Minding My Own Eternity

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9 Comments


This week, I have decided to, once again, focus on one of my favourite films. So, get some kleenex
ready, because this one always makes me sob like a little baby, and then think about love, life and destiny. The notebook! Ha! JUST KIDDING. You will cry if you will watch this next film though,

ETERNAL SUN OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

(Also this gif of Joel.. It's literally me every exam period.. just saying)

There are a lot of different love stories i film; in comedy, in drama, and even in horror. This film, manages in my opinion to combine it all. Michel Gondry, the director and co-writer of the film, captures the little moments, the tenderness, the sadness and the madness of a relation ship, along with combining a lot of thought and emotion provoking elements, and how technology can be used to interfere with nature, and to the end result of such intervention. This film is a comedic drama and Sci-fi. The movie is filmed in a brilliant way, with the use of "old school" effects that seem effortless, creative symbolism, and different filters that move the mood from depression, gloominess and melancholy to joyful and loving to lustful and to nervous and frantic. All this is done in a unique and quirky way that pushed me to fall in love with the whole piece and the characters from the very first watch. Love at a first watch. Eternal sun of the spotless mind is a very intellectual film, and I am a person who enjoys greatly to pounder about what I have read or watch for hours after experiencing it, this film definitely provoked a lot of thoughts (and tears), therefore, I definitely suggest if you haven't watched it yet, please do.

So let's dive in in to the movie itself, and talk about it in more detail.



Let's talk about plot

The film tells the story of Clementine and Joel crazy, emotional, and passionate love story. After a blooming relationship fails Joel discovers Clementine went through a surgical procedure to erase his memory from her head, and so the wounded and offended Joel, tracks downtime clinic that preformed the operation and decided to undergo the same process, and erase Clementines memory from his own head as well. Through out the operation we learn through his memories about their relationship, and mid-way operation Joel regrets his impulsive decision and tries to fight the procedure, to keep his most cherished memories with her. The movie follows Joel and Clementine before and after the operation, jumping between timelines, and showing the results of such actions. At the same time, the film gives glimpses to more people who affected from this procedure, like the nurse working in the clinic, when she discovers she got her affair with her boss erased. I don’t want to spoil the ending, and every detail in the movie for these of you who will want to watch it, therefore, I will cover a few scenes, and I won’t spoil the ending.


The first scene in the film, starts with a fading in screen from black to a close up of awakening in bed Joel, this scene captures the mood of the character, with the gloomy feel through blue colours, even though sunlight is entering the room and the dim light filters. The room itself is also important to understand the character, he lives alone, in a small apartment, sleeping on the sofa- so it is clear he has no bedroom. The soft lighting enhances the melancholy feeling and passing in to the views as well. Additionally, the lonely bed, and the shots of Joel surrounded by people at the station, and then running to an empty train emphasises, in addition to sad voice-over, the loneliness he is feeling, and thus the viewer as well. We learn more about Joel when he declares that he is usually not repulsive, and it’s an odd thing for him to skip work, and just jump on a different train. The camera used to film most of the film is a handheld camera, this makes the film feel more intimate, partially like a documentary style filmed, thus more connected to the characters, and less like sitting through a Hollywood blockbuster. The first shots are close-ups and then the camera slowly starts to distance itself from Joel, in a way just like his relationship with Clementine who distanced herself from him, and earned him from her memory.


Joel is portrayed through grey colours, with his quite tone, the way he dresses, and Clementine is the opposite, bright hair colour that keep changing, she is talking all the time, and not afraid to approach strangers. In a way they are portrayed as complete opposites, they complete each other. Even the lighting is often illuminates one and darkens the other, light and dark, calm and active, emotional and apathetic, Yin and Yang in a way. 


The sound in the film also helps to hint about the future events in the film, and to set the atmosphere. The soundtrack and the voice over of Joel add to the connection the audience have to the film and Joels character, since he often reads his diary to the viewers. In the first scene for example, the loud door slam, from a car outside of the apartment breaks the peaceful quietness of morning in Joel apartment, this foreshadows the calmness that will be broken by the future events in the film.


When I first watched the film, I was surprised how much one film can evoke laughter, tears and thoughts in me. I started thinking in general how we allow technology to interfere with our nature- in the case of this film, with our memories, and how much we let inventions to delay, or stop our lives. Gondry manages in a talented way to keep me glued to the screen, even when I feel that the movie is getting to sad and I want to skip a part. The sound and the camera work transform the experience to a smooth wave of emotions. This film is definitely underrated, and should be not only talked about more, but definitely watched more. Not only because Jim Carrie plays an amazing Dramatic role, and Kate Winslet is comical and an incredible actress. But because it is a combination of it all. So if you want to laugh, cry, giggle, and think about love, destiny, and the meaning of life.. Get some kleenex, a snack, and dive in to Gondry's amazying world.

