Memento

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Movie, Must Buy the DVD
Review: This movie in a way is like a Usual Suspects type of movie, in that you can keep going back and find clues that you didn't see before. Everyone knows the plot so I am just gonna give some of my thoughts after watching it. 1) I don't think this is a best picture film, more of a trendsetting film that Independent Filmakers will begin to copy. 2) Best Directed film of 2001 3) You have to watch this movie a few times to appreciate it. 4) Guy Pearce is a pretty darn good actor, his performance is similar to that given by Christian Bale in American Psycho. The DVD also has some features that go into more depth about Leonard's Background, which were hinted at during the movie, but 99 percent of us missed, even if you saw this movie 5 times, just buy it for the special features.....overall, great movie

A

Rating:
Summary: A Hidden Treasure
Review: My rule of thumb is, for the most part, if a movie does not do well at the box office AND there are little or no special effects, it is probably a good film.

This film forces you to think in reverse and reconstruct the film in your mind in a forward direction, scene by scene. The movie starts at the last scene and ends with the beginning scene.

Rating:
Summary: Pure ingenuity
Review: This is a movie unlike anything I could have possibly imagined. Never before have I watched something so innovative. This movie is only for thinkers. If you want to be brain-washed by mindless action and romance, stay away. However, if you want mental challenge like no other film can possibly hope to accomplish, then watch this movie. Make sure you are not drunk, sleepy, distracted, etc. Be at 100% full attention because this movie is going to utilize every last one of your brain cells. You will not understand everything after one viewing either, as it takes at least 2 times through before everything clicks together. There are tons of VERY subtle hints and foreshadows. If you're into finding clues and innuendos, then you could not be possibly more delighted.

Rating:
Summary: Slick, jarring, and superbly crafted... again
Review: I'm just talking about the movie here (I don't own it yet), but I felt I had to say something.

I watched it on the recommendation of my brother, who I introduced to the world of convoluted, somewhat disturbing, interestingly ended movies about a year ago. If he had a debt to repay in terms of movie recommendations, he has done so in full. Thanks Bro.

Acting:

I didn't initially realize that I had seen "Teddy" and Natalie from the Matrix, or our protagonist Leonard, from LA Confidential. Despite the fact that I had seen the players before, this passes my major test, which is to say that I didn't think of them AS acting during a moment of the film, nor afterwards... not until writing this review actually. Whether you buy into the characters played is a related, but separate matter. I did, but maybe not everyone will. <gasp... not everyone can relate to, or understand everyone else.> If you can get into the characters, you will be well rewarded for it.

Storytelling:

You all know it starts at the end and ends at the beginning, yes? That's the basic idea, but there's also, ironically, effective use of flashback not relating to the bit of the story shown so much as to break things up even more, and provide more context for the story to develop in. The forward rolling flashback and backward action merge at the climax quite artfully.

Even without attention to these bits of craftmanship, or even much sense of cause and effect, the movie is not only watchable, but enjoyable. Very few movies with such pretensions are actually cool BEFORE you know what's going on.

The overall backwards telling is, as pointed out before, not original. It is however, in the case of this movie, more than a gimmick. Non-comformity to timeline in telling does lend itself to abuse... all you have to do is confuse your audience and they'll have to watch the movie again... ha ha! However, it's a step in the right direction atleast in terms of experiencing Lenny's condition and more importantly, the story works better told in reverse.

Again?:

I'm writing this after watching the movie again. In the first viewing, quite a few iffy movies manage to entertain... a little. Besides, I haven't been able to think about too much in between viewings. I think I can wait another month, when it comes to film society to see it for the third time. I think after that, I might not watch it for as long as a year or so, but I do have to see this movie again... especially with folks who've never seen it before.

Why not 5 stars?:

There pacing problems with the movie... not big ones, but noticeable in parts. Hang in there.

Some people have criticized the ending as being implausable. Here's my take on the practical end. That a person could loose all short term memory was news to me. I don't know the neuroscience (though I'd be curious to learn), but that a particularly traumatic short term memory might find a space in long term parking before someone in his condition could forget is unremarkable in contrast to his condition. As for repressing memories... no credibility lost there.

