Irreversible

The title says it all: a series of events that cannot be undone are seen in reverse chronological order, in the manner of Memento. Vincent Cassel and Monica Belluci play lovers who have an argument at a party. Belluci leaves and is attacked in an underpass in what is probably the nine most unpleasant minutes of film you’ll ever watch. Cassel goes on a wild revenge spree that leads to a brutal murder sequence in which a man’s face is bashed in with a fire extinguisher in what would be the three most unpleasant minutes of film you’ll ever see prior to seeing the nine horrible minutes of Belluci being attacked. After this, though, things become increasingly calm and beautiful as the film goes back in time to the happy couple waking up at home. Irreversible is a technically amazing film, using lighting, music and the motion of the camera to convey intensity and then calm in ways that have never quite been approximated before. On the other hand, it’s the most gruesome and disturbing thing you’re likely to see, and it’s definitely not for the faint of heart.