- Actors: Michael Harris, Brion James, Carrie-Anne Moss, Matt McCoy, Corbin Bernsen.
- Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC.
- Language: English.
- Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only).
- Rated R. Run Time: 94 minutes.
A deadly car accident brings together a group of previously unrelated people, each of whom is forced to deal with the emotional fallout.Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Alan Rickman star in this film about what happens in the aftermath of a young woman's death. Recently released from prison, Alex (Rickman) offers a ride to a hitchhiker, only to have her killed instantly when their car endures a brutal accident. Alex then approaches the girl's mother, and the events that unfold change his life and other around him dramatically.Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver form the quintessential indie-film odd couple in this intimate! ly observed drama that makes a memorable detour from the usual high-concept, special effects-laden studio fare. Rickman is in his element as Alex, a morose, laconic ex-con just released from prison. A tragic twist of fate brings him to a Canadian small town and the doorstep of Linda, a functional autistic woman with a decidedly anti-social personality. Weaver is a wonder in a fiercely committed, vanity-free performance. "I don't like normal people," Linda states, and neither does
Snow Cake, the heart of which is clearly with the outcasts and misfits, including Vivienne (Emily Hampshire), Linda's vivacious, hitchhiking daughter, who bums a ride with Alex because he looks lonely ("Lonely people have the best stories," she observes) and Linda's neighbor, Maggie (Carrie-Ann Moss), a nurturing type who is very quick to take damaged soul Alex into her bed. This is a palpably heartfelt project (screenwriter Angela Pell has an autistic daughter) that--the unfortunate title ! notwithstanding--mostly manages to avoid the cloying or manipu! lative. The smiling faces pictured on the DVD cover suggest an upbeat romantic comedy, but
Snow Cake is a slice of something much more filling.
--Donald LiebensonA man, suffering from short-term memory loss, uses notes and tattoos to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife.Guy Pearce (
L.A. Confidential) and Joe Pantoliano (
The Matrix) shine in this absolute stunner of a movie.
Memento combines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling action and virtuoso performances. Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that robbed Leonard of his wife also stole his ability to make new memories. Unable to retain a location, a face, or a new clue on his own, Leonard continues his search with the help of notes, Polaroids, and even homemade tattoos for vital information.
Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear id! ea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.
Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. ! It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intellige! nce behi nd it. --Ali DavisSOFT KILL - DVD Movie
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