Did you know it was Valentine's Day last Saturday? I didn't until the actual day. Not that it concerns me that much anyway. I guess it's a day that people in relationships will track on their calenders or something while the rest of us either pretend it doesn't bother us or actually don't give a damn either way. I don't know, maybe I'm just cynical to the whole thing. It is a bit of a hoax, but still. Anyway, since it was V-Day, I remembered that it's been a year since I last saw my favourite ever movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Sure, there's only a little reference to Valentine's Day, but its commentary on relationships, memory erasing and 'opposites attract' that gets me every time.
Meet Me in Montauk
For those who aren't familiar, Eternal Sunshine follows Joel Barish, a nice, quiet guy who meets a girl in Montauk, Clementine Kruczynksi, an electric, unpredictable girl. Sparks fly, but it turns out that they had shared a history. Clementine had Joel wiped from her memory, and when Joel does the same, he experiences all the memories again and halfway through the procedure he regrets it. By then, of course, it's too late. At first watch it's weird as hell. It starts off as this light-hearted romance, both Joel and Clementine's characters are made clear right away, but it evolves into something much more than that, and something that's quite scary. Lacuna Inc. The eggheads responsible for erasing memories can give people a chance to start again, but at the same time, they're killing memories, priceless moments that can't be replaced. I often wonder if such a thing existed, would I go for it. Would I erase someone from my memory? I'd want to say yes, but... I don't know.
When I first saw the film, I thought that Michael Gondry, the director, had somehow watched my life. I couldn't help but feel a sacred kind of affinity with Joel. I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm sure there are plenty of girls out there, and boys, who can relate to Clementine. She's that girl who wants to live life to the fullest, has no idea what she wants one minute from the next. When she's happy, it's infectious, seemingly making it impossible for anyone around her to fall to pieces. Likewise, when she breaks down, the world crumbles. Joel has that one mood, apathy/sadness, but when he does open up, he's someone you want to keep listening to. Such emotions are rare in guys like Joel, and when they are feeling comfortable enough to talk, quite often they make for great conversationalists. It's just that those moments are so rare. But, Eternal Sunshine also does a great job of revealing that everybody is dealing with their own battles. Sadness and despair hit all the characters in this film, and it really hits home that living is much more painful than it should be. Mary Svevo, a Lacuna employee, nails it:
When I first saw the film, I thought that Michael Gondry, the director, had somehow watched my life. I couldn't help but feel a sacred kind of affinity with Joel. I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm sure there are plenty of girls out there, and boys, who can relate to Clementine. She's that girl who wants to live life to the fullest, has no idea what she wants one minute from the next. When she's happy, it's infectious, seemingly making it impossible for anyone around her to fall to pieces. Likewise, when she breaks down, the world crumbles. Joel has that one mood, apathy/sadness, but when he does open up, he's someone you want to keep listening to. Such emotions are rare in guys like Joel, and when they are feeling comfortable enough to talk, quite often they make for great conversationalists. It's just that those moments are so rare. But, Eternal Sunshine also does a great job of revealing that everybody is dealing with their own battles. Sadness and despair hit all the characters in this film, and it really hits home that living is much more painful than it should be. Mary Svevo, a Lacuna employee, nails it:
Adults are, like, this mess of sadness and phobias.
Please Let Me Keep This Memory
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a movie I tend to watch once a year. Like my favourite books, I read them once a year then wait. For me, it's special so when I do get round to watch it again, it just feels... special. Obviously, no matter how much time you stall in between views, the magic will wear off, but hopefully never enough for me to get bored of watching it. I'm on my fourth or fifth view, and I'm still in love with the movie. Unlike a lot of films, it doesn't feel like one. To me, it's more like a book, its got that kind of story that you'd find in a novel and something that a lot of films can't do. I'm not a movie guy, the ones I watch are usually movies with Tom Hanks, Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey, my three favourite actors/actresses. But Eternal Sunshine just has everything for me. There are other films, too that feel more like books such as Sleepless in Seattle, and of course book adaptations such as The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption and The Warriors. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind will always be my favourite.
Even though it reminds me of a time when I was sort of happy, the movie always hits the right notes for me. I love what it talks about, how real the characters feel, and the gloomy atmosphere, and the very authentic depiction of misery and happiness. Joel Barish and Clementine Kruzcynski interested me so much that I wrote my final uni paper on them. And studying the movie didn't ruin it at all, if anything, it made it more enjoyable since I was understanding the inner workings of the characters a whole lot more. Watching Joel on screen gives me hope that there is something, or someone, out there that can transform our lives into precious memories. However, I'm not someone who needs anybody else to give me my own identity. And that's another thing the film touches on. The whole idea that somebody else can 'complete you', which is all crap. You only need yourself. Too often we forget that.
Songs of the Week:
Even though it reminds me of a time when I was sort of happy, the movie always hits the right notes for me. I love what it talks about, how real the characters feel, and the gloomy atmosphere, and the very authentic depiction of misery and happiness. Joel Barish and Clementine Kruzcynski interested me so much that I wrote my final uni paper on them. And studying the movie didn't ruin it at all, if anything, it made it more enjoyable since I was understanding the inner workings of the characters a whole lot more. Watching Joel on screen gives me hope that there is something, or someone, out there that can transform our lives into precious memories. However, I'm not someone who needs anybody else to give me my own identity. And that's another thing the film touches on. The whole idea that somebody else can 'complete you', which is all crap. You only need yourself. Too often we forget that.
Songs of the Week:
- 'People Live Here' by Rise Against
- 'Like the Angel' by Rise Against
- 'Restless World' by Tim McIlrath
- 'It's Late' by Tim McIlrath
- 'What Only You Know' by Dark Tranquillity
- 'Follow in Flight' by Halo 2 Anniversary Soundtrack
- 'Punishment' by Halo 2 Anniversary Soundtrack
- 'Jupiter' by The Eden Project