Memento

( 47 )

Overview

A man is determined to find justice after the loss of a loved one, even though he is incapable of fully remembering the crime, in this offbeat thriller. Leonard (Guy Pearce) is a man who is struggling to put his life back together after the brutal rape and murder of his wife. But Leonard's problems are different from those of most people in his situation; he was beaten severely by the same man who killed his wife. The most significant manifestation of Leonard's injuries is that his short-term memory has been ...
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More About This Product

Overview

A man is determined to find justice after the loss of a loved one, even though he is incapable of fully remembering the crime, in this offbeat thriller. Leonard (Guy Pearce) is a man who is struggling to put his life back together after the brutal rape and murder of his wife. But Leonard's problems are different from those of most people in his situation; he was beaten severely by the same man who killed his wife. The most significant manifestation of Leonard's injuries is that his short-term memory has been destroyed; he is incapable of retaining any new information, and must resort to copious note-taking and Polaroid photographs in order to keep track of what happens to him over the course of a day (he's even tattooed himself with a few crucial bits of information he can't get along without). Leonard retains awareness that his wife was brutally murdered, however, and he's convinced that the culprit still walks the streets. Leonard is obsessed with the notion of taking revenge against the man who has ruined his life, and he sets out to find him, getting help from Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), who appears to be a sympathetic barmaid, and Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), who claims to be Leonard's friend, even though Leonard senses that he cannot be trusted. Writer/director Christopher Nolan adapted Memento from a short story by his brother Jonathan Nolan.
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Special Features

Closed Caption; "Memento Mor" - short story by Jonathan Nolan; Memento website; IFC interview with writer/director Christopher Nolan; Tattoo gallery; Director & cast biographies ; Theatrical trailer and tv spot; "Following" trailer
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Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Gregory Baird
Plot twisting reaches new heights in Memento, writer/director Christopher Nolan's critically acclaimed neo-noir thriller about a man whose obsessive quest to catch his wife's rapist-murderer is hampered by an odd neurological affliction: He has no short-term memory. Memento milks this unusual idea for all it's worth, as the hero, Leonard Shelby Guy Pearce, struggles to keep track of the people and places he encounters -- and then almost immediately forgets -- using hand-captioned Polaroid photos and an array of messages he tattoos onto his body. The film cleverly challenges narrative conventions by telling its story in reverse, moving backward, step by step, through the series of recent, violent events that Shelby has lived through but can't remember. Pearce brings an element of dark humor to his role, as Shelby struggles with his pathological forgetfulness while the characters around him exploit his affliction to various self-serving ends. Joe Pantoliano The Matrix shines as an oily acquaintance who treats Shelby with amused exasperation, and whose relationship to Shelby is a key to the unfolding mystery. But the film's unusual structure is really the star here, exploring with Swiss-watch precision the impaired point of view of its protagonist, for whom life has become a never-ending series of plot twists and fades to black. The Columbia TriStar DVD includes and interview with Nolan, theatrical trailers, a TV spot, and a tattoo gallery.
All Movie Guide - Jason Clark
Christopher Nolan's crafty, twisty thriller builds itself on the foundation of film noirs past and present, but what gives it its own special kick is Nolan's steadfast determination against sentimentalizing his characters or subject, which immediately gives the film turf credibility. Memento is built on a device that doesn't always work in other pictures -- the narrative is told in reverse -- but here it has a pulsating life all its own. Nolan's taut screenplay and inventive direction find the nasty heart of the central tale, and the cast members offer juicy performances -- especially the versatile Guy Pearce, who manages a convincing zigzag of emotions and attitudes. One could argue that Memento is a bit too cold to truly mesmerize, but even for its chilliness, the film works as a labyrinthine entertainment. Its smart sensibility and willingness to embrace the best of its noir origins is what makes it memorable. This film was the toast of the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, picking up the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award -- though many carped it should have taken additional prizes.
Village Voice - J. Hoberman
The video stores are filled with examples of retro-noir and neo-noir, but Christopher Nolan's audacious timebender is something else. Call it meta-noir.
New York Times - A.O. Scott
A brilliant feat of rug-pulling, sure to delight fans of movies like The Usual Suspects and Pi.

