Christopher Nolan's Inception

[Figs]

Reading up about Inception ruins the movie. Just go in with blinders on and enjoy but please don't wear the rose-colored Nolan glasses that some of his fans do. Judge the movie fairly and decide if you dig it or not. I dug it. It's a movie I can't stop thinking about. (partly because it's so f**king confusing)

I don't understand the arguements that the ending is a cheat. Whats so cheaty (a made up word, I know) about the ending? It's a fun ending that has you questioning everything that just happened. The movie is about questioning reality so it fits. It doesn't feel cheap or tacked on at all too me.

Thank you! It's not a cheat, it's just that some people can't stand films that don't have complete and total closure that doesn't require them to have to think about the possibilities.

I think that it is valid to criticize the movie's never ending expostion and Ellen Paige's so-so performance but the ending and the fact that the dreams don't look surreal? I just don't understand those criticisims.

I agree that Page's performance was nothing special, she still has yet to impress me and I also agree that the criticisms about the movie not being surreal or having more fantasy type dreams going on aren't all that valid. Criticisms like those come down to what they wanted or how they would have done it. This was a heist film..that was set inside the subconscious, I think having super fantasy type elements would have clashed with the earlier tone set up.

The exposition I didn't mind since a lot of it was needed and without it, the movie would have been pretty damn confusing.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

gotcha,
though each character was rather short-lived in this movie, I thought every actor brought their A game to their part, which definitely helped the viewer engage more directly into this sporadic plot.

I didn't have a big problem with anyone in the movie (and I'm not a Fan of Leo so that is something!) but this wasn't a performance film to me. I mean if I were running an Award show nobody would be nominated because the film just isn't about it's performances IMHO. Lets me make this clear, I'm not saying that the acting wasn't good but none of it was wow worthy. I just wanted to get it clear before somebody misread me.

 

[Nivek]

It's a damn shame to hear the tone some people take toward this film, it's like they are just eager to "stick it to Nolan fans" because of some personal slight during the release of TDK. Between that and the Avatar snipes, you think it was 8 year olds having a conversation instead of people well into their 20's-30's...

 

[Figs]

That and besides a few dreams, most of mine usually happen from places of memory in my dreams.

Same here. Although everyone has different dreams, the majority of mine that I can remember were never in some la-la/fu-fu land with unicorns and monsters running about. If any of my dreams involved some kind of creature it was the one in whatever horror film I might have watched that night.

Not every movie that involves dreams has to be fantasy like.

 

[luke1234]

I didn't have a big problem with anyone in the movie (and I'm not a Fan of Leo so that is something!) but this wasn't a performance film to me. I mean if I were running an Award show nobody would be nominated because the film just isn't about it's performances IMHO. Lets get the clear, I'm not saying that the acting wasn't good but none of it was wow worthy. I just wanted to get it clear before somebody misread me.

I hear you clearly. I doubt there will be any oscar consideration. Each actor got done what they needed to do for the plot to move forward. Whether it was the haunting peformance by Marion or Cillian's relationship with his father, none of it really stood out past Nolan's initial vision.

 

[CelticPredator]

This movie was confusing to some? Eh...I dunno, I didnt think of it as confusing....just thought provoking . Makes you think. But it was pretty easy to understand, all things considered.

 

[Figs]

When it comes to the Oscars, the only nominations I think it should get are, Best Picture, Best Director, Special Effects and maybe Editing.

It's a damn shame to hear the tone some people take toward this film, it's like they are just eager to "stick it to Nolan fans" because of some personal slight during the release of TDK. Between that and the Avatar snipes, you think it was 8 year olds having a conversation instead of people well into their 20's-30's...

That's why it can kind of suck to be a huge Nolan fan, you can easily get mixed up with the group that's to obsessive and thinks that he's untouchable and all his films are perfect. So far he's in my top 10 favorite directors and if he keeps up with making movies like these, he could easily make it into my top 5 down the road.

 

[luke1234]

When it comes to the Oscars, the only nominations I think it should get are, Best Picture, Best Director, Special Effects and maybe Editing.

