Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Each year I reserve a spot on my Best list for the film that my vaunted colleague Richard Schickel has chosen as his Worst. Dick hated Moulin Rouge in 2001 and Cold Mountain last year, so I had to love 'em. Now I am obliged to praise the Charlie Kaufman-Michel Gondry science-fiction romance. Obliged and honored, for this is a declaration of love against all odds and all reason. Joel (Jim Carrey) discovers that his girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had her memories of their affair erased by a mad scientist. Joel tries the same procedure, only to realize that he cherishes the rotten memories of Clementine as much as the sweet ones. Comedy? Horror movie? Eternal Sunshine is all that and this: the first and finest Alzheimer's love story.