Visitors Review

bigbubbabacon (2012-05-25 23:06)

Christopher Nolan is NOT Stanely Kubrick. He's Christopher Nolan.

There are quite a films in theaters that you can go see right now. ButInception is the only one that you need to see.Inception is a brilliant piece of film-making. It shows Nolan's abilityto handle multi-layered subjects without losing control of himself orthe film. The story is told in a whirlwind, nonstop manner but withoutsacrificing intelligence for all of the flair and style. You will be onthe edge of your seat from the word go and you will remain there longafter the movie is over.At the time of writing it is 11:15 at night. My showing of the movieended at 9:28. I'm still thinking about this film. In fact, the onlyother film that has ever stuck with me like this was also directed byChristopher Nolan: The Prestige. The Prestige, in fact, is my favoritemovie of all time.Or it was. Inception tops it in every way. Where The Prestige is slowand methodical, Inception is a lightening joyride for the senses(including the intellect). Where The Prestige ties up in a nice littlebow, Inception leaves you with things to wonder about. Where somepeople claimed The Prestige seemed to break its own rules, Inceptiondoes not.Christopher Nolan has, in the past, been compared to Stanley Kubrick.That's wrong. Christopher Nolan is Christopher Nolan, and he keepsconsistently proving that fact.He is the most talented director working in the industry today. Period.

(2012-05-25 10:16)

Incept - This!

Inception is an interesting movie but might not be everyone's cup of tea. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a man who specializes in dream extractions (think corporate espionage) - going into a shared dream state using a military derived technique with a team and a subject to extract a piece of information from that subject's subconscious mind. This can sometimes involve going into a dream within a dream (or more).Much was made of the complexities of this movie and indeed it is complex but for a generation growing up watching Matrix movies (especially the latter two) this is positively straight forward - and that's not a bad thing. This is helped by Cobb's new dream architect (played by Ellen Page) who is also new to this world and to whom he explains the rules of the dream world (and thereby us - something not as well done in the Matrix flicks). In addition to these dream rules there are the complexities of Cobb himself and the guilt he feels over the tragedy of his wife and kids and how this affects his missions. And the complexities of the new job - to plant an idea into the mind (this process is called inception) of a young business tycoon who has a strained relationship with his dying father. So yes it is complex but at no time did I feel lost either and this is a major plus for the movie.Some other plusses are extremely cool effects in the dream worlds, likable and believable characters whose interactions are fun to watch, effective action scenes, light comedic moments that pop up rarely but never fall flat and a satisfying emotional arc for our main character. Truly there are many positive aspects to this movie.Some minuses are that it's a bit too long with a few dragging dialog sequences that could probably have been edited down. This leads to the fact that it does slow down in parts such that you begin to get antsy (not that I have a short attention span but in a world where anything can happen?). Despite the preceding two sentences I have to admit that all the dialog added to the movie in one way or another.I was a bit distracted by the fact that the dream rules - although meticulously laid out (which is appreciated) - did not always feel like the movie followed to the letter as laid forth. (possible minor spoilers) For example the rules of time of a dream within a dream, etc. are laid forth but at times things seem to happen way too fast a layer or two in compared with what we know the rules are. I also understand that the filmmakers wanted a realistic representation but I felt that dreams were - on the whole - rather boring. I get that these particular dreams were tailor made but they were so orderly it was a bit disconcerting. No chaos, no random events, unless provoked by the outside world (or only the next layer up), just cities and buildings and people in suits. Speaking for myself (but I'm insane) my dreams are a bit more chaotic. Then again there were a few surprises in there and a few very cool dream fight sequences.Overall, yes, I do recommend this movie. It's not as complicated as you may initially think but carries its own for sure. The characters are well developed and the action carried out quite well within a well defined universe. It is long and you may struggle with some of the rules but overall the movie is rewarding in visuals, story, overall action and emotional depts. A solid four stars.

Matthew Harkin (2012-05-25 10:22)

Brilliant!

