Full Transcript for Eternal Sunshine: Erased Hearts & Looping Memories | Code Flix Season 3 Episode 18

00:03:42.323 relationships, and regret. 00:03:43.718 --> 00:03:50.051 The title might not be the easiest one to remember but the story definitely keeps you engaged, 00:03:51.525 --> 00:03:56.603 I will say though the ending left me wanting a little more After everything 00:03:56.603 --> 00:04:02.272 the movie puts you through I expected something that would hit just a little harder, 00:04:03.485 --> 00:04:08.709 Still, this is one of those movies that makes you look at memories, 00:04:09.191 --> 00:04:11.873 love and pain a little differently, 00:04:12.929 --> 00:04:19.256 So let's take a trip into the mind and see what happens when you try to erase the past. 00:04:20.162 --> 00:04:23.965 This is Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind. 00:04:34.851 --> 00:04:44.090 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 American science fiction romantic comedy drama. 00:04:44.808 --> 00:04:53.796 That's a lot. Film directed by Michael Gordery and written by Charlie Kaufman, 00:04:54.452 --> 00:04:57.785 from a story by Gordery, Kaufman, 00:04:58.464 --> 00:05:01.123 and Pierre Bismuth. 00:05:01.814 --> 00:05:09.858 It stars Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet as a couple who undergo memory erasure after their breakup. 00:05:10.938 --> 00:05:19.592 Kristen Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood and Tom Wilkinson appeared in supporting roles. 00:05:20.149 --> 00:05:30.817 The title of the film is a quotation from the 1717 poem, Elisha to Albert Lard by Alexander Pope. 00:05:31.756 --> 00:05:39.486 It uses elements of psychological drama and science fiction and a non-linear 00:05:39.637 --> 00:05:43.254 narrative to explore the nature of memory and love. 00:05:44.037 --> 00:05:50.951 Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind premiered in Los Angeles on March 9, 2004. 00:05:52.367 --> 00:05:59.539 And released in theaters in the United States by Focus Features on March 19 00:05:59.539 --> 00:06:06.538 to widespread acclaim from critics who praised the script and the direction. 00:06:07.096 --> 00:06:15.575 The film was a box office success, grossing $73.3 million on a $20 million, 00:06:16.659 --> 00:06:24.029 budget and was named by American Film Institute one of the top 10 films of 2004 00:06:24.430 --> 00:06:27.600 at the 77th Academy Awards. 00:06:28.365 --> 00:06:34.349 Bitsmouth, Godre and Kaufman won Best Original Screenplay and Winslet received 00:06:34.349 --> 00:06:36.299 a nomination for Best Actress. 00:06:38.198 --> 00:06:43.753 The film has been named by several publications as one of the greatest of the 00:06:43.753 --> 00:06:46.749 21st century and gained a cult following. 00:06:47.625 --> 00:06:53.801 It inspired music projects such as Jay Electronica's 2007 piece, 00:06:54.150 --> 00:06:56.988 Eternal Sunshine, Bad Pledge, 00:06:58.307 --> 00:07:10.356 Gene Eko, 2014, track Spotless Mind, and Ariana Grande, 2024 album, Eternal Sunshine. 00:07:22.359 --> 00:07:27.816 You know, I've been looking at the numbers lately and I have to say thank you. 00:07:28.915 --> 00:07:35.400 The downloads are growing, the listens are growing, and people are clearly enjoying the podcast. 00:07:36.056 --> 00:07:37.820 But me notice one little problem. 00:07:38.606 --> 00:07:42.862 Plenty of one listening, but not enough one subscribing. 00:07:44.007 --> 00:07:49.163 If you've been rocking with CodeFlix every week, laughing, thinking and diving 00:07:49.163 --> 00:07:54.585 into these sci-fi worlds with me, and you still haven't hit the subscribe or follow button, 00:07:56.084 --> 00:08:02.061 May I wait. May I beg you. Just take two seconds and subscribe. 00:08:02.868 --> 00:08:06.984 It might seem like a small thing, but it makes a huge difference. 00:08:07.694 --> 00:08:11.386 It tells the platforms that people are enjoying the show. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:18.073 Helps more sci-fi fans discover the podcast. And it keeps CodeFlix growing. 00:08:18.913 --> 00:08:22.158 So, if you're listening right now, pause for just a second. 00:08:23.052 --> 00:08:28.717 Hit follow. Hit subscribe. Maybe even leave a rating while you're there. 00:08:29.620 --> 00:08:33.870 Alright? Enough begging. Now, back to the podcast. 