#1 on my list

Rating: 10/10 (26 July 2011)

Christopher Nolan has written and directed a masterpiece for the ages. I have created my top ten best movies ever seen list and this is standing proudly at number one. I have heard the arguments against this film and they normally consist of viewers that were confused, couldn't get invested in the storyline and thought that the characters didn't get any backgrounds for us to get fully invested in them. Here is how I see it, and by no means do I condemn those that dislike this film. I tend to look at these characters as people involved in an Ocean's Eleven type plot. We don't get to know the background of everybody, but they all have specific talents that are needed for this job. Keep in mind that this movie is not really a character piece even though we do focus on Cobb for the entire film. In my personal professional opinion, the plot isn't confusing, just layered. For those that actually pay attention to the plot of a film, this movie has a very strong pot that is beautifully orchestrated throughout the 2h 30min run time. One only need to look and listen for what is going on. If you are one to fall asleep during a film longer than 2h then skip this until your wide awake. This movie does take a few watches to understand the gravity of everything going on and it only means your human if you finish the film and ask what the f**k just happened. The action is so well shot and is mind blowing to watch all the SFX. Now I wish to address the end all and be all of the reviews. The end shot of the movie. Many people have speculated as to how to decipher the end of this movie. I have heard the argument that it was all a dream. His kids were the same age so he must be in the dream world and not reality, and then there is the argument that I personally believe in and have the easiest time swallowing which is that he finished the job, got home and he is safe and sound in the real world. My answer may be completely wrong or I could be right on all cylinders. I honestly don't care what the real answer is because for all we know Chris Nolan made that ending intentionally to make us believe all these things and never agree on one answer. Whether or not there is a definite answer I am unclear about. Nolan loves secrets. The reason I find my answer easier to believe is because I have watched this movie four times (so far) and that seems to be the most logical answer and the one I am satisfied in believing. If somebody came up to me and said that I was wrong and they knew the real answer I wouldn't say prove it, I would say, OK, but this is what I believe. This movie is my favorite because I think about this movie every day of my life and recall that beautiful shot of the city folding and the hotel fight scene. All memorable. Now to end my review of this movie, I will address a question that everyone asks and nobody seems to know the answer to. People constantly ask why there is a snowy James Bond movie set in the climax scene. People say it is unnecessary and doesn't make sense. If you think back to when Ariadne was recruited, she was the brains behind designing the levels of the dream. So basically, using his creative mind and without telling us, Nolan wrote that Ariadne's character designed this level purely from her mind. He takes a liberty with this because it can by anything. We never hear or see Ariadne directly saying to the audience that the final battle will be in this setting, but she's just created it from her mind. Nothing is wrong with this, it just adds a grander and more dramatic scale. Maybe Nolan is a big Bond fan and wanted a set reminiscent of this. Nothing wrong with that. Nolan has crafted the most wholly original screenplay I have ever seen unfold onto the screen. While his ideas were influenced by other films the story itself and how it unfolds has never been done before. I doubt that I will encounter a movie better than this anytime soon, but it is possible. Until then I invite everyone to watch this film and bask in glory that is Inception.