Movie: Rememory

First, let me say that Peter Dinklage is so much more than Game of Thrones. So much more.  I must admit though, that my draw to this movie was because of his role in Game of Thrones. Whatever the reason, I am glad I decided to watch this nonetheless.

I will get to my review of the movie shortly.  But first, I just want to talk about what this movie conjured in me. I am glad I watched it alone. I cried during the movie at odd times.  There is something powerful in memories and watching a movie whose premise was solely memories, our perception of them and the utter reality of fact vs fiction – well it made me emotional.  Even now as I type this.  I am one who compartmentalizes her thoughts and life.  I am sure there is a disorder named that carries this attribute.  I am sure there is.  I used to have a razor’s edge memory.  I could remember details and recite them back to you with utter clarity.  I prided myself on that ability.  In my mind’s eye I could see things that happened and then I would keep a little mental journal of those things that I held the most dear.  Now, my memory is horrible.  I am not sure why.  Maybe I have crammed my brain full of so much shit that the things that should be more precious have been squeezed against the back wall of my brain, under some useless trivial thought like the knowledge of who starred in that one movie based on the life of that one person.  I think that is why my tracing my ancestry and looking through old pictures and scanning them (and the terror of having the external hard drive go down that holds so many digital memories) have taken up a large place for me in my life in recent months.  I think that the hormone swings and the hysterectomy fog took a toll on me and scared me into thinking that I was forgetting things.  I have “my relics” throughout my office.  I can look over at them and see an item and think about where I was when I bought that item, received that item, fell in love with that item.  I have lived such a full life and have so many memories that the thought of losing any of those memories makes my heart physically hurt.  When people discuss their thoughts on the worse way one could die – my bet has always been Alzheimer’s disease.  The gradual erasing of the memories I have stored throughout my long full life.  How terrifying to know at the onset of that disease that the things you hold dear will be reduced to shadows within your confused mind.  I may write more on that subject (I know I dedicated a whole blog to my office pre-hysterectomy Aprilish 2016). I may revisit and update soon.  But, for now, let me get on with my review of this movie: Rememory.

My take:

• I love a movie where in the beginning I start with a sound, “Holy shit, how does all of this piece together?”
• “He seemed lost in thought and I was drowning in mine… Against the wind, my problems seemed so trivial.”
• I had the thought mid movie – If I could have a memory “deleted” would I?  Or, would I fear that the ripple effect would happen and my very essence be cracked?
• Further along, I wondered if I would ever want to “reexamine” a memory.  I mean, we remember our memories in certain ways and over time aspects of that memory adjust and you remember it differently or less clearly.  Would I want to risk changing my “version” of a memory because I wanted to see the specific details again?
• “Funny how your life is not defined by the things you do, but by what you don’t do.”  “We are the sum of our memories.”
• By the time we get to “Todd”, I am wondering how Sam knew the work equipment so well if he was not a test subject?
• “The mind forgets things for a reason.”  Believe me you, I get that.
• When Samuel goes to see Carolyn and the partner shows up – I was given pause to doubt Samuel.  Serious pause.  Like, I shouted at the screen “Don’t be a fucking liar on me now!”
• I am glad she didn’t look at his memories………it did not matter.
• “We are nothing more than the memories we keep.

I loved this movie.  I will own it when it is released on DVD.  I might not ever watch it again though. But I want to have it. Just in case.

IMDb Synopsis: Gordon Dunn, a famed scientific pioneer, is mysteriously found dead just after the unveiling of his newest work, a groundbreaking device able to extract, record and play a person’s unfiltered memories. After his death, Gordon’s reclusive wife, Carolyn, delves deeper into her own private world when a mysterious man shows up claiming to be from Gordon’s past. With questionable motives he takes the machine and uses it to try and solve the mystery, beginning an investigation of memories that lead him down a path of guilt, grief, and betrayal to an unexpected answer.

Starring:

• Peter Dinklage
• Martin Donovan
• Anton Yelchin – one of his last movies. I did not recognize him outside of Star Trek.
• Julia Ormond  – I KNEW I knew her, just could not place where.

Trailer:

Additional Movie Info:

It received a Rotten Tomatoes review of 18% Rotten.  It received a Rotten Tomato audience rating of 43% liking it.  Average Rating: 3.2/5 with a number of User Ratings: 634. I have never disagreed more with a Tomato rating than this one.  Maybe it is because it is a thinking movie, not an action packed movie. Or maybe only stupid people (other than me) saw it.  Either way…boo on that rating.

Movie Reviews:

• Roger Ebert
• NY Times

Obviously I have enjoyed (maybe even loved) a movie that the rest of the world failed to see the potential in?

Specs:  It has a 111 minute run time. Release date: 24 August 2017.

Other IMDb Trivia:

• During the initial days of filming, Peter Dinklage shot solo scenes with Director Mark Palansky and the crew. To unwind from these intense days, they would watch the comedy Step Brothers (2008) every night, a movie that Dinklage hadn’t yet seen.
• The cast and crew wrote down their own favorites memories on a “rememory board”, that was displayed in the production office during shooting.
• Peter Dinklage previously worked with Mark Palansky on Penelope (2006), which was Pelansky’s feature film directorial debut.
• Soundtrack was by The National