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Friday, March 26, 2004

recipe for missing a blog deadline

1): Go see a late night showing of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". Heck, see ANY showing.
2): No, really; go see it. What you need reasons? Okay, it's probably the best film I'll see this year. It's tremendously hopeful and has the best, least didactic ending since "Eyes Wide Shut". Also you should see it soon because (like "Malkovich") the less you know about the movie when you walk in, the better. All I knew was the central conceit and I would've preferred not to know that. Plus Kate Winslet is amazing and will remind you of the torch you've been carrying all your life. Because Kaufman establishes hard and fast rules and then plays STRICTLY by them. Because both director and writer think you are very smart and will be able to keep up with them. Because you'll be able to. Because I wanted to hug the movie when it was over. Because there are only a VERY few scenes with Jim Carrey doing schtick and they're easy to disregard and otherwise he's just the same sort of cipher that Nick Cage was in "Adaptation". Because even tho' the film orbits a central conceit, it's bright enough to not make the film ABOUT that conceit, but instead plays in the world that conceit creates. Because there's any number of visual flourishes that are as inspired as anything you've ever seen. Because you WILL associate with one of the lead characters. Because absolutely ANYTHING David Cross says is funny (his riffs on birdhouses and weed, while utterly pointless are very funny). Because this is Kaufman's most fully realized work yet. Because there's a moment or two in the film where you will notice the audience absolutely hold it's breath. Because I said so.
3): Corner a pair of college students afterwards and demand that, even though you're strangers) you should all go out for coffee and talk about the movie.
4): Meet at a Perkins and bullshit for too long.
5): Get home and realize you have to be up early.
6): Write a lame list in lieu of doing real work.
7): Wash, rinse, repeat.