Memento

Rating:
Summary: Someone with such a condition should not be walking free
Review: I saw this movie in the theater, and in a few hours completely forgot about it, until month later when visiting the same theater suddenly recognized it among the playing features.
Perhaps the film had so powerful an effect that it caused in me a condition similar to one protagonist had, at least in relation to the contents of the movie itself. Or may be it was lack of emotional depth, unrelated shallow characters and complete absence of purpose that left me nothing to remember. I tend to believe it was the latter.
Two stars for unusual setup.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Film That Will Have You Thinking For Days
Review: This movie had me up all night reconstructing events in my head. The DVD is loaded with extras that give you insight into Leonard's motivations and should be viewed only after you have seen the movie.
This is the type of movie you could watch again again, getting something different out of it each time.
This movie completely set me on my heels, everyone you think you know, you don't, or do you?
Like I said, this movie makes you think and I am surprised how many people like it because most of the movies that make you think people tend to hate. They just want sex and violence, the story is unimportant.
This is all about the story and you can't miss a second of the film otherwise you won't be able to piece together Leonard's motivations or who the other character's are.
Rent it, borrow it, buy it, just see it somehow.
I give all kinds of respect to everyone involved in the making of this film. It is simply outstanding.

Rating:
Summary: A STRANGE JOURNEY
Review: Winning mystery-comedy about a nervous telephone repairman (Tom Bosley), who can never seem to get where he's going. Each time he asks for help, he's met with a curt "Une Memento," by the strangers he encounters on his way. Grows a bit irksome about halfway through - by the 57 minute-mark, they're up to 109 "Une Mementos," - I counted!!
The ever-watchable Bosley makes it worthwhile to stick this one out, and Bea Arthur scores in the role of a brazen hussy.

Rating:
Summary: Confusing? No. Challenging? HELL YEAH!
Review: Memento is a perfect thriller it has the twist and turns that are necessary to carry the viewer through the whole flick. But what elevates this film above every other thriller of the past ten or so years is that if you blink, laugh or linger too much on a pivotal scene the whole flick becomes a mosh pit of violence, tragedy and brilliant acting that still ties together at the end but not as tight a knot as it would be as if the viewer would have paid attention. So long story short you will have to watch this dvd at least 3 or 4 times just for a complete picture. The story paints the amazing Guy Pearce as Leonard a modern day Trojan Horse who is used by all the bad guys around him to do their own dirty dealings but Leonard has problems of his own he has a dead wife and short term memory loss. Leonard body is covered in tattoos and pockets full of poloraids of the people he interacts with so he could have some form of continuinity in his life. I won't play spoiler here but the plot is simple but the pace is not. You have to catch the opening to get the endng and the flashbacks don't really excell the story instead they are in place to make the viewer draw their own conclusion as to Leonard's life. Because for all the Trojan Horsing he has been doing some key factor remains Leonard's wife is dead, nobody including Leonard can be trusted, the hand is not quicker than the eye and Memento has to be on eof the most daunting and rewarding films in the history of cinema!

Rating:
Summary: Style and substance find a common ground in "Memento."
Review: The state of confusion I am left in after watching "Memento" is one that is as thought-provoking as it is maddening. The plot twists and surprises that director Christopher Nolan employs in his energetic, frenetic script are intelligent to a fault, ones that tease the mind for hours after the film has ended. And while I was still left with questions about certain plot points and character relations, I was nonetheless enthralled by the experience.

At the center of this frenzy is Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a former insurance investigator in search of the man responsible for the rape and murder of his wife. His search is complicated by the fact that, due to his inability to create new memories, his short-term memory is of no help. He quickly forgets the beginnings of conversations with those he comes in contact with; his only way of staying on track are small notes on paper, Polaroids of those he meets and their names, and homemade tattoos that cover his chest and left thigh.

And here's a surprising twist: the film is told from the end to the beginning, starting out with what should be the film's climax and taking things from there to the very beginning of Leonard's search. This is little more than a device, though it tends to make us ponder the film's many machinations on a much more intricate level of thought. There is more to keep up with, which makes it even more interesting.

As we progress into the film, we are introduced to characters that Leonard has already interacted with at some earlier point in the reversed story. By the movie's midpoint, many of the puzzle pieces are in place: Leonard has been receiving help from Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), who is out for revenge against someone who took the life of her own love. At the same time, Leonard interacts with the man we see him killing in the beginning, Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), who offers him information we automatically assume is bogus.

Or is it? The movie keeps this a secret even after its ending, inviting us to think on the subject, to ponder on the film's many turns and spins. There are so many questions that come to mind: who is really responsible for the murder of his wife? Who is the real ringmaster behind all of the mayhem that goes on throughout the film? Who is the mastermind? By the time we finish thinking about it, we're more concerned with who is on top rather than who killed Mrs. Shelby.

And that is precisely what makes this such a fascinating film. It will turn many off for its lack of a final resolution that is blatantly obvious to everyone, but those in the mood for some deep thought will not pass this up. The ending provides no answers, no easy solution to its complex formula of mystery, leaving we, the viewers, to ponder the final conclusion in our own minds, and decipher what has just come to pass in front of our eyes.

The film has its share of effective performances that range from subtle mysterious to all-out masterful. Guy Pearce brings a hushed fervor to his character, embodying Leonard with an inner willpower that keeps the film at a fever pitch. Carrie-Anne Moss is eerily mysterious as Natalie, whose intentions play a bigger role than you would first consider. Joe Pantoliano gives his character just the right appearance, that which instills a great sense of suspicion for his character, Teddy, who uses Leonard's memory loss to his advantage.

