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‘Memento’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

June 1, 2021 · Memento (2000) · Drama · Mystery · Thriller · 1:05:54 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill SimmonsOscar nominations (Best Screenplay, Best Editing but didn't win), $4.5 million budget made $40 million, Roger Ebert gave 3 out of 4 stars, Ebert's quote about confusion being the intended state▶ 19:06
Chris RyanTeddy's number is the same number as Marla Singer in Fight Club▶ 13:24

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsChristopher Nolan — Nolan▶ 28:13
Chris RyanChristopher Nolan — Nolan won the movie▶ 28:13

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsBrad Pitt — Brad Pitt would have been amazing in this role and wishes he had done it - would have been perfect timing in his career between Fight Club and Ocean's Eleven▶ 29:44
Chris RyanBrad Pitt — Agrees that Brad Pitt would have been great in the role▶ 30:12

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Chris RyanHas some possibly unanswerable questions related to the film's era▶ 34:52

What's Aged the Worst

Chris RyanNothing has really aged the worst - main issue is difficulty replicating the first-time viewing experience▶ 34:59

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsJoe Pantoliano — Joey Pants (automatic winner since he's in the movie), with Stephen Tobolowsky as runner-up▶ 38:05
Chris RyanMark Boone Junior — Mark Boone Jr. (who plays Burt, the hotel guy) or Callum James Rennie (who plays Dodd)▶ 38:25

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsGuy Pearce — Guy Pearce (yes), Carrie Ann Moss (maybe but agrees with Chris), Georgia Fox (yes - transitioning from ER to CSI), Joey Pants (no - Sopranos a year later was his apex), Christopher Nolan (no), Steven Soderbergh (no), Discount Inn (yes), Anterograde Amnesia (agrees it's apex)▶ 39:17
Chris RyanCarrie-Anne Moss — Carrie Ann Moss (definitive yes), Anterograde Amnesia (definitive yes), Tan suits (suggests as apex mountain for Guy Pearce's tan suit in the film)▶ 39:28

What's Aged the Best

Chris RyanTujunga - the grimy Valley locations where they shot, including Victory Boulevard near Burbank and parts of Pasadena▶ 54:55

Dion Waiters Award

Bill SimmonsMark Boone Junior — Mark Broome Jr. (discount front desk guy)▶ 57:19
Chris RyanMark Boone Junior — Bert (front desk guy)▶ 57:18

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes: Lenny kills Teddy opening (first 6 minutes), first Carrie Ann Moss diner scene, finding guy in closet, shootout scene, Carrie Ann Moss flipping out/pen hiding scene, and last 20 minutes with diabetes reveal▶ 58:35
Chris RyanLeonard's transition from black and white to color with the killing of Jimmy and then Teddy's reveal▶ 1:03:25

Picking Nits

Bill SimmonsTeddy should have just killed Lenny way earlier because Lenny is so crazy and unpredictable, putting Teddy in danger▶ 1:03:45
Chris RyanTeddy could have taken the express lane by just killing Leonard and taking the car keys to get to the cash in the Jaguar trunk▶ 1:04:19

Movies Referenced (51)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Carrie (1976)IMDb ↗Lb ↗12Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 17:19
Fight Club (1999)IMDb ↗Lb ↗8Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 2:33
Batman (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chris Ryan▶ 24:38
Goodfellas (1990)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons▶ 36:01
Gosford Park (2001)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 15:08
The Matrix (1999)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 17:37
Batman Begins (2005)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 11:15
Boogie Nights (1997)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 2:33
Dunkirk (2017)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 11:15
Groundhog Day (1993)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 38:12
Inception (2010)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 11:15
Creed (2015)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 23:26

Directors Referenced (9)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Christopher NolanIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris RyanTenet, Interstellar, Inception▶ 16:56
Paul Thomas AndersonIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsPunch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 5:42
Peter JacksonIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chris RyanKing Kong▶ 15:08
Robert AltmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsGosford Park▶ 15:08
David LynchIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 15:13
Ridley ScottIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Martian, Blade Runner▶ 15:08
Ron HowardIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsA Beautiful Mind▶ 15:05
Spike LeeIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanDo the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 12:56
Tom BradyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanThe Hot Chick▶ 42:49

Actors Referenced (28)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Guy PearceIMDb ↗Lb ↗17Bill Simmons, Chris RyanMemento, L.A. Confidential▶ 15:29
Brad PittIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris RyanFight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith▶ 28:44
Stephen TobolowskyIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris RyanGroundhog Day, Wild Hogs▶ 16:10
Christian BaleIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris RyanThe Dark Knight, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises▶ 16:54
Thomas JaneIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris RyanBoogie Nights, Deep Blue Sea, The Thin Red Line▶ 28:53
Aaron EckhartIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsThe Dark Knight, Thank You for Smoking▶ 28:53
Chuck KlostermanIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 4:58
Maggie SmithIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chris RyanGosford Park▶ 18:25
Cold War KidsIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 31:46
Counting CrowsIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsCruel Intentions, Two Weeks Notice▶ 30:13
Heath LedgerIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanBrokeback Mountain, The Dark Knight, A Knight's Tale▶ 25:31
Helen MirrenIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsGosford Park▶ 18:24

Writers Referenced (4)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
David AuburnIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanThe Lake House▶ 37:57
Harvey WeinsteinIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsShakespeare in Love, The Hateful Eight▶ 56:15
Jonathan NolanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsInterstellar, The Dark Knight▶ 49:56
Noah BaumbachIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story▶ 23:43

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Michael GrantlandIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Other Guys▶ 51:43