A Phenomenal Movie-going Experience

Rating: 10/10 (4 May 2001)

"Memento" is quite possibly the most amazing film experience I've had in a movie theater (I've seen "Citizen Kane" and "2001" only on video). I daresay (though there is not much risk involved) I will not see a better movie this year, and I say this even with my excitement over the upcoming "AI" and "Fellowship of the Ring." "Memento" is a remarkably complex, beautiful, blistering, masterpiece of a movie. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone everywhere in the world. I am not even going to comment on the plot, because I think you should go in totally fresh as I did and willing to take an active interest in the movie. This is not your typical popcorn machine movie, where the plot is easy enough that you can fall asleep through half of it and still know what's going on. "Memento" transcends what going to the movies is all about: its complexity and method of storytelling make it almost some kind of a revolutionary audience participation spectacle. It's twists and turns are not gimmicky like "The Sixth Sense" and "Fight Club" but gradual and calculated. I can not possibly sing this movie's praises enough, so now I am going to give a word to its detractors: LEARN TO THINK AT THE MOVIES. Stop watching Candycorn Crap like "Bring it On" and "Charlie's Angels" and invest in a movie that has ideas and wants to challenge you.
ALSO: a major complaint (read no further if you want to go into the movie fresh) is that the film's method of backwards storytelling is just a gimmick and that the movie would not be as interested if it went from start to finish in regular order. Well, gee, thanks! I didn't realize that watching a movie the way it's intended to be watched is more entertaining than watching it backwards. You can also make the argument that watching "The Bicycle Thief" in rewind isn't as entertaining as watching it the way it was filmed. DUH! Of course, the backwards chronology is essential to the plot: the idea is to distort reality and confuse identity. The movie is like looking in a mirror where everything is distorted and backwards. You're not supposed to grasp all this in one sitting. Just think about it a while after you leave the theater and you should understand. For those of you who haven't seen it, though, GO SEE IT NOW! I beg you.
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