Memento is another movie that I hesitated to discuss here because I just assume everyone has seen it. I don't know why I feel that way, and it probably isn't true. My advice...if you haven't seen Memento you should see it. Very soon. I enjoyed it much more on second viewing because I spent most of the first viewing pretty confused. Everything makes much more sense the second time around, like Donny Darko.
The basic plot, and you can read more summaries at IMDB here, is of a man named Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) who has no short term memory, and no ability to form new memories (he does recall long-term memories via flashback). Interesting, but not that interesting, right? But WAIT, this guy is trying to hunt down his wife's killer! Nut's...how does he do it? Basically, he forgets anything that happened 10 minutes after, but if he can write himself a note quick enough or take a polaroid he can create a false memory. The notes he feels are most important to his wife's murder he tattoos on his body, which startle him every time he wakes up because he doesn't remember a thing about them. The plot is strong, and the way Christopher Nolan lays out the story line you get a good impression of what Leonard Shelby is going through because you feel just as confused and clueless as he does. According to wikipedia, medical experts have cited Memento as one of the most realistic and accurate depictions of aterograde amnesia in any motion picture.
Perhaps the most interesting element of the movie is the sequence of events and how they are presented to the viewer. The film is split up into scenes in black-and-white and scenes in color. The scenes in black-and-white follow the normal chronological sequence, but the color scenes are in reverse chronological order right from the get go. This sounds like it might not work, but it's executed really well and the twist ending (which is technically the twist beginning because it is a color scene) ties the whole thing together. This one gets an A+ from me, and the users at IMDB agree by voting it to number 27 on the top 250 movies of all-time list. Here is the awesome opening sequence:
Well, I have to hand it to The Christopher Myers for this one. Following his theme of "Things I Was Determined To Hate" I walked into watching the first episode of Friday Night Lights (for free, on hulu.com) determined to never watch another episode. I mean, come on, I hate football. But a weak little man inside of me loves epic sports scenarios, be it on a softball field in Druid Hill Park, or unfortunately be it on a made-up football field in Odenton, TX.
I never saw the movie Friday Night Lights, but I am imagining it follows the same theme. Top-rated football team, in football town Texas, and all the things that happen in football town. Really though, the show had me at hello. It was a cheap shot, but after the credits rolled the first song playing on the jukebox in football town diner was Debra by Beck off of my all-time favorite party album Midnight Vultures. That was a low blow, Friday Night Lights. The direction of the first episode is a little bit obvious from the onslaught, following backup quarterback and his grandma, and his non-football playing (for shame!) friend. And in the next scene following the top-ranked quarterback in the nation and his top-ranked girlfriend. I think what happens in the first game is made pretty obvious, but it makes for real good television. So, we'll see where it takes us.
It is 12:41am currently, and I have to be up much earlier than normal to mix the Quartet Offensive record. But I am hooked enough to watch just one more episode before bed. Damn you The Christopher Myers for this one. I never asked to like this show.
P.S. you might remember from a previous post the mention of Cory recommends band Explosions In the Sky writing the soundtrack to the movie version of Friday Night Lights. Don't be deceived, the theme music is not them. It is a television composer (not a chump...he did score the Wonder Years, The West Wing, My So Called Life, and Felicity (!!!)) but he is still not Explosions In the Sky (it is however, a terrible rip-off). They are used for some music throughout the show though, so not all is lost. I don't know. Maybe you should check this out? Especially football fans? One this is for sure...Texas is a weird, strange football loving, praying in the middle of football games, kind of place.
Another introduction that we have to keep short, because Chris has provided us with his own commentary. This is not a bad thing, but why would you want to hear from me when you can hear from them?
A man who needs little to no introduction around these parts. He posts every once-in-a-while on this blog as poor poor pitiful me, usually when he has a problem with the way things are run. He's an all-around good guy, good softball player, good voice that will melt you like butter, good predecessor to my Calvert Hall math award, good egg baby, good Disney collector, and some kind of television expert, etc. He also posts pretty infrequently at a blog called The French Inhaler. If you backtrack I highly recommend you check out the kids who prank call him. Really good bit.
Anyway, Chris twisted the concept of Friends Recommend by recommending to you things he now likes that he was originally determined to hate. Here we go, in his own words: THINGS I WAS DETERMINED TO HATE:
TV: Friday Night Lights ---I thought that High School Football + Goofy Looking Teens and Dementiated Grandmas = A terrible show. Every episode on hulu.com. If you watch the first episode and don't want to keep watching, you're heartless. Tyra Collette, Matt Saracen, Tim Riggins, Buddy Garrity, Smash Williams, Coach Taylor, Tami Taylor, Matt Saracen's grandma, Jason Street, Landry "Lance" Clark...I have no clue how to determine my favorite character. I can't think of many other shows where I can list the first, last and nick name of nearly every possible character.
Battlestar Galactica---While frustrating sometimes because of their "We'll make it up as we go along" long-term plotting strategy, this Sci-Fi is so much more than just some lame spaceship show and I can look past the little WTF-were-they-thinking detours. Gaius Baltar.
30 Rock---Was a staunch supporter of "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip" in the battle of the "Behind The Scenes at a Sketch Comedy Show" shows, so I resented this show when Studio 60 got canceled and this one lived on. This one is good, it turns out. I included this so that Adam could riff on an episode of this and then pretend I didn't recommend anything else.
Corner Gas---The most unattractive cast in all of television would turn anyone away initially. Find yourself a good Oscar-centric episode (Mail Fraud? Spin Cycle? Mosquito Time? Slow Pitch? Dress For Success?) and fall in love.
Movies:
Memento---Once it was released on DVD, I decided to give it a chance and see if Dave Wright could actually act or not. Turns out he's awesome. Music:
Jonathan Richman - Surrender to Jonathan Randy Newman - Sail Away / Good Old Boys ---Spent my first 18/23 years throwing these two in the category of "Supposed genius songwriters who were blessed with a non-voice and record their music in a style that makes it almost unlistenable." I included this so that Adam could pretend that "I Love LA" is on one of these two Randy albums and then call it a day.
Nick Lowe - Rose of England/Jesus of Cool---Spent my first 26 years thinking he was some lame old guy. Gram Parsons - GP/Grevious Angel---Spent my first 20 years thinking he was Graham Parker, whom I incidentally have never heard either, but seems like a lame old guy.
Bee Gees - Main Course----Spent my first 24 years thinking this would be too much high singing for me, then heard rumors that their first few albums were considered by some to be the Lost Beatles albums, which is pretty accurate. Then I explored the disco era in depth. This Main Course is something special. Kenny Rogers - Eyes That See In the Dark---Spent my first 20 years thinking that Kenny was a chicken-eating borderline douchebag. Barry Gibb wrote and produced this album. Sure, there's "Islands In the Stream," but on top of that, we have some of the best songs I've heard in my adult life. Perhaps too Adult Contemporary for some.
Miscellaneous:
Google Reader. ---Google Reader is Google's best invention. It has made me better friends with friends of mine who also use it to read internet stuff. I was never determined to hate it.
