Monday, February 28, 2011

My Reaction to the 83rd Academy Awards

OK. The Oscars are over. After that, you should get a life.

And I was divided. Really divided.

The King's Speech won four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor (it almost got the Big Five - Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay and Best Director). I congratulate them with their win. It is a perfect prediction for this years Oscars because as I said in the Best Picture blog, the Academy loves a feel-good movie even if my wishes wasn't fulfilled. SO anyway congratulations to them. Even if it meant that a Hollywood movie had not won that category for four years.

I was really happy that Inception had got the most Oscars with four for Visual Effects, Cinematography, Sound Editing and Mixing. Most of the technical awards. And The Social Network got three Oscars - Best Editing, Best Original Score for Nine Inch Nails duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and Best Adapted Screenplay for Aaron Sorkin. And even though it didn't win any important category, Inception and The Social Network will be remembered as two of the greatest movies made in this century.

And I was also pleased that Natalie Portman won the only Oscar for Black Swan. Black Swan is a dark movie and even it is so conflicted, Portman deserved it. Everybody's a winner (except for 127 Hours, that's a shame)

Insert rant:

But the entire show is so EXCRUCIATING. Anne Hathaway and James Franco may be the youngest hosts to ever host an Oscar show, but they are the worst Oscar hosts ever!! It makes David Letterman hosting feel like Billy Crystal, it makes Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin look like Cheech & Chong.

I have completely lost faith with Hathaway and I don't know if playing Catwoman in the next Batman movie was the right choice by Christopher Nolan. Seriously James Franco cross dress as Marilyn Monroe while Hathaway makes fun of Australians. That is such a dick move. It reminds me of two guys sitting next to each other at a bar. One's drunk and the other remains sober. Hathaway acts drunk while Franco seems like he came out from Alcoholic Anomynous. That is such a dick move.

More than so, this is what I've been expecting from these two actors who have never experienced any hosting duties. They honestly could not take this seriously together and the chemistry is entirely charmless. Seriously the jokes are unfunny, the lines are unplayful and this is the moment I've been waiting for... Hathaway changing her wardrobe for EIGHT FUCKING TIMES! Hathaway bringing in a choir from the movie Waiting For Superman is somewhat a hush compensation for us if we don't enjoy until the very end. Watching Hathaway and Franco hosting the 83rd Academy Awards is like watching The Last Airbender where it doesn't have an ending and until its 127 minute there's a twist (M Night Shyalaman joke put here) but there's still no ending. Now I'm wishing Kanye would come in and interrupt them. It's also like watching The Tourist again and again.

I honestly don't get why the Academy is so obsessed with kids my age. I mean did the whole Academy go into a midlife crisis? Did they want them to grab ratings? Did the Academy want to trick them into seeing the hottest girl and guy in Hollywood hosting the biggest event of their lives? They're trying to grab a younger audience and that plan had epicly failed. Unfortunately no one 16 years younger or older to 25 is interested in good movies. Because they don't know what the fuck is a good movie. They're still playing their Call Of Duty: Black Ops, still watching the same Adam Sandler movie or Twilight movie and they will never watch classic movies like 2001: A Space Oddysey or Goodfellas.

They could've chose a comedian instead. None of them are comedians and the Academy would've gave Stephen Colbert or even Conan o Brien the rights to host it.

But the best thing about the show is a montage of The Social Network, Twilight, Toy Story 3 and Harry Potter mashuped to deliver a hilarious autotune

So my verdict is this: Everyone's a winner, but they wasted their time to the most hollow show on Earth

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Road To The "Oscar"

OK. There will be 5 sleeps until the Oscars is held and I believe that in some ways, the Academy tries to get the attention of minors or trying to gather a youthful audience to watch the Oscars after school. They chose Anne Hathaway and James Franco as hosts because they're young and more well known to many young ones. Then they nominate Toy Story 3, Inception for Best Picture some movies that everyone would enjoy. Would teens watch the annual show?

But we're not talking about why young people should care about the Oscars. (they don't watch good movies at times anyway). the title Road to The "Oscar" refers to the one and only Oscar category I care about (hence the quotation marks of the word Oscar and how the word is not in plural form): The Academy Award For Best Picture.