Wow. Words cannot describe how jaw-droopingly BRILLIANT this film is.Everything about this movie is perfect. The depth, the running time,the soundtrack. Just, WOW.This film is a modern masterpiece, no doubt. Christopher Nolan has doneit again, and delivered a truly epic movie! Twice in a row. Clearlyinspired by the Bond series, this IS Nolans Bond film. I really do hopehe directs Bond 23 as well, because after tonight, this man can pullanything off. Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic! I've developed quite a liking for thisguy lately. He's evolved from the cutey in Titanic to a fullyestablished actor, who can do anything, take on so many different rolesand be totally convincing in anything he does. The action scenes are spot on as well. Not only can Nolan direct insuch a brilliant fashion, he can also find the perfect mix betweendrama and action. Which is fantastic. This movie deserves full marks. It's enjoyable, entertaining and sointriguing. A perfect mix between drama, suspense and action. Well doneMr Nolan.

Trangor (2012-05-25 03:51)

Dump it for Pilgrim

Picked two films with very high ratings as possibilities to go see:Dicaprio's Inception with a very high rating (9 stars) and anotherfilm, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World with an incredible 10 stars. ThePilgrim movie seemed to be a bit young for me (about a guy in a bandhaving to deal with a girl's evil ex-boyfriends in order to date her)so I plumped for Inception which is Sci-Fi and which I usually like.I lasted about 30 minutes in Inception. It was trying too hard anddelivering nothing. Starting off with 3 dream-in-a-dream sequences,mediocre acting, and non-existent dialogue, it got progressively worse.I didn't stick around, been there, done that. Luckily for me, I walked into the Scott Pilgrim movie in-progress andsaw a very different and funny movie. Yeah, it's juvenile buthilarious. A takeoff on bands, anime, gaming, and young love ingeneral. The casting/acting was impeccable for a no-name film and thescript made me chuckle through-out. If there weren't so many gay jokes,I'd take my kids to see it. Even if you aren't into computer games, youmay appreciate a lot of the humor. Kids should love it.Best thing of all, it was more than payback for having to sit throughpart of Inception, :^)

sunznc (2012-05-24 05:51)

Overdone, too long, too complicated, too unrealistic

Well, after writing my summary maybe I don't need to write a review.First off, this isn't really my type of film. But I watched it andtried to follow it as closely as possible.But the film is way too long, overdone, too complicated and too messy.It is also too literal. Dreams are messy, choppy, chaotic and blurry.For some reason, dreams for this crew are pretty neat and orderly. Surethings seem distorted at times but not in a dream-like manor.And then the films starts to fall into the Hollywood formula withchases, people shooting, people getting shot, blah, blah, blah.I frankly became bored with the entire thing and was glad when it wasover. I don't understand all the fuss over this.

(2012-05-23 23:36)

INGENIUS

Those were the first words that came out of my mouth at the end of the movie- ingenius. I will be very brief.This is a very complex film that plays with your mind on so many levels. Nolan, has taken something very difficult and original, and open the doors for his audience to think outside of the box. Taking us on a journey, searching for the meaning or hidden meaning behind our mind. He is able to do this with such elegance, an excellent cast, superub score, beautiful & stunning filmmaking, and an awesome script.Many people these days need to be spoonfed every single thing they see, hear, and touch. If it is not going BANG BANG BANG or POW POW POW- then it is not something worth acknowledging or viewing. I feel sad for these individuals, because I am a critical thinker, you do not have to have a doctoral degree to enjoy Inception but you do have to think.For those of you who didn't get it. Or found it boring. I saw this film with my brother who is 11 years younger than me. He said it was better than Dark Knight. I said to him many people have short attention spans- and cannot deal with a movie that makes you work, challenges you to think, and makes you wait for your ending, and his answer was "I have an short attention span and this is the movie of all times!"So, there it is. The movie of all times. Nolan did something refreshing and new. Oh yes you get BANG and POWS, but the BANG and POW have meaning- and you have to actually take your brain off the gas and watch the movie.Inception is in a category all by itself.

moviecrime crime (2012-05-22 19:34)

Dream is reality.