00:08:35.084 --> 00:08:42.142 These are my personal insights and interpretations of the film Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind. 00:08:43.018 --> 00:08:47.250 Try saying that ten times fast. Or even three times fast. 00:08:48.341 --> 00:08:52.642 This has been one of those films that just is wild. 00:08:53.353 --> 00:08:56.407 Right? I cannot, you know, 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:01.289 deal the way how this one has taken me, 00:09:01.957 --> 00:09:05.601 you know, some time to basically rewatch, 00:09:06.221 --> 00:09:09.700 you know, look at it with a different perspective, try to, you know, 00:09:10.020 --> 00:09:15.000 gather as much info so that I can actually talk about this and be, 00:09:15.340 --> 00:09:17.535 you know, have a meaningful conversation about it. 00:09:18.261 --> 00:09:27.440 You know, because, yeah, part of it is also pulling in or pulls it in a lot 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:32.192 more because of the elements of the emotions, right? 00:09:32.663 --> 00:09:39.073 And people being people, you know, doing crazy stuff, right? 00:09:39.606 --> 00:09:48.694 So let's get into it and you'll see exactly why i start off by saying that so, 00:09:49.408 --> 00:09:54.080 joel barish is this guy who basically. 00:09:55.683 --> 00:10:02.737 My name's girlfriend, a strange girlfriend, Clementine, they undergo a procedure, right? 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:07.733 Well, the reason why Joel went to the procedure, to do the procedure to erase 00:10:07.733 --> 00:10:13.538 his memories of Clementine was because she did the same one, right? 00:10:15.428 --> 00:10:20.216 There's this place called Lacuna in Long Island, right? 00:10:20.425 --> 00:10:24.494 And they do that kind of memory erasure procedure. 00:10:25.155 --> 00:10:31.390 Now, of course, when they do the preparation for the whole thing, 00:10:32.643 -->

00:10:38.633 record one tape and talk about basically the memories, you know, 00:10:38.633 --> 00:10:40.237 in a relationship, you know. 00:10:40.699 --> 00:10:42.991 And that's his perspective, of course, right? 00:10:44.176 --> 00:10:52.667 Now, the employees who work on Joel, right, them do that while they're asleep. 00:10:53.050 --> 00:11:00.193 So when him wake up him will have no memory of what the you know the procedure 00:11:00.193 --> 00:11:06.855 was like and all of that now you have this one employee when he um Patrick him decide say, 00:11:08.074 --> 00:11:12.730 he might go see Clementine right because her procedure, 00:11:13.552 --> 00:11:18.813 would have shown him you know basically her memories of Joel and him use that 00:11:18.813 --> 00:11:23.424 basically now as a way in right to seduce her. 00:11:25.129 --> 00:11:29.536 Yeah that's what's going on in this one so, 00:11:30.800 --> 00:11:34.405 while joel is under the procedure and thing, 00:11:35.356 --> 00:11:41.049 the technician stan and the secretary mary them decide say they're gonna take 00:11:41.049 --> 00:11:46.705 drugs and party right and end up you know doing the do right, 00:11:48.188 --> 00:11:53.619 yeah while the procedure go on i tell you No professionalism at all with these 00:11:53.619 --> 00:12:01.240 people Where they get these people to work For this firm Anyways Joel. 00:12:02.779 --> 00:12:10.546 Ended up Re-experienced his memory of Clementine In reverse chronological order Right So He, 00:12:11.709 --> 00:12:19.629 experienced The most recent memories first And the Most extant memories You know, 00:12:20.594 --> 00:12:28.730 long long after right is that at the last ones right the very first memories will be the last ones so. 00:12:30.198 --> 00:12:34.648 It would have started with them having a last fight, right? The last fight where 00:12:34.648 --> 00:12:35.866 it separated the two of them. 00:12:36.557 --> 00:12:43.159 And him start to reach some earlier memories that are happy moments, you know? 00:12:43.640 --> 00:12:50.301 And so this kind of pushes him on the path of being like, I'm not bad at one, do this. 00:12:50.638 --> 00:12:54.648 You know, the procedure is going through this, you know, he's having a mind 00:12:54.648 --> 00:12:56.367 job happening on his brain. 00:12:56.774 --> 00:13:01.078 And he has the cognizance in that moment to be like, you know, 00:13:01.078 --> 00:13:02.258 it's almost like a dream. 00:13:02.258 --> 00:13:07.938 You have a dream and you don't realize you're dreaming until something, 00:13:07.938 --> 00:13:12.380 you know, the dream kind of tip you off like, eh, this can't be. 00:13:12.548 --> 00:13:15.387 And so you're like, this must be a dream. You know what I'm saying? 