February Dreamin'

I've been in a big movie watching mood recently...and have finished off some real gems recently (e.g. The Queen, Elizabeth I, The Departed). Over the course of the weekend, John and I started The Science of Sleep by Michel Gondry. Gondry has directed many amazing music videos as well as a coupla my favorite films (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and also Dave Chappelle's Block Party.)

Anyway...The Science of Sleep was not only a beautiful movie, but it really messes with one's dream sequencing. Especially if you fall asleep while watching the movie...it may screw you up for days. And, seriously, when you finish the movie...you have no idea where you are between reality and dreams...John said "Everything seems so dreamlike right now..."

There is something about Gondry films that are so lovely and simple, but with certain devastating heartbreak lurking in the corners. It's that feeling you get when life is so sublime and perfect, and then you realize it's not real but you're in a very realistic dream. That sad in-between moment when you want nothing more than the dream to keep going even though you know it's incredibly fleeting. (Usually that moment occurs for me at 4:45 and I languish in the bittersweet pre-dawn quiet for a couple minutes before the damn alarm goes off.)

The movie has done two things to me. First, I'm already a very active and prolific dreamer...and the movie only intensified my dreamworld for the past couple nights. Second, I've been thinking and rethinking some of my favorite movies that mix dreams and reality...including Waking Life, the aforementioned Eternal Sunshine, Neverending Story, Labrynth (aka David Bowie in hotpants), Akira Kurosawa's Dreams, Eraserhead, Run Lola Run and more recently Pan's Labrynth (AMAZING!). I would recommend any and all of these movies, especially if you're looking for some interesting fodder to dream about.

g'nite.