The Curates Egg

'Remembering' 2004

Prologue

I mentioned my love of lists last month which I know not everyone shares, but I hope you will indulge me with one more (for the time being!) – My favourite five films of 2004. They where; Collateral, Fahrenheit 9/11, The Incredibles, Oldboy, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The first two I have mentioned in previous articles. The second two are complete opposites – everyone should go and see The Incredibles whilst Oldboy (a Korean revenge movie) is only for those with a very strong disposition. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (cert 15) is probably not everyone's cup of tea either, but if you haven't seen it and you like grown up films which are both entertaining and intelligently made I highly recommend it (it is available for hire).

Remembrance of things Past

The title ' Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' comes from a poem by Alexander Pope and refers to the opportunity presented to the characters in the film of having unwanted memories, particularly those to do with relationships, erased from their minds.  When Joel (Jim Carrey) discovers that his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had her memories of their relationship erased he decides, out of desperation, to have her removed from his own memory. But as his memories disappear, he begins to rediscover his love for her and subconsciously attempts to escape the procedure.

The film is beautifully and skilfully shot and there is a clever use of imagery, symbols and colours. The performances are excellent and there are funny moments but this is not a typical Jim Carrey comedy, it is a moving romantic drama which explores the nature of relationships and the importance of memories.

Memories not only make us who we are, but are the foundation of our relationships. As Christians we recognise the importance of the mind, the body and the spirit – but also recognise that in each individual the three are intertwined so that to a degree our memories do make us who we are. Love also is not just based in the present but on an ongoing relationship and the shared memories it contains.

All this can be seen in the film and can be applied as much to our love of others as to our love of God. We remember the stories of God's relationship with his people that we find in the Bible, we remember the things God has done in our own lives, and when we share in Communion we are told, "Do this in remembrance of me."

Faith and love therefore both depend on memories and 'Eternal Sunshine' reminds us that we cannot have good memories without bad ones. For most of us loosing both completely would be too high a price to pay, but perhaps if our memories partly make us what we are then they become more than simply information stored in our brains, and indwell us in such a way that their effect can not be completely erased – even if our pure recollection fades. 

Epilogue

Most other lists I have seen of the films of 2004 have 10 or 20 in them.  Mine only has five, partly because it's a more manageable number and partly because there are several films from last year that I still need to see (e.g. Finding Neverland). Of course there were plenty of other good films last year that would make for a longer list and some of them may feature in your own top 5. Why not let me know what would be on your list.

Tim