The Citizen Review " A man goes to the movies. A critic must be honest enough to admit that he is that man." -Robert Warshow

"Memento"

By Jack Meriwether, 7/27/2010

Christopher Nolan is the master of the unknown, the dark and the ominous and real-life dramas that tie all these elements together. So why does his early thriller Memento not work as well as his great films like The Dark Knight, The Prestige or Inception? Let me list the ways.

The first reason is the principle character, Leonard Shelby, played by Guy Pearce. Pearce turns out a good performance, that's not the issue, the issue is that it's very difficult to find this character very likable. He, like all of Nolan's male protagonists, has issues. His was was brutally raped and murdered and he has short-term memory loss, so his situation is reset every 15 minutes or so. We'll get to that part later.

So he has issues, just like many Nolan characters, but he treats his differently. He seems almost to not care about the fact that he has short-term memory loss, which maybe comes with the territory, but maybe that's why the main character is impossible to pull off.

The other problem is with the fact-based part of this film. If Leonard Shelby says the last thing he remembers is his wife dying, then how does he remember every time his mind resets that he has short term memory loss and that he is trying to find his wife's killer? He has notes and tattoos on his body to remind him of his intent but he doesn't read these every time. So does he have selective memory loss? That seems like a gaping hole too big to ignore.

The film is also told backwards. Yes. This is merely a plot device in order to reveal the plot twist in an intriguing way. Is it completely necessary? No. It is interesting for a couple of flashbacks but I eventually found myself getting bored. I think that the twist at the end is good. It is believable and not the norm with these types of psychological thrillers.

The other good things about this film: the performances are well-done, the conversations are well thought out, the artistry is all there. But towards the end, the engine seems to loose a lot of steam and the short-term memory loss and flashback aspects get tiresome. Overall, Memento isn't Nolan's strongest film but it's interesting and unconventional and would most likely be enjoyed by most psychological thriller junkies and Chris Nolan die-hards.

"Inception"

by Matthew Meriwether 7/24/10

Describing a film like Inception is kind of like explaining an undiscovered country. And that's exactly what it is. Undiscovered territory for film. Nolan has created a concept and a story that is completely original in every aspect. And watching it for the first time is like a breath of fresh air.

No matter how anyone tries to explain the ideas behind this film, it will only make you more confused. Only the film itself can tell it, and quite wonderfully if I might add. And that is what it does for about the first fourth of the film. It explains the ideas, and rules of this thing called extraction and inception. But it never seems like it's just explaining to us.

Once this "inception" actually begins to unfold, it's quite exhilarating to watch. The deeper you get into these dreams, the more absorbed you are in this world. I can't really go into depth about this film without giving anything away. It's the kind of movie you need to discuss with someone right away.

It took Nolan about ten years to write the script. And it shows. The story and plot is completely new and intricate. New layers, secrets and ideas come through throughout the film. And by the end of it, when the screen goes black and the lights come up, you sit there in awe of what you just saw.