Inception

LuminousSpecter · July 2010

Christopher Nolan really made something special when he came up with Inception. This movie is the closest thing to another Matrix that we've seen since (really) 2003's The Matrix Revolutions. In many ways, at least.

What are your thoughts on Inception?

I loved it and can't wait to see it again!

DJJoeJoe · July 2010

I definitely came out of the theater with the same feeling(as that of the matrix, yes even reloaded and revolutions), but it is a movie on it's own. Most people are or were assuming it would be the Matrix in it's mind blowing-ness, but it's very much a different kinda of movie. Way more intellectual focused then spectacle, even though it has it's far share and then some of great action. It doesn't have that classic matrix moment lots of people had where they were utterly blown away by now knowing how most of the bullet time stuff was done and that it was even possible up to that point. Inception doesn't really have THAT sort of thrill, but it gets close in that department and adds a massively dense sci-fi world around all that while telling a tale on multiple levels. Like memento in that there is many things going on though still it's own thing through and through. I really look forward to seeing the film again in IMAX, then again, and again, and again.

Most of the characters in the movie have names that hint that their role in the story. Ariadne, for example, hints at the classic Ariadne Thread and the method of solving a maze or puzzle.

Tsunamia · July 2010

I was impressed with how Nolan was able to have something this complex be as entertaining and coherent as it was. He did a really good job explaining the world clearly and keeping things, relatively, simple.

There is only two things I'm not sure of but they didn't impact my enjoyment of the film.

oneironaut · July 2010

The movie was wonderful and I can't wait to see it again. Christopher Nolan did a brilliant job playing with dreams and memories. And from everyone I've talked to about this film it seems their audience reacted the same as mine with a roar erupting as Nolan cut to black. Well done sir.

LuminousSpecter · July 2010

Just saw it for my second time, this time on IMAX. It is all a lot more clear the second time through, and even stronger. It's solidified it's place as one of my favorite movies this year, and perhaps of the last couple of years.

DJJoeJoe · July 2010

Did Video Games Help Me Accept Inception's Ending?

I accept both as true. I don't see a mystery; I see a valid branching that leads to two equally valid realities. Is that what happens to those of us who consume not just books that traditionally have only one ending, but video games, which commonly have two or more?

Good quick article on games possibly having an affect on your understanding and acceptance of the ending. In my mind the ending provided is the only one possible, showing one or the other fully would diminish the weight of the ending and thus most of the movie, the point is that it doesn't matter anymore for Cobb. He's constantly questioning reality because he can only truly value something if he thinks it's real, seeing his kids faces again eliminates this need because THAT is what he values. Whether it's 'real' or his mind doesn't matter for him once he sees them.

Sciron · July 2010

Spoilers:

So what did you guys think about the last few seconds? I've heard a lot of people who agree with the whole 'it was all a dream' thing. Some saying Michael Caine was performing the inception on Leo so help him come to grips with his wife's suicide. I don't buy it. I still think the final reveal was down in limbo.

Going to see it again this weekend. Absolutely loved every second of this movie.

Tsunamia · July 2010

I don't think it was all a dream.

Maybe the ending is a dream but not the whole film.

Just think how convoluted that would be if the whole film was in Cobb's mind.

We see Cobb's totem fall down in the real world. Do totem's even work? It's a long dream, they would need sedatives right? But Aurthur is killed in the opening dream and doesn't go to limbo. Maybe Arthur isn't sedated. Can you exit and re-enter a dream? Maybe going to Limbo when you die isn't true because it's all a dream. But where did Fisher go when he is killed. Where do Saito and Fisher come from? Are they forger's like Eames or actually CEOs that just decide to play along in this inception of a total stranger. Maybe just projections of Cobb's mind. IF that's the case why does Eames need to spy on Fisher. Is Arthur and Eames real people? There is a few scenes in the film that have nothing to do with Cobb. Such as Arthur's zero G scenes. If Aurthur isn't real why is that scene shown.

Messy.

They setup these rules on how dreams work, what roles each person plays, how the dreams are layered, totems, kicks, limbo, etc... In order for the 'it was all a dream' scenario to work all those rules would be thrown away. That wouldn't be cleaver mis-direction; that would be poor narrative. And I give Nolan more credit than that.

If you want to say that Cobb didn't wake up from the Fisher inception and is now in a coma dreaming about his kids. OK. That's fine. I won't argue with that. I don't think that's what happened. I think it's real. But I'm not going to argue because I can't win. There's no proof so both ending are equally valid.

DJJoeJoe · July 2010

Tsunamia wrote: »

I think it's real. But I'm not going to argue because I can't win. There's no proof so both ending are equally valid.

Yup, also it's not really the point to argue. Should be talking about what the movie means to you etc. Is life a dream, do you remember where you came from or did you just start remembering as you went etc. Does it really matter as long as you're happy?

Eyeamthu1 · July 2010

Theorising about the ending is fine. And there are things in the movie that could be used to form a decent argument either way. But people shouldn't be trying to work it out. That isn't the point. If the movie was designed to let us know he was awake, Nolan would have shown the totem dropping. The whole point is that we don't know, and that Cobb doesn't care -- he is happy and has accepted his reality, whatever it is. Again, it is fine to theorise, but I don't understand why people are seeking a definite answer they seem to think is tucked away somewhere. I loved the ambiguity personally.

Sciron · July 2010

I'm going with this:

http://revolvingdoorproject.net/2010/07/23/inception-what-happened-at-the-end/

Sciron · July 2010

Awesome...already with the bots.

