2004 Top 10 - #9

December 22, 2004
A thought by James Berardinelli

#9: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind : An early-year release that will probably not get much (if any) Oscar consideration becuase of its opening date, Eternal Sunshine is already available on DVD for the enjoyment of those who missed its March theatrical run. A deliciously offbeat romantic comedy, Eternal Sunshine combines the talents of Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, writer Charlie Kauffman (Adaptation, Being John Malkovich), and director Michel Gondry to create a story that not only tantilizes the mind and tickles the funny bone, but offers its own warped perspective on that crazy little thing called "love." The film asks a lot of questions about memories and their importance to personality, and, while it doesn't answer all of them, it displays an intelligence in making the queries that most films lack. Note to Jim Carrey fans: this is your hero in "mature" mode; if you want to see him mugging for the camera, check out the Lemony Snicket movie.


Comments