Memento – First Act – Gabriela Reyes, Peach A

Two exquisitely beautiful and appealing actresses — Peach A and Gabriela Reyes — star in Alis Locanta’s “Memento – First Act,” but mood, atmosphere, and a certain undefined ominous feeling all play prominent supporting roles. The film moves at a deliberate, evocative pace, shifting from moody black and white imagery in the present, to vivid full color as Mango recalls events from the past. While much of the unfolding story remains unclear — this is only the “First Act” of the “Memento” series, after all — this much is made abundantly clear: Mango and Alexa were lovers, and their relationship has reached a crossroads. Dazed by grief in the present, Mango cherishes her memories of a great love that once was. And so we travel back in time to erotic experiences and magical moments of passion Mango and Alexa once shared. In the first of these detailed flashbacks Mango eagerly receives Alexa’s loving and caring sexual attention. A kiss, a caress, and then a passionate session of oral and manual stimulation delivers Mango to ecstasy. In a separate encounter, Mango enters the room where Alexa is getting dressed and then reverses the process so that she can pleasure Alexa. While the fever of passion is high in both sequences, there’s a flavor, a mood, something unknown, that adds complexity and richness to the viewing experience. Joy segues into sadness, ecstasy is followed by melancholy. Memory lingers, indelible, and the future remains unknowable. “Memento – First Act” is richly textured, beautifully performed, mysterious, engaging, and satisfying. And it also whets the appetite for additional episodes in the “Memento” series.