Inception - Chris Nolan + Leo DiCaprio = best movie of the summer?

I don't think I've had a dream in the last four years that I can remember, due to burnout/job stress.

When I was young and carefree I would lucid dream sometimes (plus the occasional wet dream). I miss dreaming a bit.

So, if you don't want to dream, I recommend overwork. You'll sleep like the dead. I think subconscious/unconscious activity - like making art - only really functions well given sufficient leisure time.

i liked this movie guys

I lucid dream quite a bit and one of the weirdest aspects of it for me is that I can wake up and use the bathroom, or get a drink of water, and then return to the same dream state. This in itself isn't that weird, but when I go back to dreaming the time line has skipped forward and often what I was doing prior to waking briefly isn't relevant or people that were present before are gone. I only lucid dream in the mornings till about noon which causes problems because regardless of what time I fall asleep at night I'm not likely to bother getting up when dreaming like this, unless I have to, and I get really agitated when I'm disturbed. At times in that groggy half awake state its felt like I was juggling the responsibilities of two worlds, navigating about in a lucid dream while briefly becoming conscious enough to explain where the car keys are or what time I'll be home from work.

I've had similar experiences to what you described too awe, usually feels like I'm in a dark space and I have no physical body. I'd describe the sensation as one of urgency. Those kind of dreams tend to involve words or phrases being repeated over and over but without any kind of visual stimulation. Sometimes it feels like I'm the one coming up with the words and feel a sense of urgency, other times I don't feel like I'm in control of the theme of whats going on. Usually these are pretty meaningless for me and are related to some task I didn't complete but wanted to during the day. Some of the more memorable ones had to do with playing too many video games and a particular task or goal would just repeat over and over till I'd wake up.

Hm. Well I just watched this, and it's good, but not 9.3/10 IMDB good. I guess the concept of recursion is blowing everyone's mind, hence the high ratings.

As a programmer, watching this movie felt a lot like running a debugger and stepping through some functions. It's interesting to see the concept used as a plot device, but the idea itself is kind of old hat.

I guess this is how philosophy majors felt after everyone watched The Matrix.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I like this review.

Maybe a bit harsh, but yeah review is pretty spot on for me.

I really liked it for the most part.

LOL

But seriously, this movie was badass and even being an experienced lucid dreamer myself, I still found the concept original and entertaining. Will definitely watch again.

Only read this thread partially but here are my two cents:

Dialogues were lame, acting wasn't very good (Not a fan of Leo and hate Marion Cotillard) and the music could have been better indeed. However, the scenario was so awesome that it made me forget about the silly dialogues (Lost level here) and the barely acceptable acting. Special effects were brilliant too (when the city folds back on itself....pffff...jeeeeezsus). I had a great time then. 7.5/10 on a normal film scale, 9.5/10 on a blockbuster summer movie scale.

On the dream topic, I would say I was disapointed at first by the unreality of them. Dreams are just not like that, so full of details and long dialogues and shit. On dreammaking abilities, David Lynch ranks so higher than this. Dreams are much more abstract and weirder than what is displayed in Inception. Nonetheless, you get used to it and just imagine it as a parallel reality and not as dream per se.

I will watch it again. Recommended

all you people saying that the dream sequences were unimaginative or not surreal or abstract enough are so completely missing the point.

let's think about this, what was the point of dreams in this film?

  On 7/23/2010 at 10:47 AM, the anonymous forumite said:

a parallel reality and not as dream per se.

  On 7/23/2010 at 10:47 AM, the anonymous forumite said:

On the dream topic, I would say I was disapointed at first by the unreality of them. Dreams are just not like that, so full of details and long dialogues and shit. On dreammaking abilities, David Lynch ranks so higher than this. Dreams are much more abstract and weirder than what is displayed in Inception. Nonetheless, you get used to it and just imagine it as a parallel reality and not as dream per se.

it's not about getting used to it. the point of dreams in the film were to simulate reality as much as possible, so that the mark wouldn't suspect they were actually in a dream. the dream sequences were intentionally realistic and not abstract so as to trick the mark. there were numerous scenes in which this specific issue was explained or discussed (i.e. when cobb and that architect chick are walking around and she starts making things too unrealistic, upsetting the subconscious of the host dreamer.

come on people. honestly.

  On 7/23/2010 at 4:24 PM, blicero said:

  On 7/23/2010 at 10:47 AM, the anonymous forumite said:

On the dream topic, I would say I was disapointed at first by the unreality of them. Dreams are just not like that, so full of details and long dialogues and shit. On dreammaking abilities, David Lynch ranks so higher than this. Dreams are much more abstract and weirder than what is displayed in Inception. Nonetheless, you get used to it and just imagine it as a parallel reality and not as dream per se.

 

it's not about getting used to it. the point of dreams in the film were to simulate reality as much as possible, so that the mark wouldn't suspect they were actually in a dream. the dream sequences were intentionally realistic and not abstract so as to trick the mark. there were numerous scenes in which this specific issue was explained or discussed (i.e. when cobb and that architect chick are walking around and she starts making things too unrealistic, upsetting the subconscious of the host dreamer.

 

come on people. honestly.

What part of the bold comment did you not understand ?

  On 7/23/2010 at 4:30 PM, the anonymous forumite said:

  On 7/23/2010 at 4:24 PM, blicero said:

  On 7/23/2010 at 10:47 AM, the anonymous forumite said:

On the dream topic, I would say I was disapointed at first by the unreality of them. Dreams are just not like that, so full of details and long dialogues and shit. On dreammaking abilities, David Lynch ranks so higher than this. Dreams are much more abstract and weirder than what is displayed in Inception. Nonetheless, you get used to it and just imagine it as a parallel reality and not as dream per se.

 

it's not about getting used to it. the point of dreams in the film were to simulate reality as much as possible, so that the mark wouldn't suspect they were actually in a dream. the dream sequences were intentionally realistic and not abstract so as to trick the mark. there were numerous scenes in which this specific issue was explained or discussed (i.e. when cobb and that architect chick are walking around and she starts making things too unrealistic, upsetting the subconscious of the host dreamer.

 

come on people. honestly.

 

What part of the bold comment did you not understand ?

Well, you wrote a paragraph about how it wasn't abstract enough, then at the last minute said that you get used to it and shouldn't think of it as a dream. So it was a bit confusing. Apologies.

But, I was really replying to the dozens of people in this thread who don't get it.

  On 7/23/2010 at 4:41 PM, blicero said:

 

But, I was really replying to the dozens of people in this thread who don't get it.

I understand your frustration. Specially because it's a blockbuster so all the nitpicking is a bit funny.

  On 7/23/2010 at 12:54 AM, Alcofribas said:

ok, can we stop defending the dream environments by repeating the point that they're not supposed to be wacky and surreal and have trippy visuals? the fact is the dream worlds are nothing like dreams in any way, whether crafted by "architects" or not there is no sense of the uncanniness or mysteriousness of the experience of dreaming. the dreamers maintain full possession of their egos just like in waking life which is exactly what dreaming is not. when we are dreaming we are, you know, fucking unconscious. dreams aren't just cool worlds where memories and superficially repressed desires hang around and shit. and there is no indication as to how it is that people train* themselves to just be their normal every day selves in these dream worlds. furthermore, there are attempts made to display the huge distinctions between being awake and dreaming and these largely fall flat and just look cheesy as hell (oh wow man, stuff is exploding over and over, sometimes even in slow motion!! no way, two mirrors facing eachother creates a fucking hall of mirrors! holy shit that's fucking awesome!

 

i think the comparison to gondry is completely illegitimate, eternal sunshine resembles inception in no meaningful sense, thematically or stylistically. i think mentioning lynch was right on as he is capable of conveying an intense, very realistic dream-like essence in his films often without trippy visuals; even the way that fucker lights his films is creepy and dream-like. so nolan with his 800 billion dollar budget can muster up nothing more than some predictable and unimaginative special effects and otherwise just let the movie fall into contrived action scenes and insufferable editing between dream and waking worlds: wow man, the further into the dream worlds you get the longer the experience of the sense of time passing so like let's cut from one dream world where we're really deep down to another dream world higher up and like the latter will be all in slow mo and shit.

 

really, this movie is not very good. it's a fun summer blockbuster but let's put away our penises shall we?

 

*edit: fuck that, juno is in full possession of her ego on her first fucking trip!

brilliantly said, my disappointed wasn't in the lack of surreal visuals (even though I still think the folding city and lame simcity they inhabited were under-realized and stale), it was that the dreamers were completely lucid, and the dreams were so linear. The "ever notice how you never remember how a dream begins" bit is very true, and I was disappointed that there wasn't more of that dream-logic. My dreams change location constantly, and I never know how they begin or end. Inception's dreams could have had the same greyish hollywood imagery and bland architeceture, but if there was more weirdness in terms of dialogue or interaction with the subconscious characters, for example, it would have been truer to dreams.

And I agree that the Gondry comparison is illegitimate because Inception uses the framework of dreaming as a way to spice up the thriller genre, while Gondry makes movies about people's real internal struggles, fears, desires, loves, etc. The science of sleep is pure psychology. You could argue that inception touches on those things but apart from the elaborate thriller plot which is the focus, I don't think inception successfully comments on relationships (mal/cobb is flawed and unconvincing) or anything deeper.