My advice to anyone who sees "Memento" is simply this: don't give up on it. Appearances can be deceiving, and this is a fine example of that. Nolan's reversal device enhances rather than diminishes the movie's effects, perhaps because it allows us the chance to give serious thought to the events going on. I entered into this realm of filmmaking not knowing what to expect; I came out with a thought-produced headache of pure satisfaction.

Rating:
Summary: You'll remember Memento!
Review: Memento is a film I had a little trouble following at times and I have to see it again to truly understand it. Still though, it's a really an original piece of work. It's not every film where you hear the lead charcater say "I'm chasing someone,....oh wait, he's chasing me", I love scenes like that. Guy Pearce does a great job in the film too, it's an very unusual role and he handles it very well. Joe Pantalino and Carrie Anne Moss a very good too as the 2 people he trusts his memories with. Memento is brain twisting and a bit confusing but still, I loved it!

Rating:
Summary: Simply Amazing
Review: The first 20 minutes or so you will feel confused. But that's nothing... imagine living your life where maybe 20 minutes is all you can keep in your head... if that!
The way this story is told keeps you learning things the way Lenny does - piece by piece, note by note, tattoo by puzzling tattoo.
And when you finish this movie and immediately start it again you realize what an amazing piece of work it really is. For hours afterwards I felt the need to mark things down in notes to myself.

And that's saying nothing of the beautiful and dead on acting abilities of Guy Pearce. (Not once do you find yourself thinking of Felicia in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert!) Most of the time he seems a distant and more talented relative of Brad Pitt. Carrie Anne Moss is multifaceted and perfect as well.

This is one of those films you will find yourself forcing others to watch to see if they are as mesmerized as you were... and they will be.

Rating:
Summary: Groundbreaking, time boggling
Review: There are enough discussions of what the movie is about and the actors. So, here's another slant.
I checked this film out after a conversation about flashbacks with Syd Field. I, an amateur screenwriting wannabe had asked Syd what the story is with flashbacks, since some say that they should be avoided. He pointed out Memento, and how it had broken new ground. New Ground? Try new planetary dimensions, movie-wise. I loved it. The two people I went with disliked it, a lot. So, obviously it is not for everyone.

But, if you consider most stories to be linear, step by step sequences, you will quickly find that Memento does things differently, and to my mind, it works-- wonderfully. It kept me at the edge of my seat, sometimes a bit confused, but at the edge, nonetheless. This is one story I will watch again, and I expect, like Sixth Sense, that it will be a very different experience the second time, and probably the third too, since it will probably take that many times for me to get it figured out.

If you are a film lover, you need to see this one. As a writer, it has given me a new sense of license, permission and freedom to play with time.
PS. I was taking with Syd about StoryCon, the meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story I am Organizing. See my about me for the web address.

Rating:
Summary: A memorable experience
Review: Probably the best movie of this year, there is no doubt in my mind that it's at least worthy of contention in that category. Memento is a briskly paced movie that's told in the reverse direction, from end to beginning. While some feel that this device is "gimmicky" and doesn't add any value to the actual story, I feel that it adds to the movie's central message, it's central theme - what's the impetus for anything, everything that we do?

The dvd is missing commentaries that we'd expect from a picture of this scope, but it makes up for it by including the original short story that the movie is based on. It also has the standard trailers. What I was hoping they would've included was an option to play the movie in the forward direction, from beginning to end.

I've given this movie a five because it exceeded every expectation of mine. You go to a movie to be entertained. This movie made me think...a rare treat in today's market. Guy Pearce is excellent, and Carrie Anne Moss is so cunningly evil in this picture.

While I highly recommend this picture to anyone, I'd hesitate in recommending it to those who watch pictures passively, those who look for a story - a plot, to sustain their attention. Memento is much more than that. At times, it might be overwhelming to the typical movie goer. In any case, it's definitely worth watching at least once. Trust me, you'll remember it after that. Just one question: How did Leonard know that he has a condition with his memory, if he can't remember a damn thing?

Rating:
Summary: A unique way to film a movie - backwards.
Review: This film spawned yet another "movie moniker" for me: "Schizophrenic Deja-Vu." I can't think of a better description.

This is truly an enterprising way to choreograph a film - from the end, BACKWARDS to the beginning!

The disjointed way in which it is filmed gives you a pretty good feeling for what Leonard actually experiences as his life.

LOTS of plausible motives and suspects are developed throughout the film, so by the end (er, beginning) you STILL can't be sure you have it figured out - and chances are you won't anyway. It's not exactly a suprise ending, but it wasn't expected either. Or it was expected along with any of a half dozen OTHER possible endings.

You know those "experimental" films where audiences are given a chance to VOTE on where the plot goes, as it actually plays out? Well, this would be one heck of a good candidate. The movie could have gone in any of a dozen other directions and been as unique and compelling as ever.

The only down side to this was that of all the possible endings I was imagining, the actual ending was rather abrupt and sort of "unfullfilling." It was as if the director and screenwriter, having gotten this huge machine rolling downhill, couldn't think of a way to STOP it, so they just let it plow into the brick wall at the bottom. Perhaps not too bad a solution, though. Given the complexity of the screenplay, I can't imagine coming up with "the one true ending" that really settled it all.

Definately a riveter though.