So I watched Inception last week Wednesday, haven't had the time to write my entry, but here goes.
If there was one film I was anticipating this year, more than any other it was this film. It only requires one name and man to make me want to watch it and that name is Christopher Nolan. The first film I watched of his was Memento a psychological detective thriller, told backwards. I film I adore and still talk about when I can. A film he co wrote with his brother. He has done several other films, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige then his most successful film The Dark Knight.
The script was 10 years in the making, started off as a small pitch to the studios, but Nolan decided he needed to get a few films under his belt before making this high concept film. Now with a much higher budget he has gone all out to create an ambitious spectacle. It was Awesome!
It’s a film I would not divulge too much, as I’m always an advocate to know as little as possible before entering a movie. However, I can say it’s like a heist movie, but in people’s dreams. That’s all you need to know, go watch it!
*************SPOILERS*************
So what the hell was all that about then? What was up with the ending? Thank you Nolan, you big tease! Similar to Ridley’s Scott Bladerunner ending, it was left open. In Bladerunner it questioned whether Deckard was a replicant or not. Although it was apparent that the film provided enough clues to determined that he was a replicant, but can still be interpretated that he wasn’t. The choice is ultimately for the viewer to decide, even if the Director Ridley Scott confirmed it, you can still choose to decide otherwise. Inception does something very similar.
Cobb’s totem a spinning top a device to determine whether it’s a reality or a dream, if it spins indefinitely the space Cobb is living is a dream world and not actually reality. The final shot of the movie, where Cobb finally reunites with his kids, after completing a dangerous and mind bending dream inception. He spins the top and is interrupted by his kids, and the camera slowly pans down to the top still spinning, still spinning, keeps on spinning….. a slight wobble? Cut to credits…. ARRRGGHHHH!
I love to think that it is reality when he is reunited with his kids. I know they are wearing the same clothes, they have not aged, but still the totem wobbled!! However if he is still dreaming, my god it opens up to a lot of freaking questions and complex analysis; too much for my brain to handle, but I'll have a go.
Was anywhere in the movie shown to be actual reality? Argument for this is that Cobb’s totem falls a number of times throughout the movie, which suggest this is reality. However this could still be his own dream, as if you think about it, if it’s his dream and only he knows how the top works himself, he can dream whatever he wishes.
There is a theory that Cobb was the actual target and not Fischer, in that it was an attempt to implant an idea into Cobbs mind. What old Saito says at the end about taking a leap of faith, was suggested to him to mirror what happened to Mal, saying you need to kill yourself to wake up. Subtle take of placing the idea, but ultimately failing. If that's the case it could also mean Mal is alive. It could just be that Saito was talking about shooting himself.
If there was one film I was anticipating this year, more than any other it was this film. It only requires one name and man to make me want to watch it and that name is Christopher Nolan. The first film I watched of his was Memento a psychological detective thriller, told backwards. I film I adore and still talk about when I can. A film he co wrote with his brother. He has done several other films, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige then his most successful film The Dark Knight.
The script was 10 years in the making, started off as a small pitch to the studios, but Nolan decided he needed to get a few films under his belt before making this high concept film. Now with a much higher budget he has gone all out to create an ambitious spectacle. It was Awesome!
It’s a film I would not divulge too much, as I’m always an advocate to know as little as possible before entering a movie. However, I can say it’s like a heist movie, but in people’s dreams. That’s all you need to know, go watch it!
*************SPOILERS*************
So what the hell was all that about then? What was up with the ending? Thank you Nolan, you big tease! Similar to Ridley’s Scott Bladerunner ending, it was left open. In Bladerunner it questioned whether Deckard was a replicant or not. Although it was apparent that the film provided enough clues to determined that he was a replicant, but can still be interpretated that he wasn’t. The choice is ultimately for the viewer to decide, even if the Director Ridley Scott confirmed it, you can still choose to decide otherwise. Inception does something very similar.
Cobb’s totem a spinning top a device to determine whether it’s a reality or a dream, if it spins indefinitely the space Cobb is living is a dream world and not actually reality. The final shot of the movie, where Cobb finally reunites with his kids, after completing a dangerous and mind bending dream inception. He spins the top and is interrupted by his kids, and the camera slowly pans down to the top still spinning, still spinning, keeps on spinning….. a slight wobble? Cut to credits…. ARRRGGHHHH!
