Memento (DVD)

Advantages: Original, fascinating
Disadvantages: Confusing at times

Leonard is suffering from short-term memory loss after an attack that led to the raping and killing of his wife. Now he lives life from day to day, relying on photographs, hand-written notes and tatoos to remind him of facts that he needs to know. One thing he can't forget, however, is that his wife died, and that he is determined to find her murderer, short-term memory loss or not. There are two people in his life who could help him - one, a man ...
...only problem is that Leonard can never remember who they are from one day to the next and doesn't even know whether they genuinely want to help him or not. Will he ever find out the truth? Or will his predicament lead to madness? One of the first things to note about this film is the way that the story is told. Based on a short story by director Christopher Nolan's brother, Jonathan Nolan, it is expressed in two ways: Firstly in colour, in which ... Read review

Advantages: see op
Disadvantages: see op

...I was told before watching Memento by various friends and family members I would not understand the plot and would fall at the first hurdle with my attention turning to a piece of floating lint or a dancing light on the ceiling. Seeing myself as a budding Barry/Jonathon (Norman/Ross of course) I set out to disprove those who dared patronize me. A ground-breaking piece of mind-shattering movie-making. In its original style "Memento" is THAT film from ...
...based on Jonathon Nolan’s novel Memento Mori (predictably Chris’ brother or they eerily share the same surname). Its final point is its starting point. And so on. Confused? I was. In the opening minutes Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) avenges the murder of his wife; brutally slaying an unknown character. The time is turned back to a scene beforehand leading up to the revenge killing. From then on the story rips reality as it bends time to its own liking ... Read review

Advantages: very unusual, keeps you guessing, something to think about
Disadvantages: can be a bit confusing

Memento is a very unusual and interesting film. It's about a man who can't form new memories; he remembers up to a certain point in his life when he was injured, but after that it's all a blank. My main criticism is that Leonard Shelby, the central character, can remember that he has this condition, despite the fact it could only be diagnosed after he begins suffering from it, so he shouldn't be able to learn he has it. It's shown in the film that ...
...be able to work out what was wrong with him, but he shouldn't know it just off the top of his head. However, aside from this, I found it to be a very good film and can forgive this inconsistency because without it the storyline wouldn't have been possible. ~~~ The Plot ~~~ Leonard lost the ability to form new memories when his wife was killed. Now, he can recall things for a minute or so and then they're gone. He wants revenge on the man who raped ... Read review

Advantages: Original, intriguing and innovative film with superb performances from a talented trio of thespians.
Disadvantages: If you like no-brainers this could cause melt down.

Memento is a thriller that combines innovative and imaginative direction with the same plot ingenuity that graced The Usual Suspects to create a thoroughly mesmerising film. This is certainly not your average run of the mill thriller and in fact breaks almost all the genres conventions, not least by starting at the end of the story with a brutal killing. Not that this reduces the tension or suspense especially when coupled with superb performances ...
...in time we go. Memento is a testament to creative and original writing and directing; the script is sublime combining an intellectual almost philosophical bent with some amusing scenes. The reliability of memory upon which people rely on implicitly in daily life and the absurdity of vengeance that will be forgotten by the avenger within minutes are just two of the interesting topics thrown up during the film. There is also a highly amusing scene ... Read review

Advantages: Can't remember
Disadvantages: Can't remember

Films like Memento are pretty few and far between – uniquely mind bending and absorbing with the quirkiest of approaches – truly challenging and awkward to understand – quite the most mesmerising film I’ve seen in months. It features Guy Pearce in a million miles away from his first big part as the teenager Mike in Neighbours. He’s grown into a pretty respectable actor these days and even though he’s sporting the most bizarrely dyed hair you’ve ...
...totally bemused by events. Memento was made in 2001 and directed by Christopher Nolan. Alongside Pearce it features Joe Pantoliano and Carrie-Anne Moss, who we are never sure are allies or enemies of Shelby, as the bizarre plot wends this way and that in a meandering ad hoc manner that is both infuriating and totally natural. At times, Shelby is not certain whether he’s chasing a guy or being chased by him – now work that one out if you can, or ... Read review

Advantages: Reverse chronological storyrelling!
Disadvantages: The movie's finale

...MEMENTO DETAILS: Certificate 15, 113 minutes running time DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan STARRING: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano RESLEASED: 2000 TAGLINE: Some memories are best forgotten RATING: ********* 9/10 To call Christopher Nolan's film noir (Memento) a neurotic and mesmerising thriller would be attenuating the depth of its intricacies. Memento about a man named Leonard (Guy Pearce) who is from San Francisco. Leonard is an insurance fraud investigator, suffering from anterograde amnesia. Leonard suffered from extensive head injuries after he intervened on his wife's murder. Although his memory is intact, prior to the incident, he is no longer able to make new memories and suffers short-term memory loss. To compensate for his condition he uses annotated photographs and notes to remind himself about certain... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Convincing, lots to take in
Disadvantages: Confusing in some parts

...For any of you that don?t yet know, I am a fan of Tartan Asia Movies, maybe that?s how you got here from another review or something. Despite them being world cinema with subtitles they are probably the best films out with fantastic plots, twists, visuals and characters. Memento Mori is a part of three-film series (along with with Whispering Corridors and Wishing Stairs) Wishing Stairs being about girls at school that believe if you walk the wishing stairs and reach the 28th the 29th will appear and grant you your wish. Whispering Corridors, involving the female school, with brutality and abuse, by the teachers - and previous suicides of the school goers. The films are only linked through the Korean school girls, but no other connections between them, Memento Mori is part three in the film series. Memento Mori is not much... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Thought-provoking, gives you an insight into life with short-term memory loss
Disadvantages: Difficult to understand what happened

...I first watched this film when it came out on TV. After watching it, I found that I couldn?t stop thinking about the film, and within a week, I?d placed an order for the 3 disc special edition DVD. The Story: This film tells the complex and harrowing story of Leonard Shelby. Leonard used to have an ordinary life, until one night, some people broke into his home, brutally raped and murdered his wife, and attacked him, producing brain damage and short-term memory loss. Since that night, he has been unable to remember anything for more than a few minutes at a time. He can?t remember what he?s done, where he?s been, or who he?s met since the time of the accident. The last thing Leonard remembers is his wife, dying. Fuelled by grief and anger, he now spends his life trying to track down his wife?s killers in order to wreak... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful