Memento
seen it twice, got nothing new out of it the second time. What am I missing?
I caught new stuff on the 4th viewing. It changed my answer to a pivotal question.
The trick is to watch it backwards
Not much. Nolan’s films are extremely well made, but about as deep as a puddle. What you see is what you get. If you have been paying attention at the start, at the end you can put together the complete puzzle.
And that’s not meant as a dis, it’s extremely difficult to make a film like that. It’s easy to give the audience too much info or too little. But Nolan mostly gets it right.
Also, he tends to give you the answer in the first scene.
Edit: my pet theory for the different perspectives on Nolan films is that a lot of people just don’t retain information for which they don’t have context. So the first time around, they see the stuff that’s out of place, and that requires an explanation, and they just shrug it off. Then, after the reveal, they remember there was stuff that didn’t make sense, but don’t remember exactly what, so they need at least one watch to make sense of it.
On the other hand, others (mostly people trained by watching and reading tons of SF, to be honest) mentally put these observations in a “spare pieces” box and start actively fitting them to their current understanding of the plot. When they get the final piece of the puzzle, everything makes sense.
Donnie Darko. Besides being confusing, it’s just a great story. Plus, it’s remarkably well cast.
If you have the opportunity to watch the deleted scenes, I highly recommend it - especially the one with the dad. His role in the cinematic version is pretty small, but there’s a deleted scene where he has a quiet chat with Donnie, and tells Donnie about his past mental problems. It’s fantastic, and rounds out his character perfectly.
Is that in the director’s cut? I tend to recommend the theatrical cut. I don’t find it confusing but I can understand how it might be possible to get lost if you miss a key scene or two.
Don’t know. It deserves to be.
I used to have a DVD of the theatrical cut, which I got before I even knew a director’s cut existed.
I like how this movie’s fanbase is split on a group of people recommending the theatrical cut and another group recommending the Director’s Cut. I haven’t found another movie that has something similar.
It’s been a long time since I saw the director’s cut. Having read the comment above about what the director’s cut includes I’m more inclined to continue recommending the theatrical cut. The magic of that story and it’s characters doesn’t need more exposition, especially about the fantastical elements. It’s enough to know that Donnie figure’s stuff out and takes decisive action with the knowledge he and by extension the audience has at hand.
I’ve watched this one 3 times and I still don’t understand it :) cool movie still!
Did you watch the theatrical or directors cut? The latter explains a LOT more.
TL;DW If I remember it all correctly. The plane crash caused a “Final Destination”-esque rift in spacetime? Or fate? Or reality? And Donnie should have died, but didn’t and because he didn’t the universe will implode unless he fixes it in time by dying. He also gains powers to see the future as part of the deal (represented by the weird trails in front of people walking) and he realizes the future is everything ending unless he dies to seal up the rift. Frank, the bunny is like a guide or messenger or something.
Y’know I don’t mind the “spoiler” because the realistic likelihood of watching this one feels kinda slim…
… But this sounds like a far better version of The Butterfly Effect, which was one of the most pointlessly edgy, pathetically nihilistic, manipulatively depressing films I’ve had the displeasure of seeing.
I saw that in theaters and it was one of the maybe two movies I’ve walked out of. It was so pointlessly depressing and just not enjoyable to us so we bailed.
Donnie is much better. Depressing? Yeah in a way, but also much more engaging and enjoyable.
I’m so happy for you, that you managed to only see part of it and cut and run lol. We saw it on DVD and the folks were so convinced it was a thriller that was gonna pay off in the end (like it was marketed, frankly)…ooof.
It doesn’t get better, and you can probably infer from my comment what the main character’s “revelation to fix things” was. (Apparently there were other endings)
If film is a communication medium, this one is more a cry for help than anything else. (I felt the same about a certain mega-popular decade-long anime that just concluded with similar empty-nihilistic ideas, but that’s another topic lol.)
Who knows, I see Donnie making a lot of lists, so I just might, when I feel I can handle it. :)
Gloomy cinema aside, I hope you’re having a great week. :) hahaha
I don’t remember honestly. I remember having to read about the movie too kinda almost understand it.
