"Inception" Review

A blockbuster with guts, “Inception” dares to be different. Instead of crafting a simple narrative, it boasts a unique structure. Instead of allowing its main character to play second fiddle to computer effects, it sufficiently explores the psyche of its leading man. Instead of creating a story bereft of any intelligence, it asks questions of its audience. And while it may not be perfect, it is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious films of the year.

In “Inception,” director-writer Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight,” “The Prestige”) creates a world in which people can share dreams. The film follows Dom Cobb, an extractor who specializes in stealing ideas from people’s dreams. Dom (Leonardo DiCaprio) wants to quit his profession and return to his two children. When corporate boss Saito (Ken Watanabe) offers Dom the chance to return to his normal life in exchange for one last job, Dom assembles a team to perform “inception,” the act of planting an idea inside someone’s mind, instead of stealing one. While most of Dom’s team believe inception cannot be performed, Dom is set on carrying out the complex mission so he can finally return home.

It seems that with “Inception,” Christopher Nolan finally has a handle on how to frame an action sequence. While his “Batman” films were often muddled with incoherent action and poor editing, “Inception” finally proves that Nolan has the chops to handle complicated action set pieces. While some sequences still feel confusing and convoluted, others display impeccable pacing and endless creativity.

Nolan also applies his creativity to the film’s eye-popping visuals. From collapsing cities to revolving hallways, Nolan creates a world that is all his own. His bold vision begs the question, how long has it been since a filmmaker truly created a new world for audiences to discover? While you could make a strong case for James Cameron’s “Avatar,” it does not hold a candle to Nolan’s twisted dream world.

While Nolan certainly displays great visual flair in “Inception,” the film’s script is not as strong as some of his previous films. For a good fifteen minutes, the movie devolves into what this reviewer is calling “dream-speak.” In these conversations, Dom and his team analyze how they are going to penetrate the subject’s mind, as they throw out words like “subconscious,” “catharsis,” and “loops.” While some of this dream lingo is essential to the film’s plot, most of it is dull and repetitive. Thankfully, these scenes are relatively short and do not damage the film’s stellar pacing.

Backing up Nolan’s jigsaw plot is an impressive ensemble of accomplished actors. Leonardo DiCaprio, finally free from his recent string of accents and exaggerated mannerisms, delivers one of his best performances. Beautifully capturing Cobb’s emotional fragility, DiCaprio wonderfully taps into Dom’s psychology.

The film’s other performances are uniformly excellent. While Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are not given much to do, they shine in small moments, even as they are saddled with much of the film’s poor dialogue. Cillian Murphy also shines in a pivotal role, adding emotion to the film’s labyrinth plot. The film’s best performance, however, belongs to Marion Cotillard, who plays a mysterious woman from Dom’s past. Cotillard brings a fiery intensity to her role that makes the character unpredictable and flat-out scary. An overwhelming feeling of eeriness, accentuated wonderfully by Hans Zimmer’s score, accompanies all of her scenes. While Nolan has a firm control over the majority of the film, Cotillard’s scenes feel loose and unpredictable, which is a testament to both the actress and the director.

While the film’s plot is complex, its main themes are simple and profound. “Inception” views the mind as a complicated maze often twisted and distorted by human emotion. Feelings of guilt, love, and inadequacy run through our mind and eat away at our thoughts and memories. When one fails to come to terms with these feelings, or runs away from their life’s complications, they addle the mind into a further state of confusion. “Inception,” although rooted in a world of dreams, insists that we accept the reality of our situations. Only then can we “let go” of certain memories and move on with our lives.

To conclude, “Inception” tackles the entanglements of emotion better than any of Nolan’s other films. While the film is not as thematically complex as some of Nolan’s previous efforts, it is more ambitious in both narrative and structure. And if “Inception” perhaps does not rank as the best of Nolan’s filmography, it definitely makes for a bold, unique vision in an otherwise dull summer.

A-

"Shutter Island" Review

“Shutter Island,” a psychological thriller from director Martin Scorsese (“Taxi Driver,” “Goodfellas”) is a suspenseful, surprisingly layered, entry in the acclaimed director’s dense filmography. Through a masterful mix of sight and sound, Scorsese creates a film that works both as an entertaining mystery and a complex examination of a troubled character.

The film, based on a novel by Dennis LeHane, follows US Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he investigates the disappearance of a female patient from an insane asylum found on a mysterious island. With help from his partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), Teddy questions the asylum’s employees, patients, and doctors. After conducting interviews, Teddy finds that no one is revealing any significant information. Even the asylum’s head psychiatrists (Ben Kinglsey and Max von Sydow) remain allusive. This suspicious behavior causes Teddy to believe they are hiding something

The biggest mystery, however, lies within Teddy himself. Teddy is a complex and interesting character. While he disguises himself as a confident, aggressive figure, he bears many emotional scars. Through Teddy, Scorsese explores the connection between masculine aggression and vulnerability. Unfortunately, the film’s twisty plot prevents the audience from truly investing in the character until the last twenty minutes.