00:13:15.990 --> 00:13:19.409 And you wake up, right? Many times you wake up and thing. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:26.508 And, you know, they will tell you that it's a response your body give off shock 00:13:26.508 --> 00:13:29.000 that basically wakes you up and, 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:35.833 many times if you can train your brain a particular way it's possible, 00:13:36.600 --> 00:13:41.848 for you to realize your inner dream and then warp the dream. 00:13:42.905 --> 00:13:46.307 As how you see fit it's weird you know because your brain will do all of this you know, 00:13:46.997 --> 00:13:52.418 so your brain conjured the dream in the first place right give you a dream whether 00:13:52.418 --> 00:14:00.517 it be a nightmare or a good you know dream right and then if you can realize you're in the dream, 00:14:01.098 --> 00:14:04.308 right in that dream state you can keep that dream state, 00:14:05.181 --> 00:14:10.524 and then change the dream to what you whatever you want you know i'm saying, 00:14:11.299 --> 00:14:17.278 yeah many people aren't able to do it but yeah there are certain people who 00:14:17.278 --> 00:14:21.138 can and I have been able to do that in the past, 00:14:21.858 --> 00:14:29.721 right back to the film so the this whole idea as I said you know it just kind of just, 00:14:30.641 --> 00:14:34.031 makes you realize how the brain works how, 00:14:36.274 --> 00:14:39.491 Crazy it is, the process. And so, 00:14:41.694 --> 00:14:44.485 his memory, basically his memory of... 00:14:48.211 --> 00:14:56.071 We'll be right back after these messages. What if you could erase every memory of this podcast? 00:14:56.651 --> 00:15:01.405 Every episode you heard? Every strange idea that stayed in your head? 00:15:02.065 --> 00:15:07.017 Every moment you thought, wait, that's actually possible? Would you? 00:15:07.769 --> 00:15:14.354 This podcast isn't monetized. It's something I do because I genuinely love exploring 00:15:14.354 --> 00:15:17.793 sci-fi and the questions these stories leave behind. 00:15:18.570 --> 00:15:23.277 So, if you've enjoyed the journey, don't let the memory disappear. 00:15:23.899 --> 00:15:29.593 Follow, listen, comment, share it with a friend or colleague who would enjoy it. 00:15:30.370 --> 00:15:36.137 Because some stories are worth remembering. And some things you shouldn't erase. Thank you. 00:15:41.388 --> 00:15:46.068 This memory of Clementine, basically, I tell him, say, listen, 00:15:46.830 --> 00:15:52.026 since you don't want to forget me, right, hide me in your memories, 00:15:52.676 --> 00:15:57.080 especially in the memories that don't involve me, right? 00:15:57.853 --> 00:16:02.714 That way, I won't be erased, basically. You know what I'm saying? 00:16:03.149 --> 00:16:06.417 On the surface, it kind of sounds like, eh, it's almost like, 00:16:06.667 --> 00:16:08.708 you know, it's like a minesweeper thing. 00:16:08.708 --> 00:16:13.151 Like you're going through and you're searching and there are these particular 00:16:13.435 --> 00:16:19.339 memories or you know when you go up on a computer you have searched for something in a google and, 00:16:19.937 --> 00:16:23.688 you have to look down at the bottom of the page and sometimes the result

is 00:16:23.688 --> 00:16:28.038 on the second page many people don't know that many people don't go past the 00:16:28.038 --> 00:16:33.074 first page right and that is why sometimes you end up with certain results and you're like 00:16:33.515 --> 00:16:38.059 ah why i get these results all the time right i don't ever find out all this, 00:16:38.883 --> 00:16:44.177 so you know in a way i'm just thinking of the whole technicalities there that, 00:16:44.931 --> 00:16:50.558 is it that this erasure procedure is searching just on the surface and not necessarily 00:16:50.558 --> 00:16:57.008 going deep to be able to pull out even as a whiff or a little piece of memory 00:16:57.008 --> 00:16:59.667 that's around there yeah. 00:17:00.844 --> 00:17:06.561 So this of course has the procedure and, 00:17:07.588 --> 00:17:14.848 you know Stan call him boss Howard and him say yo we need to do something because 00:17:14.848 --> 00:17:19.848 the procedure done does stop and we don't know how to continue it you know I'm 00:17:19.848 --> 00:17:22.066 saying to resume this thing and thing you know, 00:17:22.806 --> 00:17:30.779 Howard come in and say all right I'm going to deal with it and I'm restart right now Joel. 00:17:32.323 --> 00:17:36.116 Him come to him last remaining memory of Clementine, right? 