Gondry turns good filmmaking into a 'Science'

My head hurts a bit, but don't take that as a bad sign. Michel Gondry's "The Science of Sleep" kind of blew my mind. Those familiar with Gondry's previous works such as "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" or even the various music videos he's directed, will be appropriately prepared for his unique style. Those who have never seen a Gondry work may at first be confused -- watching his work for the first time is much more difficult than having seen it before. Even though I loved "Eternal Sunshine" and enjoyed "The Science of Sleep" on my first viewing, I feel like I should see it again.\n"The Science of Sleep" doesn't really dwell on trying to focus on a plot, instead choosing the path of exploring the fantasy. The protagonist, Stéphane, has a particularly wild and vivid imagination and as the viewer, you experience the world as he does -- which by societal standards would hardly be considered normal. From the very beginning we are introduced to "Stéphane TV," which we later find out occurs within his imagination and in short can be described as a mini-Stéphane living inside his brain, operating human Stéphane from within.\nTrying to explain in words the fantastical aspect of the movie is probably more confusing than the movie itself, so I'll try and keep it short. The basic plot consists of following Stéphane around between his new job, new apartment and new neighbor, whom he subsequently falls in love with. At the same time, we experience the dreams that Stéphane experiences, which also consist of fantasies including his job, home and neighbor. We find out from Stephane's mother that he always had trouble distinguishing between reality and fantasy, and as the viewer we also have a similar problem.\nAs for the special features, the DVD includes director and cast commentary, a "making of" bit, a featurette about the woman who designed many of the unique props used in the film, a music video and more. I found the "making of" piece and the piece about the woman most interesting; it shows you how much of the movie comes from Gondry's personal experiences, as well as how much of the amazing effects in the movie were not that complex.\n"The Science of Sleep" is a movie I would recommend seeing -- whether you rent it or buy it, both are good investments. With a story complex enough to remain captivating and a fantasy aspect that gets in touch with your childhood dreams, Michel Gondry has indeed turned the art of moviemaking into a science.