6. Memento (2000)
Memento is best described with a quote from its main character, Leonard Shelby, the ex-insurance investigator whose short-term memory only extends to 15 minute increments. Memorys unreliable Memorys not perfect. Its not even that good. Ask the police; eyewitness testimony is unreliable Memory can change the shape of a room or the color of a car. Its an interpretation, not a record. Memories can be changed or distorted, and theyre irrelevant if you have the facts. Memento is an artful take on noir. Its a tale about a man seeking revenge for the brutal rape and murder of his wife. Along the way everything spirals outward into an unending puzzle about memory, identity, revenge and madness. Why It's A Gem: The brilliant narrative structure designed to involve/immerse audience in the confusion and struggle of Leonard Shelby. Impressive performance from Guy Pearce who manages to become an amalgam of a sympathetic figure bordering on sideshow freak who leads us into a dark existential dread. Amazing directorial prowess from Nolan, who blends some subtle notes in between the more complex ones in this spellbinder.