Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Bee Charmer Review: Inception

Hi everyone!

I know, I know, it's been quite a while since I've written. My sincere apologies for the delay - things have been a bit (more) chaotic than usual around here and suffice it to say, I haven't made it to the theatre recently... that is, until last night!

AND I am very happy to say, the return was a good one. My husband just returned from a stressful weekend in Richmond so we decided to treat ourselves to the University Mall Theatre in Fairfax, VA. University Mall is one of those cozy independent "Mom and Pop" cinemas that show only slightly out-dated flicks at a very inexpensive ticket price (just 3 dollars each!).

Last night's pick: the Leonardo DiCaprio- helmed sci/fi-fantasy, Inception. This one had been on my list for some time and was worth the wait! Much to our surprise, the theatre was packed (I'd say a very good sign for the longevity of the film.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard, and Tom Beringer, Inception is the story of a team of theives who steel information, secret information, sometimes information the subject is unaware they even know, from the subject's dreams. Sounds relatively simple right? All you have to do is hook yourself up to a machine, take a sedative, and poof! you are sharing in the unconcious dream of another. Of course, as with all good stories there is always a complication: enter, Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Cobb, and his homocidal wife, Mal (played by Marion Cotillard)- or is it just a projection of his wife?

Although I rarely comment on a film's director (well, aside from the Coen Brothers and Quentin Tarantino), I think in this case it is worth mentioning. Inception was directed by Christopher Nolan, the genious behind the revised adaptations of Batman (Batman Begins and The Dark Knight) and such mind-bending films as Memento, and therefore, it stands to reason, this film embodies top-notch direction. Nolan may be on the fast-track to becoming one of my favorite directors.

The other day I picked up my husband's copy of Forbes magazine and came across a quote which really sums it up:

"I have a foolproof device for judging whether a picture is good or bad. If my fanny squirms, it's bad. If my fanny doesn't squirm, it's good."

- Harry Cohn, former American president and production director of Columbia Pictures.

I can say, for the entirety of the film my fanny did not squirm, not once. I felt glued to my seat, eyes squarely focused on the sites and sounds of the screen, and my mind completing a series of gymanastics in an attempt to follow the incredibly detailed and well, almost entirely original idea.

It should be noted, however, that some similarities (intentional or unintentional) do exist. Off the top of my head, as I was watching Cobb and his dream-altering team navigate various levels in the unconcious mind of their target, the films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and What Dreams May Come came to my mind. (Insert shameless plug here, if you liked Inception, might recommend the former two).

Inception is recommended for fans of Christopher Nolan and those interested in the exploring the possibilities that exist in the human mind. Strap yourself in for one mind-expanding journey!

The Bee Charmer Review: A