No wonder it was Ebert's favorite of 1998

Rating: 10/10 (23 December 2001)

This is one of the rare Hollywood movies with depth. What makes it even rarer is that it's all in the plot, not the dialogue (which, strangely, elevates the dialogue). The movie deals with issues of identity, humanity, suffering, and memory. The central question is - what does it mean to be human? The secondary question is - what does it mean to be an individual?
The first question is addressed by the Strangers, as they experiment with the humans. Are humans defined by their situations, their memory, their relationships? As they rearrange and change these elements, they study the question.
The second question is addressed by John, who wakes up not knowing who he is. Are we more than the sum of our memories? John hopes not, as he has none.
Almost as good as the movie itself is Ebert's commentary track. A must-listen. Even if you don't care for the movie, it will enlighten you in the creative and movie-making realms.