And....drumroll please...... Performance #1

1. KATE WINSLET (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)



Where to begin? Winslet is absolutely stellar in this performance as Clementine Kruczynski. There isn't an instant where we see Kate Winslet or start to think about Kate, rather we focus on Clementine and solely her when she's onscreen.


Clementine is pretty much as hectic a character you can get that you can still feel for. She constantly changes her hair color and loves to curse at people in public. However, it's the youthful and innocent feel she gives off whenever she's onscreen that makes you long for more. As we go backwards through Joel's memory, it's almost sad because we don't want Clementine to leave, and neither does Joel.



Below are 5 scenes that stand out in Kate's performance.

Be pretty.

One of many scenes that's great. This is one of the few times we see Clementine actually show her emotions and be...normal. And haven't we all felt this way? Haven't we all thought we're ugly, and wished for something else? I wish I could go lie out on the frozen Charles.

Lalala, he’s not listening!

Cute scene. It's very transcendent towards somebody helping you out when there's a problem. Not to mention the clever editing and score highlight this scene. It's great! :D

You had the whole human race pegged.

Utter Clementine. A fine scene, where we definitely know what drives her character. The dissapearing books is haunting.

Meet me in Montauk. (Spoilers)

All right, where is there to begin for this scene alone? This is single-handedly one of the best scenes in all of cinema here. Everything about it: Kate + Jim, the score, cinematography, sound, editing, writing... it's all so very moving. Kate is exceptional, of course, truly defining her character in her "last" (First. Last?) encounter with Joel. Everything about her in this scene- the way she eats chicken, the way she squeals when she breaks into a house- are all very characterized and heartwarming. And that line: "Meet me in Montauk." Don't even get me started. What a brilliant scene.

“OK” “OK” (Spoilers)

A perfect ending. Joel knows that he and Clem are meant to be together. She'll get bored of him, that's true, but there's always next time isn't there? "OK." "OK!" The loop of them running down a snow filled beach still echoes around in my head.



Anyway, I'd also like to state that not only is this my #1 performance, but it also is the performance that changed my life. Somebody mentions "Kate Winslet" and what do you think of? Polite, proper Kate. Maybe in Sense and Sensibility or Titanic. English accent. The essence of class. After you watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind it's hard to believe that Clementine is the same actress. The vivacity and free-spirited air changes Kate into a character unlike any she's played before and then this performance becomes the one to base her off of. Somebody mentions "Kate Winslet," and I think "Oh my darlin, Oh my darlin, oh my darlin Clementine."


Clementine has inspired me to live. She may not always be the most agreed upon and she'll definitely yell at you some point a long the way, but she is a confident and strong-willed human being. If we all lived like Clementine Krucyznski, I think we'd definitely have a more conservative and open-minded world. I think she's just trying to tell you to open up. Joel is more of in a "closed-mouth" type of person (as she says in the film) but if we're all... what, "open-mouthed" then I think we'd all communicate better. We'd all live a happier life.

Kate, this is for you. Happy 7/7/07