#187: Memento

Directed by: CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
2000, TSPDT Rank #790

This has been called one of the best and most confusing movies of the 2000s. It is neither, but it is pretty enjoyable, and very well-made. I knew it would be told in reverse, but I wasn't sure exactly how that would work out. We start at the end (with fragments of black and white footage from an unspecified time separating the scenes as they progress backwards), slowly working our way back to what we think is the beginning, only to find out that the story's been going on for probably quite some time (this shouldn't be a spoiler). The film is somewhat of a puzzle, however, and will lose much of its enjoyment factor is spoiled, so I will just say this: even during the "final revelation," pay attention to what is being said, what transpired before, and the truth should be there. Although some think there are many interpretations possible, I think that the pieces do fall together if you keep track of them while watching, and the plot of the film is pretty straightforward when it's over. Enjoy this film for what it is, a very good puzzle of a thriller - if you want a bona-fide head trip of a movie, head straight to David Lynch's Mulholland Dr., definitely one of the best of the decade.

(Rating: 7/10)