Garden State

musicismylife78

Probably my favorite movie of all time. Oddly enough, I am one of those people who makes up their mind about a movie/song/book immediately, and I rarely dislike something, only to change my mind and end up liking it. Garden State is one of those rarities. When I saw it, I was in my activist phase, rarely involving myself in anything non political. So as the films plot is void of politics, I didnt get it. It wasnt really until I experienced my own crisis, had my own breakdown, that the film resonated with me.

Alot of people tend to mock this film, but I also know that there are quite a few others, like myself, who see this as a generation defining film, as The graduate and Easy Rider, were to our parents generation.

Whether you like it or not, the film, and Zach Braff specifically is partly responsible for the popularity of once obscure bands like The Shins, Zero 7, Imogen Heap, Cary Brothers, Iron and Wine.

The soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks ever out together, and its quite apparent he didnt just slap some songs on this puppy, and call it a day. He labored over the songs as much as the script and the direction of the film.

WHat is it about the film that resonated with me, and with others, who when the film came out, would go see the movie multiple times. Usually we think of that only happening for more girl oriented flicks, or the more "geek" fandom movies like Star Wars or LOTR, but this was a relatively small film, with few huge names in it, with no car crashes, or explosions or gun fights.

I think its the fact that this film documents how lost, lonely, scared and confused ones twenties can be. It certainly is an accurate account of my own first 5 years of my twenties. I also think the film, despite being depressing, and showing someone who is paralyzed with fear and self doubt, that by the end he sort of realizes that life should be lived to the fullest, that you need to take chances and risks.

When Natalie Portman says "you gotta listen to this song, it will change your life" about the shins, I think she is accurate. Watching this film sort of broke the glass case that surrounded my life, and listening to the Shins, who have lyrics of very much the same idea, told me basically that my life needs to be on my own terms.

I love this film. I look at it as our generations defining film, but even if that isnt accurate, it defines me, and it changed my life.

I am hoping that with Zach done with scrubs in 3 more episodes, he will have more time, to make another movie.

37pheet

yo .......................watch...... The Station Agent............. it is a great movie.. DO IT!!!!!!

Gems and Rhinestones

musicismylife78 wrote:

Probably my favorite movie of all time.

oooooh i'm sorry.

Indian Summer

its one of the worst movies I've seen.

dcfaithful

I don't understand the hype behind it, but that's just me. It's cool that you can relate to the movie on a personal level, which obviously makes it so meaningful to you.

I guess I personally can't decide what film would define the past decade for me. Honestly the problem is that I can't help but think of how many horror movies have come out in the past 10 years alone. I think that has definitely been the film craze of the decade; horror/thriller movies.

Biggest Wave

Indian Summer wrote:

its one of the worst movies I've seen.

Same here and I grew up in Jersey......unfortunately.

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

well the soundtrack was probably responsible for me getting some on at least two occasions so its ok in my book.

InHerOwnWorld

Don't care who doesn't like it. I love it. Proceed

catefrances

gonna get me one of those dneprs.


mark my name in the fan of garden state column.

eMMI

I can't remember many things from the film, but I do rememver that I liked it. a lot.

thebetterman

musicismylife78 wrote:

Probably my favorite movie of all time. Oddly enough, I am one of those people who makes up their mind about a movie/song/book immediately, and I rarely dislike something, only to change my mind and end up liking it. Garden State is one of those rarities. When I saw it, I was in my activist phase, rarely involving myself in anything non political. So as the films plot is void of politics, I didnt get it. It wasnt really until I experienced my own crisis, had my own breakdown, that the film resonated with me.

Alot of people tend to mock this film, but I also know that there are quite a few others, like myself, who see this as a generation defining film, as The graduate and Easy Rider, were to our parents generation.

Whether you like it or not, the film, and Zach Braff specifically is partly responsible for the popularity of once obscure bands like The Shins, Zero 7, Imogen Heap, Cary Brothers, Iron and Wine.

The soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks ever out together, and its quite apparent he didnt just slap some songs on this puppy, and call it a day. He labored over the songs as much as the script and the direction of the film.

WHat is it about the film that resonated with me, and with others, who when the film came out, would go see the movie multiple times. Usually we think of that only happening for more girl oriented flicks, or the more "geek" fandom movies like Star Wars or LOTR, but this was a relatively small film, with few huge names in it, with no car crashes, or explosions or gun fights.

