mujer del misterio

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind:
This is shocking, I LOVE this movie. You will have to realize that me using that phrase about a film that makes it into a theatre with more than 4 screens is rare. I am picky, and I am hard to please. I am angry with the state of cinema in this country, I do not like that my intelligence is insulted so someone can make a buck, and I freely admit all of these things. I save this sort of adoration for films that more often than not wind up on DVD before they are in the movie house.

To be completely honest, though I was not surprised, I was fairly sure that I would be pleased. Jim Carrey has his ups and downs; I am a fan of his “out of character” roles. Those roles that the great majority of movie going folk are disappointed with are the very same ones that I embrace. I am convinced that he could be a serious actor if the powers that be would stop writing parts for “Jim Carrey” the clown, ex. Bruce Almighty...and let him choose roles that require some acting ability. I remember the sad faces in the theater at “Cable Guy” (a personal favorite), the utterances of “I just don’t get it”, “he was not funny”, and “this was supposed to be funny?” which I guess I understand coming off of both Ace Ventura movies, Dumb and Dumber and the tragic Batman 3. But I digress, Carrey has done an outstanding job, I am again impressed by the versatility and ability to make me forget that he is “Fire Marshall Bill”, the end.

I have become a fan of Charlie Kaufman as well. I have seen 4 of 5 films written and released (“Human Nature” is in the Netflix list) I entirely love 3 of those 4. I was not thrilled with “Being John Malkovich”, but admit that I was not really paying attention while it was on, and have considered trying it again. I will let you know. The biggest difference in the scripts is the fact that they are just that, different. Dialogue does not seem forced, or unrealistic. I have become increasingly aware of writers who add dialogue because they need to get somewhere in the script and not because the characters would actually say the words. I am distracted by this, and think that it is a dirty trick done by people who obviously do not actually talk to people. Kaufman does not seem to write himself into a corner either, we have all seen that, no? I think that he has studied people, and made some notes about how they will react to the situation that he created.

By now everyone knows the general idea of this film, so I will not go into it. I did notice, however that nobody points out the examples of Lacuna’s services not involving the removal of an ex-whoever. When Joel is waiting to be seen by the “doctor” he is seated next to a woman. She is holding a picture of a small dog and an armload of toys. We do not learn any more about this woman, it is just a moment in the background of a scene; an effective tool to tell the audience that there are things about having your memories erased that may not be so terrible.
Who is not willing to give up a few brain cells to forget a painful situation forever? Well, actually I think most of us would feel the same way that Joel did in the end. We do not remember the bad times forever, just the good (unless, of course there was more bad than good, but that is a whole different thing and you may need therapy instead). If you think about a relationship that was good when it started, do you really remember the fights? The tears? Or do you remember the most thoughtful birthday gift ever? The sunsets? The way you felt when you looked at them? Joel is hurt when he discovers that Clementine erased him, he cannot believe that she hates him that much. So hurt, that he is going to erase her right back. Once the process starts, he can see past the anger and the hurt, and sees all of the good times. Trying everything he can to keep the good memories, but every time he tries, the good folks at Lacuna make it harder for him to move her around his memories. There is nothing that he can do to stop them, helpless, he pleads with the memory of Clementine to hold on. She tells him to meet her when he can at Montauk . Which is where the movie begins, an unknown force draws Joel to a beach in the middle of February…We then fill in the gaps between now and then and now again. That is the rollercoaster ride of which everyone speaks. It is fun and confusing, and exhilarating and tiring all at the same time. Not a film for anyone who wants to mindlessly sit and let things happen it takes some thought.

My favorite part, seems a little more off the beaten path than others who have written about the film, yes the effects were pretty cool and yes Kirsten Dunst is freakin’ HOT! (spoken in a “girl who can appreciate hot girls”, way). I really like the end, when Joel and Clementine (newly introduced after being erased from each other) find out what happened to them. And they begin to remember why they broke up, and how much pain they had caused each other, but they measure it against the fantastically good time they have had for the past day. We do not actually know what happened to them, but I believe that they try again. Maybe it will end the same way as before, but maybe it won’t, but this time they will have all of the memories to live with. And isn’t that the best part of anything you love?

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd.
-- Alexander Pope, "Eloisa to Abelard"