Pending on future releases I think Cinematography may hop in there. Though i do think Wally has done better with TDK and the Prestige.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I think Nolan deserves a Best Director and Best Original Screenplay nomination also. Possibly Best Musical Score, also.

 

[Frodo]

I may be off of what your saying. But the dreams are not suppose to look surreal. They are suppose to trick the mark that it is reality. That is the point.

That and besides a few dreams, most of mine usually happen from places of memory in my dreams.

I agree. I heard the complaint that the dreams weren't zany enough on the At the movies review of the film. Dreams aren't uniform. Everyone has different types of dreams . Some dreams are zany and off the wall were as others are as realistic as possible. It depends on the person. The critique just sounds like reaching or it sounds like judgeing because it's not interpretating dreams the way the critic would.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

When it comes to the Oscars, the only nominations I think it should get are, Best Picture, Best Director, Special Effects and maybe Editing.

Add in music and I'm with you 100 percent.

The movie did not feel too long to me either and this is coming from somebody who thought that TDK and Batman Begins were too damn long. It all comes down to how you use your time and the movie just used it's time better than those flicks IMHO.

 

[redhawk23]

I don't know I think I'll have to go with ISEESPIDEY on this one, I wasn't all that impressed with Paige in this one. Although this may have more to do with the bad aftertasted I had after I read the Hero Complex interview with her and JGL. She seemed really up on her self.

 

[Fenrir]

I realize we're all excited to see Nolan work on new things, but suggesting Batman is beneath him as an artist is getting kinda ridiculous. More than half his work have been adaptations. Every film he's done, while meddling in a few different genres, have all relatively dealt with very particular themes. He's a precise director and clearly a man of vast creative talent. Original or not, Batman as a character fits his sensibilities like a glove.

We all want great movies from him, but let's not pretend like this guy is on Spielberg-levels in churning out original properties on a consistent basis. We should be more worried about whether Nolan repeats material. Despite working on a sequel, he hasn't. I don't remotely feel like I'm missing out on something great when Nolan takes his time to work on Batman. Every film he's done has improved on the predecessor in some form. So I'm quite confident with him working on B3. I have a good feeling he'll elevate things further. It's not about the material, it's about what you do with it.

Abso-f**king'-lutely agree. I can't help but roll my eyes whenever someone says that Nolan is not an ideal director for Batman. Batfans should count their blessings in this regard. Honestly, I still can't put a finger on any film in the past decade that speaks so vividly and uncompromisingly about post-9/11 America than The Dark Knight. And what completely caught me off-guard about it was how natural it felt to the overall narrative and the peculiarities of Batman. It wasn't forced on the story by Nolan to make some kind of political statement like many other directors are guilty of in their films. Honestly, even today while watching The Dark Knight, I am still in awe of how Nolan managed to make his Batman story both relatively faithful to the source material and socially relevant to the world outside the big screen. To many so-called comic book 'purists', such social commentary is anathema in a superhero film, which is ironic since there are clear and deliberate parallels to real life issues in superhero comics, whether it is in the form of Superman's origins resembling the Biblical tale of Moses, the everyday woes of Peter Parker or the call for tolerance and an egalitarian society in X-Men.

If you focus on Nolan's filmography, it becomes clear that he is attracted to a very specific and narrow collection of themes and characters. And like you said, Batman fits that like a glove.

 

[Longshot777]

I'm with the fans who agrees that the "Totem" fell.


I mean don't you guys think IF IT DIDN'T, then the whole movie is like a BIG F**# YOU to the audience???

It means all those rules that were created throughout will be MEANINGLESS.


The Totem has to fall or there will be no point to that 3 hour movie.


Memento was a great ending, because even if the character was still in denial at the end...the rest of the movie still has a purpose and still has to progress to get at that ending.

If the Totem did not fall then the whole movie will just be cool special effects and smart dialogue about dreams with rules that doesn't matter.