Thanks for the explanation, now I probably have to watch it again :)
One of my favourites for sure. I just love the struggle the character has for what is and what isn’t reality in that movie.
I like primer, but I’m not sure I really understand it even with all the charts and diagrams that are out there
Yeah, I watch that about once a year. It’s, I think, the only time travel story that actually follows it’s own rules. Have you seen Upstream Color? Same guy, really interesting story. It can lead into Blade Runner 2049 elements about consciousness and memory.
There’s only one chart that matters when it comes to Primer.
I don’t even have to click this link, I know where it goes 😂
My wife and I spent a few days really digging into Primer, and I feel like we understand like… 85% of it, which is pretty good imo. Love that movie.
One of the few movies I have rewatched.
The plot is both intricate and simple, it is very well done.
This movie gets a lot of love among a certain crowd I feel. I watched, but I feel the diagram and timeline exploration takes so much effort and energy it’s not really a story any more. It’s just mental masturbation (kinda like tenet).
I honestly don’t think Primer is meant to be understood. I think I read somewhere that their goal was not to make a cohesive storyline, but rather something that was open to interpretation.
I saw a full explanation video on YouTube a couple years ago. The story makes total sense, but it’s buried in several Layers of recursion, which takes a while to resolve
Memento.
Though, being real, I would say that it’s a movie that gets more interesting on second watch rather than being one out need to watch twice to get. I honestly haven’t ever run across a movie like that.
Agreed!
That’s a fun one. You get to see the same movie twice but it’s different both times.
Primer also falls into this category.
Along the same lines: Inception. There’s tons of little details that you don’t pick up in your first watch.
Mulholland Drive. I get… angry at myself when i don’t understand a film that i know has a hidden meaning i can’t grasp so i watched it 4 times until i finally understood it. Now i am complete
I haven’t even watched this one. Will do.
When it finally clicked it was sooo satisfying so I’ll tell you nothing
There really is something to make out of it? I generally assume Lynch films are good because they’re weird and surprising, but I haven’t seen many
Yeah. I’m not a fan of all lynchs films but i dig this one. Have you seen it? Do you want me to tell you the secret?
I’ve seen it years ago, perhaps I was too young. If there is indeed a secret, then you’ve piqued my curiosity and I’m tempted to rewatch it, so don’t tell me !
😁👍 have fun
yea ! cheers
Basically every Lynch movie.
Bruh! I still don’t get it and I’m on my second watch. This made me feel better about it. I’ll give it more rewatches 😂
My first theory was that it was just Naomi Watts’ character’s masturbation fantasy laid out on film. I still have to watch it a second time to confirm though 😬
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The Sixth Sense, if you can go into it blind. I’m usually pretty good at figuring out a movie’s plot twist, but this one caught me completely by surprise. Then when you watch it again you pick up on all the dropped hints.
Just watched this tonight for my 12 year old son, coincidentally. He loved the twist!
I recognized the twist at a certain conversation early in the movie. It’s not really hidden, or at least not well.
👏
It was my first movie by shamalama and i didn’t see the twist cuz i didn’t expect a twist. Every movie he did after i knew one was coming and they it was easy to catch the signs…badump pssh
“I wouldn’t write myself as some kind of prophet into my own story! That’s like Shamylan levels of douchiness!”
–“Chuck”, Supernatural TV show
I figured out the twist within like the first 5 minutes of my first watch (nobody spoiled it for me, but I knew that there would be a twist and was looking for one) and it made the movie pretty boring imo
I have never watched it and probably never will- I’m sure it’s a great movie but the twist is one of the most spoiled in internet history :(
To be fair, it is a twenty-five-year-old movie. That’s a long time to keep anything unspoiled.
It was spoiled at the time. I think I was six months late in seeing it and knew the twist. Not 100%, but enough that it completely ruined it.
It’s a very solid movie, and worth watching, even knowing the twist
I was fortunate enough to see this one in theaters. Had no clues. Great reveal. It would really ruin it to know the twist going in.