The video stores are filled with examples of retro-noir and neo-noir, but Christopher Nolan's audacious timebender is something else. Call it meta-noir.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 2/22/2011
  • UPC: 031398127505
  • Original Release: 2000

    • Rating:

  • Source: Lions Gate
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Wide Screen
  • Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
  • Language: English
  • Time: 1:53:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 19,855

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Guy Pearce Leonard, Leonard Shelby
Carrie-Anne Moss Natalie
Joe Pantoliano Teddy
Stephen Tobolowsky Sammy
Mark Boone Jr. Burt
Harriet Sansom Harris Mrs. Jankis
Callum Keith Rennie Dodd
Russ Fega
Jorja Fox Catherine Shelby
Thomas Lennon Doctor
Technical Credits
Christopher Nolan Director, Screenwriter
Danielle Berman Set Decoration/Design
Dody Dorn Editor
Elaine Dysinger Co-producer
Cindy Evans Costumes/Costume Designer
William Fiege Sound/Sound Designer
David Julyan Score Composer
Jonathan Nolan Original Story
John Papsidera Casting
Wally Pfister Cinematographer
Patti Podesta Production Designer
Aaron Ryder Executive Producer
Emma Thomas Associate Producer
Suzanne Todd Producer
Jennifer Todd Producer
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Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Memento
1. Opening [2:33]
2. It's Just an Anonymous Room [3:51]
3. It's Like Waking [4:40]
4. Remember Sammy Jankis [5:06]
5. You Don't Remember Me [6:04]
6. Memories Can Be Distorted [6:12]
7. How Am I Supposed to Heal? [10:55]
8. Habit and Routine [9:29]
9. I'm Chasing This Guy [3:42]
10. Can't Remember to Forget [:55]
11. Sammy's Wife [9:05]
12. Somebody Always Pays [2:15]
13. What Would You Kill for? [4:59]
14. Something to Remember You by [7:20]
15. Nobody's Perfect [4:25]
16. You Don't Know Anything [4:48]
17. Do You Remember Me? [7:25]
18. It Makes All The Difference [6:49]
19. I'm No Different [8:29]
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Menu

Disc #1 -- Memento
   Play Movie
   Audio/Subtitles
      Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital
      Audio: English 2.0 Dolby Surround
      Subtitles: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
      Subtitles: Spanish
      Subtitles: Off
   Scene Selections
   Special Features
      IFC Interview With Writer/Director Christopher Nolan
      Memento Mori, by Jonathan Nolan
      Biographies
         Christopher Nolan
         Guy Pearce
         Carrie-Anne Moss
         Joe Pantoliano
      Trailers
      Tattoos
      Otnemem
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 47 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(35)

4 Star

(11)

3 Star

(1)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 47 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    Memento is Amazing!

    Leonard suffers from anterograde amnesia and cannot form any memories since his accident a few years earlier. He spends all of his energy trying to hunt down the man who killed his wife. He tattoos clues on his body and keeps various photos of people who have aided him in his search and every morning he views these with a fresh eye. He must remind himself where he left off and try to hunt down the killer.

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  • Posted October 1, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Memento

    Memento is one of those films that will be a little different with each viewing, and that's a good thing. Simply put, this is one of the most psychological film I've ever seen. Nolan raises some interesting questions about the way we perceive time and memories and the addition of a very small and very talented cast really reinforce the mood of this movie. Memento will appeal to viewers who enjoy thought-provoking cinema to be coupled with quality production. This movie is not to be missed.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    a cleveringly well put together movie

    when i first heard of memento i thought it would be confused and surprisengly i actually understood what was going on, giving how the movie was set up. the way the scenes were played out, it was quite good and conclude its quite the mystery movie. you have a guy, short term memory, and the people and events all around him that you and the lead character are wondering what its all about.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Top 5 Favorite Movies of All Time

    Memento, given to us by the incomparable Christopher Nolan, is an awe-inspiring piece of motion picture magic. Leonard Shelby writes himself an endless amount of notes. He does this because he has a condition that causes his memory to be taken away if he doesn't concentrate hard enough. With amazing performances and an even better story, Memento is definitely worth anyone's DVD collection.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    My favorite movie

    This is one of the most fascinating plotlines and innovative concepts I have ever seen. It has stayed with me ever since I've seen it, and its theme is driven home so forcefully it has changed my entire perspective on everything. Which is, of course, what film and literature is out there to do. Most highly recommended, even if you'll only like it for the shocking ending.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Remember Sammy Jankis

    This movie is one of the coolest movies i have ever seen. It's a movie that you can watch a few times in a short span of time and it's still good. I recommend that you see this movie if you haven't. Wait a minute, what was i writing about?

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    great movie that keeps you guessing

    Memento is a smart, fast-paced thriller that you will think you've got figured out...for a minute or two. The twists in the story are just right and the plot keeps you interested as few movies can.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    excellent movie

    this movie was recommended to me by a close friend. once i saw memento, i had to add it to my collection. memento follows a broken sort of story line, and things follow a strange order. in other words, it goes from the end to the beginning with a little bit of confusion in the middle. definately an A+.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A Modern Classic

    Memento is a great movie. It is an ingenous work of art.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    I almost forgot what a good psychological thriller was like, until I saw this movie

    This movie makes you think. When you're seeing it, you have to think and place each seen in the right chronological order. The movie runs backwards, in case you haven't heard. Then, after it's over, you think, ''what if that happened to me?'' And that is what a good psychological thriller is supposed to do. Scare you into thinking. Not scare you with blood and gore. It's a psychological war, and Memento is winning.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Best Thing Since ''Redrum'' Written on the Bathroom Mirror

    The first time I saw the film I said... FANTASTIC THRILLER! The second time I saw the film I said... I HAVE TO OWN IT!!! This is an excellent film to have and to watch over and over again. Bring your Sticky Notes (you just might need them). An extra treat is the cameo appearance by Irish-born actor, Larry Holden, in the role of Jimmy Grantz. Also, the film's director, Chris Nolan, put some hidden features on the DVD (My lips are sealed). The film's official site is also a MUST see. HINT: Just look for momento in the mirror and you will find it.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A Powerful Mindbender and a Great Film

    It's rare to come across an inventive and original story, particularly one that is achieved so effectively. Great acting bolsters this movie that is a definite departure from typical Hollywood fare. Mindbending, thought-provoking, totally intriguing and brilliantly realized...you won't regret seeing this film.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Memorize Everything....... NOW!

    Amazing movie, great if you love the ''Ussual Suspects'' kind of movie or you enjoy movies that take the plot and twist it in a new dimension.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Unique Movie to OWN!

    You'll know this movie is great once you see the packaging! This movie is so well made you will think bazaar-ly yourself after you see it. You'll watch this movie over and over...suspenseful, movie is told backwards, and just plain cool!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Very complicated

    I forgot many details .. Try to write down everything .. See it over and over, its so nice.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Best Movie Ever

    Best...movie...ever.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A rare kind of movie, that excels in just about every department

    I happen to love movies. I love movies though that make you think about it after it's over. This movie did that and more.. it made me think during it. The acting is top-notch especiall Canna-Arrie Moss. The guy Joe Palinito did a great job, but with all due respect Guy Pearce was the best. If you are looking for a great way to spend 2 hours or a movie to rent do me a favor and pick this one up. You won't regret it and definitely won't forget it.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    10 Stars Movie!!!

    Note that I have under-rated this movie; it should have at least 10 stars! You certainly don't want to miss it, if you do, you'll only see another great one in next century!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A Masterpiece

    It is such a pity that this film received such little attention at the theaters. I guess people just do not want to see great films.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Most Amazing Plot

    This is the most incredible plot that was ever written. The director makes you feel like the main charecter by giving you his illness, I dont want to say anything else or I might ruin it. This is a movie that you can watch over and over again and each times it gets better and you catch something new. I must have in a any movie collection.

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 47 Customer Reviews