DJJoeJoe · July 2010

Hey Spectre, throw some captcha on the registration if there isn't currently :S

DJJoeJoe · August 2010

LuminousSpecter · August 2010

I like the idea that Cobb is fine with the reality in which he finally finds himself. He leaves the top spinning and walks away... and that's a great thing.

I also read in an interview with a costume designer that the children are wearing different clothing for the last shot of the film. People have also noticed something about Cobb's wedding ring, which is a pretty cool clue. What gets me is when people don't understand that the ending is vague for a reason. The movie does it's job well, and does what it is supposed to: it gets people talking and repeated viewings. Plus, it's got enough of a mind-bending plot that holds your attention while also having a story whose end goal is so important that when it is achieved the whole audience is there with him emotionally. I don't know about you guys but I got chills when we finally saw the faces of the children. It was a very emotionally satisfying moment.

odj · August 2010

DJJoeJoe wrote: »

ghostshoots · August 2010

Eyeamthu1 wrote: »

Theorising about the ending is fine. And there are things in the movie that could be used to form a decent argument either way. But people shouldn't be trying to work it out. That isn't the point. If the movie was designed to let us know he was awake, Nolan would have shown the totem dropping. The whole point is that we don't know, and that Cobb doesn't care -- he is happy and has accepted his reality, whatever it is. Again, it is fine to theorise, but I don't understand why people are seeking a definite answer they seem to think is tucked away somewhere. I loved the ambiguity personally.

agreed. I left the theatre completely satisfied and without questioning whether it was all a dream or not. What's important is that Cobb accepts it as reality. Whether it is or not is irrelevant and Nolan purposefully intended us not to know or be able to figure it out. Many people seem to think the ending is austentacious, but it's thematically crucial.

Blind Messiah · August 2010

I must admit my first thought when the first scene popped onscreen with DiCaprio on the shore I laughed to myself thinking it was some sort of Titanic 2, but then again, I had to put my thinking cap on and enjoy the ride.
Despite being a great movie, I didn't quite had a speed I wanted it to, not that it was slow or fast, but that it just wasn't accurate to my inner timing on how I would have done things if I were Nolan, or the editor, most likely. I know that the whole timing thing was pretty much calculated proportionally and all, but I just had that thing ticking inside saying some parts were redundant and others would have been cool if extended.
I personally thought it was all a dream when I saw it, but then having a coffee with my friends after we came out of the theater we talked about it for quite some time about basically the fact that between the Fischer dream and the landing there was a time a second dream could be entered, in this case, Cobb's; then again I'm unsure as to whether or not he's dreaming, after reading the article Sciron shared.
'Knowing' the answer won't change my idea of it being an awesome movie, or would un-feel the thrill I got while the watching, so I'm pretty cool with having a movie that totally provokes things like this one, more talking, more viewings and actually the mental workout that totally makes me feel alive.
Am I the only one that fell in love with the opening sequences located in the oriental setting? It was visually stunning, the whole movie was, but my tow favorite visuals were those and the dream-bending sequence, reminded me a lot of MC Escher's work.

ghostshoots · August 2010

That's how i felt the first time, but I urge you to watch it again. The pacing makes complete sense. It's the odd dreamlike editing that had time feeling bizarre, imo. My favorite thing about this movie is just how well it captured the feeling of dreaming for me. On a purely thematic level, I think this movie is flawless.

mercury · September 2010

Initially I didn't want to see Inception. The trailer made it look like too many FX and not much of a story. By now I've seen it three times and absolutely love it!! It's not the kind of movie you can over-analyze like the Matrix. But it's much closer to home than the Matrix, because it's about dreams - and well, we all dream. So, it's easier to get involved here and wonder how any of that maybe applies to yourself.

I had a sort of revelation when thinking about the theme of the film. Minds are really easy to manipulate. You needn't even go into someone's dreams, let alone down to the third level, to do an inception. All that's required is that you plant the seed close enough to home and load it with enough deep emotional response. An idea suggested to you in your waking consciousness in a such way that you get strongly emotionally involved around it is an inception already. This is in fact how our everyday life works - this principle is applied every day in political debate as well as in the economy to get people to buy whatever you want to sell, be it ideologies or some kind of product.
Inception also happens every time when someone tells you something about yourself and hits a soft spot. Even remarks made on the side can be seeds that fall on fertile soil if there is enough emotion to be stirred. Simple silly remarks can change the selfimage of a person. Slowly, slowly over time they grow and change your life - for the better or worse.

So, this is the train of thought that this movie brought to me. In the breaks between the viewings of Inception I also had the chance to see Shutter Island - which again beautifully and emotionally tells a story about the fragility of the human mind and leaves you wondering in the end which part of the story is true. More mind bending stuff. It all added up to a great process of understanding the nature of the mind, and perhaps the nature of the reality we live in, much better. I love films that can do that!

LuminousSpecter · February 2012

I just watched Inception again on Blu-ray and I gotta say... I want more original films from Christopher Nolan. Inception is truly still as mind blowing as it was the first few times I watched it. I've been working on my own version of the Matrix sequels and in my dreams (...) Chris Nolan would executive produce the films and co-write them.

I didn't realize it at first, but my concept for the sequels has the Agents become kind of like the subconscious people in the mind. And as Agent Smith takes over more and more... that's more and more dangerous people for Neo and the rest to have to sneak past while freeing minds.

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