in that movie).

as far as the existentialism goes, it didn't bother me. plus, i've been thinking along those lines since i was 17 or 18. at one point, i wasn't sure what mattered or what is truly important.

obviously, i didn't find the movie deep, but could relate to schwartzman and wahlberg's characters. it's nice to know there's others out there (the writers) who see what you see.

great flick that i'd recommend to anyone--even though it won't click for many. and garden state rocked as well!

 

[speedpop]

I tried to watch I Heart Huckabees to and from my flight to Singapore a month ago but I just couldn't.. so instead I watched Hero, slept through The Village twice (it is so fucking calming that I'd do it every night) the way there.. then watched Sideways whilst drinking Tiger beer and red wine (best experience ever to a great movie) and then a mix up of Hero again splashed with some other film.

But yeah, I tried to watch it twice.. think I got about 10-15 mins into Huckabees but just could not be bothered. And this is coming from someone who loves the shit out of Eternal Sunshine. Maybe I'll give it another shot when it hits cinema's here or DVD or whatever.

 

[MaverickX9]

I thought Huckabees blew hard.

It was just OK. I'd give it 2 stars out of 4.

 

[iced lightning]

I thought Huckabees blew hard.

It was just OK. I'd give it 2 stars out of 4.

wouldn't a movie that blew hard get a 1 out of 4? Come on, you're confusing me!

 

[MaverickX9]

wouldn't a movie that blew hard get a 1 out of 4? Come on, you're confusing me!

Well, it had some moments that were mildly entertaining. That makes me give it a 2.

A 1 out of 4 is reserved for only the shittiest movies...like Taxi with Jimmy Fallon.

 

[Memles]

It was good, I watched it the other night. It was funny, not too deep, and it all came together in the end in a fun way. And they pulled a neat double take with the Shania cameo...they attempted to make it seem like she wasn't there with the person dressed like her, and then she shows up and attacks him. Great stuff.