An interesting way to portray futuristic lucid dreaming technology.The movie would have been more enjoyable if it focuses more on thedialogs than the blockbuster action. We've seen the effects before, sothere's really nothing much new as compared to the Matrix when slowbullets first came in.Since the idea of lucid dreaming is still new and fresh to most people,not many people would actually understand the depth of this movie.And what i didn't understand was, why couldn't the dreamer dream ofbetter weapons? OR wear a bulletproof vest etc.? If the dreamer coulddream of such complicated architecture, wouldn't that also mean he/shecould dream of the people in it? Since in dreams, buildings and humansare the same, they are emotionless and formless. Only the dreamer feelsit and have the power to tailor it.Everyone would love the idea of living a life in a dream to wake upstill young. And i believe that this is true! It's a matter of how muchyou can remember from the dream after awoken. It's said that 90% ofdreams are lost within 5 mins after awoke.Limbo just did not make sense in the movie. How one arrive and get out,is a little complex. And really, one could wake up with the memory lostfrom a dream? The movie is not exactly mind blowing since we have already seensimilar pieces of work but it's still good and refreshing once in awhile rather than those no brain teaser movie, iron man etc.I guess the most intriguing is Nolan's conclusion of the movie is thatwe will never find out if Cobb is dreaming and neither will he. Still, thumbs up and worth watching.Other better similar movies to recommend: Vanilla Sky, Waking life, TheMatrix.

Bar_N (2012-05-22 15:33)

Solid Smart Spectacular Film Reminiscent Of The Dark Knight

I have been waiting like many to see this film. And I wish to see itagain, preferably in an empty cinema because you just don't want tolose any piece of it. The film demands your full attention from thebeginning but once you're accustomed to it you get blown away by thestory, the visuals, the actors and locations but above all; the idea.The impossible becomes possible in this film and it's all made "real"and with purpose and meaning.If you liked The Dark Knight and The Matrix, you have to see this one,it will be the best spent money on a ticket since The Dark Knight.The only thing that doesn't make it a 10/10 for me is the fact thatit's strongest point is also it's weakest, bending reality has it'slimits and Nolan carefully avoids those limits. What's real and what'snot can get tiring. Good thing the effects are convincing as well.It's the concept and how well it is realized, filmed, that's brilliant,however, telling you about it is never gonna portray the experience.Pure cinema is scarce these days. This is the opportunity to get it.

Arul Sirpy (2012-05-20 15:32)

Intelligentsia!

Trying to post a review of this movie is almost impossible; somethingakin to remaking Godfather all over again. It would be an insult to thegenius that is Christopher Nolan. I was bewitched from start to finish,from all possible perspectives be it story, screenplay, camera, music,acting - everything under the sun that is put into making a movie ofthis brilliance.Dom Cobb is an extractor, a person who owns the ability to penetratedreams and steal ideas. Hired by a Japanese tycoon, Saito, he assemblesa crew with individual capabilities to aid him in the ultimatedeception - inception. Inception is planting an idea as opposed tostealing an idea.The first half sets the speed and the concept. In fact the whole of thefirst part of the movie did what Matrix tried to do in three versions.It was complex, almost utter nonsense but believable and direct.It is in the second half that the complications start and the directorexplores all possibilities of the ground rules of the concept that hehad just lain foundation to. The movie peaks and falls at the righttimes, with the climax bringing the ultimate reasoning behind it all -which is even more convoluted and has lead to multiple discussions.The one thing that struck me was that, all the actors are stellar ones,starting off with Leonardo Di Caprio, Joseph Gordon Lewitt, Ellen Page,Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard. But the fact remains, the directormanaged to outshine them all, easily, as if he was doing it in hisdream.'Memento', 'Insomnia', 'The Dark Knight' and 'The Following' allseem to be leading up to this movie which has the traditional Nolanchecklist of a non-linear narrative, intertwined plots, intelligentdialogues and enough action.A movie that balances entertainment and intelligence with heavy dosesof either. I promise you, if you are watching it the first time, itdefinitely is not going to be your last.

chaaa (2012-05-20 10:10)

The perfect summer blockbuster?

