Just Give It The Oscar Already.....(SPOILERS!!)

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2001)

(WARNING: SOME SPOILERS!!!) ...because this is far and away the best movie I've seen this year. If I happen to see another movie that is better than "Memento" I will submit myself for public flogging - that's how positive I am that this is the best movie of the year.
Poor Leonard Shelby, magnificently played by Guy Pearce, is on a mission to find "John G" the man who raped and murdered his wife (or did he?...dum, dum...) Complicating the search is the fact that Leonard suffers from short-term memory (or does he?...dum, dum...) and can't remember conversations that took place or people he has met, and needs photos to remind him of what the heck is going on.
Oh, did I happen to mention the movie runs backwards, providing a stark difference to standard H-Wood fare. And, to be 100% truthful, I don't think the movie would work if it were run straight-forward. Seeing it backwards made me feel as if I were putting a puzzle together without having use of my hands. It was challenging and exhilarating to try and figure out what was going on and forced me to pay attention. At least 95% of the movies I go to, I daydream, look at my watch, etc. This was not one of them - that's how much this movie impressed and challenged me.
Admit it, you got a chill up your spine when Leonard is talking on the phone, looks down at his leg and sees the phrase "NEVER ANSWER THE PHONE" - stops talking, and we, the audience, feel Leonard's fear.
I'm not going to get into what I think happened (okay, I think Leonard is faking because he feels badly that he didn't believe Sammy, there I said it, those who disagree with me can disagree with me if they choose) - but everyone I've talked to about this movie has added a fresh perspective as to what they think happened, and everytime I talk to someone different it gives me points to ponder. It says something about a movie that you can talk to ten different people as to what they saw and you will get ten different versions/stories, and ALL of them are valid arguments for what really happened.
I haven't been this hung up on a movie since "L.A. Confidential". Pearce deserves an Oscar nomination (and if he doesn't get it I say we all storm AMPAS headquarters, or just camp out at voters homes), and Joe Pantliano (sp?) and Carrie-Ann Moss are equally stunning....the script is tight, the directing is superb, and..uh..sorry guys, I'm off to see "Memento" again....