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Re: requiem for a memento of Amelie
On Mon, 21 Jan 2002, Don Smith wrote:
> I saw Requiem for a Dream a couple of weeks ago, and I thought it was
> astonishingly done, but ultimately rather shallow.
As Salon's critic put it, "Can a movie be banal and highly original at the
same time?"
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2000/10/20/requiem/index.html
> I just re-watched Memento last night with some friends that hadn't seen
> it yet. Although on the sixth time through, I have to say that I don't
> think it ultimately holds together perfectly (I can't believe that
> someone with Leonard's condition could really do what he does) . . .
Seen this yet?
http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/dennis/memento_analysis.htm
> Peter (who I'm sure will chime in on this thread, no?) . . .
You know me too well. :)
> . . . had the fascinating idea that Leonard could be seen as an Everyman
> in a more global way, in that we, as a species, construct an identity
> based on "notes" that were scribbled down in situations about which we
> have no memory (i.e., received texts like a bible or a constitution),
> and we have to try to figure out what to trust. This time through the
> film, I paid close attention to Leonard's insistance that "if you have
> the facts, you don't need memory", and I think this is a key line in the
> film, because the rest of the film shows how wrong that is.
Well put, very succinct. Once again, Don, you make my points better than
I do. :)
> I thought Amelie was cute, but the weakest of Junet's real films so far.
> . . . I loved the resolution of the mystery of the guy who kept turning
> up at all the photo booths all over town . . .
Yes, I thought that was brilliant too.
> I was also disappointed that after all the chasing around with the guy,
> when they do finally meet, they fall right into bed without getting to
> know each other at all, which seemed rather out of character, especially
> since we were explicitly told at the beginning that Amelie hadn't ever
> found sex particularly rewarding. I was disappointed that after such an
> unorthodox courtship we had another typical hollywood-esque (despite
> being from France) resolution.
Nod, nod, and nod.
--- Peter T. Chattaway --------------------------- peter at chattaway_com ---
"I detected one misprint, but to torture you I will not tell you where."
Winston Churchill to T.E. Lawrence, re Seven Pillars of Wisdom
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