I got some more physical therapy today and I think that I somehow ended up on the "really easy laid-back" program. I think this because every time I get there I walk into the main area, which has all these workout machines and bikes and weights and shit, and there are all these people in like workout clothes who are sweating and obviously in serious pain while they try to get their fourth knee to work. Then the doctor comes up and leads me to this private little room thing, I sit on a table, she throws a heating thing on my back. Asks me how the excercises have gone, asks me how my back feels, etc. Here was what I did at therapy today: listened to the radio. I got to hear Avril's "I'm With You" , Jessica Simpson's new one, something that sounded like a really catchy Fat Boy Slim tune, and some other good stuff. There was some crap mixed in mind you, that Matchbox 20 song that everyone is listening to these days and some Black Eyed Peas song that was not written by Justin. That was literally what I did at therapy. During that time the doctor put the heat on my back, asked some questions, left for 10 minutes. Came back, did some sort of "over-pressure" thing which seemed to just consist of her putting this plastic thing on my back and pushing on it which just felt like an overcentralized slightly too firm massage. She did that for like ten minutes, then left. Came back with an ice pack and the electro-shock machine, which feels pretty good after a minute or two, but begins as just a prickly weird massage thing. Its always fucked up when you feel like your back muscles are being moved all around when factually you know there is nothing on you but some electrodes. That was 15 minutes or so, then I left. I don't know who signed me up for rock-star physical therapy, but I feel much cooler than the suckers in their workout clothes when I walk in with my sweater and khakis, alternate temperature sensations for 40 minutes, then go home. I think I am just gonna bring my computer in next time and watch a movie.
So the tribes have merged in spectacular fashion this evening. At this point in the Survivor All Stars competition I feel optimistic that the streak of disappointing reality show victories may be over. I would be happy if either Boston Rob or Rupert came away with a victory, there are some others who wouldn't piss me off. That said, the nature of Survivor tends to kick out the really strong people right about now. The first individual immunity challenge is completed as we speak, so we will see if Lex's inability to untie a fucking knot like a dipshit is his downfall. I don't think it matters, cause tattoo boy ain't going all the way no matter what, but still.
So last week we saw Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I don't think I mentioned this fact as of yet. I was surprised when Katie suggested seeing it, since I had already resigned myself to the idea that her "lets go see a movie" meant that I would need to pray that Kevin Smith came through in Jersey Girl. I don't think that is possible, noticeably, since it does star Ben Affleck after all, and he could ruin Citizen Kane with an extra's role. I pretty much like Liv Tyler and the little chick was kinda funny when I saw her on Ellen, but still, its Ben(nifer). I will give him props on the "Mary Kate and Ashfleck" joke from SNL, but he had about as much to do with the creation of that joke as I did. So, while I needed no justification to agree to seeing this film, I agreed wholeheartedly with Katie's argument that, even if she wasn't sure about it, the reviews of it were too good to pass up. When people are saying that its "Charlie Kaufman with heart" I guess you can't doubt it.
I don't have full opinions about the whole film yet, I definately enjoyed it. I am pretty certain that its not in the league of Adaptation (which, I think I have mentioned, I believe to actually be a better film than Being John Malkovich upon repeated viewings) and I am not sure if it exceeds BJM. That said, there are some scenes that are incredible, brilliantly written, brilliantly acted, and perfectly filmed. I won't give away more of the film if you haven't had a chance to enjoy it yet, but the ending is unsure enough (at least from the outset of the film) that I wasn't looking closely enough at the details I later realized to be crucial. Kate WInslett, Jim Carrey, and Mark Ruffalo are awesome, though I think Kirsten Dunst pulls kind of a weak Goodwill Hunting . I will not go weak-kneed and say that the addition of the romantic element is the reason that this film is not as powerful upon first viewing. I say that both because there is nothing about the romantic element in film which makes it uninteresting and more importantly because I think that the idea that there is no romance in Adaptation (and to a lesser extent BJM) is ricockulous. Part of the reason Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep's performances were so incredible was due to the fact that when the film makes its explicit transition into "Act 2" they are required to maintain the elements which made thier characters interactions interesting to begin with (the "folkloric" intelligence Chris Cooper projects and the detached desiring that Meryl Streep is so desperate to provide to anyone who will listen. While there are obvious elements in Eternal Sunshine which complicate the romantic story, I don't think they go this far. I have only seen the movie once, so I won't say for certain that comments I've read which call the movie "incredibly romantic" are misguided, but I think that to put it on the forefront is missing a big part of the point. I'm sure that there are Deleuzians and Bergsonians galore dying to write about Kaufman's obsession with memory, but again, I will uspend my judgement.
I am trying to keep these entires to a more reasonable extreme, so I will go now. Keep it riz.
Peace,
MB-K
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