I love to think that it is reality when he is reunited with his kids. I know they are wearing the same clothes, they have not aged, but still the totem wobbled!! However if he is still dreaming, my god it opens up to a lot of freaking questions and complex analysis; too much for my brain to handle, but I'll have a go.
Was anywhere in the movie shown to be actual reality? Argument for this is that Cobb’s totem falls a number of times throughout the movie, which suggest this is reality. However this could still be his own dream, as if you think about it, if it’s his dream and only he knows how the top works himself, he can dream whatever he wishes.
There is a theory that Cobb was the actual target and not Fischer, in that it was an attempt to implant an idea into Cobbs mind. What old Saito says at the end about taking a leap of faith, was suggested to him to mirror what happened to Mal, saying you need to kill yourself to wake up. Subtle take of placing the idea, but ultimately failing. If that's the case it could also mean Mal is alive. It could just be that Saito was talking about shooting himself.
Or that Cobb is still in limbo? We didn't actually get to see them shoot themselves and yet they simply woke up. I will need to watch the last few moments again to really see if there are any more clues. The only thing what are for this arguement would be his kids are still in the same clothes and have not aged (at least it's not obvious), and of course the totem was not shown to have completely fallen over.
Saying all this, I believe it is simply reality at the end and not a dream. I prefer it to be simple and not complicate an already deep complex movie. Nolan was just teasing us at the end.
Other things to mention. I like that it was paced like a dream as well, in that there was hardly any pause for thought, my dreams are always fast paced, jumping and sometimes incoherant. At least in this film, there was some focus, but sacrificing character development.
************END SPOILERS************
I don't particularly like Di Caprio, he has been in some great films, but as an actor, I just don't rate him. I can't really get emotionally behind any of his characters. Even Jack in Titanic, I felt was a bit annoying in how he was saying Rose's name. Although I was sad his character died in the end, only through Kate Winslets performance.
Reading some background on Inception. Nolan had wanted to work with the actor for a very long time, so this was the one he chose to do together. I was surprised, considering Nolan seems to work so well with Christian Bale.
The soundtrack, Hans Zimmer is the man, probably the best composer in the history of cinema. There was hardly any silent moments, it was a constant beat throughout the whole movie. I'm in two minds behind constant soundtrack over the movie to allowing for silent moments during speech etc. It works and it doesn't.
Music is to create and play on your emotions. If the music is constant then our emotions are constantly being played. Even during moments of exposition. Now it's no bad thing, but it can be very exhausting, especially considering this is not a short movie. However, considering the nature, complexity and cerebral nature of the movie, the constant soundtrack works. I think there must have been only a few silent moments in the whole movie, like one I particularly remember was just before the mini shock when Ellen Page's character (forgot her name) went to the basement of Cobb's dream. It's actually quite masterful.
There were a few stand out actors, I mean Leo did well I guess. It was the supporting cast that stood out though. Tom Hardy and Jospeh Gordan-Levitt come to mind.
Tom Hardy should be James Bond after Daniel Craig, when it came to his dream it was a bond movie in itself. I will check out Bronson who he stars in, which will show the acting range he has. Joseph Gordan-Levitt although his character was not very well developed, being the point man and the friend to Cobb was all he was. There was still a great performance of just being very straight, calm and damn right cool.
Others actors, such as Ken Wantanbe roles is what Chow Yun Fat should be doing, sigh. I don't know why his choices are so bad, even though his english is so much better. Ellen Page, did well and was looking pretty hot, she's turning into a promoising young star.
I might watch it again, possibly only again at IMAX and that's saying something to watch it again. I mean the only film I've seen twice in the cinema is Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. I did watch War of the Worlds twice, but only cause it was a very dodgy copy on dvd, so I had to go to the cinema to watch it, but I fell asleep in the cinema. :p
Anyway I definitely recommend the film if you hadn't noticed already. I would say the best film this year so far, after Kick Ass, which isn't saying much with regards to 2010 films.
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