![]() ![]() The dreamer, or viewer, can't know they're in a dream, much like the illusion of the film experience is best left unbroken.Īs Roger said, “The film's hero tests a young architect by challenging her to create a maze, and Nolan tests us with his own dazzling maze. As Cobb and Ariadne ( Ellen Page) work through the concept of dream construction, it echoes the way Nolan views his art, embedding each layer of the film with different ideas, maybe even working his own way into the viewer’s imagination. “Inception” can very easily be read as a commentary on filmmaking. By the time he made “Inception,” Nolan had already fed this beast with films like “ Memento” and “ The Prestige,” but this takes it to another level by also serving as a commentary on puzzle box creation. It’s also a film that, for better or worse, served as a tentpole for our puzzle box culture, one that loves to analyze and interpret art to extremes never imagined before the internet (go Google "Inception Ending Interpretations" and come back in about 12 hours). Whether it’s Wally Pfister’s rich cinematography, one of Hans Zimmer’s best scores, or Lee Smith's sharp-but-never-hyperactive editing, there’s confidence in every frame. It’s constantly explaining what it is and what it’s doing in a way that should grind it to a halt-over-exposition is the death of the action blockbuster-and yet Nolan balances that with such robust, passionate filmmaking. ![]() The stunning trick of “Inception” is how Nolan made such a talky film that never drags. The reason it’s easy to get carried away by “Inception” is simple: it’s one of the most propulsive major blockbusters in history. "Inception" works best when you're not trying to parse exactly what's happening and when, and you allow the emotion and action to carry the experience. We don’t ask ourselves what dreams mean while we’re experiencing them-we simply ride them out. It’s an undeniably complex film narratively, even if that has been overblown-one that always feels like it’s a step ahead in terms of unpacking exactly what is happening-and yet it’s also a remarkably easy film to just let unfold, experiencing it beat by beat instead of trying to piece it altogether, much like, well, a dream. On one level, it’s a whiz-bang action movie complete with set pieces that feel inspired by 007, especially in the final act. Leaving aside my apprehension about seeing the film in theaters, a repeat viewing of “Inception” at home clarifies how many levels Nolan is working at the same time, much like the layered dream state of the narrative. Who can’t relate to a sense of immobilized anxiety in 2020, in which we feel like we should be doing something but are stuck in our own forced routine? Or the idea that we have to push through something that feels like a bad dream to come out the other side? Cobb is somehow both fleeing reality and trying to fix it at the same time. On one level, it’s a story about corporate intrigue, but that’s really a cover for the emotional arc of Cobb, who is dealing with his perceived failure to protect his wife, and belief that his action led to her suicide. Nolan brilliantly spaces out revelations about Cobb’s purpose in his existential heist film. After all, it’s about a man, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Cobb, who is running from reality, digging deeper into levels beyond normal existence in an effort to flee his own grief, trauma, and blame. I wasn’t yet.Īnd there’s a certain irony in not being physically or emotionally ready for “Inception” specifically. I feel like I’ll be ready soon (although only for Music Box's extreme precautions). ![]() While my logical brain knows the chance that anything could happen is statistically insignificant-Music Box is doing an amazing amount to alleviate risk, including configuring their ventilation so it doesn’t recycle air and only pushes in fresh from outside-my emotional brain would have been too distracted to concentrate, not only during the screening but for days after, when every cough and sniffle would incite panic. After much discussion with family, it actually came down to a simple argument. While I’m not going to judge someone who is ready to run back into movie theaters as the pandemic continues to thrive, I’m just not there. First, a confession: I turned down a chance to see the new print. ![]()
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