Inception (Spoilers!)

[Captain Russ]

  Spoiler: YEAH, MORE OF 'EM 

It all pretty much boils down to a big budget version of Homeless Dad. /joke

The explanation of the mechanics of the dreamworld was needlessly complex.

I mean, Nolan handled everything else like a boss.

The technology enabling the whole scenario is casually tossed off in a quick couple of lines of dialogue, and I love the macguffin'd shit out of the handling of the dream machine.

Too many fucking movies needlessly overco--

-- Oh yeah, he did that though with the overcomplicated temporal structure of the dream world. That was a bit unnecessary. A slight nitpick, but it is there for the overanalytical dildos of the world to harp on. (I being one of them, dwelled on this for a good ten seconds.)

Also: got a bit of deja-vu from Cobb's exit from the airport at the end, with his crew sort of giving the silent goodbye to him. Felt like the end of Titanic. Yeah, that one. Where the crazy old fucker dies and "returns" to the ship and is greeted by her memories of the passengers and crew. It was a vivid image then, and certainly was a vivid image earlier today. Pretty sure Cobb was in the dreamworld for the entirety, still unable to become unstuck, ensconcing himself in the reality he crafted for himself. And yes, the dream machine was a part of it. It was an elaborate construction that he needed to design to absolve himself of guilt, and return to his kids. Who were also shades.

I must see it again. And again. And once more with feeling.

[nerdious dorkus]

  Spoiler: Spoiler? 

I was under the assumption that when Ariadne entered Cobb's dream they never left.

[Captain Russ]

  Spoiler: WHY SURE 

And you have every right to continue on with that interpretation.

The discussion of the temporal fluctuations over the course of the film and remembering the opening made it feel as though it was all a memory, with Cobb's mind filling in the gaps after meeting Old Man Chingchongpotato. Sort of a hint was the brief flash of his kids on the beach (same beach as he and his wife's perhaps) and then the abrupt flash back as Old Man CCP finished his line of dialogue/Cobb seeing the totem. It was his way of reclaiming his identity.

But then again, there are multiple instances where certain inconsistencies (Cobb's initial and then elaborated recollections of his wife's totem safe, the gradually shrinking alley in the chase scene in Mombasa, etc.) or temporal shifts can be used as a marker for where the audience feels it is appropriate to see the eventual collapse of perception as to what is real and what is not.

[Captain Russ]

Also: saw a trailer that I hope was a fucking joke.

"The Last Exorcism" is a fuck. Poopin' natural* claptrap like possession stories are outdated, trite, and have been dissected to the point of exhaustion. Where in the fuck else can you go with that story? [REC] tried something new-ish, but it was decent enough to only hint at the whole old-as-dirt-fucked-by-a-Sumerian-hobo scenario.

By the time the dumbass hick girl broke her neck the third time in the three-to-four minute trailer, I wanted off the ride.

Thankfully, Tron Legacy was there to blast all of that pain away.

Having said that, idiots will make it a surefire hit, and I will continue to hate the majority of my species.


*supernatural

[Fil]

So...

...anyone who doesn't like Chris Nolan is a fuckheaded sack of dundershit.

  Spoiler: MOVIE SPOILER 

I got choked the fuck up when Cobb finally saw his children's faces at the end. Goddamn babyman over here.

  Spoiler: Maybe Spoiler 

Shit, I'm with you Russ, I still got choked up at the end after seeing it a second time.

[nerdious dorkus]

  Spoiler: WHY SURE 

And you have every right to continue on with that interpretation.

The discussion of the temporal fluctuations over the course of the film and remembering the opening made it feel as though it was all a memory, with Cobb's mind filling in the gaps after meeting Old Man Chingchongpotato. Sort of a hint was the brief flash of his kids on the beach (same beach as he and his wife's perhaps) and then the abrupt flash back as Old Man CCP finished his line of dialogue/Cobb seeing the totem. It was his way of reclaiming his identity.

But then again, there are multiple instances where certain inconsistencies (Cobb's initial and then elaborated recollections of his wife's totem safe, the gradually shrinking alley in the chase scene in Mombasa, etc.) or temporal shifts can be used as a marker for where the audience feels it is appropriate to see the eventual collapse of perception as to what is real and what is not.

  Spoiler: Hmm... 

That's what got me confused, in regards to the alleyway, as when he spun that totem up until Ariadne went into his dream, it kept falling down. So are we to assume that the totem was already tainted?

[Captain Russ]

  Spoiler: WHEEEEEEEE MORE SPOILERY SPOILERS 

It was a symbol of Cobb's guilt, regret, and emotional pain. It was her totem, and he held tight to it, afraid that he'd completely lose her.

He was convinced of his own reality, therefore the totem ended its rotations as dictated by its former owner (or at least his subconscious' version of her). He was still harboring the shade of his wife, and her resonant impact on his subconscious dictated the totem's function. It (as a symbol for the shade of "her" in his world) was the last roadblock that was keeping him from dreaming again.

Once he finally let go of his guilt, returned to his kids, reestablished his identity, he was free to do what he wanted within the dreamworld again. Thus, it continued to spin.

Also: soundtrack is fucking great. It's been on a loop since I got home.

[nerdious dorkus]

  Spoiler: Kind of but not really. 

Nice. I like it. Translation: I'm so dumb and uncreative, that I didn't even consider that the totem's ability to topple over was linked to the guilt of her inception.

[Captain Russ]

  Spoiler: Vague, but tied into the overall absorption and interpretation of the content. 

The connection is there, but you can always choose to exclude one thing or another, as it is all based upon the perception we have of the protagonist and the world he occupies at any given point.

I love this film.

*this message brought to you by Baby Hulkamaniac*

[Ed Hocken]

Also, Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are beyond pimp.

Ya goddamn right,

And because I live in glorious LA. I recognized the building that's supposed to be the hotel. That looks like 2000 Ave of the Stars. I wonder if Bryan noticed any filming around there?

[Matt]

This is the best movie that I've seen in years. Simply astounding from the first frame to the last.

I need to see it again. The FIRST viewing is for AWE...the SECOND viewing is for analysis.

[Ed Hocken]

This movie in one word: Refreshing

It's refreshing to have an original massive budget film that makes you think. Something we haven't seen in decades.

Great ending also, people in my audience were a bit disappointed. Fools.

Hell, even the trailer for Tron looked amazing.

And this movie out did the Matrix in effects with far less drag. UNBELIEVABLE!

I've got to work on choosing my totem.

[Howard]

People are crossing the hyperbole line.

[BillyG]

People are crossing the hyperbole line.

Don't think so at all. At least not here.

[Howard]

It's refreshing to have an original massive budget film that makes you think. Something we haven't seen in decades.

This is the best movie that I've seen in years.

People are crossing the hyperbole line.

Don't think so at all. At least not here.

Come on. There hasn't been a smart big budget film in decades? Please.

Matt's statement makes it sound like there's been a lack of good films. Yes, I'm intentionally reading a little into the statement but still.

I'm sure it's a great film (not seeing it until Thursday, as I refuse to see a movie in what passes for theaters here in Arkansas) but I'm starting to think people are seeing the Second Coming of Christ on screen.