Inception - Dream a Little Dream  
| Inception is many things. It is first and foremost an excellent film. It is smart, sexy and exhilarating. It is a master class example of confident film making. There isn't a false note here. Christopher Nolan knows what he is doing and he does it well. It's is definitely an arguable statement - but Christopher is the best director working today. I challenge anyone to come up with a better name that can surpass the increasing accomplishments of Mr. Nolan.
I flat out refuse to get into the story of the film. If they aren't going to tell you what its about in the trailer, then I'm not about to spoil it for you. As with most films, it is best to go in with some naivety anyways. Inception is definitely no exception. I will however, say that I love the idea of the film and what "inception" means in the context of the film. The possibilities are essentially endless. Like Leo's character says, an idea is the single most resilient parasite as it can spread and transform itself into many more ideas. With so many avenues, I can easily see this as a weekly TV show.
I was very impressed with how well researched and developed the ideas were in this film. Every little detail is flushed out and serves a grander purpose in the bigger picture. If you really listen to what the characters are saying, so much of it rings true when you really think about it. These are things you normally wouldn't think of when you think of your dreams. The story integrates these ideas perfectly. The story is complex; there is no doubt about it. However, it's not as complex as you may think. It is told and presented in a way that makes it simple enough to understand (if you are paying attention of course and not texting or talking away). I believe that a second viewing is essential though; I believe it will be much more rewarding.
Inception is surely going to elicit discussions among friends, co-workers and family. There is so much to talk about - dreams vs. reality and subconscious thoughts (projections) being the biggest two. Also, I sense a little case of life imitating art. A seed (the ideas brought fourth by the film) is basically implanted into the audiences mind. It is left there to germinate and grow into word of mouth thus creating a bigger spectacle. It's brilliant really.
Enough about the complexities of the film though. How about the craftsmanship and the post production aspects of the film? The film is simply stunning to watch. Cinematographer Wally Pfister (a collaborator with Nolan on every film) keeps upping himself with each passing project. I love the way he captured some of these images. They are so striking and beautiful. The art/set direction crew is surely going to be recognized by the Academy come awards time. The sets were simply brilliant - the hall way fight scene (with a rotating set) and the base in the middle of the mountains (built here in my home province of Alberta) were standouts.
The action was incredibly well done. It was slick, clean and well choreographed. The hall way fight scene I mentioned in the above paragraph is reminiscent of a certain fight from The Matrix, but this one expands on that and this one is better. There were so many explosions but they actually served a purpose this time; not like in a Michael Bay film. The score perfectly accentuated these actions scenes. I love me a great, intense and epic score set to thrilling action. However, Hans Zimmer's score was better in The Dark Knight.
All of the actors were fantastic. They embodied their characters. They were so good in fact, that I got chills on two occasions - and chills for me equals immediate satisfaction. One of the parts is actually heard in the trailer and when heard it there I couldn't wait to see how it would relate to the film. Upon hearing it in the context of the film, I was chilly from my head to my toes. I don't want to give the parts away though. Inception is full of intense and memorable moments that will surely stick with any audience member.
Like I said before, Inception is a prime example of confident film making. If you even consider yourself a fan of cinema, even if you are just a casual movie-goer, you owe it to yourself to see this film on the big screen. Who knows, it may even inspire you to dream a little dream (or in the case of the film, a giant, epic dream). Inception is without a doubt the best movie of the year so far. It will be difficult to topple.
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