What do we ask for in a summer blockbuster? What is it that inciteshysteria this time every year for whatever dross the studios churn out?Epic hugeness? Blowing stuff up? Romance? Action? Heroes? What are welooking for in a blockbuster? I think it all boils down to thrills!Audiences want the thrill of a car chase, the thrill of romance, thethrill of the spectacular! If that is the case, then Inception justmight be the greatest summer blockbuster of all time as it alsocontains something we often don't look for...brains! "What is the mostresilient parasite? An idea" says Leonardo Di Caprio's character Cobb.Well, Inception is all about ideas. It's all right there in the title.The film central idea revolves around "Extractors", who are paid toextract secrets from people's subconscious minds by sneaking into theirdreams, usually for the purpose of corporate espionage. However, whenone client asks them to plant an idea in the mind of their corporaterival, "Inception" is born. The less said about this film the better.It is full of ideas and invention and for each set piece I divulge, apiece of the film's genius is weakened. This is a film that cleverlyand intricately brings the audience through several planes of existencesimultaneously but never allows the viewer to feel lost. Such is thepower of Christopher Nolan's script which, I imagine, is likely to getoverlooked due to the sheer visual magnificence of his direction. Buteverything that makes this film so great is in the script...in theideas! Everything else is just spectacle. This film bears an uncannyresemblance, thematically, with DiCaprio's other instant classic thisyear, Shutter Island. Both films investigate in depth the tricks atraumatised mind can play on the individual. Both films are luscious towatch and both films keep the audience firmly outside the realm ofreality. However, Inception is an even more layered film than ShutterIsland and I believe the sci-fi genre setting will prove to be lessalienating for audiences than the prison noir of Scorsese's film. Thereis not a single dull moment in Nolan's film. There is style, charm andintelligence in every frame of the film. Every performance ispitch-perfect with some strong support by Ellen Page and JosephGordon-Levitt particularly who have grown up right before our eyes intoundeniable movie stars. Leonardo DiCaprio gives a typically flawlessperformance as the muddled, grieving man who we never quite trust to beliving in the real world. The best part of Inception is the largeamount of effects which were done in camera. While the film does makeuse of CGI, there are some pretty mind-blowing practical effects whichare as simple as the camera telling beautiful lies; a rare treat thesedays. This is a blockbuster that ticks all the boxes; smart, sexy(femme fatale, sexy brainy girl, very beautiful men in very beautifulsuits) and magical. Inception is the kind of film that reminds me whycinema will never die. Because anyone who thinks it's OK to watch thisfilm on a laptop or iPad is a fool! This is pure cinema, and proud ofit. Not to be missed on the big screen!

Magenta_Bob (2012-05-19 17:24)

The first great film of the decade

With Inception, Christopher Nolan carries on his great work from bothMemento and The Dark Knight, and the result is like a cerebral Bondfilm (indeed, the ski chase seemed like a rather overt homage); it hasthe complex narrative structure of the former by deviating fromconventions in both time and space, and at the same time the unusualambition and explosive action of the latter. Furthermore, I think hemanaged to pull it off in both aspects excellently.With a whole dream (within a dream (within a dream)) world to explore,it would have been easy for Nolan to resort to sheer tricksterism.While it does feature some amazing effects, like the rotating hotel anda city folding in on itself, it does not really come across as showingoff.A common complaint about Inception seems to be that the first halfspends too much time lecturing its audience on how dreams work and whatcan be done in them. While it is a rather extensive segment, I found ithighly entertaining even on repeated viewings, and it does help thefilm to delve deeper into Leonardo DiCaprio's complex character.Admittedly, it could certainly have been told in a more economicfashion, but in a grand film like Inception, it only seems fair thatmost parts are fleshed out – the second half provides more than enoughaction to satisfy the viewer anyway.Another recurring complaint has been that the dream worlds are notdreamlike enough. Except for some minor details, the dream worlds dolook a great deal like the real world, but I for one have dreams thatresemble Inception a whole lot more than, say, Last Year at Marienbad.That being said, Inception is certainly not without flaws. Forinstance, it's easy to succeed with the mission if you keep coming upwith new rules for the dream worlds as you go along, and I also feltthat most of the characters (save DiCaprio's) were sort ofunderdeveloped, but that would make sense if it all takes place inDiCaprio's dream, which seemed like one out of several possibleinterpretations. The rather subpar plot about trying to break up somegiant conglomerate as well as the fact that the protagonist is beingfollowed by a strange, underdeveloped corporation fits into thatinterpretation too. And in any event, this didn't bother me at allsince it is such an intense and thought-provoking ride all along. Allin all, Inception is probably the first really great film of thedecade.

sanghvi4 (2012-05-19 12:07)

A well directed, produced, acted, and written movie

Christopher Nolan has done it again. He has created an amazing moviethat is unique, brilliant, and mind blowing. The concept of the movieis really interesting and the story does not disappoint. The cast isoutstanding and perfectly casted for their roles. Leo did an amazingjob as the lead character and we really get to know his struggles anddemons as the movie progresses. The special effects are very good tooand don't overtake the story or characters. I could understand whyeveryone does not agree with the high rating this movie received sincethe movie is so original and unique, people might consider it juststupid. However, those who appreciate great filming will not bedisappointed. I highly recommend seeing this movie.

Metal-life333 (2012-05-18 20:08)

Truly Stunning in every way!

This is truly what film is about. I haven't felt so Involved in a moviein a while, when this movie starts you feel like you are apart of it,and its over before you know it (this is a 2 and a half hour longmovie).In the beginning it starts out by grabbing your intention very fast,and after the first scene, i know i felt like my 10 dollars were wellspent. the first half of the movie you meet all of your characters thatyou will grow to love and root for. the Exposition is great, you neverfeel lost, or frustrated with the film, and you think you would withsuch a unusual story.In the second half, the rising action of the movie is so intense forlike an hour and you feel all of the tension in the whole cinema. and icannot go to far into the second half with out spoiling things so iwill leave you with this for you to decide to go see it. Once, or ifyou are like me twice (in one day).

Alexstam54 (2012-05-18 12:41)

Boring!

I just can't believe that this movie gets a 9!!! It's pretentious,boring and 'much ado about nothing'. I thought it would be a movie asgood as 'The Matrix' (the first one!), but that movie is so muchbetter. If you like movies with a twist, try 'Blade runner', 'Moon','Minority report' or even 'Triangle', but skip this one. What a wasteof time and talent. With that money you could make 20 or so great,personal movies. Or feed a small African country... Watching thisfailure really made me angry. It's an empty shell. O.k., there are somepluses: the actors do their best and some scenes look great, especiallythe crumbling cliffs and the 'ceiling' of buildings, but that's justnot enough for a movie that lasts for 2 1/2 hours...

cheerldr130 (2012-05-17 01:18)

Worth going to see

I think the people who are writing the bad reviews of this movie arethose who were not smart enough to follow the whole plot and all of themovie. This movie is mind blowing and makes you wonder, even in ourlives, whats real and what's not. Inception is not a "shoot em up",although it is packed with action. It is a thriller that will twistyour mind until you decide whether you believe more in reality orimagination. The most amazing thing is that our society has no idea whyand how we dream. If we ever found more research on dreams...whoknows..this "inception" may one day be something remotely possible. PS.Listen to what they say about remembering your dreams...and see if youdo.

YikesSquash (2012-05-16 18:19)

Anarcha-film review: Inception falls flat.

Inception, by Christopher Nolan, is a summer blockbuster that manypeople are walking out of, feeling absolutely blown away by 2.5 hoursof high-budget special effects and shoot-'em-up action, and a seeminglyintricate plot. People are talking about this film as a "sophisticated,intelligent thriller", having been thoroughly hypnotized by the brightcolors, loud music and sound effects.We're interested in approaching popular culture to critique and engage.We simply didn't find much value in this movie. Here's why:6.Glorification of Masculine Violence: Inception features millions ofdollars in special effects, and is mostly men shooting at each other.Glorifying the violent male reinforces patriarchal patterns ofviolence. The film employs a few tricks to sneak by with a PG-13rating: by placing almost all the violence in the "dream world" thusmaking it not "real"; by having almost no blood in the film; and byhaving characters use a silencer for many of the gun battles (a classicJames Bond trick). To Hollywood studios, including Warner Bros. whichreleased Inception, celebrating fighting and killing is easy money. Tothe Motion Picture Association (an industry group in charge of ratingmovies for family consumption) marketing violence to kids is okay whenthe victims are "projections".5.No Originality: Inception borrows elements (like the ski chase, vanchase, unlimited explosive charges, etc.) from action classics likeJames Bond, the Matrix and the Star Wars trilogy, but offers nothingoriginal to the genre. The film' simple plot is boring despite thespecial effects. We were hoping for a characteristic Nolan plot twistat the end to save the film, but no such luck.4.Normalization of Violence: against Black People There is not a singlespeaking black character in the movie. A scene of gratuitous violencetakes place in Mombasa, Kenya (actually shot in Tangiers, Morocco), acity full of black Africans. In the five minute Mombasa chase sequence,many black Mombasans are pushed out of the way by Leo or shot by hispursuers. The black character who appears for the longest time existssolely to lose a fight with Arthur in a hallway with shifting gravity.Images of violence against black bodies reinforce the racist dominantframework that this is routine and acceptable.3.Lack of Diversity: Out of a six-person dream infiltration team thereare two male members of color and one white woman, but all of theimpressive action is taken by the three white men. One man is a vaguelymiddle-eastern type, whose job it is to supply the drugs, and drive thevan. He has few lines and displays no ability to fight beyond someshooting from the driver's seat of the van. The other is a benevolentJapanese capitalist who supplies the money and connections. Then oncethe action starts he gets shot right away, becoming dead weight for theother (white) characters and kept alive only to reunite DiCaprio'scharacter with his family at the end. The lack of diversity is boring.Like all action films, this one has the potential to feature women andpeople of color in powerful roles, but conspicuously fails to do so.2.Cheerleading for Capitalism: The film attempts to construct a moralfoundation for the operation of sneaking into a target's subconsciousto plant an idea. The central mission of the team is to bring down anear-monopoly (the Fisher family's domination of the "energyindustry"), in favor of an oligopoly led ostensibly by thegrandfatherly Japanese capitalist (Ken Watanabe) and a few other"smaller" companies. The message is that multiple companies in anindustry creates competition, and thus is a check on corporate rule. Inreality we see many corporations working together to profit fromdestructive resource extraction and exploitation of labor. The filmattempts to persuade the audience to root for the victory of onecorporation against another but fails to draw moral contrast betweenits protagonists and their target.1.Cliché Hetero-Monogamous Love Story: The motivations of our hero,Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) are based in a cheesy subplot about hisrelationship with wife and kids. The attempt to "humanize" Cobb, anotherwise violent character, essentializes both woman and children. Thewife is jealous, scheming, and hysterical while the kids are faceless,silent and angelic. We like the spunk of Ariadne (Ellen Page), a smartand confident woman but she serves merely as a foil to Cobb whose wife,kids and crush, Ariadne, hold the whole emotional weight that the plotrests on. The films' dependence on a shallow emotional story weakensthe plot and characters.

rogerdarlington (2012-05-15 06:42)

