this is the most stupid post ever. jonze directed adaptation (the best kaufman picture) and bjm. esoasm was awesome, but that was primarily bc of the script. gondry's directing wasn't flawless there. but kaufman doesn't need jonze, let alone him needing gondry. there are dozens and dozens directors out there that could adapt his work properly

I presume Kaufman will be directing most of his own films in the future. He did a fine job on Synecdoche and he's only going to improve with practice.
A black pool opened up at my feet. I dived in. It had no bottom.

I just got the Criterion Collection of Being John Malkovich. For some reason Gondry does the commentary. But he ends up calling Jonze on the phone half way through. Gondry thinks Kauffman doesn't like him, and asks Jonze about it. Jonze replies Charlie is trying to direct his own screenplays now. He is writing one that he just doesn't want to direct, and he asked me to do it. But he's trying to direct for the most part now. He said after Charlie finishes a movie he's directing (Frank & Francis.) And after I'm done with this movie I wrote my self (which he said started shooting in April.) We're going to start working on that.

Eternal sunshine is probably Kaufmans best film, but yes we shouldn't forget Human Nature, which (although still good) proves that Kaufman + Gondry doesn't always equal BEST FILM EVER! And yeah, Jonze has proved himself twice now. I'd be very happy to see another collaboration with him.
As far as the 'Kaufman should just do it himself' angle, I agree kind of. But this is about what's good for his career too. Synechdoche was a fascinating film but it must have lost A LOT of money. I'd like to see Kaufman playing it a tad safer this time just so its more likely we'll see lots more of his work.

yeah, come to think of it, the skipper sounds a bit like clueless for being so awestruck by Gondry's visual finesse that he can't see that Jonze is better storyteller in so many levels: characterization, complex, nuanced moods etc.

I think Jonze's ability to get very good performances out of actors and his sharp sense of humor give him quite an edge over Gondry when it comes to film direction, especially when dealing with Kaufman's scripts. I think Jonze has the intelligence to really understand the scripts and even heighten them. I think it's a shame that Jonze didn't direct all of Kaufman's movies. Anytime they worked on projects separately I was a little disappointed. Not because those projects weren't decent, but because what they produce when they work together is, for me, almost impossible to beat.
I'm really excited that they will be partnering up again. I have no doubt that I'll be completely blown away a third time.

Jonze is a better director than Gondry. Gondry is the better visualist by far, but that's it, really.
Besides, Jonze's track record with Kaufman is better: he brought us Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, two of Kaufman's best films. Gondry did Human Nature and Eternal Sunshine they're not bad films but they just don't hold up to the two major ones.

My thoughts exactly. The question is not which director Charlie needs, but rather, why does Charlie need a director at all? Charlie IS a director now, and a great one at that.

I personally thought Kaufman already showed up both Jonze and especially Gondry with his film as a debut director

Honestly, I agree that Jonze is a great director and all, but I don't think Synecdoche would have affected me as much as it did if Jonze was directing. Kaufman's style wasn't as immediately captivating as Jonze's, but I think that ultimately worked in the films favour.
But yes, as much as I love Gondry, I think Jonze can do better movies, not counting that Where the Wild Things Are crap.

Kaufman needs to go back to Jonze right now. He doesn't need someone to help him with the surreal. He needs someone to help him contain it so the audience isn't left in the dark. Jonze can do this better than Gondry.
Gondry worked on Eternal Sunshine because it was essentially a movie about dreams. It didn't need coherence to be saved.
Gondry would not have changed any of the flaws that utilimately damaged Synecdoche. It fit his style perfectly. Jonze probably would have had Charlie done one more rewrite before filming.

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I don't think so. Kaufman doesn't need Gondry, simply based on the fact that 2 of his best adapted works were directed by someone else. I like Jonze better, he's much more subdued than Giondry, which works well with the wildness of the writing. I olso don't agree, because I think that Adaptation is the best KaUfman movie, a movie directed by Jonze

Human nature was a weak script. You can't blame Gondry for that.
A black pool opened up at my feet. I dived in. It had no bottom.

Jonze-1Adaptatio5b4n 2being john malkovich
Gondry-1human nature 2 eternal sunshine
jonze is 2 for 2
gondry 1 for 2
nuff said

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I think he'd do very well. Well, that also has to do with how similar 500 days of summer was to Eternal Sunshine. But Kauffman likes to use Jonze or Gondry because, unlike other directors, they respect writer input. You see, the director controls the film, and can change the screenplay and other aspects to their vision. Jonze and Gondry consult with Kauffman. However, for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, George Clooney, who directed, changed the script and kept Kauffman out of the production. Kaufman wants to be involved.

Why does it have to be those two? Why can't he try new ones?
Maybe i'd like to see what marc webb can do with a Kaufman script.

Both Jonze and Gondry are extremely talented and insanely creative - could be the only two guys who could give justice to a Kaufman screenplay. Kaufman has collaborated well with them in the past; Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine are two of my favorite films. I'm pretty sure that if it turns out that Jonze couldn't do it for whatever reason, they'll offer it to Gondry. As long as I know that it's either of the two - I'd be happy.

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