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| Thursday, June 10, 2004 |
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I watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind last Thursday (June 3). It has been described as one of the most romantic films you’ll ever see even if it has to do with a man intending to erase the memory of a relationship gone sour. I agree with reviews and critics who have said it speaks of how we’re doomed to repeat the past even if we can’t remember it but they hardly talk of the driver that pushes us to emotional impulse and irrational behavior. Such is the nature of the beast called passion.
Instead of looking at the subject of memory, I choose to perceive the movie in terms of my regret. How many of us have made a number of mistakes in the past which we wish had never happened? So it isn’t really the desire to forget but maybe a new start to relive the whole thing all over again. But as the movie shows, if you can’t remember anything in the first place then you’re most likely apt to do the exact same mistakes.
If I were Joel, I would have used the fact that Clementine had forgotten all about me and start fresh. Introduce myself again and woo her with the secret that I already know what tickles her fancy. And actually have the resolution of “this time it will be different.” But would that be a deception and violent attempt to destroy fate and its beauty? So I retract my suggestion to grasp the rationale of an individual’s depiction and consequence to everyone else.
As I had coffee in Berkeley today, I was presented with the same premise. That if the corollary of events had not happened – both optimistic and downbeat – then we wouldn’t have been sipping Peet’s coffee at that moment or enjoying the sunshine on the street. Simple plot and premise don’t you think? But the movie confers more than just a thought to live by. The images and depiction of how a “fucked-up girl” and her aloof lover encompass the wonder that is love found. The spotlight that followed them like a vacuum felt like a surge of energy. If one focuses on only this part of one’s memory then it will truly devour your mental fervor until there is nothing left to subsist for.
let's just forget everything said
and everything we did
best friends, better halves, goodbyes
and the autumn night when we realized
we were falling out of love
there were some things that were said
that weren't meant like we never did
not to be overly dramatic
i just think it's best ‘cause you can't miss what you forget
so let's just pretend everything and anything
between you and me was never meant
- Never Meant by American Football |
posted by maldita @ 12:13 AM
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