  On 7/23/2010 at 12:55 AM, Awepittance said:

  On 7/22/2010 at 10:56 PM, Atop said:

It isn't karma and your beloved Avatar pales in comparison.....

 

sure the effects were pretty in Avatar but story wise, it holds no candle...

 

I think you need to see it again...

 

 

hate to stay it but a couple of people in here are almost negating their entire criticisms by heaping praise on Prestige and Avatar. They were good enjoyable movies, but severely flawed in many areas. Somehow you can forgive an abominable performance of Scarlett Johanson in Prestige yet continually bash Ellen Page. Sure im not a fan of either of them but come on

 

It's like me going into a movie thread to beat it up and ending my argument with 'and this will never hold a candle to Lady in the water'........ok its not that bad, but its close

What kind of flaws does the Prestige have? It's is near-perfect for me. The pacing is effortless. The plot unfolds quickly but, unlike Inception, keeps you interested in what's happening on screen (during Inception I was constantly pausing to think about the intricacies of its universe, instead of paying attention to mal/cobb shit for example). And it's got such a likable cast. What's the problem with Scarlett Johanson? Are intelligent movies not supposed to have ass in them?

I hate Ellen Page for no real reason other than the contortions she makes with her face. She's a fine actor and plays Ariadne well. I just want to hit her. And I am not the first to suggest this so she definitely elicits she same response from a lot of people. There is just something so fake about her.

For the last time... This movie isn't about lucid dreaming.

ffs

i saw it again in imax.

oddly i came out with a different impression at the end. as did my wife. on first viewing she thought the top is going to fall and i thought it kept spinning. on second viewing we were both opposite our first impression. basically the ending doesn't tell you either way so its probably your mood/optimism/pessimism that shapes how you see the ending.

i no longer think its all a dream and now believe he did make it home.

next time i'll probably thinks he an alien.

the guy sat next to me had bad breathe. ugh

  On 7/23/2010 at 7:48 PM, Benedict Cumberbatch said:

oddly i came out with a different impression at the end. as did my wife. on first viewing she thought the top is going to fall and i thought it kept spinning. on second viewing we were both opposite our first impression. basically the ending doesn't tell you either way so its probably your mood/optimism/pessimism that shapes how you see the ending.

huh? I thought it was fairly obvious that it had only begun spinning slower but rather than let it topple, they pulled the "OMG EPIC" cut to black that everybody seems to think was a stroke of ecstatic genius.

WAS IT ALL A DREAM?!?! HOLY FUCK, MY MIND IS GONE!

no one thinks it was genius, just a nice/clever touch.

  On 7/23/2010 at 5:54 PM, iamabe said:

I don't think inception successfully comments on relationships (mal/cobb is flawed and unconvincing) or anything deeper.

i won't call having this opinion illegitimate because it's a subjective experience of yours, however did you miss the entire titular plot in the movie? the part where they tried to fake an emotional catharsis in Cillian Murphy by changing the nature of his relationship with his father.

I just remember thinking the PRestige had an awesome premise, but a very badly paced and anti climactic unfolding of events. And no i don't think it's bad to have 'ass' in a movie, lol i just meant that why bash the shit out of Ellen Page specifically (are you saying she isnt hot enough? or you just dont like her at all), i didn't really find anything about her that obtrusive or distracting, unlike scarjo's horrible acting in the Prestige (notice again im not mentioning the way she looks, but how bad she was for other reasons in the movie)

I actually liked the fact that Ellen's character wasn't the usual sexualized token girl in a heist movie. The raciest thing was Gordon-Levitt trying to steal a kiss from her. It was pretty refreshing, honestly.

Ellen Page kinda bugs me a little usually, but I thought she did a good job in this movie, and I can't really think of anything you could legitimately bash about her performance in it.

  On 7/23/2010 at 8:04 PM, The Overlook said:

  On 7/23/2010 at 7:48 PM, Benedict Cumberbatch said:

oddly i came out with a different impression at the end. as did my wife. on first viewing she thought the top is going to fall and i thought it kept spinning. on second viewing we were both opposite our first impression. basically the ending doesn't tell you either way so its probably your mood/optimism/pessimism that shapes how you see the ending.

huh? I thought it was fairly obvious that it had only begun spinning slower but rather than let it topple, they pulled the "OMG EPIC" cut to black that everybody seems to think was a stroke of ecstatic genius.

 

WAS IT ALL A DREAM?!?! HOLY FUCK, MY MIND IS GONE!

HOLY LOL

it's the sled