Inception

                 So, update on my quest to actually know what I'm talking about when I make posts about the Oscars. So far I have seen seven of the ten films nominated for best picture. All that remains are True Grit, The Kid's are All Right, and...sigh... The King's Speech. I only haven't seen True Grit yet because I'm planning to see it with friends on Monday or Tuesday. The King's Speech is a film I've been avoiding for all the reasons I've detailed in various other posts, and I just watched the trailer for The Kids Are All Right and it looks like the kind of movie I have less than no interest in watching. However in the interest of being fair I will go and watch every movie nominated for best picture, as well as the films that have actors and actresses nominated for those relevant awards. So let's get this show on the road. This review is for one of my favorite movies this year, Christopher Nolan's Inception.



              This showed up on my top five of the year list for a reason. I've talked about how good this movie before, but I'll try and explain in greater detail here exactly why this is such an incredible piece of art. Entering this movie is like entering into a dream (duh). From the trailer, you might have been led to believe that this is a science fiction film. You would be wrong.
              The movie is about a man named Cobb. He enters people's dreams and steals their secrets from their unconscious minds. He can't go back to the US and see his kids for reasons that are best left to the film to explain. He takes one last job for very important people that can send him home. This job is to make inception, planting an idea in another person's mind. I really don't want to explain the plot any more than that, and even that might be too much.
               As you may have heard by now, part of the movie is about venturing deeper and deeper through different levels of dreaming (a dream within a dream within a dream). As we go deeper and deeper into the characters subconscious minds we rip them bare, expose their flaws and secrets and examine them. Science fiction takes parts of the universe apart and examines them. Inception takes it's main characters apart and examines them. It's an incredible journey that has to be seen.
              The Social Network was about the dialogue, it's wonderful, beautiful dialogue. We explored the characters through their words and facial expressions, which is honestly the only way that film could be made. I mean, we already know the story going into the film. "Two tickets for the movie about the guy who makes Facebook then gets sued by everybody he knows please."
               Inception is a pure masterpiece of storytelling. It's a story which is honestly like no other, and the characters are perfectly brought to life through their intricate backgrounds and the decisions they make throughout the story. Once again, you just have to see it.

               One final comparison to The Social Network. I mentioned that the final shot of the film gave the ultimate catharsis, gave the film meaning and purpose, and made the movie's least relatable character into its most human. I repeat, the final shot gives the film its catharsis.

                Inception's final shot changes everything about the movie, and it does so in a way that doesn't feel tacky or unfair. It's honestly the only way they could have ended the movie. It's the only way they could have made a masterpiece.

4/4 stars.

Alex Johnston