It’s more earthy—like a rumble from the core of the earth.
It’s hard to imagine this quote comes from a film that intentionally aims to decelerate the viewer’s heartbeat. Only the most patient viewers will fully appreciate the value of its observation and its intent.
Memoria is less a traditional film and more a sensory experience, and such a progression of the medium is a compliment in itself. Through carefully composed sound and imagery, it becomes an ode to silence—its power to instill apprehension and evoke the presence of the unseen.
When Jessica (Tilda Swinton, remarkable as always) is awoken by an anomalous sound, her search for its origin feels less daunting than her moments of stillness. Whether it be at a family dinner or in the middle of the Colombian jungle, the sound continues to surprise her and haunt her. When it goes away, we sit there with her, suspended in the quiet frustration and mystery. It’s a sensation unlike anything I’ve experienced while watching a movie. (I can only compare it to the last shot in Haneke’s Caché or anything Skinamarink.)
Only Swinton could portray a character with such sensitivity to what becomes both otherworldly and strangely familiar.
Director, writer, and producer Apichatpong Weerasethakul operates in a class of his own. His static camera reveals the unimaginable with patience and unease. (His earlier film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives once made me jump—not through shock, but by slowly unveiling a ghost emerging like vapor from thin air.)
A film that lingers not in the mind, but somewhere deeper and harder to name. Is seeing really believing? Or, is it more horrifying and fascinating to just wait for answers?
Memoria (2021) *****
Memoria is certainly not for everyone, and it is in and out of streaming services. I want to thank Max from PowerPop for sharing access to a Thai/English version, which looked and sounded astounding. If you ever come across this hidden gem and have two uninterrupted hours, it is worth a journey through the senses.
Reely Bernie 
Heavens to Murgatroid. I remember seeing the trailer for this and being wonderfully Tilda-intrigued, then forgot all about it. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
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Haha! It is so overlooked, practically unknown. Also, it is hit or miss on streaming availability. I would fork the $25 for the DVD, but it’s such a patient exercise in movie viewing that it is most likely hit or miss on appreciation. Good to hear from you. Hope you are well! No more running for me. Just wall sits, straight leg lifts, and “some” biking. Knees are holding up.
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