In my opinion, doubling the nominees to 10 seems to be a good move. The move was based on what movies everybody liked (the people and the critics). Ever since 2005, there have been nominees which the majority of people have never heard about but the critics loved. In 2005, the Oscars back then was the lowest rated Oscars in television because nobody have heard about movies such as Capote, Crash (the Best Pic winner), Good Night and Good Luck which was directed by George Clooney and Munich which was an unknown piece from Steven Spielberg. It was the same as for 2007 where There Will Be Blood, No Country For Old Men and Michael Clayton was never well known to a lot of people. But the next year, the Best Picture category had everyone's nerves. There was disappointment to many people that The Dark Knight and WALL-E wasn't nominated for Best Picture accusing the Academy of snubbing these two movies (all poppy) saying they were deserving. So it was a great move that last year the nominees were 10 because it shows a range of movies that many audiences enjoy. From science fiction like Avatar, District 9 to darling indies like Precious and The Hurt Locker.

This year the Best Picture nominees involves a cyber-Kane, a stuttering King, a dream weaver, a lesbian couple, a batshit ballerina, some dude who cuts his arm off and a cowboy movie. I forgot to mention a crack boxer, toys and a hillbillie family with true grit.

127 Hours - that movie featuring the greatest amputation scene


Plot:
The true story of an extreme sports enthusiast whose arm got trapped between the rock. During his time with the boulder, he goes back to memories filled with every emotion from the varied spectrum and hallucinates of his peers and family.


What I Think Of The Movie:
I may be exagerrating, but 127 Hours is the best contemporary film of this modern millenium with a flawless performance from James Franco. It's Man Vs. Wild meets Hitchcock.

Chance of Winning Best Picture:
Despite the fact that Danny Boyle previously directed Slumdog Millionaire, this movie will not likely win Best Picture. It's risk taking at any standards but it won't appeal the Academy though. Won't likely to win any Oscars, but my wish is it should win Best Editing.



Black Swan - Ballerinas must seek group therapy


Plot:
Natalie Portman is a ballerina who seeks perfection so badly that she pressures herself way too much.

What I Think:
Black Swan is a movie that wants to find itself through sexual and literally reflective motifs. It is a rollercoaster ride by Darren Aronofsky whose character study brings Natalie Portman to a tour-de-force performance. Everything looks esquisite especially the choreography.

Chance Of Winning Best Picture:
Even if it won three Best Picture awards from three Critics Groups and a nod for Arronofsky for directing it, soon it won't win Best Picture. But hey. It'll definitely brings home Best Actress for Natalie Portman.



The Fighter - Boxer with seven troll sisters


Plot:
Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) is the brother of Micky Ward whose a boxer. Well, unsuccessful. And Ward cannot continue not only because he cannot box properly, but because Dicky end up in prison but because his mother would not let him and also his seven ugly sisters.

What I Think:
The Fighter is just some ordinary boxing movie. Every movie is the same except for Million Dollar Baby. However The Fighter is just formulaic and cliche with the same plot, but I still think the performances save this film.

Chance Of Winning Best Picture:
It is nominated for many Best Pics, but it wouldn't win. At least they'll get Supporting honours.


Inception - The Dream Weaver


Plot:
An extractor whose still in grief for the death of his wife. But he makes one last task by planting an idea into someone's deepest dreams.

What I Think:
Inception is a multi-layered thriller with a science fiction premise. It's beyond speculative fiction cementing Christopher Nolan's reputation as its greatest filmmaker working right now.

Chance OF Winning Best Picture:
Nolan was responsible for bringing 10 nominees. The Academy already responded with that, they don't need to respond by giving it Best Picture. It's already an awesome movie. You don't need to win Best Pic if this movie was perfect. It should win most of the technical categories, but it should win Best Original Screenplay.



The Kids Are Alright - Married... With children... and we're gay.


Plot:
A lesbian couple has two kids. the kids find their sperm donor who had made them and the wives are shocked to find out.

What I Think:
The Kids Are Alright is pretty overrated. Ever since Brokeback Mountain, it seems that the academy is so obssessed with films about gays.

Chance Of Winning Best Picture:
Fortunately for The Kids Are Alright it won the Golden Globe For Best Picture - Musical Or Comedy (even though it was the only legit film for that category). But it will never win the category, but I'm predicting that the biggest shock of the Oscars would be Annette Bening winning Best Actress over Portman. It may win Best Original Screenplay because it's an indie flick with 'values'



The King's Speech - The King who.. simply couldn't speak


Plot:
King George VI can't deliver a speech. He then bond with a speech therapist so he can speak again during times of war and troubles

What I Think:
The King's Speech is a delightful film that has a fascinating problem of an iconic king. But the whole movie is entirely predictable but is lifted up by the performances of Colin Firth and Geoffery Rush.

Chances Of Winning Best Picture:
The King's Speech could win Best Picture not because it is supported by the Weinsteins but because the Academy enjoy a feel-good movie even if it was predictable. If it doesn't win, it will certainly go away with a Best Actor prize for Colin Firth and possibly a Best Original Screenplay.


The Social Network - Cyber-Kane


Plot:
Basically the foundings of Facebook responsible by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg who's portrayed as this cold-hearted genius betraying his friends and peers to make this website.

What I Think:
An impreccable direction from David Fincher, a quick witted script by Aaron Sorkin and a remarkable cast featuring Jesse Einseberg and Andrew Garfield shows that this is the best film made by Hollywood for 2010. It is not a movie about Facebook, it's a dark and realistic look of how we find connections online

Chances Of Winning Best Picture:
Sweeping almost all of the critics awards there is including a Golden Globe, this may not win Best Picture because the Academy voters may be left cold with this one. At least they're a sure shot for winning Best Director, Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay


Toy Story 3 - the third plot of plastics


Plot:
The third instalment of the incredible trilogy, Andy's going to college and don't know what to do with them. Unfortunately he unintendedly left them in a trash bag so the toys enter a daycare disguised as a dungeon.


What I Think:
It is perfect, but it doesn't mean it's flawless. Sometimes the movie feels so familiar with the previous movies way better than this one. At least Toy Story was fun and emotional

Chances Of Winning Best Picture:
They're certainly a full shot for Best Animated Feature, but will never win the top prize. At least it was nominated for the top category, grossed a billion dollars and is a great movie from Pixar



True Grit - Coens' 'greatest' film


Plot:
14 year old Mattie Ross asks a drunk US Marshal to help find her father's killers.

What I Think:
Well apparently I find this overrated. The Coens may have recaptured the Western and Hailee Steinfeld steals the show, but apparently I don't think the performances of the whole cast (exception of Steinfeld) never worked for me. And the ending is questionable, but still it's a good movie.

Chance Of Winning Best Picture:
The last Western to win was Unforgiven in 1991. However True Grit got too many noms and should get one Oscar, at least. Anyway, it won't win Best Picture even though the Academy enjoys remakes.



Winter's Bone - Ozarks may rest in pieces


Plot:
A family from the Ozarks is living under poverty and the daughter (Jennifer Lawrence) goes finding her father who escaped bail and is hunting the family.

What i think:
Honestly I don't have anything about Winter's Bone because I haven't seen it. But it was a critics darling and unfortunately many people were bored by it. This is the only film nobody's ever heard about unless you've went to Sundance.

Chance Of Winning Best Picture:
To be honest, there's a 1 in 10 chance of winning. But to be fair, this may be a shocker if it wins because it was considered 'unforgettable' by the critics. Expect a Crash-styled upset.


My Pics:


The 'Best' Best Picture Nominees:


1. 127 Hours (10.0)
2. The Social Network (9.6)
3. Inception (9.5)
4. Black Swan (9.4)
5. Toy Story and The King's Speech (tie) (7.8)
7. True Grit (6.4)

I haven't seen The Fighter, The Kids Are Alright and Winter's Bone but I stand corrected by my opinions (except for the latter)


Who Will Win:
It will be a neck-and-neck race between The King's Speech and The Social NetworkThe King's Speech may get the top prize. it was given every top honour from the Guilds, the public enjoyed it, the critics enjoyed it. Everybody enjoyed it. The Social Network is a critics' darling and to my understanding it was a cold portrayal of Mark zuckerberg, one of the most powerful men in the world who founded Facebook only his character matches the website's irony.

Who Should Win:
The Social Network. It is a modern day look of the insecurities of this generation

OK. I'm done. But I'm not watching the Oscars. I'll catch it up in the news of who won and who lost.

Monday, February 21, 2011

127 Hours - 5 days and 7 hours. 90mins of a climax

A+ (10.0)

So far, I've seen seven of the Best Picture nominees. All of which are deserving for their nomination, and 127 Hours is the latest from the genre of critically acclaimed movies intended for film buffs.

To be honest, I've never heard of the initial story of Aron Ralston having his arm stuck and then cutting off so he won't die. The story turned into a media frenzy and it's an inspirational story of survival that anyone could see.

Danny Boyle (whose previous work includes Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and lastly Slumdog Millionaire) had been wanting to make this for years now and today, he succeeded. Boyle retells the story in his daring and provocative style.

Ralston is played by James Franco and Ralston was an avid and free-spirited adventurer taking no barriers and boundaries with him in Canyonlands in Utah. He meets two girl hikers on the way going the same way as Ralston. After he left them, he goes way deeper into the canyons where, wait for it... a boulder fell behind Ralston and his arm got trapped in the process. He does several ways to get out of the rock and the only way out is... amputate his arm that is trapped.

Another movie that was so similar was Buried where for 90 minutes you get to see Ryan Reynolds trying to escape from a coffin that is buried. The movie was a sort of a gimmick, there was no story and it was just experimental so they can challenge the audience. But for 127 Hours, the premise is the same with the same length of time. The difference is it has a story that is structured, there is character and the film is visually stimilating.

Boyle is a filmmaker whose vibrant style should be appreciated. The opening sequence is almost shot like an ad starring any top NBA player you liked. It's shot with a population of ordinary people cheering or doing their normal routine. Boyle takes the camera into various angles and shots from a bird's view, extreme close-ups and high-angle. The visual empowerment comes from Ralston's vivid hallucinations and imagery of memories that feels avant-garde It's also literally shot on a hand-held video-cam where the close-ups of Aron are absolutely grainy and personal.

To tell that this was made by Boyle is that he's obsessed with his edits it makes the film more tight and edgy.

Boyle always get brownie points for the music in his films. He spanned two soundtracks for Trainspotting, brought Bollywood to the West Side in Slumdog Millionaire. His second collaboration with A.R Rahman is a great one as the score is truly atmospheric.

James Franco brings in a captivating performance and I think in almost a year as a film buff and my own opinion, the greatest and flawless from a kind of actor in this contemporary era of film. He's free-spirited and charismatic since he does everything he want to do which makes Ralston more likeble and more of a role model. When he's stuck in a boulder, he goes deep into his regrets and memories that were both in happier and sadder times. Ralston is not so much inspirational as it'll thought it will be (face it. IF you're trapped on a boulder, you would rather cut your own arm off) but he inspires to confront times of relationships going on and off between his former girlfriend, his family and work colleagues and times that would've happened before he'd got trapped. For instance, he would've been to this party the two hikers had invited had he didn't kept on going. Franco also gives his character some comic relief as well. Franco gives the defining performance of his career as a multi-talented actor who have different skills. And yes, repeat, a flawless one.

But the most discussed issue about 127 Hours is that amputation scene. That scene doesn't end the whole movie. It is over-realistic, but it's the situation of life and death he has to face if he had ran out of needs to have him survive. This is not for the faint-hearted who will literally faint when seeing that film. But, repeat, it doesn't end the entire chapter of Ralston's life as it is unpredictable when you think it would be predictable given the premise is that simple. Once you'll see Franco cutting his own arm off, you will give out a huge sigh of relief that he'd finally made it out. It is excruciating to watch but it's pumped up.

Boyle shows off his finest with this film as he has made a movie that has a basic premise, but inside is an emotional ride and journey of the explorer's life. This is almost perfect. It is one of the most visceral contemporary films of the millenieum and it is an unforgettable experience.

What a ripper!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

We Started The Fire: Arcade Fire will brings in a new step for today's music

Arcade Fire's shock win for Album Of The Year at the Grammys for their record The Suburbs is one of the biggest surprises at the ceremony honouring the best of music in 2010. 

To a lot of people including me, this is a huge shock given that the favourite to win Album Of The Year is Eminem's Recovery and that many people except for me have never heard of the band before. But to some people who were listening to good music especially me and who see this band gathering their awards will be speechless and wouldn't be surprised

For the people who are disappointed that Eminem did not win or Katy Perry didn't or Lady Gaga, the Grammys unlike a lot of awards are not based on the popularity of the music and it is based on the integrity of that artist. Arcade Fire has a lot of integrity for being a really talented band so that's not only surprising and shocking, but it's well deserved.

Arcade Fire winning that prestitious Grammy is a milestone for their genre which is indie music. The Canadian group had recorded two acclaimed records which includes Funeral and Neon Bible. They are not well known to most people because they are labelled independent and is not heard much from any radio stations involved. The Suburbs is their latest album from them which along with Kanye West's My Beautiful Twisted Dark Fantasy I was totally addicted to for the past year because like MBDTF it's atmospheric, ambition and most importantly it's personal and of all the music I heard from the past 12 months, this is the 2nd best music I've listened for 2010.

