Memento

Oh, and to clarify...I apologize for my rudeness MM.

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"I was walking down the street with my friend and he said, "I hear music", as if there is any other way you can take it in. You're not special, that's how I receive it too. I tried to taste it but it did not work." - Mitch Hedberg

Remove the word,"people" and insert,"Holden". There...that makes more sense.

true true.

Okay, I finally watched this movie tonight on DVD (with TWT sitting behind me COACHING ME THROUGH THE WHOLE THING! "Did you see that, Mom? Don't miss this part, Mom. Don't blink now, Mom....." LOL!)

Anyway, I've read this entire thread (after seeing the movie, all 11 pages of this thread!), and I have one comment that absolutely NO ONE here has mentioned, and I think it is the reason why the film had to be made the way it was.

It was not made back to front as a gimmick. It was necessary.

How do I know this? Think a moment. What is Leonard's condition? He has no short-term memory.

How is the movie presented to us? With no short-term memory. Because we see a scene's conclusion without its beginning or reason-for-being, we live this movie the way Leonard lives life.

Otherwise, everything Leonard does would seem just about as stupid as it is. For instance, the scene in Dodd's bathroom. Watching it the first time, we naturally assume that it is Leonard's bathroom, and so we don't snicker and laugh when he takes a shower.

Once the scene hops backwards, and we see it's Dodd's room, then Leonard seems silly. He would be seen as some poor schmoe bumbling through his life doing things for no good reason. But, without this knowledge, we as the audience are left with no short-term memory of why Leonard does things ("short-term memory" in our case being "the previous scene" in a regular chronological timeline).

And because we don't QUITE know why something is happening to Leonard at any given moment, the things he does and believes in the present make sense to us too.

Am I making sense?

Anyway, my point is that the brilliance of this "device" is that it presents Leonard's life as he himself lives it -- piecing parts together and trying to make sense of the present without having any past reference point at all.

Hope that makes sense.

Linda

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P.S. About the scratches on his face: I asked myself this through the whole movie. They never explain them. He has them from beginning to end (or end to beginning, whatever).

I think it just gives you the sense that he's come from one situation rife with scuffles into this new one, with all its new scuffles.

From a post I made on another board...



And if I'm ever watching a movie with someone and they're making sure I 'get' what's going on with a "Did you see that?" here and a "Pay attention to this" there, I'm likely to sock 'em in the nose. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the film experience? Offspring or not, no court would convict you.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Yup, Holden. Just spell "dilemma" correctly, and you got yourself a theory there. (ducking)

Actually, TWT does this a lot. He and I are movie buddies when he's over here, and I'd rather see a movie with him and his eagerness than just about anyone else (except my husband). I'd rather be watching a movie with someone who's enthusiastic about movies.

At least he's not like his little sister, who'll watch Survivor and then blurt things out to someone who hasn't seen it yet, such as, "Well, at least I didn't say how many VOTES he got."

Could be worse.

But I'll take what you said under advisement. Ya never know when TWT will waltz right over that line, even at his age.

Linda

I thought memento was one of the most briallant movies i've ever seen. I thought it was so cool on how they made it. It was definatly a movie i want to buy.

that movie rocked!!!
It is so under rated and will not get any recognition.what are these oscar people smoking.I mean just because it doesn't have an all-star cast.Doesn't mean it is not worthy. I personally already own this movie and highly reccomend it to anyone, and believe me when i tell you you will get something new out of this movie the first five times you watch it.

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"Aim high, it costs no more to shoot at eagles then it does to shoot at skunks"

Christopher Nolan won the AFI's award for Screenwriter of the Year.

It was nominated for:
AFI's Best Movie of the Year
Academy Award's:
Editing
&
Screenplay
The Academy of Sci-Fi nominated Guy Pierce for Best Actor

and scads of other associations nominated and/or gave awards to various other categories of achievement for this film.
Sure, it didn't sweep the Oscar's and that's a shame; but that doesn't mean NO ONE saw it as the great film that it is. Lot's of people, besides yourself, love it.

i stand corrected. my bad

*I'm usually the one being corrected...so I'm basking in this new experience.

Ah, correction: no you're not.

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Sadie turned into a minituare Holden there. But seriously, yes the movie is great, one you must really pay attention to (which is why some didn't like it)

I'll probably watch it with my newfound spare time today.

well don't get to used to it

We're quakin'.

I did not think the movie was all the great......I bought it on DVD at the old pawn shop and had to take it back and excange it the next day

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You'd better run for cover. Them's fightin' words 'round these parts.

LOL, to tell the truth I was very f**ked up when I tried to watch it and could not get past the first scene

I never returned it just never decided to watch it again, I guess I could pop it in tonight and give it another shot!

man you g ot alot of heart makin fun of that movie. but eveyones entitled to their own opinion i guess