So, I saw Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for the second time Tuesday. I don’t usually do this sort of thing. Given my post-graduate financial slump, that money could be better spent on a night of drinking (among other things). But something about it kept drawing me back.

I remember the first time I saw it I felt a bit depressed afterward (not that bad kind of depression, but a kind of introspective depression that feels oddly therapeutic). I recall feeling about the same after the first time I saw Lost in Translation which, considering my ultra-cynical attitude, I picked apart after the second viewing rendering it useless as a source of catharsis.

I expected the same thing to happen with Eternal Sunshine. I’d find problems with the characters or see how contrived the conversations really were when taken out of context. But miraculously that wasn’t the case. In fact, I actually walked out of it in a really good mood… and then went to drink.

Now, I’m not sure why I had the opposite reaction this time but I have my suspicions. Maybe it was because the first time I saw it, I was fighting (yet again) with an ex-girlfriend and I was on the losing end of that argument (a position, I might add, that I’ve grown accustomed to). Regardless, seeing it again made me realize the futility of those actions. As sappy as it sounds, I learned something from the movie which I probably should’ve known already. I’m not going to bore you with the details because 1.) I don’t know any of you personally and it would be quite foolish of me to reveal private stuff here and 2.) I really hate it when people discuss long-winded personal problems with me, so I would never think to subject anyone to the same (believe me, i’ve sat through enough of them, I know that disinterested look far too well).

Anyway, I seem to have strayed from my initial topic which I don’t really recall anymore. I guess I was just sharing with you all the effect this film had and to urge anyone who hasn’t seen it yet to see it as soon as possible. I know that kind of recommendation usually ruins the movie since it sets unreasonable expectations, but humor me and pretend you enjoyed it.

The only complaint here is that the ELO song Mr. Blue Sky featured so prominently in the trailer is absent from the film. Not that that matters really, but Out of the Blue is a totally underrated album!