It may not be a film favored by people who like to stay in the simple mainstream style of films, but for those who enjoy a certain style and twist to the art, it is truly remarkable in every sense of the word.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is a delightful yet emotionally touching film on many levels. I would certainly recommend it as one of the year's best films and probably one of the most original movies I've seen in a long time. It may not be a film favored by people who like to stay in the simple mainstream style of films, but for those who enjoy a certain style and twist to the art, it is truly remarkable in every sense of the word. The actors deliver top-notch performances, especially those of Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. Carrey's performance is done so well that I'm sure he's making another attempt for an Oscar nomination, and as remarkable as this film is, he just might have a very good shot at it. However, even if you were to put the acting aside, the film itself is worthy of any awards and merits it deserves. I'd call it a masterpiece in filmmaking, but we will all have to see how Father Time perceives it.
Video:
The video is presented in an anamorphic, 1.85:1-ratio widescreen. As I mentioned in the review, this is an independent, low-budget film that generally looks a bit gritty and under contrasted, with a slight amount of blur and an overall shakiness from a handheld camera. With that in mind, you have to realize that the picture quality is based on the merits of the art itself. Video-wise, the picture is clean enough and lacks any moiré effects, other than what is meant to be there. It's like anything you might expect in this style of film. There are moments when the picture is very sharp and vivid, but there is also an equal amount of time that colors appear dull or the picture appears gritty and blurred. In all fairness, it's a tough call and a hard one to rate on any scale.
Audio:
The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and, my personal favorite, DTS 5.1. It is also presented in the choices of English or French, along with subtitles for each language. Overall, the sound performance works very well with an acceptable balance of sound dynamics. Since it is a heavy dialogue movie, don't expect much in the way of supercool sound. However, when there are musical soundtrack moments, the balance between front and rear is very nice, along with a decent tone in the bass and treble.
Extras:
Universal has become notorious for forced previews, so don't think you're getting any breaks here. The disc comes with a few extras, but they are not as flamboyant as you might get on a double-disc or special-edition set. The extras you do get start with "A Look Inside Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," a small feature with the actors on the set talking about how the picture was made. Next is a conversation with Jim Carrey and director Michel Gondry, where they are asked questions about the making of the film. Carrey, of course, shows us his humorous side; however, Gondry has such a strong French accent that it is difficult to understand him.
The DVD is also equipped with a commentary from Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman. As I mentioned, Gondry's accent is difficult to get through, so, yeah, I kind of had to pass on the commentary part. Another feature is a strange music video from the Polyphonic Spree called "Light & Day." I found the video rather strange but I'm sure I've heard the song in a Volkswagen commercial. There are also some deleted scenes, and a commercial for the Lacuna corporation, which is the company that Dr. Mierzwiak runs.
Parting Thoughts:
I remember ten years ago when I was going through a divorce, many people used to tell me, "get over it!" I really began to hate that saying, and I still do to this day. Fact is, no one ever gets over anything tragic in his or her life. Instead, we just get used to it and what pains we have make us the person we are. I don't believe that bad things that happen in our lives are meant for us to "get over it"; rather they are meant for us to deal with. And it is how we deal with our pains that shape us for what lies ahead in life. Sure, it might be nice to clean the bad memories away simply by erasing them, but it is not the way nature intends us to be. Nature is full of chaos that takes us on a journey of joys and tragedies. It is we as humans who insist upon having control, but we are truly helpless when it comes to nature. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is able to make us think about the idea that what if all the bad things can simply be erased. Would this make our lives better as a whole? Would I be a better human if all my memories were nothing but good and joyful memories?
Remarkably, this film brings out many questions when you look at it in a way that may seem to be over-analyzing it. It is certainly a film that should spark a lot of discussion for years to come. It is a wonderful piece of filmmaking and an absolute must-have in anyone's DVD collection.
Video:
The video is presented in an anamorphic, 1.85:1-ratio widescreen. As I mentioned in the review, this is an independent, low-budget film that generally looks a bit gritty and under contrasted, with a slight amount of blur and an overall shakiness from a handheld camera. With that in mind, you have to realize that the picture quality is based on the merits of the art itself. Video-wise, the picture is clean enough and lacks any moiré effects, other than what is meant to be there. It's like anything you might expect in this style of film. There are moments when the picture is very sharp and vivid, but there is also an equal amount of time that colors appear dull or the picture appears gritty and blurred. In all fairness, it's a tough call and a hard one to rate on any scale.
Audio:
The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and, my personal favorite, DTS 5.1. It is also presented in the choices of English or French, along with subtitles for each language. Overall, the sound performance works very well with an acceptable balance of sound dynamics. Since it is a heavy dialogue movie, don't expect much in the way of supercool sound. However, when there are musical soundtrack moments, the balance between front and rear is very nice, along with a decent tone in the bass and treble.
Extras:
Universal has become notorious for forced previews, so don't think you're getting any breaks here. The disc comes with a few extras, but they are not as flamboyant as you might get on a double-disc or special-edition set. The extras you do get start with "A Look Inside Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," a small feature with the actors on the set talking about how the picture was made. Next is a conversation with Jim Carrey and director Michel Gondry, where they are asked questions about the making of the film. Carrey, of course, shows us his humorous side; however, Gondry has such a strong French accent that it is difficult to understand him.
The DVD is also equipped with a commentary from Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman. As I mentioned, Gondry's accent is difficult to get through, so, yeah, I kind of had to pass on the commentary part. Another feature is a strange music video from the Polyphonic Spree called "Light & Day." I found the video rather strange but I'm sure I've heard the song in a Volkswagen commercial. There are also some deleted scenes, and a commercial for the Lacuna corporation, which is the company that Dr. Mierzwiak runs.
Parting Thoughts:
I remember ten years ago when I was going through a divorce, many people used to tell me, "get over it!" I really began to hate that saying, and I still do to this day. Fact is, no one ever gets over anything tragic in his or her life. Instead, we just get used to it and what pains we have make us the person we are. I don't believe that bad things that happen in our lives are meant for us to "get over it"; rather they are meant for us to deal with. And it is how we deal with our pains that shape us for what lies ahead in life. Sure, it might be nice to clean the bad memories away simply by erasing them, but it is not the way nature intends us to be. Nature is full of chaos that takes us on a journey of joys and tragedies. It is we as humans who insist upon having control, but we are truly helpless when it comes to nature. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is able to make us think about the idea that what if all the bad things can simply be erased. Would this make our lives better as a whole? Would I be a better human if all my memories were nothing but good and joyful memories?
Remarkably, this film brings out many questions when you look at it in a way that may seem to be over-analyzing it. It is certainly a film that should spark a lot of discussion for years to come. It is a wonderful piece of filmmaking and an absolute must-have in anyone's DVD collection.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]12382[/release]