Arcade Fire's win had made me predict that rock music will be resurrected into good form given how our music is dominated by autotuned music from the likes of hip-hop, RnB and teen pop and we haven't heard of a single rock song from the radio (Hey Soul Sister does not count). 

Arcade Fire are amongst a few bands and artists bringing in a movement full of indie music with Vampire Weekend (a most prominent one), Phoenix, Regina Spektor, Beck, The Temper Trap, Grizzly Bear and The Black Keys. All of these bands play really brilliant music and may introduce the independent music to the mainstream as possible as it can. The reason why I said possible is because these kind of bands don't want to bring attention for their hits. They want attention for the music they make and to the fact that it's based on creation that they belong unlike many other artists played on commercial radio. 

Indie music should be popular because they celebrate our everyday joy and angst that are based on art they play. It's supposed to be moving, be out of conventions of the music, and most of all it should be witty. This is why I listen to this kind of genre because it makes me feel like I'm myself and I feel happy.

Unfortunately our mainstream music sucks today. I don't want to hear the music we have today especially Eminem whom I used to like from The Marshall Mathers LP to The Eminem Show. But just when he's out of Recovery he becomes so whiny talking about his personal issues. That's why he was snubbed. Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and Ke$ha doesn't make any good music and what we are hearing from the radio is just pure commercialism.

To anyone who doesn't know who Arcade Fire is, they are a band from Montreal, Canada and they are a large band featuring a huge family consisting of seven members. It's not as huge as Slipknot but they are a fine band and if you listen to any songs from the album The Suburbs, you will really like them.

The Suburbs reminds me of the New Wave music from the 80s. They're full of synths but it's orchestral and that's what Arcade Fire is all about. Hipsters. You are forgiven. Your tastes in everything is pretty awesome. No wonder why there's hate on you. And Pitchfork. You should be happy. Because your favourite band had won a Grammy.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Twilight review

C+ (4.9)


When I see Twilight, I'm thinking of the sort of impact the franchise has been making. They have actors (well, unknown actors) in demand earning about $56 million per movie, have a passionate genre-based audience (majority are teenage girls) and also ressurected the vampire fiction but in a different way. It spawned into related shows and movies such as True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and Let Me In. All of which is based on romance.

So I caught it on TV to see if the big deal is based on the movie and if it was actually bad as I thought it was.

IT's based on the novels from Stephenie Meyer. Meyer's novels are inspired by not just from literature (the first novel is inspired by Romeo and Juliet) but also from her music she's been listening to such as Radiohead, Coldplay, My Chemical Romance, Blue Monday, Linkin Park and most importantly Muse which inspired much of the material.

If you haven't knew the premise of the novels or the movies itself, it's simply a girl named Bella (Kristen Stewart) who enters into a new school, feeling so lonely until... wait for it... she meets a really gorgeous guy named Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and before you know that they're gonna fall in love, he goes on whining about how she might hurt his life when at the same time shows off his supernatural powers.

OK. I'm continuing with my intro. The impact is pretty ruthless, but to the rest of us, who couldn't care less, it's neither their cup of tea nor mine. From the first Twilight, it pretty much starts off the beginning of a new pop culture, where I said it many times before, our generation inherited by our current adolescents is getting dumber and stupider. Where many award ceremonies are surfaced by a vote-many-times-as-you-like system, our radio is playing many cliche songs about love to their youngest audiences, reality shows became trashier by the minute and more recently a revolution rises in Egypt, Twilight is shaping part of today's pop culture to shape the masses' tastes in the most polarising style but their reputation still lives!

I had low expectations for this film because of what I thought from the last paragraph and to say the least, whether or not it is as bad as many people especially the film buffs have said. To tell you the truth, it's not entirely awful.

I'll admit I missed the first thrity minutes but I can figure out the beginning because I have read part of the first novel. But I really liked the cinematography as it is well crafted, the music is actually enjoyable and the first half is sort of slow but eventually it picks itself up when the chemistry between Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson is lifted. What is interesting is that given both director and screenwriter are both female director Catherine Hardwicke and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg brings up a feminist view for the film which empowers much of the mood delivered in this film.

