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A14 PEOPLE/ ARTS
Thursday 4 January 2024

Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard anchor ‘Memory,’ a thorny

drama with a tender heart

By LINDSEY BAHR at the event, which she
AP Film Writer soon leaves.
Pain and trauma permeate For a moment, you wonder
Michel Franco’s new dra- if perhaps her fears and
ma “ Memory, “ about two anxieties are warranted as
lost souls who find surpris- she realizes that night that a
ing comfort in one another. man is following her home,
Both Jessica Chastain’s Syl- first down the street, then
via and Peter Sarsgaard’s onto the same subway
Saul are hostage to their car, then off at the same
own minds, though in vastly spot, right to her doorstep.
different ways. It is like a nightmare as she
Hers haunts her. His is failing fumbles for her keys.
rapidly. And neither are en- You hold your breath until
tirely trustworthy. she’s made it inside.
“Memory,” expanding na- Hours later, the man is still
tionwide Friday, starts as a This image released by Ketchup Entertainment shows Peter Sarsgaard, left, and Jessica Chastain there outside, looking up at
seemingly standard issue in a scene from “Memory.” Associated Press her.
“damaged person” movie, Is he imagined? A dream?
introducing Chastain’s Syl- ing very fine performances pecially if they’re harbor- as she steps into her down- An ex? A stranger?
via celebrating 12 years of from both Chastain and ing secrets of their own that trodden apartment, she’s The man in question is Saul,
sobriety at an Alcoholics Sarsgaard, who was re- have evolved into genera- triple locking her door and who she finds out is suffering
Anonymous meeting that warded with the best ac- tional trauma. punching in the security from early onset dementia.
her 12-year-old attends tor prize from the Venice The film binds you at first to code to arm the place. He won’t remember that
with her. Film Festival last fall. While Sylvia, a social worker and Even knowing her this lit- he followed her home or
But there are layers to this there are moments of lev- single mother who is suspi- tle, it’s surprising that her why but he will remember
dramatic mystery, com- ity to break up the an- cious of everything and ev- younger sister Olivia (Mer- her for whatever reason.
pounded with unreliable guish, it could also come eryone. ritt Wever) is able to con- His brother, Isaac (Josh
narrators and moral grey with a laundry list of trigger She always seems ready to vince her to tag along to Charles), asks if Sylvia would
areas. Before you know it, warnings as it explores dif- bolt for safety and survival. a high school reunion kind want to work for them as a
the film morphs from some- ficult subjects from sexual She lives by a strict rou- of event early in the film. companion to Saul.
thing familiar into some- abuse to mental illness in tine: Walking her daughter, The decision seems even And Saul and Sylvia devel-
thing altogether unexpect- pretty unsatisfactory ways. Anna (Brooke Timber), to more unfathomable when op a deep bond with one
ed. Perhaps it’s a good thing school, going to work at an you learn additional details another that goes beyond
Though it is not easily cat- that the holidays are over adult day care and her AA about Sylvia’s school years, professional caretaker
egorizable, “Memory” is a because this is not one to meetings. but it’s clear that she is un- boundaries. q
thoughtful journey featur- watch with the family, es- Home is a fortress: As soon comfortable and unhappy

In public domain, early Mickey Mouse version will star in horror

movies

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The ing more resemblance to nounced are seemingly year later, he was notching No release date has been
earliest iteration of Mickey rat than mouse, captains low-budget and campy up a heavy body count in set.
Mouse is on a rampage, a boat and makes musical slasher movies and not un- the microbudget “Winnie The second movie is from
barely two days in the pub- instruments out of other ani- precedented. the Pooh: Blood and Hon- director Steven LaMorte,
lic domain. mals. Winnie the Pooh sans red ey.” who previously directed
Slashed free of Disney’s It’s perhaps fitting, then, shirt entered the public In the trailer for “Mickey’s a horror parody of “The
copyright as of Monday, that the first projects an- domain in 2022; scarcely a Mouse Trap,” directed by Grinch,” which is not in the
the iconic character from Jamie Bailey, what appears public domain (the movie
“Steamboat Willie” is al- to be a human in a comi- is thus called “The Mean
ready the focus of two cally small Mickey mask One”).
horror films. On Monday, terrorizes a group of young “A late-night boat ride turns
just hours after the 1928 people at an arcade. into a desperate fight for
short entered the public “A place for fun. A place survival in New York City
domain, a trailer for “Mick- for friends. A place for hunt- when a mischievous mouse
ey’s Mouse Trap” dropped ing,” text flashed during the becomes a monstrous re-
on YouTube. Another yet- trailer reads. “The mouse is ality,” is the logline for the
to-be-titled film was an- out.” untitled film, per a post on
nounced Tuesday. “We just wanted to have LaMorte’s Instagram.
“Steamboat Willie” fea- fun with it all. I mean it’s “Steamboat Willie has
tured early versions of both Steamboat Willie’s Mickey brought joy to generations,
Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Mouse murdering people,” but beneath that cheer-
Directed by Walt Disney director Jamie Bailey said ful exterior lies a potential
and Ub Iwerks, it was the in a statement cited by for pure, unhinged terror,”
third cartoon featuring the This still image from video provided by Disney shows the trade publications. “It’s ri- LaMorte said in a release
duo they made but the first character Mickey Mouse in the 1928 animated short “Steamboat diculous. We ran with it and cited by the trades. The
to be released. In it, a more Willie.” had fun doing it and I think movie has yet to begin
menacing Mickey, bear- Associated Press it shows.” production.q