Inception

Welcome to another episode of The "D" List.

Today's review is Inception. Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan.

100th review countdown.......#77

MPAA Rating : PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout.

Runtime : 148 min

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio - Cobb

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Arthur

Ellen Page - Ariadne

Tom Hardy - Eames

Ken Watanabe - Saito

Dileep Rao - Yusuf

Cillian Murphy - Robert Fischer, Jr.

Tom Berenger - Browning

Marion Cotillard     - Mal

Pete Postlethwaite - Maurice Fischer

Michael Caine - Miles


If you caught The Last Airbender review then there's no mistaking how I feel about M. Night Scam-alan's recent motion picture failure which once again was in part a byproduct of an insatiable ego. Combined with hackneyed screenwriting and a lackadaisical approach to handling and directing very raw talent. I went on about how the man needed to loosen the reigns and let some good people get involved in his films. If Night truly wants to learn how to pull this off there's one good way to do it.

WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dom Cobb is an extractor. He has the ability to enter a person's subconscious and steal their thoughts through their dreams. After a business meeting with Saito, a wealthy businessman, Cobb was propositioned to create an inception. An inception being the opposite of extraction. Instead of stealing a thought or idea Cobb has to plant one into someone. Cobb accepts for just the right price.

This is what you are led to believe when watching this film but instead you are duped. The movie you think you are going to see is not really there. What you end up seeing is BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christopher Nolan has once again outdone himself. The man is a magician in the director's chair. You sit in the theater and are enjoying what you are watching when "presto" the rug is pulled from your feet and the movie is turned upside down and takes you on a journey you never saw coming but feel satisfied that you took said journey. He has accomplished what Scam-alan couldn't after The Sixth Sense. He established the ability to remain CONSISTENT with his visions. It's been clear since day 1 with Nolan that he can write but he took his talent for the written word and expanded it to the camera and excelled at that. The man's imagination knows no bounds and he treats every moviegoer to a rich cinematic experience time and time again. The man can be described in 1 word.

COMPLETE!!!!!!!

Inception is filled with so much depth and emotion that you can't keep your eyes off the screen. It also doesn't hurt to have mind boggling special effects. I dare you to not be awed when you see Ariadne constructing her dream world. It's breathtaking. The story is also not overly complicated to follow. With a Nolan film you must be prepared to bring your brain because it will get a workout. In this case the complexity exists but he guides you along just enough that you can figure things out without feeling like a dummy. This doesn't mean that you can get up and go to the bathroom or get the last box of bon bons. The film demands your full attention and if you stay with it you will no be disappointed.

Which brings me to another aspect that Nolan excels in....

BALANCE!!!!!!

He knows how to blend a powerful story, terrific characters, a stunning score and special effects. Weave it together to create a storytelling experience that will have you and your friends talking for days. This is something that very few people in the biz have. Akira Kurosawa, Alfred Hitchcock, David Fincher, Frank Darabont, Peter Jackson and Quentin Tarantino are just a few names off the top of my head that possess the same attributes that Nolan displays with his films. Quite a who's who of some of cinema's greatest talents. He also has a wonderful eye for casting. The man masterfully finds a way to mold the people casted for his films and make you feel that they were always the right choice despite any disagreements with John Q Movie Fan.

Need proof? I have 2 words for you.......Heath Ledger.

I'm not sure what else to say about this film. All I know is that I plan to catch this one at least 1 more time and this time I will go see it in IMAX. A film this large in scale deserves to be seen in the format that he shot the film in anyway.

On the 5 star scale. Inception receives the full house, 5 stars. With a resounding, scream from the hilltops "WORTH EVERY PENNY!" recommendation. This movie is by far, hands down the film of the summer and quite possibly THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This film exceeded my expectations down to the basic level. That's not easy to do considering how I go into a film before I see it.

And with that I leave you with this final message.

GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will not be disappointed. In fact I stand by this opinion so much that I will offer the same deal I made you all when I reviewed Precious. If you go see this film and absolutely, unequivocally hate it, just present your ticket to me (to prove you actually went to see it) and I will give you your money back. The only condition I have aside from the ticket is a legitimate reason why you didn't like it. I'm confident just like last year that my wallet won't get lighter after you see this film.

That's all for today. Up next is Salt. Angelina Jolie's latest attempt to be the world's next action heroine.

Until Next Episode......"I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"