Inception

2010

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Netflix says… In this mindbending sci-fi thriller, Dom Cobb runs an espionage business built around entering the subconscious of his targets to steal their thoughts. A new, complex job promises great rewards, but Cobb’s personal demons threaten the operation.

• When this first came out, my friend Andy saw it before I did and emphatically declared that it was a top 3 movie of all time.
• I saw it. Agreed that it was very good. But I can’t call it top 3 of all time.
• Top 100, sure… #89 to be exact. Well… on my list, anyway.
• The beginning of Inception is a bit like The Matrix, in that it’s a little confusing while you get yourself acquainted with the world in which it takes place.
• From one scene to the next, are you able to differentiate what’s real and what’s the dream?
• What if real life was like that? Never knowing if you were awake or still dreaming…
• Cobb’s (DiCaprio) story is really a heartbreaking one. For all his arrogance and bluster when he’s on the job, you can’t help but feel sorry for him in those moments when he reveals his real vulnerability.
• The lengths that Cobb’s team goes to in order to plant an idea in Fischer’s (Cillian Murphy) mind is incredibly involved and if you’re not paying attention, you will miss a lot.
• But it’s so worth watching. It’s worth paying attention to.
• I love a good movie that makes you think.
• And so, we’re left with the question: Does the top keep spinning after the film cuts to black? Or does it topple over, indicating that Cobb is awake and finally reunited with his kids?
• My take? The top doesn’t matter. Because the top isn’t really Cobb’s totem at all. The top was Mal’s (Marion Cotillard) totem, as we learned in flashbacks to their time in limbo.
• Cobb’s totem was his wedding ring. In the dream, he still wears the ring. In the real world, he doesn’t.
• So next time you’re watching, pay attention to Cobb’s left hand when he hands his passport to the U.S. Customs Agent. Is the ring there?
• That will tell you if he’s really awake.

Next week we’ll hit on a timeless animated classic that’s actually a part of the AFI 100 – Toy Story. Come back and watch it with me!