Greatest MindScrew Ever

Rating: 5/10 (19 May 2011)

Christopher Nolan is one of the best young directors and I have loved Prestige, Dark Knight and Inception. Still I consider Memento to be his best film. Sure Inception had my brain buzzing, Dark Knight gave us Joker, and Prestige was a delight, still I think Memento is his best film.
Memento has two time-lines, one in black and white and one in color, and they are alternated throughout the film. In no other movie has use of time-lines or alternating visual themes have been more justified. Even when I saw the movie for the first time, mu brain was working overtime, but after watching the movie I was aware that I had watched a really amazing film. But it was the second time around that I was able to connect all the dots and grasp the genius behind the movie.
Many critics criticize Nolan's movies saying that his movies don't have an emotional core. I think that is totally wrong. Maybe they are criticizing just because it is their job to find faults. Nolan is one the finest directors and he chooses the finest actors. Actors like DiCaprio, Cotillard, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Edward Norton etc are the finest actors around and they wouldn't have starred in his movies if they though they would not be allowed to show their skills to full extent. Besides the twisting plots Nolan's movies have strong emotional core, whether it is a bewildered Leonard Shelby of Memento or Cobb of Inception we can see them fighting the world and fighting themselves at the same time. They are distant but we can stil connect with them.
What I loved the most about the movie was that everything was not cut and clear, even after you have seen it twice a certain uncertainty remains which is deliberate on part of Nolan as we are sharing that uncertainty with the movie's protagonist Leonard Shelby.
One of my top movies and should be seen at least twice (maybe more even for some) to be appreciated fully.