However, there were some things that totally pissed me off. When I was reading the first novel, I was pissed off with the characters especially Edward who in here just annoys me. Pattinson has to be the vampire who glitters in the sunlight that endlessly stares throughout the whole novel. There's no personality behind him. Kristen Stewart is the same as Pattinson and she's a girl I wish I wouldn't care about because she has no kind of expression whether it's facial or emotional because she looks like a puppet manipulated by the dead. Not to mention that the dialogue given by Rosenberg. It doesn't have faults in it. It's excruciating and deafening.

Twilight is not entirely awful. It's just polarising to many people who either could not stand the phenomenon or who just love the series. It lived up to its heights with three more (should I say four) sequels for their fans and so it ends here.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Inception (revised)


A+ (10.0)


I have been reviewing movies and when I think about film, it is a form of art. And I have done that for almost nine months. And it was hard to look at the film for what it's worth. 


One thing that gets me interested in that movie while watching is if it was based on the value it should give to audiences or if there's something that's has some interesting quality to that movie. The majority of movies I see everyday is based on the second option since I choose what I wanted to see very closely and wisely.


Inception is a huge example.


I have to admit that my initial review of this great movie from last year was way too vague and doesn't make any sense. I didn't like the sentence structure and there were numerous errors based on grammar and also because I didn't explain how good the film was properly. If the review was an essay for either high school or uni, I would've been given a zero.


So here's my opinion of this special movie I will enjoy for countless lifetimes.


I won't give out the plot so here's some snippets of it. Leonardo Dicaprio plays an extractor Cobb who goes into a person's dreams and will either do two things: steal secrets from layers of subconsciousness or plant an idea into someone's subconsciousness that the person will keep forever hence changing his life completely. This is called an Inception. Cobb is hired by a Japanese businessman (Ken Watenabe) to perform Inception on his competitor Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy) and he will hire a crew to do this. Ranging from a point man, forger to an architect. Played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, Tom Hardy and Ellen Page respectively.


Inception represents one major reason why I go to movies. Before I was analysing film, I go to movies to be entertained. I was entertained and Inception had given me something to do while watching. To think. 


Christopher Nolan had been making this film for almost a decade. Given that there are many science fiction influences towards Inception, influences especially films like 2001: A Space Oddyssey and The Matrix, it has a variety of logic and philosophy that will impact film buffs for years. Nolan had previously bended our minds with his breakout film Memento and Inception have delivered many interpretations since its release. 


What I like about Nolan is that his other gift is to bring a devastating emotion (mostly grief) to the heart of his films. We've seen Guy Pearce playing a widowed amnesiac in Memento, Christian Bale as Batman who is riddled with choice and grief in The Dark Knight, and now to Dicaprio's character Cobb who like Peace and Batman together has dealt to losing his wife (Marion Cottilard) and the decisions he makes with his dream missions. Dicaprio is both charismatic and melodramatic and given how he played the same character in Scorsese's Shutter Island, it is still convincing.


The casting is pretty good. Joseph Gordon Levitt and Ellen Page plays people who look's after Cobb's grief. Page plays therapy with Cobb and does a huge role for this movie. But I reckon that the best person out of the lot is  Marion Cottilard and Tom Hardy who both play the psychotic wife of Cobb and the person who shapeshifts in a dream. Hardy delivers much of the film's comic relief and such while Cotillard plays the confused wife who becomes Cobb's memory and sabotage his missions. There is also a nice cameo from Michael Caine.


Nolan thinks expansive, from the gravity-defying fight scenes to the quasi-looking art set, it feels like I'm in it.


While Nolan's intention is to play games with the audience, how to understand it does not count on the number of viewings. Given the numerous concepts, it should be based on how much you have paid attention to the whole movie. For some people who haven't seen the movie, you should give this movie a try if you not only wanted to like it but to try and make sense. Those people who did are doing the right thing. But the others who dismiss it because it's hard to understand, you're doing the exact opposite.


Nolan has made an impact to the film industry. He defined the reboot for Batman's Begins, invented odd and exciting story structures and created a perfect impact to everyone watching a thrilling movie that will grab you into the screen


When Inception was first released, it was a summer of films recycled from other source material. Inception would be either be a positive sign for Hollywood showing it's redeeming itself or just an exception to this era's laziness in pop culture.


Nolan join the ranks along with David Fincher, Danny Boyle, Jason Reitman and Darren Arronofsky as our best contemporary filmmakers in this time.


From this point on, Inception will be a classic.