Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

  GAMES:

  • Fill-in-the-blank
  • Matching
  • Hangman
  • Flash cards
  • Sentence jumble
  • Missing words
  • No letters
  • Crossword puzzle

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 American romantic science fiction film about an estranged couple who have each other erased from their memories. It was scripted by Charlie Kaufman and directed by the French director, Michel Gondry. The film uses elements of science fiction, psychological thriller, and nonlinear narration to explore the nature of memory and romantic love. The title is taken from the poem Eloisa to Abelard by Alexander Pope, the story of a tragic love affair, where forgetfulness became the heroine's only comfort. The targeted memory erasure in the movie is a fictional non-surgical procedure. Its purpose is the focused erasure of memories, particularly unwanted and painful memories.

The film was a critical and commercial success, developing a strong cult following and receiving many accolades. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. In particular, Kate Winslet's performance was highly praised. "USA Today" said: "Winslet is wonderful as a free spirit whose hair color changes along with her moods…she plays it just right." Movie critic Roger Ebert commented: "Eternal Sunshine has an emotional center, and that's what makes it work." The Onion's AV Club rated Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind as the number one film of the 2000s. It states: "It's the rare film that shows us who we are now and who we're likely, for better or worse, forever to be."

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Sunshine_of_the_Spotless_Mind

  TRAILER AND POSTER

"ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND" POSTER

1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them?       

2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is – the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories.

3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer…) and talk about them with your partner(s).

4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie.

5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s).

"ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND" TRAILER

1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).        

2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions.

4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s).

5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s).

  MATCHING

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	estranged	a.	components
2	erased	b.	hailed
3.	elements	c.	fan base
4.	tragic	d.	uncommon
5.	procedure	e.	alienated
6.	following	f.	awards
7.	accolades	g.	technique
8.	praised	h.	deleted
9.	rated	i.	sad
10.	rare	j.	evaluated

PHRASE MATCH

1.	an estranged	a.	highly praised
2	explore the nature of	b.	procedure
3.	the story of a tragic	c.	along with her moods
4.	non-surgical	d.	and commercial success
5.	unwanted and	e.	love affair
6.	The film was a critical	f.	couple
7.	a strong cult	g.	memory and romantic love
8.	Winslet's performance was	h.	us who we are
9.	a free spirit whose hair color changes	i.	painful memories
10.	It's the rare film that shows	j.	following

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 American romantic science fiction film (1) ______________________ who have each other erased from their memories. It was scripted by Charlie Kaufman and directed by the French director, Michel Gondry. The film (2) ______________________ fiction, psychological thriller, and nonlinear narration to explore the nature of (3) ______________________. The title is taken from the poem Eloisa to Abelard by Alexander Pope, the story of a tragic love affair, (4) ______________________ the heroine's only comfort. The targeted memory erasure in the movie is a   (5) ______________________. Its purpose is the focused erasure of memories, (6) ______________________ painful memories.

The film was (7) ______________________ success, developing a strong cult following and receiving many accolades. It won the Academy Award for (8) ______________________. In particular, Kate Winslet's performance was highly praised. "USA Today" said: "Winslet is wonderful (9) ______________________ hair color changes (10) ______________________ …she plays it just right." Movie critic Roger Ebert commented: "Eternal Sunshine has an emotional center, and (11) ______________________." The Onion's AV Club rated Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind as the number one film of the 2000s. It states: "It's the rare film that shows (12) ______________________ who we're likely, for better or worse, forever to be."

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	an nsgteraed couple
2.	psychological rrhltile
3.	nonlinear aniornart
4.	the story of a riatcg love affair
5.	non-surgical cuordepre
6.	artcauplrily unwanted and painful memories
Paragraph 2
7.	a critical and commercial csscsue
8.	a strong cult inlgoolwf
9.	receiving many aoeadlscc
10.	Winslet's performance was highly ariepds
11.	a free tiirps
12.	Eternal Sunshine has an lnaeiotmo center