00:17:36.366 --> 00:17:40.563 And this are the day they met on a beach in Montauk, right? 00:17:41.515 --> 00:17:44.863 So we have, just imagine, it's 00:17:44.863 --> 00:17:50.222 almost like a house of cards just crumbling around the two of them, right? 00:17:50.657 --> 00:17:52.661 With Joel at the center. 00:17:53.108 --> 00:17:59.208 And Joel is like trying to hold on to Clementine as much as possible in this state, right? 00:17:59.730 --> 00:18:04.763 And it's almost like she have to be telling him say listen meet me in Montauk 00:18:05.063 --> 00:18:10.223 right when you come out of this thing that are the memory no they decided memory 00:18:10.223 --> 00:18:14.683 of Clementina tell him say to meet her in Montauk right. 00:18:15.777 --> 00:18:24.113 Now in Joel's apartment Mary I try to impress Howard right because she have 00:18:24.113 --> 00:18:28.563 a mutual interest of poetry right and, 00:18:29.178 --> 00:18:34.513 this is just the film just kind of playing to the actual inspiration of the 00:18:34.513 --> 00:18:38.883 whole thing Elosa to Albert Lard it's, 00:18:39.973 --> 00:18:50.568 basically a verse from Alexander Pope and it was published in 1770 1717 sorry and, 00:18:51.604 --> 00:18:56.303 it's based on a well-known medieval story right which most of these things are 00:18:56.303 --> 00:19:00.341 they're based on things and the other one you know and as you go the levels 00:19:00.486 --> 00:19:04.718 you know you realize how far it originated from some other things, 00:19:05.263 --> 00:19:10.151 yeah if you like history that is right anyways back to the film So, 00:19:11.148 --> 00:19:13.383 stand the outside and, 00:19:14.489 --> 00:19:16.009 him tell Howard say. 00:19:17.370 --> 00:19:22.645 Sorry, she, that is Mary, tell Howard say she in love with him, 00:19:23.208 --> 00:19:25.362 right? And them share a kiss. 00:19:26.046 --> 00:19:32.810 Now, Howard's wife arrive now and see them through the window. Can you believe this? 00:19:33.843 --> 00:19:40.480 Eh? Anyways, and she is so enraged, right? She now hold back, 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:46.666 so she go to Howard and tell Howard say, I'm not going to tell Mary the truth. What truth, you ask? 00:19:47.464 --> 00:19:52.100 Maria Howard had previously had a affair Yes, 00:19:52.669 --> 00:20:01.080 and Mary had her memories erased so Howard basically had take advantage of a 00:20:01.080 --> 00:20:06.435 woman a person Who has no memories, right? 00:20:07.305 --> 00:20:13.260 Of course this must discuss anybody and Mary was disgusted. So she still the 00:20:13.260 --> 00:20:16.080 records them, the lacuna records, right? 00:20:16.376 --> 00:20:21.500 And she mail every single one of them to the patient them, right? 00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:26.396 Everybody who passed through the facility, including Joel and Clementine, right? 00:20:26.971 --> 00:20:36.748 So Joel, now he wakes up on Valentine's Day and his memories has been erased of Clementine totally. 00:20:37.694 --> 00:20:41.710 But on impulse, right? him decide 00:20:41.710 --> 00:20:48.201 say he might go take one Long Island Railroad train to Mantuck right? 00:20:49.002 --> 00:20:52.649 He might call him sick the digger you know so. 00:20:53.829 --> 00:21:01.014 What happens now? He accidentally He bucked up Clementine From the trade, 00:21:02.060 --> 00:21:07.399 He went back over there He went there And he didn't see her And when he came 00:21:07.399 --> 00:21:15.049 back He bucked up Clementine From the trade Now listeners I don't, 00:21:16.170 --> 00:21:22.129 believe in this Destiny thing Or as you would have called it The fate of love So Also, 00:21:23.037 --> 00:21:27.060 when you see something like this happen, you just have to say, why? 00:21:27.687 --> 00:21:37.765 Them drawn to one another, right? And they absolutely are, them even going and date, right? 00:21:38.184 --> 00:21:41.718 To the frozen Charles River in Boston. 00:21:43.414 --> 00:21:49.313 Now, Joel, him drive Clementine home and Patrick, so the two of them, 00:21:49.930 --> 00:21:53.654 and him even realize the boy, them find back one another and thing, 00:21:53.654 --> 00:21:54.424 you know what I'm saying? 00:21:54.424 --> 00:21:57.773 He's heartbroken, of course, because him that look hard and thing, 00:21:58.010 --> 00:21:58.753 you know what I'm saying? 00:21:59.496 --> 00:22:06.076 Now, Joel and Clementine end up get the lacuna records them from Mary, 00:22:07.214 --> 00:22:10.760 and the two of them sit down and decide to listen to the tapes together. 00:22:11.664 --> 00:22:17.384 And may I tell you That almost make everything Just tumble down back again Like 00:22:17.384 -->

00:22:22.044 a dolly house Because them are going through the bitter memories And them start 00:22:22.044 --> 00:22:25.643 to realize This does not make no sense To go back over this again. 00:22:28.529 --> 00:22:35.054 But In the end Them agree Alright fine we did this already Probably will come 00:22:35.054 --> 00:22:43.518 back to this again Might as well We agree If you start over, try again, 00:22:44.445 --> 00:22:47.017 come at it from a different angle, and thing. 00:22:47.755 --> 00:22:49.987 Yeah, and that's the film. 00:22:50.995 --> 00:22:57.364 Of course, this isn't everything, but if you go and watch a film, 00:22:57.748 --> 00:23:01.689 right, you can come back and you can comment and say, Hey, you know, 00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:03.605 Andre, forget this apart here. 00:23:03.878 --> 00:23:07.813 Or let's talk about this part, okay? 00:23:19.202 --> 00:23:25.013 The sun is shining in the sky, there ain't a cloud in sight, 00:23:25.425 --> 00:23:30.604 it stopped raining, everybody's in a play, and don't you know, 00:23:30.604 --> 00:23:33.668 it's a beautiful new day, hey hey. 00:23:49.497 --> 00:23:58.839 So these are my theories and unresolved mysteries and plot points. So, 00:24:01.169 --> 00:24:08.753 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is built on a simple sci-fi premise, right? 00:24:09.505 --> 00:24:11.577 Erasing painful memories. 00:24:13.116 --> 00:24:16.512 But You have a couple, 00:24:17.425 --> 00:24:20.535 Key questions We leave home, 00:24:21.416 --> 00:24:27.374 Especially around How many times Joel and Clementine have done this And whether 00:24:27.374 --> 00:24:33.254 their Fresh start Quote on quote Is truly new, 00:24:34.226 --> 00:24:42.114 And the way how the film Is structured In such a non-linear fashion right it 00:24:42.114 --> 00:24:47.964 just kind of make the ambiguities feel very intentional right and, 00:24:49.023 --> 00:24:50.550 you know i'm saying not by mistake. 00:24:53.182 --> 00:24:56.557 How many times have they erased each other? 00:24:57.775 --> 00:25:03.741 So this, as I said, is one of the biggest ones, you know, that is going to remain unresolved. 00:25:04.861 --> 00:25:08.118 Was this the first encounter, the first erasure? 00:25:09.561 --> 00:25:13.922 Or is this a part of a cycle? Because we see at the end of the film where it 00:25:13.922 --> 00:25:19.806 kind of hints at the fact, say, why it's possible that these two might have, 00:25:20.393 --> 00:25:23.028 not been just meeting themselves over and over. 00:25:23.446 --> 00:25:29.774 Right in the memories, but also could be that they have been actually doing, 00:25:30.585 --> 00:25:35.962 This whole procedure over and over right because it's the way how the people 00:25:35.962 --> 00:25:38.298 them are the facilities No, or them right? 00:25:38.687 --> 00:25:42.372 They just know them so well, you know, we go somewhere so often and they're 00:25:42.372 --> 00:25:47.982 like, hey, mr Bonner, you know, hey Like, you know, so he's wondering, 00:25:47.982 --> 00:25:52.075 you know, if you really know How many times right? 00:25:52.984 --> 00:25:59.901 The strongest theory is that Joel and Clementine, them go through this many times, right? 00:26:00.214 --> 00:26:07.954 And they fall in love, it ends badly, and they race and they meet again by chance, right? 00:26:08.175 --> 00:26:10.073 Or fate, whatever you want to call it. 00:26:10.717 --> 00:26:15.883 Now, the looping shots at the beach, right? 00:26:16.330 --> 00:26:22.582 It almost reads as that cycle, that continuous cycle. Or it could be that it's 00:26:22.582 --> 00:26:24.200 breaking the cycle. Who knows? 