Here's a fun fact for you guys:

In this link you can see that scientists developed a way to erase memories from mice, a scary thought.. soon we all will be able to erase our exes.. or maybe nothing that crazy.. just that time in first day of middle school I crushed down the stairs in front of everyone.. yeah I don't really need this memory.


Work Cited
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Dir. Michel Gondry. Focus Features. 2004. Film
I hope you guys enjoyed the post! Now go enjoy the movie and leave a comment and let me know what you think about the post, and/or the movie, the gifs.. or the fact we can erase poor little mice memories.. agghhh. Is it the end of the world? Let me know



About Post Author

Liatka. Student. Loves Life. Optimistic.

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9 comments:

  1. RamblingLiatSaturday, May 19, 2018 at 11:56:00 AM EDT

    So I figured the date and time is in the comment, and for some reason I managed to fix the date showing only from cell-phone use. weird.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSaturday, May 19, 2018 at 4:55:00 PM EDT

    Just as with your last post, I haven't seen this movie, but it's been on my list for a while, and I definitely need to watch it already! (And I appreciate that you didn't spoil the ending and instead talked about the non-spoilery scenes)
    Your passion for film really shines through in your writing, and it makes it really fun to read. I like that you discussed the significance of colour and camera shots, and how choices like those can have a lot of symbolic effect. It always amazes me how much thought goes into every shot of a film, from the clothes a character wears, to the type of lighting, to the way the camera moves - it all helps to tell the story. I can't wait to read more of your thoughts on films!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RamblingLiatSunday, May 27, 2018 at 2:49:00 PM EDT

      Thank you, I do enjoy film, and literature a lot. I hope you did end up to find the time with school and all to watch and cry with this movie, not that I want you to cry.. it's like this good kind of crying though hehe

      Delete
  3. IgniteyouridentitySaturday, May 19, 2018 at 7:34:00 PM EDT

    Your opening GIF is very engaging and makes me want to read more as the woman looks like she is questioning what is going on. To be honest, I have never heard of the film that you critique but you make it sound like one I might enjoy. You obviously have a lot of knowledge of film and film production as the analysis is thorough and detailed. I have a hard time wrapping my head around exactly what a “comedic drama and Sci-fi” movie would look like but the contrasting adjectives you use in your description make it very intriguing. With Jim Carey and Kate Winslet starring in this movie, it needs to be added to my list of movies to watch.

    The GIF’s overall really enhance this blog entry because they not only break up the text, but give a visual cue to the movie and the movement itself is representative of the format a movie.

    Very impressive entry.

    James

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RamblingLiatSunday, May 27, 2018 at 2:51:00 PM EDT

      Yeh Kate Winslet, is indeed a good actress, this GIF really captured her emotions. Defiantly add it to your oh my god I have to watch it movies, also it might raise some interesting thoughts about memories and self identity for you :)

      <3

      Delete
  4. AnonymousSunday, May 20, 2018 at 11:34:00 PM EDT

    I like that you chose a film that may not be as popular. The gifs are an amazing way to catch the eye of the reader and draw them in. I am a huge Kate Winslet fan and this movie wasn't on my radar so that may be how I spend my Monday off. I think that film is something that brings people together and shows gives them a chance to experience someone else's life. I love how passionate you are about your movie choices. Also very scary about the mice, the freaking with about erasing minds is you'd never know if it happened to you...

    - Nicole

    ReplyDelete
  5. TheDudeFromClassSunday, May 20, 2018 at 11:43:00 PM EDT

    This film is on the top of my to-see list, many people I know and respect have called it the best film they've ever seen. I appreciate you giving enough information on it to discuss it thoroughly, yet not enough so that I go into the movie biased by the information I already know. As well, I appreciate you giving the 'So What?' factor I talked about last week, I appreciate the commitment to your craft.

    I can't help but feel that we will never implement a purposeful memory erasure program. Not that we'll never develop it, but never implement it. If topics like abortions and body modifications are too taboo because they 'change what it means to be human too much' then modifications to the most important human portion philosophically (the soul and/or personality) will be way too controversial to ever have full agreement to be put into implementation. Maybe I'll be wrong, buts given how futuristic this sounds now, odds are by the time this enters the realm of possibility I won't be around any longer so it won't be my problem.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RamblingLiatSunday, May 27, 2018 at 2:53:00 PM EDT

      Thank you!

      I do think we will start using this technology, just like abortions it will start as approved only for rape victims, and then slowly spread, and even taboo subjects are not so taboo anymore.

      Delete
  6. Andrew McEwanWednesday, May 23, 2018 at 11:07:00 PM EDT

    This is an interesting personal critique of the film, Liat. Tying it to scientific study and plausibility of this technology was a great way to end the post. There are a few moments when some terms could be further elaborated (such as "old school effects"). The piece moves between personal response and removed critique. This is good, but at times the two blend together and the reader could be let in even more on these shifts and how they relate

    ReplyDelete

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Liat
Art, writing, culture, film and music are my passion. Im
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