A dream of a movie

Be warned: this film has one of the most complicated plots that you'llever encounter in moviedom. But be advised: this work is one of themost inventive and thrilling that you'll ever encounter on the screen.From the opening seconds to the closing seconds and everything inbetween, this is a movie that constantly engages with no 'downtime' atall, so you cannot afford to doze for a moment - and you won't want todo so. This is "Total Recall" on steroids - and some.First, that plot. This is a world in which it is possible for trainedoperatives to enter the dreams of others and gain access to their mostprivate secrets - a process called extraction - but, in this case, ateam is required to enter a subject's dream state in order to implantan idea - the inception of the title. Except it's not that simple. Thestoryline takes us into a dream within a dream within a dream and evendown to somewhere called limbo and, in the climatic third of the film,there are actually three narratives progressing in parallel.Now, why it works - and so brilliantly. It's all down to the BritishChristopher Nolan who has already impressed us with his directorialtalents on "Memento", "Insomnia", "Batman Begins" and "The DarkKnight". Here he is writer, producer and director and the result is atruly original and immensely assured work that is as entertaining as itis challenging. Nolan has created a dreamworld with a set of rules - soeach level requires one team member to be 'awake' - and devices - suchas 'the kick' to pull you out of the dream and the 'totem' which tellsyou whether you are still in a dream or not.It cost a ton - something like $170M - to make, but the money is on thescreen with some stunning special effects, most notably some brilliantcity-shaping scenes set in Paris. The whole thing was shot in sixcountries on four continents. And it is populated by a range oftalented actors of varied provenance.Central to the whole thing working is Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb,the troubled leader of the inception crew. It's a pleasure to see KenWatanabe from "The Last Samurai" as the Japanese commissioner of theoperation. Britain's Tom Hardy is charming as the roguish teamoperative Eames. The diminutive but ever so cute Ellen Page does nothave the demanding role that she had in "Juno" but brings architecturaldesign skills to the team as Ariadne. And this is before one mentionsCillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard, Tom Berenger and even cameos byMichael Caine and Pete Postelthwaite. Nolan gives his charactersmeaningful names, most obviously with Ariadne, a character in Greekmythology who possesses the key to a labyrinth.Rarely have I left a cinema (I was at the British Film Institute's IMAXscreen in London) so convinced that I wanted to see the film again,both to better understand the complexities of the plot and to enjoyonce more the dazzling performance that is "Inception".

renaemd (2012-05-14 20:55)

Are we Dreaming in the Basement?

Inception was a brilliantly shot film with clever casting and anintriguing story.As we left the theater, I heard snatches of conversation around me andthe overarching question that people were asking was, "was it real ornot?" I turned to my husband and said, "it doesn't matter." Why?Because it doesn't. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) was seeking redemption andit was through his sacrifice that he was able to find peace in the end.He wanted to go home. As the film is bookended with the interactionwhere Cobb tells Saito that he has come, not to ensure that Saito (KenWatanabe) gives Cobb his heart's desire, but to bring Saito home, thesacrifice that Cobb has made rings clear and your hear his subtext:"AllI want is to go home, but I can't deny you the same because I'm afraidto lose my life."In a time where the world has been rocked by hurricanes, earthquakes,war and economic instability, the desire to participate and engage incommunity has become more important to people. We have started figuredout that we can't exist in a vacuum, that our actions affect others,that we can't depend on systems and institutions to provide in themidst of loss in heartbreak. We have to reach out and choose to do lifewith one another.That's what the traveler's in Cobb's group did. What started out as abusiness deal became a group that was entwined in each other's lives ina meaningful way. It was such a powerful bond, that and Cobb wouldn'tallow the "tourist" to be separated from his "home." That wascommunity. Just like the people in the basement who came to live lifetogether every single day.This film joins the collection of stories that remind us what isimportant – life with others.

dragoniawriter (2012-05-13 22:38)

