An Ode To Memory

From a poem by Alexander Pope called "From Eloisa to Abelard":

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;

Last night I watched a wonderful film called "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. A whimsical movie, of very smart idiom... of eccentric plot and poignant lighting, this is one totally immersive experience. The film seems to operate almost in a hyper-dimension of memory... the kind perhaps that Dan Simmons had thought up as the "void that binds medium" in his Hyperion/ Endymion series.

We watch as Joel realizes his girlfriend of two years, Clementine of the multicolored hair, has had him erased from her memory "on a lark". From the unfortunate discovery begins his own journey to get over her. He ends up at the Lacuna Clinic, which gives one and all the chance to forget anything that hurts - from a recently dead pet, to a hurtful girlfriend.

The purge of his memory begins, and he walks through each memory of her from beginning to end, talking to her, looking at her, amidst realizations involving Huckleberry Hound (who every self respecting cartoon geek can tell you sings "My Darling Clementine"); he realizes he doesn't want to forget. In spite of the hurt, these are the two happiest years of his life... And as the world of memory literally dissolves around him (beautifully rendered), he begins a desperate race to save his own mind... and will in the end be left with only the phrase... "Meet me, in Montauk"... Or will he?

Of course, the plot isn't that simple. There is also a guy trying to steal his identity, there is a sub-plot with Dr. Lacuna himself, and there is a crazy, weed loving technician. This is a tour de force that makes you think, makes you feel happy and sad and embarassed, and certainly manages to disorient you - there are times when you cannot be sure if you are in the past, present or in some virtual mnemonic world.

Easily one of the most intelligent movies ever made. This one ranks in my intellectual film hall of fame right alongside Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Reality Bites, or The Truman Show. Heavily recommended to one and all.

This also strengthens my faith on Amazon.com's recommendations mechanism. And now I have to watch three more movies - Being John Malkovich - by the same director... Finding Neverland, and Garden State.