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:32.531 Another way we could look at it, you know, more, you know, optimistic view is that. 00:26:34.298 --> 00:26:40.408 Probably might be the second time and you know this looping is just metaphorical 00:26:40.408 --> 00:26:45.836 and you know really that much you know and maybe if we look at it that way then now, 00:26:47.058 --> 00:26:52.703 the snow scene suggests that them could repeat the same mistakes but you know, 00:26:53.231 --> 00:26:58.757 we don't really get for say anything for confirm you know, 00:26:59.892 --> 00:27:05.958 the original script and the time loop idea so there were some early drafts of 00:27:05.958 --> 00:27:11.130 the screenplay and it would have included a much darker ending right, 00:27:12.061 --> 00:27:18.748 it would have given like a flash forward showing an older mary and in that clementine 00:27:18.748 --> 00:27:22.716 had erased joel many times over decades right, 00:27:23.470 --> 00:27:30.488 and that version makes the time loop theory very explicit so that is definitely what happened, 00:27:31.795 --> 00:27:36.658 now the final cut rift moves that explicit confirmation and that is why the 00:27:36.658 --> 00:27:43.338 loop remains a theory rather than the real thing we are going right because 00:27:43.338 --> 00:27:44.750 the filmmaker they might try for. 00:27:46.790 --> 00:27:53.070 Leave enough ambiguity in there to make us as the viewers decide whether Joel 00:27:53.070 --> 00:28:00.052 and Clementine get trapped or them simply in a repeating cycle of, 00:28:01.062 --> 00:28:03.843 love, hate, regret, love, hate, regret kind of thing. 00:28:04.806 --> 00:28:08.602 Do they really have a chance this time? That's another question. 00:28:09.442 --> 00:28:16.463 The ending shows them choosing to try again despite them know the flaws, 00:28:17.367 --> 00:28:22.440 but it does not show whether that time work out no you know I'm saying cuz they 00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:25.890 might end up on something else that kind of derail the whole thing right that's 00:28:25.890 --> 00:28:28.767 how relationships are right and, 00:28:30.190 --> 00:28:35.716 the theory around that is that the film argues for acceptance of a perception, 00:28:37.243 --> 00:28:41.649 so they will likely hurt each other again but. 00:28:44.153 --> 00:28:47.558 Will do it with them eyes

open and not shut. 00:28:49.585 --> 00:28:51.599 Hint, hint, eyes wide shut. 00:28:53.722 --> 00:28:59.813 Another way you can look at it will be more cynical is that without the tapes 00:28:59.813 --> 00:29:05.389 them where they have L'Acona would have potentially, 00:29:06.602 --> 00:29:14.533 be leaked by mary them would have never been able to erase again you know because 00:29:14.533 --> 00:29:19.809 they would not be stuck living with the consequences of them previous actions right, 00:29:20.384 --> 00:29:23.077 whether them did like it or not, 00:29:24.522 --> 00:29:31.626 and that makes it all you know okay in a way right hopeful and slightly trapped. 00:29:34.133 --> 00:29:41.589 The the lacuna tapes them on the policy quote-unquote, 00:29:42.687 --> 00:29:44.973 a well-known unresolved issue 00:29:44.973 --> 00:29:52.809 is how lacunas no one can have the procedure done three times policy yeah, 00:29:54.271 --> 00:30:02.044 because clients might forget that they have they had the procedure right and it's, 00:30:02.705 --> 00:30:10.593 very unclear how anyone would know to ask for a third time so yeah unless they 00:30:10.593 --> 00:30:15.180 might erase everything around like knowing when the procedure happened yeah, 00:30:16.144 --> 00:30:21.445 and probably you know the way how the company could enforce the rule would be, 00:30:21.944 --> 00:30:26.283 that them have it on them records, that's it, you know, so them look at them and say, wait, Mr. 00:30:26.283 --> 00:30:29.973 Johnson come here already, and Mr. Johnson is like, but I've never been here, 00:30:29.973 --> 00:30:32.773 I don't remember being here, I was like, yeah, that's how good our procedure 00:30:32.773 --> 00:30:37.133 is, you've been here before, we'd love to take your money, but you already do 00:30:37.133 --> 00:30:40.125 it three times already, you know what I mean? 00:30:42.245 --> 00:30:49.885 But if we look at the theory, it's possible that the policy is not about the 00:30:49.885 --> 00:30:51.448 logic, but more about the theme. 00:30:52.040 --> 00:30:58.035 And the film warned that there should be a limit to how much we can delete from 00:30:58.035 --> 00:31:03.553 ourselves before we stop being the persons that we are. Right. 00:31:04.843 --> 00:31:11.925 So maybe this inconsistency is a flaw, but it serve as a movie moral argument. 00:31:13.083 --> 00:31:18.168 Joel's apartment and the quote-unquote real timeline, right? 