 

[Crook]

The film definitely deserves a Best Cinematography nomination, as well. I thought the city scenes looked fantastic, and the little we saw of the heightened dream worlds.

 

[luke1234]

I personally thought the editing was one of the best parts about this film. You have 4 different scenes going on at the same time, with events that effect all of them. Bravo.

I dont know if the score will get any recognition because besides these boards ive been hearing many complaints that the film has been overscored and found some of the music too distracting. For me however, I am the complete opposite. I thought the score and the editing worked together to push the tension on the viewer as time kept running out.

 

[Solidus]

Yea I SEE SPIDEY I was confused at first but after I posted it I realized what you were saying. My mistake.

And for Crook's post that was quoted above, I agree with ya Crook, good post.

 

[CFE]

Just got back...I'm writing my review of the film now.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I don't know I think I'll have to go with ISEESPIDEY on this one, I wasn't all that impressed with Paige in this one. Although this may have more to do with the bad aftertasted I had after I read the Hero Complex interview with her and JGL. She seemed really up on her self.

Didn't read that interview. I'm not trying to get into the bash the female lead fanboy game because I do hate that and I thought she pulled off some scenes well but overall she was just eh to me. My mom really seemed to not like her in the film.

Because it's fun and tragic I look at the ending as Cobb's ultimate dream.

 

[luke1234]

I'm with the fans who agrees that the "Totem" fell.


I mean don't you guys think IF IT DIDN'T, then the whole movie is like a BIG F**# YOU to the audience???

It means all those rules that were created throughout will be MEANINGLESS.


The Totem has to fall or there will be no point to that 3 hour movie.


Memento was a great ending, because even if the character was still in denial at the end...the rest of the movie still has a purpose and still has to progress to get at that ending.

If the Totem did not fall then the whole movie will just be cool special effects and smart dialogue about dreams with rules that doesn't matter.

Ehh not true, I think we have to think along the lines of Cobb's journey.

Spoiler

For the first time in the movie he didnt care if the totem fell or not all he cared about was seeing his children's faces. After releasing Mal from his mind he was able to. It was as much as an internal struggle as it was an external heist.

 

[redhawk23]

you know unless a movie absolutely deserves it, i hate when one movie sweeps everything. Its like they get most of the awards from shear momentum and notoriaty than from merit. For instance some of the smaller awards that Slumdog millianare got I don't anyway believe they deserved.

 

[luke1234]

you know unless a movie absolutely deserves it, i hate when one movie sweeps everything. Its like they get most of the awards from shear momentum and notoriaty than from merit. For instance some of the smaller awards that Slumdog millianare got I don't anyway believe they deserved.

agreed. Ugh that movie pissed me off.

 

[rashad]

WIRED: How Inception’s Astonishing Visuals Came to Life
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/07/inception-visual-effects

 

[redhawk23]

Didn't read that interview. I'm not trying to get into the bash the female lead fanboy game because I do hate that and I thought she pulled off some scenes well but overall she was just eh to me. My mom really seemed to not like her in the film.

i'm not trying to bash her, I thought she was ok in the movie, there are other movies I thought she was awesome in. I don't know just somtimes she rubs me the wrong way.

 

[Mr. Earle]

Earle no offense, but come on, you haven't even seen the film. You should feel guilty to have caved in. I would hate myself for doing that. There's nothing worse than watching a film and knowing everything that will happen. The magic is gone.

Inception opens here August 17 or something like that. How can i wait till then? I just cant. I had to spoil myself. Its not like this movie had any twists and turns so yeah, i lost a bit of magic, but its ok.

Well, I dunno about Nolan's movies. The construction is used just so, that you can find a lot of things to ponder on and enjoy even though you know the entire story going in.

If you knew about Sixth Sense's twist going in, there's nothing else much to ponder on besides looking for the clues that Shyamalan drops in the movie. Here, you can keep on pondering because it's just THAT ambiguous.

Agreed.

But seriously Mr. Earle, those plot things really are minor details that don't have anything to do with Inception's core story.

Yeah i know. They are just some questions that i have from watching all of you discuss the movie.