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Inception

Buzz says:   MPAA Rating: PG-13
Current Showtimes:

Carmike Beverly Cinema 18

• 12:45pm
• 3:55
• 7:05

Goodrich Savoy 16 Theater

• 12:00pm
• 3:05
• 6:10
• 9:15

Where do dreams come from? Is it our mind trying to send us a message, or is it simply a concoction of our everyday life amalgamated into a bizarre world? Take this extremely pedestrian idea one step further; what if you could enter the dreams of other humans? What would the consequences be?

If it was possible to enter other people’s dreams, one thing is for sure; I am hanging out in Christopher Nolan’s dreams. With Inception, he has proved that his way of thinking is so far above and beyond the average Hollywood writer-director, that I’m already anxiously anticipating his next movie.

This won’t be your usual review because I downright refuse to give you any plot synopsis whatsoever. There are two reasons for this: 1. I do not want to spoil any of the films wonderful surprises, and 2. I would need about 2,500 words just to give a basic outline as to what is going on in this film. That’s not to say the movie is impenetrable. In fact, Nolan lays out all of the rules of his universe very plainly, it’s just that a lot of information is going to come flying at you over the course of the 148 minute running time. The movie requires full attention, so much so that if you lose yourself for only five minutes, you will probably be a little lost as to what's going on. Personally, I found Inception to be so darn entertaining that forcing myself to pay attention wasn't necessary.

One aspect of Nolan’s directorial talents that I feel never gets enough credit is his ability to procure great performances out of the actors. Think about it — with Insomnia, he got fantastic performances out of the serial screamer, Al Pacino, and the serial whackadoo, Robin Williams. I’m still unsure how Gary Oldman wasn’t at least nominated for his portrayal of James Gordon. And Inception is his best-acted movie yet.

DiCaprio, as Cobb, is essentially our guide through this labyrinth of a world, and he also serves as the emotional core of the film. It’s a typical great performance by him, albeit slightly similar to his turn in Shutter Island. Rounding out the cast is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who pulls a Matt Damon and becomes a badass action star seemingly out of nowhere. Ellen Page is the dream world neophyte who learns about Cobb’s dirty secret and tries to help him through his dilemma. And Tom Hardy, who can embody other identities in the dreams, steals the show with his flippant yet likeable approach.

Nolan is often criticized for his direction (or, in the opinion of his detractors, misdirection) of action scenes. While I can admit to not being blown away by some of his editing decisions in Batman Begins (in that he cut shots way too quickly) it seemed that he had improved with The Dark Knight. Inception takes his talents one step further, and delivers many exciting, and well directed, action beats. The only reason I bring this up is because of the show stopping, unforgettable fight sequence that takes place in a rotating hotel hallway. Absolutely breathtaking. It’s one of those scenes that will make you glad that you paid $10 to enter a movie theater and sit uncomfortably close to a total stranger.

For a heist movie with science fiction elements and many, many explosions, Inception has a lot of heart. The final shot of the film is so emotionally powerful and resonant, while also sure to spark intense debate amongst the people you see the movie with, shows that Nolan has grown as a filmmaker. The collective reaction from my audience when the screen cut to black was the most homogenous I have heard in a theater.

In a summer where the idea that Hollywood doesn’t know how to make summer blockbusters anymore is becoming painfully accurate, Inception has swept in and shown us that a movie with gunfights can also be intelligent and painstaking. After the crimes perpetrated against The Dark Knight at the Academy Awards last year, I cannot imagine Inception not being recognized in some capacity. This is the best original (i.e. not a sequel or based on a property) blockbuster that’s been released in a long time. Nolan took all the clout he received after The Dark Knight and delivered a film well worth seeing on the big screen. The movie demands to be seen multiple times, just so you can fully grasp every layer that it has to offer. You’ll probably see me there, and if you do, wave and say hello.