Endless Sunshine...

For several months now, I've walked past Endless Sunshine of the Spotless Mind at Hollywood Video. It's not that I was resisting, only that with building the house this summer and being the parent of 2 active boys, my opportunities to rent movies aren't what they used to be and so I end up usually getting big-budget flicks. So last night, I rented Endless Sunshine... and I loved it. Kate Winslet is fabulous and it's refreshing to see Jim Carrey in a more serious role. But what grabbed me was the last seen where Joel and Clementine are in the hallway outside his apartment after having just listened to the tapes and the whole conversation between them is something like, "I'm screwed up," "Yeah, so am I." And then they decide that it's worth it. I think too many people are looking for the perfect lover, friend, neighbor, pastor, etc., but the reality is that we are all so screwed up, but it's worth it! Another thought...I've been thinking through an idea that I don't know exactly how to put into words, but I'll try anyway. I think movies like this belong in a different category for me than regular run-of-the-mill Hollywood fare. When I think of movies like this one, Garden State, Life as a House, Big Fish, etc. I think of a category that I call "writers' movies." Movies, where the emphasis is not on star power or special effects or novelty but upon the strength of interesting, sometimes quirky characters who hold my attention.