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind is a 2004 american romantic science fiction film about an estranged couple who have each other erased from their memories it was scripted by charlie kaufman and directed by the french director michel gondry the film uses elements of science fiction psychological thriller and nonlinear narration to explore the nature of memory and romantic love the title is taken from the poem eloisa to abelard by alexander pope the story of a tragic love affair where forgetfulness became the heroine's only comfort the targeted memory erasure in the movie is a fictional non-surgical procedure its purpose is the focused erasure of memories particularly unwanted and painful memories

the film was a critical and commercial success developing a strong cult following and receiving many accolades it won the academy award for best original screenplay in particular kate winslet's performance was highly praised "usa today" said "winslet is wonderful as a free spirit whose hair color changes along with her moods…she plays it just right" movie critic roger ebert commented "eternal sunshine has an emotional center and that's what makes it work" the onion's av club rated eternal sunshine of the spotless mind as the number one film of the 2000s it states "it's the rare film that shows us who we are now and who we're likely for better or worse forever to be"

  INSERT THE VOWELS

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Th_ f_lm w_s _ cr_t_c_l _nd c_mm_rc__l s_cc_ss, d_v_l_p_ng _ str_ng c_lt f_ll_w_ng _nd r_c__v_ng m_ny _cc_l_d_s. _t w_n th_ _c_d_my _w_rd f_r B_st _r_g_n_l Scr__npl_y. _n p_rt_c_l_r, K_t_ W_nsl_t's p_rf_rm_nc_ w_s h_ghly pr__s_d. "_S_ T_d_y" s__d: "W_nsl_t _s w_nd_rf_l _s _ fr__ sp_r_t wh_s_ h__r c_l_r ch_ng_s _l_ng w_th h_r m__ds…sh_ pl_ys _t j_st r_ght." M_v__ cr_t_c R_g_r _b_rt c_mm_nt_d: "_t_rn_l S_nsh_n_ h_s _n _m_t__n_l c_nt_r, _nd th_t's wh_t m_k_s _t w_rk." Th_ _n__n's _V Cl_b r_t_d _t_rn_l S_nsh_n_ _f th_ Sp_tl_ss M_nd _s th_ n_mb_r _n_ f_lm _f th_ 2000s. _t st_t_s: "_t's th_ r_r_ f_lm th_t sh_ws _s wh_ w_ _r_ n_w _nd wh_ w_'r_ l_k_ly, f_r b_tt_r _r w_rs_, f_r_v_r t_ b_."

  MARK THE SPACES

EternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMindisa2004Americanromanticscien
cefictionfilmaboutanestrangedcouplewhohaveeachothererasedfro
mtheirmemories.ItwasscriptedbyCharlieKaufmananddirectedbythe
Frenchdirector,MichelGondry.Thefilmuseselementsofsciencefiction,
psychologicalthriller,andnonlinearnarrationtoexplorethenatureofm
emoryandromanticlove.ThetitleistakenfromthepoemEloisatoAbelar
dbyAlexanderPope,thestoryofatragicloveaffair,whereforgetfulness
becametheheroine'sonlycomfort.Thetargetedmemoryerasureinthe
movieisafictionalnonsurgicalprocedure.Itspurposeisthefocusederas
ureofmemories,particularlyunwantedandpainfulmemories.Thefilm
wasacriticalandcommercialsuccess,developingastrongcultfollowing
andreceivingmanyaccolades.ItwontheAcademyAwardforBestOrigin
alScreenplay.Inparticular,KateWinslet'sperformancewashighlyprai
sed."USAToday"said:"Winsletiswonderfulasafreespiritwhosehaircol
orchangesalongwithhermoods…sheplaysitjustright."MoviecriticRog
erEbertcommented:"EternalSunshinehasanemotionalcenter,andth
at'swhatmakesitwork."TheOnion'sAVClubratedEternalSunshineofth
eSpotlessMindasthenumberonefilmofthe2000s.Itstates:"It'stherar
efilmthatshowsuswhowearenowandwhowe'relikely,forbetterorwors
e,forevertobe."

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

  ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	Student 1 __________	Student 2 __________	Student 3 __________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other's work.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors' performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. "ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND" POSTER: Make a poster about "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics' reviews, why people should see it, etc.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for  "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	estranged	a.	alienated
2	erased	b.	deleted
3.	elements	c.	components
4.	tragic	d.	sad
5.	procedure	e.	technique
6.	following	f.	fan base
7.	accolades	g.	awards
8.	praised	h.	hailed
9.	rated	i.	evaluated
10.	rare	j.	uncommon

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review article at the top of the page.
(It's good for your English ;-)