00:31:18.540 --> 00:31:25.905 So, the film's geography have some details like Joel's supposed neighborhood 00:31:25.905 --> 00:31:28.182 versus what is shown, right? 00:31:29.093 --> 00:31:31.392 Don't always line up cleanly. 00:31:32.349 --> 00:31:37.185 And, you know, this feeds into a broader theory that the movie is not trying 00:31:37.185 --> 00:31:41.153 to be a precise procedural about memory, okay? 00:31:41.700 --> 00:31:51.954 But a subjective map of how love and regret will feel right and in the sense that the, 00:31:52.924 --> 00:31:54.735 unresolved parts like the train 00:31:54.735 --> 00:32:00.615 roads and the neighborhood details exact mechanics of the erasure them, 00:32:01.685 --> 00:32:06.945 they are less than like plateaus but they are signs that the story is prioritizing 00:32:06.945 --> 00:32:11.122 emotional truth over hard sci-fi consistency, right? 00:32:11.610 --> 00:32:17.755 And this is something that even in that particular scene where Clementine and 00:32:17.755 --> 00:32:21.676 Joel is in the library, right? And he's going through it. 00:32:22.542 --> 00:32:29.725 At one moment, right, in the same scene, you're seeing the titles on the books, right? And he. 00:32:32.033 --> 00:32:37.938 A little after that is like you know I'm saying they're gone they're blank the 00:32:37.938 --> 00:32:43.404 pages are black because they don't matter that's exactly what the film was intending to do was to, 00:32:43.955 --> 00:32:48.788 introduce it as oh these are books right because if you introduce them blankly you know, 00:32:49.448 --> 00:32:54.056 you just you know pass it by but when you say oh these were books and then, 00:32:54.828 --> 00:33:01.088 you know in an instant they no longer look like books they're covered right 00:33:01.088 --> 00:33:03.710 and in in just a split second in the same scene, 00:33:04.221 --> 00:33:08.528 you're just seeing that then it just drives home that point right with you know 00:33:08.528 --> 00:33:12.238 which is why i'm driving that point because it's something that i've come to 00:33:12.238 --> 00:33:15.552 see you know upon examining the whole thing, 00:33:16.432 --> 00:33:22.688 and in the final beach loop we see the last sequence where joel and clementine 00:33:22.688 --> 00:33:25.888 them run through the snow in a repeating pattern, 00:33:27.043 --> 00:33:27.868 is the film, 00:33:29.084 --> 00:33:30.858 most disgust in. 00:33:32.522 --> 00:33:38.209 Right and one theory is that it is a literal hint that, 00:33:39.034 --> 00:33:45.502 they will keep erasing and reuniting forever right as I mentioned before so 00:33:45.502 --> 00:33:47.498 it's like a tragic loop basically, 00:33:48.229 --> 00:33:51.689 another theory is that the loop is purely symbolic 00:33:52.053 --> 00:33:57.642 and it show how memory and desire keep replaying the same moments in our heads 00:33:57.642 --> 00:34:04.645 right so you know you remember that first date you remember that first moment where you kissed 00:34:04.975 --> 00:34:08.682 right you remember those moments because you know it is, 00:34:09.282 --> 00:34:13.442 and it just continues to play and repeat in your head right even though memories 00:34:13.442 --> 00:34:16.881 aren't perfect right which is something that you know, 00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:25.949 we we have been finding out that you know after a while our memories starts to collide with our. 00:34:27.107 --> 00:34:32.802 Expectations and not line up reality in many times and that is why sometimes 00:34:32.802 -->

00:34:35.536 people remember their childhood through 00:34:35.890 --> 00:34:40.604 certain lenses whether it might be it might be the worst childhood for them 00:34:40.731 --> 00:34:44.551 or it might be the best childhood for them right so, 00:34:45.486 --> 00:34:49.497 you know you can't fault a man if two persons twins, 00:34:50.346 --> 00:34:56.312 they went through the same type of childhood or you know relatively same but 00:34:56.312 --> 00:35:02.050 come away from it having different perspectives and memories about it, right? 00:35:03.210 --> 00:35:10.902 So if you'd like, I can map these theories into your brain and then this would 00:35:10.902 --> 00:35:17.118 make sure that you remember to share the podcast, comment, 00:35:18.139 --> 00:35:18.782 you know what I'm saying? 00:35:18.782 --> 00:35:22.301 And even like the podcast if you like it, yeah? 00:35:23.532 --> 00:35:27.302 You know, get it out there, you know what I'm saying? And thing. Thank you. 00:35:40.724 --> 00:35:46.711 Before we jump back into the episode, I've got one quick favour to ask. 00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:53.260 I see the downloads, I see the lessons, but I don't see enough comments. 00:35:53.980 --> 00:36:00.058 So if you're enjoying the episode, drop a comment wherever you're listening or watching. 00:36:00.827 --> 00:36:03.485 Tell me what you think about today's topic. 00:36:04.408 --> 00:36:10.595 Did you agree with my take? Did I miss something? Did you have a different theory? 00:36:11.641 --> 00:36:16.303 Your comments help me make better episodes, spark new discussions, 00:36:16.570 --> 00:36:21.079 and build a stronger sci-fi community around the podcast. 00:36:22.047 --> 00:36:28.671 Don't leave me talking to myself. Drop a comment and I'll be sure to check it out. 00:36:29.689 --> 00:36:33.136 Alright, let's get back to the podcast. 00:36:34.608 --> 00:36:44.065 So in this episode we looked at memory love and the pain of letting go, 00:36:45.336 --> 00:36:49.481 and you know this is especially an interesting one, 00:36:50.404 --> 00:36:54.014 because of the fact that you know when you have personal experience in certain 00:36:54.014 --> 00:37:01.715 things right and you can you know really empathize and understand and, you know, 00:37:02.393 --> 00:37:04.154 from a different perspective, right? 00:37:04.154 --> 00:37:07.704 Because you might just be looking at it and saying, okay, boy, 00:37:08.685 --> 00:37:14.879 things are really bad and I'm just hoping that I can just forget everything. 00:37:16.162 --> 00:37:21.245 But sometimes it's our memories that make us better. 00:37:21.871 --> 00:37:25.093 It's our memories that help us to make better decisions. 00:37:25.777 --> 00:37:29.974 And listen, I'm hoping that you are one of them that are making better decisions 00:37:29.974 --> 00:37:33.741 because of what you are currently going through. 00:37:34.078 --> 00:37:38.925 Maybe they all go through, you know, not so great of a time, but... 00:37:41.444 --> 00:37:48.822 Can make certain decisions right maybe there are certain things you do have in full control of, 00:37:49.960 --> 00:37:55.864 right but you have to keep going on right we're in this journey together right 00:37:55.864 --> 00:38:02.677 so share your experiences if you want to and let us have the discussion because, 00:38:05.162 --> 00:38:10.464 pain is something that we all have to grapple with at some point some of us 00:38:10.464 --> 00:38:14.064 more than others but we can get through it if we. 00:38:16.579 --> 00:38:19.326 Are together that is it, 00:38:21.724 --> 00:38:26.964 our quest through the universe of sci-fi television continues and the next great 00:38:26.964 --> 00:38:36.541 milestone awaits 2 000 downloads your support is the force that fuels this journey share follow and. 00:39:24.988 --> 00:39:30.697 This content is canned credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, 00:39:31.051 --> 00:39:41.047 or other harm on their hotline at 617-249-4255 or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org. 00:39:43.416 --> 00:39:49.838 Welcome to Cold Flicks, where we analyze sci-fi and fantasy TV shows and movies 00:39:49.838 --> 00:39:51.388 through the lens of reality. 00:39:53.718 --> 00:39:57.793 And this is your host, Kaya Zier And Andre Bonner, 00:40:00.365 --> 00:40:03.568 And today We unpack, 00:40:06.618 --> 00:40:08.029 The little train that could, 00:40:10.815 --> 00:40:11.715 Alright. 00:40:35.077 --> 00:40:35.350 Oh, 00:40:38.920 --> 00:40:41.207 oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, 00:40:43.560 --> 00:40:45.680 oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, 00:40:45.680 --> 00:40:47.060 oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, 00:40:47.060 --> 00:40:49.380 oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, 00:40:49.380 --> 00:40:54.200 oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, 00:40:55.400 --> 00:40:59.490 oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, 00:40:59.490 --> 00:41:01.554 oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Hey. 00:41:06.060 --> 00:41:08.640 That was one day when they were going to come in. It's a, 00:41:12.058 --> 00:41:17.549 2004 American science fiction romantic comedy drama. 00:41:18.512 --> 00:41:21.340 That's a lot. You have anything to say to that, Kay?