The bigger challenge is with the decision the character makes in the end... it's not unmotivated, and it lends a certain badassedness to the film, but it feels a touch out of character maybe. It worked better on second viewing, but the voiced over thoughts still didn't quite bring me quite there. If they had, this would be a five star movie for sure.

Rating:
Summary: Best Movie to Come Out This Year (2001)
Review: There has never been a movie that has so completely kept my attention as Memento. You will want to see it again and again. This movie will keep you guessing and wondering every second until the very end.

Rating:
Summary: Memento: Perfect Thriller, Good DVD
Review: This is an awesome movie and I'm sure you can find many positive reviews for it already. I just felt like infoeming people on the dvd version. Before I go into the dvd features I want to say this is the kind of movie you'll want to see multiple times so it's worth owning in any form. The dvd version is even better. The picture looks great the movie sounds very good. The features are less than I was hoping for but still a nice showing. There's an interview featurette with the director, the short story the movie was based on, a copy of the webpage and a few trailers. I wish there had been a commentary of some sorts but even without one, this is a must have. You won't be let down by this dvd by any means. Buy and Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Film Noir at its best
Review: Yes, Yes, "Memento" is told backwards (well, actually from the end and the beginning and it meets in the middle) but there's a lot more to the film than that. To fully appreciate this film, you must look beyond how the story is told. "Memento" is easily the most brilliant Film Noir movie since "Chinatown".

Probably the most brilliant part about "Memento" is that Noland is able to have his Noir Film set in the 90's. He effectively updates the setting of the genre yet stays very true to it. Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) is the closest kind of character you'll get to a 1930's private detective. Like those detectives, he's driven by selfish, simplistic motivations, revenge (instead of money). Another genius stroke by Noland was making Leonard an insurance claims investigator. Like Jack Nicholson character in "Chinatown" he once worked for the system, now he's a freelance investigator. So by nature Leonard is a detective.

There are two other crucial elements to Noir Film, the black widow, a beautiful woman who draws the detective into her web and an ominous setting where nothing and no one are what they seem to be. In a typical Noir film, the story is set in a place where the rich control everything, everything is being manipulated. In "Memento", the mysterious setting and characters are provided by Leonard's memory problem. Finally, the black widow, Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) sends the detective looking for something that doesn't exists, but of course the story has to do with everything but what he's looking for.

If you didn't like "Memento" because you thought it was all story telling technique, or if you liked it for that same reason, rent "Chinatown". After seeing the greatest Noir film, you'll have a new appreciation for "Memento".

Rating:
Summary: One of the best films I've seen in years
Review: Absolutely amazing! I left the theatre wanting to go right back and watch Memento all over again. It was so nice not to know what was going to happen next unlike most every hollywood movie these days. Great plot, wonderful acting, not for those who don't like to think during a film. I can't wait to see it again!

Rating:
Summary: So good, I'm buying a DVD player just for this movie.
Review: I've seen it twice in the theaters already, and had innumerable discussions with family and friends about what really happened. Even better, though, this movie has insinuated itself into my consciousness and gotten me thinking about issues of memory and epistemology.

Contrary to what most reviewers have said, there are actually two interleaved stories here, one running forward, one running backward. A DVD player would almost seem to be required to fully understand this movie. I'm actually planning to buy a DVD player and get this movie on disc when it comes out, just so I can watch the film in the proper order.

It's that good. And if this movie doesn't win a truckload of Golden Globes and Oscars next year, I will eat a stack of Polaroids.

Guy Pearce and Joe Pantoliano are always fascinating actors, but who would ever have thought that the worst actress on "Models, Inc." (you remember that show, don't try to deny it!) could turn out to have the depth and range to play the part of femme fatale Natalie? Kudos to all, and the Nolan brothers too!

Rating:
Summary: watch it now
Review: this movie is great. it's original, well told, and amusing. the first time that i saw it, i though that it was a little confusing, but after watching it a second time, i realized that i understood it all the first time. one question i have though: how could he remember that he has short term memory loss???????