Climbing Higher Pictures

There are very few directors working today who consistently create films that go above and beyond the hype associated with their release. After The Dark Knight, nobody thought that Christopher Nolan would ever be able to top the achievement of the 3rd highest grossing film of all time, and one of the best superhero movies ever made. Boy were we wrong. Careful, your brain may just blow out the back of your head with this one, so buckle in, pay attention, and enjoy the ride.

Inception Review

By Ryan Hamelin

Movie Grade: A+

My sincere apologies to Lee Unkrich, who would have had the greatest movie of the summer with Toy Story 3, had it not been for the fateful two hours I spent in a theater with Christopher Nolan’s latest cinematic endeavor. All things being equal, Toy Story 3 would trump Inception in the heartfelt category, as its emotional baggage is partially the product of terrific storytelling and partially the weight of over a decade of franchise wonderment. On the other hand, there are very few films in existence which could trump Inception from an intellectual and visceral standpoint, and the impressive orchestration of this singular experience is one of the many things which stick with you long after the credits roll.

In short, this is the movie you’ve been waiting for all summer. A film which takes a Hollywood budget, A-list actors, and a wholly original premise and delivers exceptionally in every category. It may be difficult to imagine a filmmaker trumping expectations leveled at him after the 3^rd highest grossing movie of all time (James Cameron’s recent success not withstanding) but as a follow up to his spectacular The Dark Knight, Inception proves once again just how incredible Mr. Nolan is as a filmmaker and as a storyteller. Within the first few minutes, you are no longer sitting in a dark projection room, you are inside a web of characters and dreams which are so compelling that you barely have time to stop and get your bearings. The action sequences alone are worth a full price admission, and the dreamscapes beg you to spend the extra effort and locate a legitimate IMAX screen. If you’re ready to restore your faith in film as we know it, now is as good a time as ever.

Probably what I find most interesting about the film is that general consensus says you need to see it multiple times to be able to form an opinion of it. Personally, my first experience with Inception has no issues with clarity in the slightest, but more with an overload of my major senses. It’s not hard to follow, in fact, that’s one of its more admirable qualities, as it allows the lowest common denominator that Hollywood is so careful to pander to the ability to keep up and enjoy the movie. How much you get out of it is completely up to you, and the challenge to look deeper and explore is what will keep you thinking about it for a long time. The writers do this rather artfully, imbedding a deep and twisted analysis of reality into the guise of a team heist movie, giving you both an emotionally and intellectually stimulating experience. The film is also, for the most part, completely spoiler proof, as I could describe to you everything that takes place and it still wouldn’t hold a candle to seeing it with your own eyes.

As for the cast, all that remains to be said is wow. Between this and Shutter Island, Leonardo DiCaprio better get an Oscar nomination or there is no justice in the world. Marion Cotillard Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon Levitt, and Thomas Hardy are each just as brilliant as you would hope they’d be, and Michael Caine’s small supporting turn will put a smile on your face. Nolan seems to be very fond of the actors he uses, and its nice to see such a cohesive ensemble who are already so comfortable with their director. Cillian Murphy is also wonderful here, reminding us that he can play as interesting a normal person as he can a madman. In a lot of ways, the film sinks or swims based on grounding its visuals with the actors, and they sell it so completely that you can’t help but be swept along for the ride.

Is this Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece? I don’t think anyone can make that judgment until the man stops one-upping himself. Kubrick had plenty of early failures too, and his streak of classics has yet to be toppled by any modern filmmaker. Now, is Nolan the next Kubrick? Having seen all of his directorial projects to date, it would be hard to argue that there is another filmmaker closer to that distinction. As a consummate professional, a perfectionist, and one of the greatest chess-masters working in the industry, Nolan has the innate ability to give the audience exactly what they want, and in the process, completely eclipse even their wildest expectations. You always walk out of the theater with the knowledge that what you just saw was even better than you could have hoped for, and that is the rare gift which truly sets him apart. I salute you sir, and am already anxious to witness your third and most likely final foray into the world of Batman.