Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind vs Lost in Translation

[rousseau]

I made this thread on another forum a few years ago and thought I'd try it out here. These are two of the greatest love stories I've seen on film and it's interesting to see a debate between them.

If you've seen both, which do you prefer between the two?

 

[Samhain]

As much as I love Bill Murray and as ridiculously attractive as I find Scarlet Johannson, I feel that there isn't much comparison between the two films. In my mind, Eternal Sunshine is the superior love story IMO, because it's as much about loss as it is about love. Eternal Sunshine strikes a more emotional tone with me than Lost in Translation from beginning to end, while Lost in Translation toys with the concept of love and infatuation a bit, then ends in an anti-climactic manner (though that ending is part of the film's charm). In all honesty I find it hard to put my finger on why exactly I find it to be superior, but perhaps it's because I want closure, even if it isn't tidy.

 

[prideandfall]

C: Wristcutters: A Love Story - better than either one of the movies presented here =P

 

[rousseau]

I think both concepts are incredibly moving. In Eternal Sunshine we find value even in relationships that have ended, in Lost in Translation we succumb to the realization that the forces of the world are ultimately more powerful than human relationships, and we can only embrace relationships in a transient, fleeting way.

In terms of cinematography and dialogue I think both films were beautifully done.

 

[Shadowy Man]

I enjoyed Eternal Sunshine far more than I did Lost in Translation. My only complaint about Eternal Sunshine would be (SPOILERS):

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It was one scene too long. If the movie ended right after they said "ok" at the end, deciding to go on with the relationship despite what they knew, it would have been nearly flawless. The very, very last scene, even though it was only a few seconds, felt out of place with the rest of the movie and the tone of the ending.

 

[OLDMAN]

Sorry but both sucked. IMHO