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Who am I? Movie Amnesia

The incidence of amnesia amongst movie characters is far greater than that of the 'real-life' population, but then that goes for murders and crazy scrapes too. If movies are about telling stories - and let’s hope they are - then getting amnesia is a pretty darn good story. Film Amnesia represents a loss of self; complete collapse of the ego. The character is a naive and vulnerable newborn, learning right from wrong all over again, either for comic ('Finding Nemo') or tragic ('Memento') effect. Consequently some of cinema's most interesting, funny, intriguing, exciting and enchanting stories have started with the proverbial bump on the head. 'Memento', 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', 'A Very Long Engagement' and the brutal, 'The Machinist' spring to recent mind; but what about, 'Paris, Texas', 'Angel Heart', Hitchcock's 'Spellbound', 'The English Patient', 'Robocop' even the 1987 Kurt and Goldie comedy classic, 'Overboard'. Scroll down and check out some of these unforgettable titles… Pictured: Ronald Colman tries hard to remember Greer Garson in 'Random Harvest'

Jericho Mansions (2003)

5.6/10
Director: Alberto Sciamma
Starring: James Caan, Genevieve Bujold, Maribel Verdu, Jennifer Tilly

Leonard (James Caan) is a simple man, a caretaker of an apartment block who leads a hermit's life. His world beyond the building's front door is non-e... Read more

La Ardilla Roja ( aka The Red Squirrel ) (1993)

Director: Julio Medem
Starring: Emma Suarez, Maria Barranco, Nancho Novo, Karra Elejalde, Carmelo Gomez

An anti-macho parable and passionate love story about a woman who loses her memory in a motorcycle accident. Suicidal Jota saw the whole thing and put... Read more

Laid to Rest (2009)

5.3/10
Director: Robert Hall
Starring: Bobbi Sue Luther, Kevin Gage, Lena Headey, Sean Whalen, Richard Lynch, Johnathon...

A young woman wakes up in a coffin with amnesia, but there's one thing she does know - a freaky killer in a metal mask is about to add her to his list... Read more

Last Year at Marienbad (1961)

7.9/10
Director: Alain Resnais
Starring: Delphine Seyrig, Giorgio Albertazzi, Sacha Pitoeff

Not just a defining work of the French New Wave but one of the great, lasting mysteries of modern art, Alain Resnais' epochal 'Last Year at Marienbad'... Read more

Memento (2000)

8.5/10
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano

The toast of the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, this crafty, twisty offbeat thriller focuses on Leonard (Guy Pearce), a man struggling to put his life b... Read more

Memories of Tomorrow (2005)

5.8/10
Director: Amit Tripuraneni
Starring: Richard Thompson, Rachel Gilchrist, Ray Trickitt

The slick look of this debut outing from film student Amit Tripuraneni belies its wing and a prayer NZ$15,000 budget. Cast and crew donated their tim... Read more

Men In Black (1997)

7.3/10
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rip Torn, Tony...

Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith are the nattily-dressed government agents whose top secret job is to track down any extraterrestrials landing on Earth... Read more

Men in Black II (2002)

6.1/10
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Lara Flynn Boyle, Rip Torn, Johnny Knoxville, Rosar...

The black-suited, shades-wearing dynamic duo of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back for more intergalactic fun in this hit sequel. With the Earth'... Read more

Men in Black II (Blu-ray) (2002)

6.2/10
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Lara Flynn Boyle, Rip Torn, Johnny Knoxville, Rosar...

The black-suited, shades-wearing dynamic duo of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back for more intergalactic fun in this hit sequel. With the Earth'... Read more

Mulholland Drive (2001)

8/10
Director: David Lynch
Starring: Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Ann Miller, Laura Harring, Robert Forster, Dan Heda...

David Lynch pulls out all the stops, upends all expectations, and, well, goes all Lynchian in this maniacal, mind-bending mix of Hollywood satire, fil... Read more