TheScienceOfSleep Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Written and directed by Michel Gondry, The Science of Sleep is an extremely personal film based, in part, on Gondry's own life. While it's quite simple at its core, the pic is so visually complex you might find yourself completely lost after returning from even the briefest of trips to the bathroom. With this follow-up (not counting the Dave Chapelle doc Dave Chapelle's Block Party) to the critically-acclaimed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (one of my favorite movies of 2004), Gondry decides to explore similar themes, with both Sunshine and Science revolving around a character who fights through his sub-conscious mind in order to land the woman he loves. However, with a script written by Gondry himself (and not the brilliant Charlie Kaufman) The Science of Sleep is a lot deeper and darker -- the kind of film that not only tugs at your heart-strings, but uses them to tie you up and torture every fiber of your being.

dys·func·tion also dis·func·tion  -- n. Abnormal or impaired functioning, especially of a bodily system or social group

When I think of the word 'dysfunctional,' part of me wonders why no one ever suggested taking my picture and placing it next to said word in the dictionary. And if such a picture was ever presented before me, what sort of face do I put on in front of the camera? Do dysfunctional people smile? Should I frown? What if I kind of half-smile and squint my eyes, alluding to the fact that there's something missing -- ya know, leave it up to the reader to make their own assumptions.

Then again, aren't we all a little dysfunctional sometimes? Aren't we abnormal? What is abnormal? Heck, what's normal? And, if there is a person out there who is completely normal, not a worry or problem in the world -- wouldn't that classify them as abnormal? Where am I going with this? Did I even have a point? Do I need one?

Needless to say, the following films all deal, in some way, shape or form with dysfunction. Seeing, feeling and wanting things that, to the average, functional person, may seem a bit bizarre. Be it ghosts, dreams, people out in the middle of the woods with mutilated hands or any film that stars Christian Bale -- this week we're delving into the world of the abnormal ... or normal, depending on which dictionary you subscribe to. Welcome to another edition of Trailer Park: