Memento

Rating:
Summary: So Far, The Best of 2001!
Review: Memento is one of those rare films that manages to do something new. On one level, this film is a simple crime thriller. Guy Pearce plays the disabled Leonard who is searching for his wife's killer despite being hampered by the inablity to make any new memories. Though the mystery element of the plot is compelling, the true force of the movie comes from its ablity to let you experience a series of events from Leonard's perspective. The movie runs backwards in ten minute clips that mirror the increadibly short period of time in which Leonard can maintain linear awareness. You watch as Leonard is thrust into a situation and, along with Leonard, you have no idea how he got there. It is only after the scene has run its course and the movie skips to the next sequence that you are finally given the answer. However, every answer you are granted unearths three times as many new questions, and you find your attention rapt and unrelenting as you wait for the appearance of Leonard's next random adventure.
This movie is as compelling as any that have been released in recent memory. Like "Pulp Fiction," the events of the film are not presented linearly, thus making the editing a major factor in the effect of the film. The structure is increadibly unique and well crafted. The movie starts at the chronological end and moves backwards in jumps which are separated by black and white segments that take place in the distant past. The narrative lines run towards each other and eventually connect using the very clever device of watching a polaroid picture develop (thus providing the bridge from black and white to color).
Guy Pearce gives a tremendous performance. If he got your attention in L.A. Confidential, he's proved himself to be a formidable actor here, much like Brad Pitt's career defining performance in "Seven." But really there is not much more I can say, the whole supporting cast is superb, the script is well above average and the direction and film construction is magnificent. This is a daring and thought provoking movie and if you have any interest at all in the genre of film it is not one that you can possibly justify having missed.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!!!
Review: I'm not going to get into the storyline, but I will ask...why are so many reviewers confused by the ending of this movie? What exactly don't you get?

I was pleasantly surprised by the bizarre nature of the film. It was a little distracting at first, but my husband and I enjoyed putting the pieces of the puzzle together. And I felt that the ending was pretty self-explanatory.

I really enjoyed this movie...while it might not be the most original film ever made, it certainly was an interesting one.

Rating:
Summary: Not plot but empathy!
Review: "Memento" is not only one of the most devilish and absorbing thrillers ever made, it's also one of the most misunderstood. The story is ultimately not about its plot -- it's a machine for getting us to feel what the main character feels, unbridled paranoia and confusion.

The main character, Leonard (Guy Pearce) suffered a brain injury when he and his wife were attacked at home one night. Since then, in a twist reminiscent of one of Oliver Sacks' stories, he is unable to make new memories. He can train himself to acquire habits, such as jotting down or photographing important things -- or tattooing them on his body. But get him talking for more than a few minutes and he'll forget who you are, why he was talking to you, where the conversation was going -- everything.

The film takes this conceit and sells it to the viewer by telling its story backwards. Every scene moves back slightly in Leonard's chronology. We don't know how he got to where he is -- and neither does he, for that matter. By forcing us to experience what he experiences, the movie makes us share his state of mind. All the best noir have ultimately been more about feelings, anyway: greed, guilt, fear, paranoia... especially paranoia.

Leonard starts the movie by committing a murder. I won't say who or under what circumstances, but once this is set up, every succeeding scene grows more and more distressing. We know who he's going to kill; we just don't see the succession of steps that brought him to exactly that moment. Yet. Over- and underlaying the backwards progression of his life is a flashback to a key phone call in which he describes an experience he had as an insurance investigator (his job when he was still intact) that turns out to have infinitely more relevance to the matter at hand than we might first guess.

The casting is solid. Everything depends on Leonard's performance, and Guy Pearce (for my money one of the best actors working today) does something that is not easy to do: he makes us care about this poor beleaguered fellow with the memory problem. Surrounding him are a gallery of oddities: there's Joe Pantoliano as a guy who seems at one moment to be a criminal and then at another moment to be a cop, and may be neither; there's Carrie-Anne Moss as a bartender who has her own agenda about everything; there's Mark Boone Jr. as a greasy motel attendant who pulls nasty tricks on Leonard for the hell of it. The only thing that tells Leonard who these people are or what they want from him are the notes and photos he assembles meticulously -- and they can be misinterpreted.

The ultimate mood of the film isn't even paranoia -- it's helplessness. Most of us have that nightmare in which we have done something terrible but can't remember what it is or why. "Memento" is the ultimate movie essay about that feeling, made all the more chilling by the way it chooses to end.

A lot of people have hated the film for playing games or toying with the audience. I don't buy this. The movie is constructed well enough that anyone with a reasonable amount of patience can follow it (and a second viewing pretty much clears up the plot, which is, if you ask me, a red herring). It is also, after the ghastly "Pearl Harbor" and the moronic "Tomb Raider," precisely the breath of cinematic fresh air that has been needed for a long time. This was not just one of the best films of the year, but one of the best films in ages.

Rating:
Summary: dont believe his lies
Review: In short I loved this movie! I have seen it 8 times and am still finding new clues every time i have watched. In a year of many blockbuster films that left much to be desired (i.e. Pearl Harbor, Evolution), it was nice to see an amazing film like this one make money simply on quality and word of mouth-not overdone special effects. Guy Pearce captures the tortured Leonard perfectly and Carrie-Anne Moss is amazing as the femme fatale. It has been so long since a movie that required actual brain power has gotten any press at all that those who didnt like this movie probably just enjoy sitting around watching films where what will happen next is so blatantly obvious a sponge could figure it out. For those of you who enjoy a movie with intelligence, rush out and see this movie right now. you wont regret it.

Rating:
Summary: Very gripping film.
Review: I saw this movie in the theaters. I went into the movie not really knowing too much about the storyline. This movie was an absolute thriller. It combined comedy with suspense in a very even balance. This movie can be a bit confusing at times, due to the fact that the movie runs backwards (once you see the movie, you'll understand what I mean). The plot is very intricate and very well played out. I would recommend this to anyone who appreciates suprises and new types of film.

Rating:
Summary: A Movie That Acually Makes You Think(!?)
Review: When Leonard wakes up during the night to find his wife not next to him in bed, he automatically yells to her demanding that it's late. When he gets no response except what sounds like muffled screaming from the bathroom, he immediately gets out of bed and picks up his gun to investigate the situation. As he opens the bathroom door, he finds what seem to be a man atackaing his wife. Leonard shoots one man directly in the head, seeming to kill him. When he goes to check if his wife is okay, he is pushed from behind by another man, slamming his head and falling to the ground beside his wife. As he lays their next to his wife, staring into her eyes, the second attacker runs away and the scene fades to darkness. This is Leonard Shelby's final memory. The only thing Leonard has as he begins his search for the man who raped and killed his wife and destroyed his ability to create new memories is a name: John G.

This is the basis of Memento, one of the most interesting and imaginative movies ever created. Without the ability to hold a thought for more than a few minutes, Leonard has developed a system of ways to keep track of his investigation through a complex series of notes, photos, and tatoos. The movie is played backwards in a way that a scene is shown for about ten minutes and then another scene is shown of how that scene came to be, and this goes on and on throughout the whole movie. If the beginning, which is shown at the end, hadn't been done so well, this form of showing the movie would be terrible. It is, however, very effective in this case.

As Leonard continues his backward search, he meets up with both allies and enemies, most of those he meets are both. Everyone seems to take advantage of his memory problem is some shape or form. A personal favorite is the hotel worker who rents him out two rooms, even though he only uses one at a time. At the end of the movie, most people won't belive that the movie is over. The ending really seems to leave you hanging. But this is only because the ending is the beginning and the real ending is shown at the beginning of the movie. If you think about what happened during the movie, it should all add up.

This movie isn't for everybody, though. If you talk during the movie or someone talks to you during the movie, you'll miss something. If you watch the whole movie with no or very few interruptions, you will be greatly rewarded with the privalige of watching (and hopefullly understaing) an amazing film. This movie may be too fast paced for most, and not everyone will appreciate the backward story telling (it takes some getting used to), but ultimately this film is worth watching, even if it's only to be able to discuss the ending endlessly with those who watch the movie with you.

Rating:
Summary: Great Film, Could have been a better DVD
Review: This is a great movie that requires multiple viewings, but the thing that bugs me a little about this DVD is that its a bit thin on the extras. Its got trailers and an interview with Christopher Nolan, but that's about it.

What would have been great would be the ability to watch the film in the correct order. Sure it wouldn't have been as interesting, but would help clear more then a few things up.

Rating:
Summary: Noir to End All Noir....Where Can It Go From Here?
Review: Yes, "Memento" essentially shatters the noir genre...shatters it to pieces and doesn't bother to stop and pick them up again..."Memento" just keeps on going leaving the wreckage of a genre in it's wake.

And the devastation is breath taking.

O.K...so maybe that intro overstates the case for "Memento" being THE great noir film of the 21st Centuty. But still "Memento" takes the film noir genre and it's concerns and wraps them up in the trappings of postmodern thought to take the genre where it's never gone before. It's all here, if you watch close enough: text v. body, perception, reality, identity, the self as a construct...these and more are postmodern themes that have been beaten to death in the literature. When these are combined with the traditional themes and trappings of the film noir, you end up with "Memento."

The tried and true noir themes and signs are here: a lead character who has no clue what is really going on, the femme fatale, the third party manipulator, the shadows, et al. What "Memento" does is take these noir trappings and raise them to the nth degree of confusion. ... This is also an outre and compelling crime story...disorienting as all hell, but that's part of the fun.

And the question remains...how do you make a noir film after "Memento?" I don't know, but if "Memento" is any indication, we're in for a new noir renaissance.

Rating:
Summary: Remember Sammy Jankis
Review: Movie Summary: Leonard Shelby has lost his wife and himself in a brutal attack in his own home. His wife has died and Lenny has lost the ability to create new memories. He lives in a fog where the things that have just happened quickly fade into oblivion. The last thing that he can remember is his wife; his wife dying. What keeps Lenny going is the search for his wife's killer. Because of his condition, he can't remember for more than a few minutes, so he uses notes, picture, tattoos, and conditioning to keep himself on track. After searching for who knows how long, Lenny has closed in on the man he has been looking for. But is it the right guy?

My Opinion: Memento was gripping from the very first moment and it hasn't let up even though I've finished watching it over 12 hours ago. I loved the concept of Lenny not being able to make any new memories. It fits excellently with the backward method the story is told with. It took some mental work to put the pieces together one by one as they happened, but I thoroughly enjoyed doing it. The plot was very tight since it had to be able to fit together in small slices backwards. This forced them to have a story that worked; something that other movies are sadly lacking. The subplot of Sammy Jankis rounds out a very full story and makes Memento something very special. I found the acting to be top notch Guy Pearce is awesome as Lenny. I didn't doubt his condition for an instant. Joe Pantoliano is equally as great playing Teddy. Leonard decides not to believe Teddy's lies. We are left on our own to decide. No mater what conclusion I come to about Teddy, one thing is certain: Memento is a highly entertaining movie. It is a prime example of why I love movies like I do. Don't miss it.

DVD Quality: Video: Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1 with great video quality. Sound: DD5.1 Extras: Tons of extras including the entire 50 page short story "Memento", Cast Biographies, Newspaper clippings pictures notes and clues from the story, Interview with the director, and Trailers. Menus: The menus are freaky and very cool. Things appear and disappear from different options as you move around. You get flashes of things that make you feel like Lenny.

What You Should Do: See this movie. See it on DVD and check out all the extra features. If you are a fan of intelligent movies that make you think while they entertain you, then you are going to want to own this DVD.

Related Movies To Check Out: The Matrix, Jacob's Ladder, The Ninth Gate, The Usual Suspects

Rating:
Summary: Memento more than concept
Review: "Memory is Treachery" states one of Leonard's crudely etched tattoo's. "Memory can change the shape of a room" Leonard himself states at one point in the film.
This is the heart of 'Memento'. It is not just a clever plot, or ingenious concept, it is a look at self-identity and what drives us in our day to day lives. Christopher Nolan takes a classic Film Noir concept, revenge, and twists it on it's end, making it less about a manhunt, and more about the search for an identity.
It's been taken away from Leonard, and he struggles for it, grasps in the proverbial dark for it, looks to strangers for it. When all that you know fades, who do you trust, where do you begin to look.
This is what 'Memento' is trying to say, and while it will baffle you with double crosses and hoodwink you with red herrings, it will also create conversations, and questions.