One of my favourite films ever

Normal when I see a film, I'm sure like many people, I usually have 1of 3 different reactions. They usually range from "wow, that wasbrilliant" to "meh, it was OK" to "my god, that was s***!" - or wordsto that effect. But it's very rare I will see a film and thing "Thisfilm is brilliant. I HAVE to tell people about this." Inception is oneof those films. Seriously, I have bored people to death with how much Ilove this movie - but that can only be a good thing surely? Knowingthat this was directed by Chris Nolan, who has directed such greatfilms like Memento and (of course) Batman Begins and the Dark Knight, Iknew this was going to be a good film. But I had no idea how good itwas going to be. This film really got me thinking into the idea ofdreams and its a fascinating in depth look at the distinction toreality and the dream world and how we as humans perceive it.I could go into great detail about all the good things about thismovie, but I'd most likely echo what has been already said a thousandtimes, so I'll just go over a couple of the major points that othershave raise (at least from the reviews I've heard or the comments I'veheard others say).Firstly, a common note is that the story is complicated. But actuallyit's not, the story is very simple - but it's the way it's executedthat makes it hard to follow. Especially when it starts getting intothe 3 different layers of dreams and the way they have to time itcorrectly to leave each dream (As the time difference is so differentbetween each of them). So while the film does require you to payattention, once you take it in, it flows very nicely and is very wellthought out, with few to no plot holes.Another comment is that people say the actors are a little emotionallydistant in their performances. I disagree. There is a lot of emotionaldepth to the characters, but it's usually all played inwardly and theydon't overblown it like so many Hollywood films do. DiCaprio inparticular it fantastic as his character is so emotionally tortured,but he keeps all inside and refuses to let anyone else in. This makeshim a really interested character and you really do want him toconfront his demons. Cillian Murphy is the other character whoseperformance I would note. While he doesn't seem like much at thebeginning, there is one scene at the end that has a lot of passion andsadness that makes you feel sorry for him. As far as the othercharacters go, some argue that they are just there to move the storyforward. But I think each of them plays a valuable part and the filmprobably wouldn't move as well as it did without them.It's also worth mentioning the special effects, which are breathtaking.There's not a huge amount of CGI effects compared to other films and alot of it is practical - but they actually add to the films magic,rather than detracting from it. The effects they do use are beautifulto watch and many of them will leave you breathless.Now, normally to make an even review, I like to balance a review withthe good and bad points, but, honestly. I cannot think of ANYTHING badabout this movie. But that's just my own point of view and it's utterlysubjective. Others may find fault with this and that's just fine, butfor me, I personally cannot think of anything bad to say about thismovie.Chris Nolan is definitely a direction that treats his audience likeintelligent human beings and not cash-whores like a lot of Hollywooddirectors do. Inception is a film that, if I were to list my top tenmovies of all time, it would probably come in at number 4 or 3. Andconsidering that list would also include films like Blade Runner, 2001and Akira, that's no small compliment. I'll admit that this film maynot be to everyone's taste as it does require your full attention. Butif you can give it a chance, then I highly recommend it. It's a realtreat and further proof that it is possible to make classic movies inthis day and age.

Avinash Patalay (2012-05-13 09:13)

How wonderful sleep is, death and his brother sleep

A decade ago first time I watched "The Matrix" which can be bestsummarised "mind-bending plot meets mind-numbing experience". It tookme a good couple of viewings to get the gist of it and a few more toget it right. After "Inception" I feel the same, its puzzle which wouldkeep me engaged for sometime to come. No two ways about it, the conceptis clever and complex at the same time. Only a maverick can pull thespectacular feat of translating on the screen, and Mr. ChristopherNolan makes use of CGI quite effectively (without being risked asoverdose). Di Caprio was good with his restrained look and demons to battlewithin. Michael Caine role could be termed as special appearance. KenWantabe forces over-the-top expressions in the initial reels. MarionCotillard character initially gets portrayed with negative shades. The process of extraction could have been a prequel in its own right. Isay this because the explanation of the concept was too quick and itmoved to the "Inception" part hastily. So far the conventional plots were wrapped in a single climax."Inception" has nail-biting "mother-of-all-climaxes" - it has three andfailure in a single dream can collapse the entire proceeding like apack of cards. I was advised not to even think of using the men's room as I would risklosing the narrative. My advise, don't even blink!PS: Forget super-heroes, you should make more of this sorts Chritopher.