I think its the fact that this film documents how lost, lonely, scared and confused ones twenties can be. It certainly is an accurate account of my own first 5 years of my twenties. I also think the film, despite being depressing, and showing someone who is paralyzed with fear and self doubt, that by the end he sort of realizes that life should be lived to the fullest, that you need to take chances and risks.

When Natalie Portman says "you gotta listen to this song, it will change your life" about the shins, I think she is accurate. Watching this film sort of broke the glass case that surrounded my life, and listening to the Shins, who have lyrics of very much the same idea, told me basically that my life needs to be on my own terms.

I love this film. I look at it as our generations defining film, but even if that isnt accurate, it defines me, and it changed my life.

I am hoping that with Zach done with scrubs in 3 more episodes, he will have more time, to make another movie.

Thanks for this post, I felt the same way when I saw this movie for the first time. I haven't seen it since but now I feel like I have to pick it up.

I'd love to see what Zach Braff has in him next

elle elle

I loved it too!

evenflow82

I very much disliked it. Zach Braff was complete wuss and I thought Natalie Portman was developmentally disabled or something. The ending was a cop out and complete cornball in my opinion. Just my two cents.

he still stands

This is one of my favorites, too. I guess it may be because I've totally felt like Zach Braff for most of my 20s, numb and generally waiting for something to happen. Then a wonderfully weird and incredibly cute girl comes into my life and turns it upside down when I was least expecting it... and Natalie Portman's character is almost EXACTLY like my wife... how scary is that?

intodeep

I like it a good bit too. Now i don't think it is like "best movie ever" but that is just me. I think it is a fun little movie i enjoyed a lot.

Plus natalie portman is really attractive in it and i kind of think she is hot :oops:

mensane

i lovelovelove this movie.

dcfaithful

intodeep wrote:

I like it a good bit too. Now i don't think it is like "best movie ever" but that is just me. I think it is a fun little movie i enjoyed a lot.

Plus natalie portman is really attractive in it and i kind of think she is hot :oops:

Is that the Star Wars nerd in you speaking?

he still stands

One of the funniest scenes I have ever watched, in any movie, is when Largeman wakes up - very disoriented - at his friend's house (Mark?) and the dude is standing in the doorway with the knight's armor on... meanwhile it says "balls" on his forehead. Then after breakfast Mark and his mom are smokin' pot on the couch and discussing business ventures (pyramid schemes). Damn that whole movie is great...

dcfaithful

he still stands wrote:

One of the funniest scenes I have ever watched, in any movie, is when Largeman wakes up - very disoriented - at his friend's house (Mark?) and the dude is standing in the doorway with the knight's armor on... meanwhile it says "balls" on his forehead. Then after breakfast Mark and his mom are smokin' pot on the couch and discussing business ventures (pyramid schemes). Damn that whole movie is great...

That definitely is one of the funnier parts of that movie.

JonnyPistachio

evenflow82 wrote:

I very much disliked it. Zach Braff was complete wuss and I thought Natalie Portman was developmentally disabled or something. The ending was a cop out and complete cornball in my opinion. Just my two cents.

Funny thing is that Zac being a wuss was one thing that drove me crazy at first, but It then occurred to me that hte whole movie is really him climbing out of his general wussdome. I love this flick, and it kinda feels like a Catcher in the Rye type story to me -- the way it just kinda flows all over the place and you really dont know what will happen next. And yes, the soundtrack is amazing!

Anon

I've already made the soundtrack to Zach's next movie: Manic Pixie Dreamgirl.

What is it about? Who cares! Combine a semi-popular neurotic girl (I've cast Zooey Deschanel) with all of Zach Braff's quirks and sad mugging and you got another sleeper hit on your hands.

Can You Feel It-Apples In Stereo
And You Lied To Me-The Besnard Lakes
The Long List of Girls-The Blow
Walcott-Vampire Weekend
That Thing You Do!-The Wonders
Knowing People-Matthew Sweet
Strange Times-The Black Keys
Jamie-Weezer
The Official Ironmen Rally Song-GBV
Light Enough To Travel-Be Good Tanyas
I'm An Animal-Neko Case
Nine Good Fingers-White Whale
Everybody Loves Me-The 88
I'm Waiting for The Man-Velvet Underground
Zero Refills-Pernice Brothers

**I have too much time on my hands when I have graduated from making mix tapes of songs I like, to entire mix concept albums...