My List: 15
01.
02. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) - #44
03. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) - #42
04. John Wick (2014) - DNP
05. Blue Ruin (2013) - #82
06. Mother (2009) - #67
07. Dark City (1998) - #24
08. Strange Days (1995) - #65
09.
10. The Man from Nowhere (2010) - #87
11.
12. Reservoir Dogs (1992) - #16
13.
14. Angel Heart (1987) - #31
15. Infernal Affairs (2002) - #91
16. Memento (2000) - #8
17. Memories of Murder (2003) - #25
18.
19.
20. The Usual Suspects (1995) - #20
21. Oldboy (2003) - #52
22.
23. Nightcrawler (2014) - #21
24.
25. The Chaser (2008) - DNP 1-pointer
Seen: 51/93
That bit about
Memento being the only Nolan film I liked when it was new and still like now is not exactly true anymore, because I really liked
Tenet and haven't changed my mind on that yet, so that makes
Memento one of two Nolan films that I haven't changed my mind on (one way or the other). It was on my list at #16.
Memento (2000)
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano, Carrie-Anne Moss
With its complex narrative structure, Memento keeps the audience on the same page as its lead character, preventing viewers from having more information than Lenny does in any given scene. While it may initially be disorienting, the order of events quickly becomes more evident, since the colour sequences overlap slightly, allowing the puzzle pieces to more easily fall into place. Since many recent movies tend to over explain things, it's refreshing to revisit a film that is willing to put some faith in its audience.
Memento is actually the only Christopher Nolan film that I liked when it was new, and still enjoy today. I hadn't seen the film in maybe ten years or so, and the last time I watched it, I decided to check out the chronological edit. The film definitely loses most of its impact without the intertwining forward and reverse time sequences, since the dramatic reveal takes place halfway through the film when viewed this way. It's really just a novelty for fans of the original timeline who are curious to see how the story unfolds when it is divorced from Lenny's perspective.
The film doesn't work as well outside of his limited view, because that altered perception is what made Memento great. The performances certainly help sell the story as well, but the editing is what connects viewers to Lenny's state of mind, and allows the audience to actively participate in piecing together the mystery. I don't really have anything else to say about the film, since I tend to avoid spoilers in my write-ups, and even bringing up some of the film's central themes could ruin certain elements of the story. I did briefly consider reordering the paragraphs here, but I don't think my reviews are typically structured enough that a reversal would even be noticeable.
I still haven't seen
Blood Simple, but I've seen
Memento a number of times over the years. It's not a favourite like it used to be, but I still regard it quite fondly. The last time I saw it was when it was nominated for the Second Chance Hall of Fame, and this is what I wrote at the time: