I went to bed last night and got a weird idea to dedicate this week’s Thursday Movie Picks to Jim Carrey. There’s no actual reason, I just thought about characters making a new start and had this crazy thought! Carrey has portrayed so many men, who found themselves changed through something unnatural or supernatural. Here are four movies, where Carrey’s character makes a new start because of something strange.
1. THE MASK (1994)
Carrey portrays a bank clerk, who finds a mysterious mask of Loki and by wearing it, he becomes completely nuts. And yes, the movie is as crazy as it sounds. I also used to be afraid of this movie. Terrified actually. But what better way to match the theme for this week? We have a very timid man, who starts a new chapter in his life… by wearing a green mask, which allows him to swallow explosive devices and pick up hot women like Cameron Diaz. If that’s not a new start, I don’t know what is.
2. LIAR LIAR (1997)
We have another unnatural plot with a lawyer loosing his ability to lie for 24 hours due to his son’s birthday wish. Carrey is his usual self, funny and physically hilarious in Liar Liar, and it is one of those important life lesson movies. His character’s life is completely changed in an instant, and in return, the experience changes him.
3. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)
Though Truman Show showed Carrey’s ability to be also a good dramatic actor, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind completely changed him. Here we have a man, who decides to erase his ex-girlfriend from his memory. He is creating a new start for himself. Or at least he tries to, he really does. This is definitely one of my favourite Jim Carrey roles, if not the favourite, because it’s impossible to recognise him without his comedic persona.
4. YES MAN (2008)
A year later Carrey returned to his roots of comedy, and took on a role of a man, who decides to say “yes” to everything for a whole year. Again, making a new start by creating new opportunities and experiences through being open minded. And you guessed it, there’s another life lesson to be learned in Yes Man. It’s as obvious as it seems, but we should all try to say “yes” more often.
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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Nice post! “by wearing a green mask, which allows him to swallow explosive devices and pick up hot women like Cameron Diaz. If that’s not a new start, I don’t know what is” – this is one of my favorite sentences ever. I realize I haven’t watched a Jim Carrey movie in a long time – I need to change that. lol
Hah, thanks! Yeah, he hasn’t been in many movies lately.. or maybe I just haven’t stumbled on any.
Yes Man was a no for me lol. Anyway, I love that you went with all Jim Carrey movies.
I like the idea and point of Yes Man, I think as adults we sometimes say no too quickly and should be open to new things, which the movie emphasised. 🙂
I love a theme within the theme and this is a good one. I haven’t seen Yes Man yet but my reaction to the other three varies wildly. I really enjoyed Liar Liar. I saw it in a packed theatre and the communal experience of everyone laughing added a lot to the film. I was indifferent to The Mask, Carrey was good but otherwise it didn’t do much for me. I am well aware that mine is a solitary opinion but I loathed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
No theme for me just a mix of people reinventing themselves and others moving for a new start.
My Fair Lady (1964)-Coarse cockney flower vendor Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) goes to Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) and his friend Col. Pickering (Wilfrid Hyde-White) after a chance meeting to teach her “how to talk genteel like” so she can get a job in a shop. On a bet with Pickering Higgins decides to remake Eliza and pass her off as royalty and she’s off to a fresh start! Harrison is inimitable and Audrey charming but you can’t help but yearn for Julie Andrews, who created the role on stage, and her bell like soprano. Sumptuous musical won Best Picture and is a treat for the eyes and ears.
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)-Recently widowed Alice Hyatt (Ellen Burstyn) and her son Tommy leave their New Mexico town so that Alice can try her luck as a singer in California. In Arizona they find themselves short on funds and she takes a job in a small diner until they build up their resources again. But when she meets handsome rancher David (Kris Kristofferson) it looks like she might be making a new start of a different kind. Directed by Martin Scorsese this won Ellen Burstyn a Best Actress Oscar.
Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)-Freshly divorced and in a purple funk from which she seems unable to extricate herself writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) is gifted by her newly pregnant friend Patti (Sandra Oh) with a tour of Italy that Patti can’t take. Passing through Tuscany Frances impulsively buys a somewhat distressed villa and sets about rebuilding her life with the help of the colorful locales and a new romance. Charming and well-acted with breathtaking vistas you’ll want to jump the next flight to Tuscany when it’s over.
Thanks! I always try to do a theme within a theme, sometimes it’s possible other times, not so much. ‘
Under the Tuscan Sun was so much fun!
Ah, this is inspired. Ah, you can always count on Jim Carrey for these kind of films. I like what he’s doing now which is to make paintings just to piss some people off.
He is quite awesome to be honest!
Great theme within a theme with Jim Carrey films. Sadly the one film I haven’t seen is Eternal Sunshine. Mask is actually the first film where I saw something more in Carrey. The other 2 are also good although Liar, Liar is better than Yes, Man in my h7mble opinion
You definitely need to see Eternal Sunshine, it’s so so good!
I love your theme within a theme! Carrey definitely has some great movies that fall into it.
Thank you! I love when you guys love my theme within a themes! 😀
Oooh great theme!! I love Jim Carrey, his movies were a huge part of my childhood. Always made for great family Sunday afternoons.
Eternal Sunshine is a brilliant movie, a very different role from him indeed but he did great.
Thank you! I felt very inspired for some reason. 😀