Roger:

The reaction some people have concerning Charlie Kaufman is a perfect example of how such people are no longer able to think in any manner other than simple linear plot progression.

Of the films you listed, I have seen four:

01) Being John Malkovich

02) Adaptation

03) Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

04) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Without exception, all of the negative comments I have heard about any of these films relate to their "non-linear" presentation. A couple of other recent films that were done in this same manner, were 21 Grams, Memento, and Vanilla Sky. Whether it was comments made by people I know, or have spoken to about any or all of these films --- certain people just cannot think in any other manner than in a strict linear progression.

I had a friend recently tell me that he thought Memento was garbage, and when I asked him why, he told me that it was not understandable. I found that very unfortunate, especially as I personally found Memento to be one of the best films of the past few years. What distressed my friend was the very thing I liked most about it --- that it was different.

The Matrix quintology was a perfect example of this; while the first film is a legendary piece of filmmaking, parts two through five were humdrum predictability. And, just so there is no misunderstanding, these are the five parts of The Matrix quintology:

01) The Matrix (1999)

02) The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

03) The Animatrix (2003)

04) Enter The Matrix (2003)

05) The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

The Matrix started out with one of the most innovative ideas, but by the time we all got to Matrix Revolutions, this innovative idea had turned into a high-tech battle, the likes of which we have seen many times before, inside and outside of the sci-fi genre.

Where the wild innovation of The Matrix gave way to just another dull and boring formulaic ending, some of the very people who ate that up, are the same people who have complained about Charlie Kaufman not being understandable. Perhaps the reason for the complaints is these films make the viewer THINK DIFFERENTLY, and also to treat the movie experience in a different manner.

Our entire mass media suffers because of this generalized and sweeping lack of intelligence, as the same contrivances are forced upon all viewers of TV and film. When one idea hits and becomes successful, suddenly the multitude of living dead clones flood the marketplace with variations on the same theme. Perhaps the most firmly entrenched are television sitcoms, and this is likely the reason why Entertainment Weekly asked in its' April 2, 2004 cover story, "ARE SITCOMS DEAD?"

As long as they keep shovelling the "will they or won't they?" story line, it doesn't matter if the "they" is Sam and Diane (Cheers), Rachel and Ross (Friends), or Ed and Carol (Ed), it is all the same nonsense. This alone may be the reason why netwrok television has lost 40% of its' audience in the past handful of years.

Whether it is television or film, most often the more intelligent something is, the smaller the audience it attracts. Even though in 1999, as many people watched Freaks and Geeks then, as watch 24 today, F & G got cancelled while 24 remains on the air.

So, those who claim that films such as those written by Charlie Kaufman are unable to be understood properly, there remains no shortage of films such people can continue to enjoy. While I am out there enjoying something intelligent, like the George Clooney film Solaris, those who are dumbed down can flood the theatres for the simplicity inherent in films like The Fast And The Furious, XXX, and others of their ilk.

However, this situation exists for a reason, and that reason is quite simple. On pg. 48 of a report issued by the Bilderberg Group on May 31, 1979, it clearly states in a section labeled DIVERSION SUMMARY:

ENTERTAINMENT: Keep the public entertainment below a sixth- grade level.

Moreover in that same section of the report, it clearly states:

MEDIA: Keep the adult public attention diverted away from the real social issues, and captivated by matters of no real importance.

SCHOOLS: Keep the young public ignorant of real mathematics, real economics, real law, and real history.

WORK: Keep the public busy, busy, busy, with no time to think.

I think that the above quoted sections from this Bilderberg Group report should be immediately recognizable to most everyone, as this accurately describes our current situation, as it relates to most peoples' ability to think.

KDB = Buffalo, NY USA