Fate, memory, emotional scars, and technicians on marijuana

Rating: 10/10 (8 April 2004)

I had free tickets for any movie I wanted. I wasn't up for anything intense, like "The Passion of the Christ."
I wasn't up for something silly, like "Starsky & Hutch."
I did want to be kept thinking throughout a movie, and I had seen a few commercials for this movie -- "Eternal Sunshine of whatever it's a real long title but I know enough of it to find its listings."
Up front, it was the best movie I saw for free, but I would have definitely paid $9.25 for this.
It seems like a lot of movies try using a herky-jerky camera angle and passing it off as "art." Obviously that's not enough to make a good movie, but it's enough to make an audience queasy.
Was I the only one who went "Wow, David Cross is in this movie," only to find out he was in about two scenes and had just one good line about the birdhouse?
The premise alone is "secretly universal." What I mean by that is everyone has that one relationship they wish they could just erase from their mind. You'd think it would be just one quick sweep of the brain and -POW- they're removed. Instead, watching Jim Carrey relive the memories one by one would probably make you never want that person to leave yourself ever -- even the bad moments.
It really gets you thinking about your own ex-girlfriends, ex-boyfriends, estranged relatives, and those teachers and bosses you hated.
"Eternal Sunshine" is like a modernized "It's a Wonderful Life," only instead of seeing what it would be like if he was dead, he sees what it's like to have someone slip from your grasp.
Unfortunately, once he knew what it was like, there was nothing he can do about it. Reminds me of "Defending Your Life." You meet someone you adore, but at some point you will exist not knowing they ever graced your eyes.
That's the long version, here's the short version -- You might as well see this masterpiece at the big screen, because I don't see what a DVD would add to it.