Christopher Nolan's Inception

[bosef982]

The thing is, why would the WB embargo good reviews? If they're worried about certain plot bits being spoiled, embargo reviewers from saying it.

Early, positive reviews will help Inception. I mean, Paramount realized they had a good movie on their hands when they let reviewers publish early reviews of Star Trek -- that and good WOM gave it tremendous legs.

You embargo good reviews as close to the release date to possible so you don't blow your load early. Basically, think about it, if everyone is raving about it now online and then we have to wait three weeks, the hype machine loses momentum.

Have a slew of positive reviews take over the internet a week or so before the movie opens, hype remains high and your opening weekend is larger and more solid.

It's a smart move, because unlike Star Trek they don't have franchise power here. Plus, Paramount let those reviews drop because they wanted to assuage hardcore Trekkie fans fears while also tempting non-fans back in, and that was going to take quite a lot of marketing work.

Here, WB has to play it safe. It's the first time in a long while that it's released an original high-concept film with no prior franchise or proven market (outside of Nolan fans and TDK fans) attached to it. Even look at Avatar, which had Cameron's name and Terminator attached to every trailer to try and tap into the proven market for those films. So, they're going to delay as much as possible and create a fervor of mystery and hype that gets people to the theaters opening weekend to see this.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Listing all of Cameron's prior movies on the Avatar ads was a good idea so that it can get a new generation of fans interested in watching his previous flicks.

 

[bosef982]

OMG, I wish I still worked at the movie theater.

Those posters are amazin'

I hate to do this TNC, but my buddy does...and they're amazing. He sent me two. Bless his heart.

 

[TNC9852002]

I hate to do this TNC, but my buddy does...and they're amazing. He sent me two. Bless his heart.

If I had the time I would try and go back and work there (I've got seniority), but I really don't think I can go back and do it anyore..

On the other hand, next summer is gonna be loaded with blockbusters..

 

[bosef982]

I think he's reached the point--or will, after Inception blows up at the BO, that he'll be able to sell by name alone--just like the others I mentioned.

I agree. It's hard to get to a "name" only, but even Cameron needed it, as does Ridley Scott. Film buffs know these names, general audiences don't. They know the movies.

Only director I can really think that rides on name only almost everytime is Spielberg. Even JJ Abrams is only NOW getting to a somewhat good place where he can sell it on his name alone.

Give Nolan, TDK, Inception, and possibly Batman 3, and he'll sell on his name alone. His movies also tend to be a bit focused and niche, which makes it hard to sell him on name alone.

I also believe that Nolan will go down with Kubrick, Preminger, and Hitchcock as masters of the form and people who pushed cinema not technically, but theoretically into a different plane. We're really fortunate to be living in a time at our ages where we get to see the rise of someone who could be the next "cinema great" and it couldn't happen to a more talent, no nonsense, stand-up guy.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Don't forget PTA, Darren Aronofsky, Fincher, Tarrantino, the Wachowskis, and Chan-wook Park. We film buffs are very lucky right now.

 

[Kane52630]

check out my new avy

 

[craigdbfan]

Awesome.

Ken

 

[bosef982]

Don't forget PTA, Darren Aronofsky, Fincher, Tarrantino, the Wachowskis, and Chan-wook Park. We film buffs are very lucky right now.

Hmmm...

PTA and Aronofsky I agree, (although I think we need more from Mr. Darren).

Fincher I like. He's good, but not auteur level, IMHO.

The Whchowskis are the same way. THey had a wonderful thing with Matrix, but they haven't shown the consistency I think it takes to stand with "The Greats."

CWP, I agree.

Tarantino, I do agree, but for some reason, I don't want to say he doesn't have class because it's not that exactly, it's just that -- it's like what the Supreme Court said about porn: "I can't define porn exactly, but I know it when I see it." It's hard to put into words what makes someone a cinema great, but you know it when you see it and I don't see it with Tarantino so much.

 

[Frosty81]

What watch does DiCaprio's character wear?

 

[HighFivingMF]

That looks to me like a wristwatch.

 

[Bunker]

check out my new avy

Asians.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Speed Racer I thought had more groundbreaking visuals than Avatar. The Wachowski's are great.

 

[TNC9852002]

Yeah, even the Wachowski's are known now without reference to The Matrix..

BTW, comparing Avatar to Speed Racer is a no-no.

 

[RichardMoore]

BTW, comparing Avatar to Speed Racer is a no-no.

I know. Speed Racer was much better.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Yet another thread page where we mention Avatar in a non related thread! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!

 

[HighFivingMF]

I know. Speed Racer was much better.

I wouldn't go that far, but they both indeed did suck.

 

[Kane52630]

I wouldn't go that far, but they both indeed did suck.

look at this cool hipster ^

 

[lukey37]

I’ll say no more, except that Inception rewards the attention it demands…In this wildly ingenious chess game, grandmaster Nolan plants ideas in our heads that disturb and dazzle. The result is a knockout. But be warned: Inception dreams big. How cool is that?

A new quote from the Rolling Stone review.

 

[GoblinWhirlwind]

^^^ Sounds great.

 

[flickchick85]

LOL is Travers' review just gonna leak 3 sentences at a time 'till it's all out there?

Seriously though, sounds great.

 

[redfirebird2008]

Good stuff here from an Empire writer named Damon Wise:

http://***********/yo_damo

Hmm: Inception has screened in Amsterdam. Source: "It is, hands-down, the best thing Nolan has ever done..."

(My source saw The Dark Knight half a dozen times...)

(And does not work for Warner Bros)

 

[HighFivingMF]

look at this cool hipster ^

Look at this delicious jelly donut. ^

 

[rashad]

IMAX Spot
[YT]uwyJfuM-ViA[/YT]

Features one new snippet of footage.

 

[Bunker]

You can just tell Travers writes his reviews with TV spot quotes in mind.

A KNOCKOUT!

THE MOVIE EVENT OF THE SUMMER!

MIND-BLOWING!

Oh cool.