Memories. You're Talking About Memories.

It's the normal, redundant love story. Boy meets girl. Boy falls for girl. Girl leaves boy. Boy erases all traces of girl from his memory.

What?

So, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is not the typical romance movie. And that's why I like it (see the earlier post about Revolutionary Road for a longer explanation).

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star in this surreal romantic comedy as a couple that has a falling out. Winslet goes to a company that specializes in erasing specific memories. Her memories of Carrey are erased. When Carrey finds out, he is so heart broken that he decides to take the same action.

What I found interesting is that a large portion of the film takes place within Carrey's mind as the memory erasing procedure is in progress. Much of Carrey and Winslet's relationship is told through disjointed, non-chronological memories that are being corrupted until they're finally erased. Through this series of surreal and often amusingly fantastical imagery, Carrey realizes just how much he cared for Winslet, and fights desperately to try to hold onto some memories of her.

It's one of those movies were you spend a lot of the time wondering what's going on. I like those movies. They keep you on your toes. I feel it makes for a more actively engaging movie experience.

8/10 Toddsperience

And don't call me Boo.

Do You Want to See Phantom?

Of the Opera?I must admit that I brought some prejudice against this movie before I even saw it. Not because it's The Phantom of the Opera, but because it's directed by Joel Schumacher, who is history's greatest monster (see Batman & Robin).

However, this movie, based on Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, is far better than Schumacher's franchise killing, neon-vomit-on-screen fiasco that was the last pre-Christian Bale Batman movie. Surprisingly, there's no use of ridiculously offensive neon lighting in this movie. That alone made it far better than I expected.

Actually, Schumacher did create a visually impressive film. Even if you don't like musicals, Phantom is worth seeing for its set and costume designs. It is a rather gorgeous looking film.

As it is a musical, singing is nearly constant throughout the whole film. The music is good, even if some of the looping doesn't quite match the screen. Some of the songs are even kind of catchy, though not quite Enchantment catchy. Plus, the movie stars some impressive, although maybe unlikely, actors. The title character is played by none other than Gerard Butler. Yes, King Leonidas himself dances around and sings. So does Patrick Wilson, who you may know as the guy in Lakeview Terrace that wasn't Samuel L. Jackson. Also, look for Wilson as Dan Dreiberg (the second Nite Owl) in the upcoming Watchmen movie.

So, if you like musicals, Phantom is a good choice. It's also worth seeing if you're a 300 fan and want to see Gerard Butler in something a little different. Or, maybe you just are intrigued to see a Joel Schumacher film that isn't equivocal to diarrhea on film.

Actually, I must confess that I do enjoy Schumacher's Falling Down. Even so, there's no excuse for the man's 1997 atrocity.

7/10 Toddsperience

And don't call me Boo.