Inception

The Flick: Inception

The Contributors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, Cillian Murphy (or, as I prefer-'casting alert: weird character ahead'), Michael Caine (yep, that Michael Caine), Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page, Lukas Haas, Pete Postlethwaite, etc.

The Dealio: In the very near future, it will be possible to obtain what is described in this movie as 'a very unique type of security'. This is one in which the unconscious mind- i.e., one's sleep state- is held for ransom, or even bartered for biz bennies. Leo's Dom Cobb is touted as one of the best in the world at this type of op, and is given the assignment (by competitor Watanabe's Saito) of entering into the dreams of Murphy's young heir and plant the idea of his deconstructing the energy firm his father built. See, doing things this way makes the victim of the theft think the idea to do what his competitors want is his, and his alone.
Of course, with a Christopher Nolan film, nothing is ever as simple as this. There are all sorts of red herrings, double-backs and redoing of sequences...out of sequence.
This is not a film which allows you much time to sit back and let the action/plot wash over you like art. Nope. Here, your are expected to take a vigorous interest, roll up your sleeves and get involved. And if you think there is a powder-room parade in your future, well...dream on.

The Grading Session: 4.71 pengies out of 5 (What soundtrack? Myself? J'adore Piaf more than wartime Brits adored jam, and especially Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. Still...) And what's the deal with that fly? Having been schooled by movies like The Sixth Sense, I am now spring-loaded to be suspicious when I see a repetitious element. And that damned fly kept showing up. Now, granted, I did not stay for the outtakes and the gag reel, that's true, but there was no resolution on the fly. I kept thinking, 'Does the presence of the fly mean 'dream time' or 'real time'? This is very disruptive to a mind like mine. I thrashed around with this throughout the entire movie, until it began to be a point of especial focus in every. last. scene. And, yet...well, in the end, it apparently meant nothing. Nada. Zip-squaterooch. Chris,honey. Darling. Listen up: 5 yard penalty for the freakin' fly.

Lessons Learned: Dreaming is not necessarily restful or even survivable. Also, if your spouse/partner is gas-lighting you- even in the name of science- well, karma is gonna exact a weighty payback sooner or later. Too, I must ask myself: what is it about Leo's characters that so angers his spouses? This has happened before and I smell a trend. Let's work on that, peeps. Lastly: what. is. with. this. damned. fly?! Discuss amongst yourselves.