Friday, July 16, 2010

A Review: Inception

As I walked out of the theater last night, I heard many things released from the mouths of the bustling crowd. Things like:
  • "Oh my fuck that was amazing." 
  • "That was the most epic movie I've ever seen." 
  • The plain old, "Wow dude..." 
  • I even heard someone say, "Jesus lord almighty that was damn crazy son."
Everybody was spritely and alive, charged and stupefied. The crowd was literally awing out loud in the theater during this. In the car, a friend told me that this film was the answer to the not only the weak summer slate, but the lack of good films lately period. I'm very inclined to agree with him.

In this film, this most intricate and wondrous film, dreaming is a reality, and reality is a dream, is reality, is a dream... Is reality. In this film, this most methodical, most perplexing and truly spellbinding film, dreams attack dreams attack dreams attack dreams attack people attacking dreams attacking reality attacking subconscious attacking dreams attacking people attacking subconscious attacking reality attacking dreams attacking people attacking reality attacking subconscious... And then you wake up. Or wait...?

After The Dark Knight, there was hurried talk in the town of Tinsel with concern in it's voice. The thought had occurred to everyone, "How can Christopher Nolan top this?"  The answer: you make Inception.

Leonardo Dicaprio stars as Dom Cobb, the invader of dreams and the extractor of the secrets inside them. I stayed away from all information on this film, I was even hesitant to watch the trailers. I most certainly agree with my decision in doing so, this film is best served with a blindfolded mindset upon entering. And when you hear the drums and horns pound in, louder and louder, and the films begins, you can remove the cotton eye-hider and Nolan slowly reveals to you a world in which things are visceral, things are real, or are they really?

I mentioned Cobb, he is a raider of the mind in the likes Indiana himself. At other times, he is sleek and silent, like a ninja deep in work. He uses his technology as a corporate raider to steal ideas and provide security to those who wish not be stolen from. But when hired by a ominously powerful businessman Saito (Watanabe) he's asked to introduce an idea, passing it off as the mind's own originality. That's where I'm gonna stop with the plot.

He needs to assemble a team, a crack team of the highest skill set and knowledge. After all is said and done, he winds up with a full squad of:
  • A Point Man - Arthur (Gordon-Levitt)
  • A Forger - Eames (Hardy)
  • An Architect - Ariadne (Page)
  • A Chemist -Yusuf (Rao)
  • The Extractor - Dom (Dicaprio)
These men set out to plant an idea in someone, to perform inception, a method only used by Cobb himself once. Complicated things get once Cobb and Arthur realize Cobb's ex-wife, Mal (Cotillard) keeps popping up in their missions, sabotaging their work.

Nolan has learned from his priors and executed honed techniques and approaches to his current work we see here.

    Supposedly a ten year old inception (pun intended) of Nolan's, he gave many years to perfecting, this most aw-inspiring creation, this most intriguing multi-genre film. It's a hiest film, I mean romance film, I mean action film, I mean Sci-Fi film, I mean... well you get the point.

    The ambiguity of the film's motives, besides the danger of dreams, is what makes it perfect. Much like the mind, this film deceives us, filter's past our own mind's defenses to bedazzle, to serve a concentrated labyrinthine of emotions and decisions. This film, in a quote from Cobb in this film, is, "a whole fully original idea, and that sticks..." This is the remedy to the unanswered call of movie magic we've been so desperately seeking. And Nolan never disappoints in that call-to-arms. One of my friends, I think it's ma Buni-Honey, said about Disney, "It's not a place, it's a feeling." It behooves me to apply that to this work of cinematic art. The 7th art, it is so called, just so happens to coincide with Nolan's 7th film, Inception. Coincidence... or destiny? Maybe I'm not the one to say, but I will say this, I dare you to defy the utter brilliance in this architectural design and

    If Carl Jung was still alive and kicking, I'm sure would he would have no choice in the end but to comment positively on the exquisite work Christopher Nolan has done with his new Magnum Opus. What does that say about a film maker, when ever film he makes, tops the last one? Momento, well not topped by Insomnia but that one was still damn good. Begins, topped by The Prestige, topped by The Dark Knight, now topped by Inception? Yeizr... Is he on his way to a track record in film so prestigious that only greats like Scorsese and Spielberg, Tarantino and Kubrick (not forgetting PTA and Coppola), can relate... Yes, I think so son. I mos def think so son.

    The script is mind-bogglingly compelling.

    The acting is an A+ effort and gets delivered even better.

    The set and costume design is large-scale beauty.

    The Cinematography by Pfister is once again of his highest caliber.

    The score by Zimmer is pulse-pounding, is heart tugging, is mystifying.

    The direction was nothing short of masterful in the purest sense of the word.

    This film, will plant an idea in your mind set on fester-and-amaze mode. It will pull the strings connected to your brain like a symphony orchestra, Christopher Nolan is both the composer and the maestro, and you'll love every second of it. As I said earlier: Magnum Opus. This is my solemn vow to you readers, you tree-climbin' fools, this film is a gift to all lover's of film everywhere.

    As I often write when I'm very impressed: Bravo Chris... Bravo...



    Munki most pleasantly out.

    1 comment:

    1. reading this just made me think of what really happens in my dreams. do i dream within a dream within a dream within as well or is it just the basic dream that i think i am thinking of? this movie makes you ponder a lot about your dreams now. it is fucking mind boggling. holy shit batman!

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