What’s great, though, is that knowing the twist doesn’t ruin it. It’s worth a rewatch anyway.
I had it spoiled for me about 30 min before I went to the theater to see it by a coworker. I never forgave him.
That sucks. It’s still a good movie, but that was before everyone expected a twist out of m night shyamalan
The Prestige.
SPOILER ALERT-- do not read further if you haven’t seen the movie.
When my husband is being a jerk, I tell him I want the other brother back, the one who loves me.
Ouch!
The question i have on multiple rewatches that i can’t answer: does the wife know? I think she knows.
I don’t think she really could know. She is definitely suspicious but it’s such a hard conclusion to jump to without any reason to think it.
Yeah i agree. It fascinates me though. So many of her statements could be read more than one way after knowing the trick.
I dunno if it even matters to the story, but all the makeup in the world wouldnt hide your husband’s identity from you, right? Not someone you knew for years. And she’s the only one who saw his hand fresh after the ‘surgery’. I like to wonder about what exactly she suspected, and what she meant when she said she couldn’t live this way.
I look for clues every time. Still not sure (or if you’re supposed to know) which person loved her or if either of them know who the OG was.
Having had a partner who gaslit and had basically a personality disorder, I could absolutely see someone getting driven to do what she did. You start to doubt your own ability to distinguish reality, to be able to trust yourself or anyone else. Constant fear and anxiety will make anyone go a little nuts
I don’t think she knows. She may feel like “this isn’t the man I married” but not in the sense of it being literal.
I think if I was in her shoes there’s no way I’d figure it out unless it was super obvious. It’s way too unreal and it contradicts occam’s razor.
By the way, you can use spoiler tags on Lemmy!
::: spoiler This is a spoiler Now the movie is ruined! :::This is a spoiler
Now the movie is ruined!
A few weeks ago, I finally saw this for the first time, knowing virtually nothing about the plot. WOW. I’m looking forward to watching it again!
Enter the Void (2009). Super trippy and one of those movies that leaves you wondering about everything each time you watch it.
Angel Heart. We discussed what happened in that movie for weeks while returning to the theater at least once more each, some three times
Clerks, there are so many great gems buried in that movie.
I love this movie and have seen it many times, but I’m not sure rewatching it makes it all that much different. Do you have any examples to share?
I would, but I’m not even supposed to be here today.
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I wholeheartedly agree. I wish more people appreciated it like it deserves!
And then?
No and then.
AAAAAND THEEEENNNNNNN?
Ghost in the Shell
FYI: There’s a series too - can highly recommend
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society
Okay this isnt a movie but a show, but arrested development (especially the early seasons) are filled with situations, puns, innuendos and jokes that are set up over several episodes, sometimes even seasons. It is impossible to catch and appreciate them all on first watch. I have seen the show probably a half dozen times over the years and i still stumble over the occasional thing i missed.
Arrested development was way ahead of it’s time and has some of the most clever writing of any show, especially for the time is was first made (pre Netflix.) The word play and subtle running gags are absolutely hilarious. And the characters are all written hilariously well.
Omg you are so right!
I love aaall the claw jokes that show the seal gag was planned from the very beginning. “I’m a monster!”
There are even some jokes where they were seeding foreshadowing, but were never able to actually have it come to fruition because the show was cancelled. My favorite of these is that Tobias is actually a black man
Man, now i gotta watch it again. I really love the funke. Oh is his name part of this gag?
I don’t think so. It’s more like he’ll often say stuff that makes more sense if he were a black man. Eg. When Lindsay is hitting on Ice, Tobias says something like “she certainty has a type”. Or how the cover of “The Man Inside Me” seems to show a black man. Much like the foreshadowing of Buster’s hand, a lot of it is meant to be extremely subtle.
Groundhog Day. It gets better with subsequent watches.
It is like you are in the loop.
I had a roommate who was addicted to this movie. The frequent rewatches were annoying at first, but you’re right!
That’s why I rewatch it every year. You can just pick a theme and watch it with that lens for the year.
Watching Groundhog Day once is already like watching Groundhog Day five times
You can say that again
You can say that again
Bing!
True!
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