Thankfully, when Teddy’s full story is finally revealed, it makes up for many of the film’s early failings. Unlike most plot twists, the one in “Shutter Island” makes the film less convoluted and more character-based. So, when the film’s twist finally reveals itself, it deepens the story, instead of muddling it with inane details.

Thus, “Shutter Island” achieves a level of gravitas while still functioning as a fast-paced thriller. Scorsese delightfully plays up the film’s thrilling sequences without compromising the film’s integrity as a work of art. Many of the film’s best scenes reveal character detail while still keeping the audience on edge.

Scorsese also shows his directorial finesse through his ability to establish and sustain an atmosphere of constant fear and anxiety. For example, the film opens with Teddy and Chuck sailing towards the asylum. The camera turns to reveal the island, shrouded in an immense fog. As the two partners sail closer, the film’s musical score intensifies. Purposefully loud and ominous, it creates an eerie, unsettling atmosphere for the rest of the film.

Adding to the character depth is the ensemble of performances from a host of renowned character actors. From Ben Kinsley as the asylum’s head psychiatrist to Patricia Clarkson as a crazed patient, each supporting cast member is given an opportunity to develop an interesting side character.

Scorsese, however, is the film’s true star. He deftly commands the screen with great skill and precision. While “Shutter Island” may not rank as one of his best works, it still remains a masterful achievement.

B

A Mental Hospital....for the Criminally Insane.

After much anticipation and a delayed release date, Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" finally made its way to theaters this week. And wow. While I'm not yet sure if its a great film, it's certainly a very good one, and one that will provoke much discussion amongst film fans.

Not sure when I'll get around to writing a full review, as I'm rather busy at the moment, but, by all means, go out and see the film for yourself. Defenitely worth the ticket purchase.

What's Left?: Cinema Soups' Most Anticipated Films for the Rest of 2009 (Part 2 of 2)

As the summer draws to a close, you may be wondering, "What's left?" No need to fear! Cinema Soup is doing the investigating for you. Check out part one of our preview here.

And now, without further ado, Part 2 of our Fall/Winter preview.

Let's start with "The Road." The film, based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy ("No Country for Old Men"), follows a man (Viggo Mortensen) and his son (Kodi Smitt-McPhee) as they seek refuge and try to survive in a post-apocalyptic future. What seems to be an emotional tale of survival has been marketed as an action-packed thriller in the film's trailer (see here). Having read a few chapters of the book, I know for sure that this trailer is misleading. "The Road" should have some thrilling moments, but - if it stays true to the book - it should be more about the father-son relationship. And Hollywood is notorious for marketing dramas as thrillers, because - apparently - audiences will not be interested in a movie unless it has three explosions per second. Anyway, the film's imagery looks stunning, Viggo Mortensen looks fantastic in his role, and the film on the whole looks incredibly intriguing. Let's hope "The Road" lives up to its promise when it opens on October 16th, 2009.

Speaking of dark subject matter, in this case a dark comedy, the trailer for the Coen Brothers next film "A Serious Man" looks great. This film was completely off my radar until now. Check out my full thoughts here.

Next up is "Shutter Island," the latest film from acclaimed director Martin Scorsese ("Goodfellas," "The Departed," "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull"). "Shutter Island" follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he investigates the disappearance of a female patient from a mental hospital. As Teddy gets further enveloped in the case, he makes some shocking revelations about the establishment. It is best to leave the plot description there. Having not read the original novel, I do not know much more about the plot. However, I feel that the film's trailer may give away some crucial plot details. You can check out the trailer here, but I would suggest you stop watching after the one minute mark. Anyway, the film looks creepy, atmospheric, and suspenseful. Let's hope "Shutter Island" is another Scorsese gem when it hits theaters October 2nd, 2009.

And we will conclude with "The Lovely Bones," based on the best-selling novel by Alice Sebold. The film, directed by the great Peter Jackson ("The Lord of the Rings," "King Kong"), follows Susie Salmon, a young girl who is murdered, as she, from some sort of afterlife, watches her family cope with the tragedy of her death. The film's trailer shows off some stunning visuals, but I am mixed on the trailer as a whole. The trailer makes the movie seem tonally confused (is it a drama? thriller? fantasy?) and some of the acting looks so-so. However, the good certainly outweighs the bad. Saoirse Ronan, Susan Sarandon, and Stanley Tucci all look great in their respective roles, but, still, something just feels a little "off." Oh, well. You can't really judge a film by its trailer anyway. Here's hoping "The Lovely Bones" is lovely when it opens wide on December 11th, 2009.

Well, dear reader, what do you think? Do you disagree with my picks? Would you like to add your own? Leave your thoughts in the comments. And remember you don't have to be a member of Blogger to comment. Just use "Anonymous" or "Name/Url" in which the URL is optional. Thanks!