A quick programming note: The podcast for last week’s double feature, “Breathless” and “Jules & Jim” has been canceled, and upcoming episodes will be produced based on the feedback received in the discussions. The remaining weeks have been restructured slightly to encourage greater community participation. Remember, the film fest is about community wide-discussion, and everyone is encouraged and welcome to participate. We don’t bite, I promise!

The Summer Film Fest is back in its penultimate entry, wherein we discuss Paul Thomas Anderson’s incredibly overlooked Punch-Drunk Love and Michel Gondry’s modern masterpiece Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I paired these two films because they examine two different aspects of the the same theme: How we deal with love.

Punch-Drunk Love is in many ways about the incredible redemptive power of human connection (as many of Anderson’s films are, particularly Magnolia.) Adam Sandler’s stellar, subdued performance as Barry Egan went overlooked by many who expected more traditional Sandler fare, despite the film’s warm critical reception (even making several “best of the decade” lists). Egan is driven by anxiety stemming from his upbringing with seven bombastic sisters. Anderson films the world as chaotic and unpredictable, save for the calming presence of the enigmatic Lena, played by Emily Watson. Punch-Drunk Love is a beautiful take on the traditional romantic comedy. Unlike traditional romantic comedies, it isn’t about two broken people who come together and fix each other, who correct each other’s imperfections. Rather, it is about two broken people learning to be broken together, savoring the imperfections, and finding a link to their own brand of normalcy in a wildly erratic and unpredictable world.

In contrast, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is about memory, and how the pains and heartbreaks we suffer through ultimately make us who we are. The powerful, esoteric duo of director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman craft a beautiful, resonant film that follows Joel, (Jim Carrey who, much like Sandler, turns in an unexpectedly poignant performance from a traditionally comedic performer) a reserved loner who falls Clementine (Kate Winslet), a manic pixie dream girl if there ever was one. Their relationship begins in a similar manner to most films with MPDG’s (i.e. Garden State), but carries on past that, showing the bitter dissolution of their once magical time together as their wildly divergent personalities ultimately tear each other apart. As the film begins, Joel has signed up for an experimental treatment to wipe all of his memories of the relationship from his mind. However, as the procedure is underway, Joel realizes his mistake; His memories of the relationship, while painful, are a part of him, and he sets out to save his memories from being destroyed. Although wild and dreamlike in grand Gondry/Kaufman fashion, at the core Sunshine is a glaringly honest and affecting look at love, loss and the things that make us who we are.

Both of these films are available on Netflix Watch Instantly, and on a personal note, are two of my favorite entries in the festival this year. If you liked or disliked either of these films, join in the discussion in the comments below. If we get enough feedback, then we will release a podcast episode incorporating your feedback into the discussion. And remember, you don’t have to be a film snob to discuss: Anyone and everyone is welcome to join!

Wake up and smell the sunscreen, folks. It’s summer once again, and you know what that means; It’s time once again for the Robot Panic Summer Film Festival. That’s right, all those months of trudging through snow and slaving over essays have finally paid off, and it’s time to kick back and enjoy some great film.

For those of you unfamiliar with the film festival, it was started three years ago as a means to collectively expand our film knowledge while counteracting the worst of the mindless summer action film. But before you say “Why would i do that? Movies are supposed to be FUN!” know that the goal of the festival isn’t to intimidate you or force you to trudge through hours of David Lynch pictures and hours-long Werner Herzog epics (as much as I may love them).

The name of the game has always been accessibility, and in curating the list of films this year, I’ve taken that into account more than ever. This year’s line-up is comprised of 12 great, thoughtful and discussion-provoking films that even the most budding film-lover can enjoy. The list includes French New-Wave films, modern classics, horror films, comedies, some over-looked, and some widely regarded among the best of all time. There’s something here for everyone, and this promises to be the most exciting year yet.

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