2010: The Year in Film: Inception Review

The most eagerly awaited movie (by me and most people whose opinion I would trust..) of the summer, and maybe the year is upon us, and let me be among the first to say it does not disappoint. Via some Prop Joe type scheming by one BD, several of us scored passes to an advance screening of "Inception" on Monday night. Yes, I was incredibly pumped, and was completely glued to the screen for the entire runtime. Christopher Nolan is one of the most gifted and original talents in Hollywood today, and in much the same way as James Cameron saved 2009 by bringing in a breath of cinematic fresh air and reminding so many of us why we love movies, Chris Nolan is seeking to do the same thing for 2010. This is a blockbuster for the mensa crowd, if such a thing is possible - and only the man who resurrected Batman and brought us two of the 3 or 4 best comic book movies of all time could be given this kind of budget and trust by a studio to make such an ambitious, massive and ultimately rewarding spectacle. Chris Nolan has dealt over and over with altered states of reality, what our perception of that reality can mean for the individuals affected, and unique narrative structures that are truly experiences for the audiences. In much the same way that "The Prestige" unfolds much like a magic trick, Inception unfolds like an intricate maze or puzzle, one whose interlocking parts prop it up. If you pulled one thread it would all unravel, but therein lies the beauty of it all - the intricate, layered narrative unfolds perfectly and results in a truly unique, incredible experience, possibly unlike anything I've ever seen in a theater.

This movie is basically impossible to describe - it needs to be seen to truly be understood, I can't wait to see it again so I can finally get my mind around it. But here's a start - basically, the film deals with a new kind of espionage, one in which people enter dreams in order to steal ideas from an individual's subconscious. These intruders are not welcome in an individual's subconscious, which can turn hostile if their presence is too overt. Inception is part spy movie, with the intrigue, exotic locales and backroom deals, part heist flick, with the "assembling the team" scenes and unique skills, and part sci-fi Matrix-esque exploration of consciousness. Immaculately written, constructed and shot - this is a film made by incredibly skilled and competent people. Every single shot looks incredible and very real - even if that shot is a huge skyline collapsing into the sea or Paris folding over on itself. As the characters enter peoples' dreams, it becomes difficult for them, and for the viewer, to discern between the dreams, and the eerie sense of "what is reality?" pervades the whole endeavor.

The acting is more than strong. Leo is showing why he's hands down the best actor under 40 in Hollywood, his sense of pain, anxiety and dread perfectly tinges the entire picture, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is coming into his own, Ellen Page is going to be a hell of an actress, Marion Cotillard is enchanting, Ken Watanabe is one of the more understated actors working today, Tom Hardy is strong, and Cillian Murphy is great as the "mark" - if I have one cast-related complaint, it's that we could have used more Michael Caine, but hey - the guy is a favorite of mine.

I have minor complaints, but just three of them - 1.) the film slightly drags towards the very end, 2.) not enough michael caine, 3.) sometimes the action feels needlessly over the top. Those are seriously my only complaints. Those are legitimately my only criticisms, and yes - they are extremely minor

This is not a lighthearted fun popcorn flick. This is a heady, brilliant, complex film that has a lot to say and says it in truly remarkable fashion. Everyone involved is on the top of their games here. Immaculately shot, outstanding, ground breaking writing, great acting by an outstanding, clearly motivated cast and a truly original and intelligent story - such a rare thing among big-budget hollywood flicks today. I feel like this review hasn't done it justice - but once you see it you'll understand, it is truly hard to put into words - I have two options, either type 5000 words and completely outline the plot while spoiling everything, or stay frustratingly vague like I am right now and just recommend the flick as strongly as I can. I can say without hesitation that this is absolutely the best movie of the year, is probably Nolan's best (no small order), and is quite possibly the best movie I've ever seen in the theater. I cannot (literally cannot) wait until I see it again, and am telling you, if you care about movies at all, go and see this one.

I'm tentatively giving this one a 9.2, and you'd better believe when I do the "Best of the Decade" list for '10-'20, this one will be right there. This, folks, is why I love the movies. Thanks, Chris Nolan, for giving a damn, and having the courage to make this kind of movie when it would have been easier to just jump right into Batman 3. I truly appreciate it.

9.2/10

2010: The Year in Film: Predators Review

1987's "Predator" is an all-time guy movie classic, one of those movies that basically spawned an entire genre and remains legendary among fans and industry types alike. The original takes place in the dense, inhospitable jungle of Costa Rica and follows an American special forces team sent to rescue some VIPs who went missing in an area overrun by rebels. In this jungle, they find a lot more than they bargained for as a deadly alien hunter who hunts men for sport is hot on their trail. The original epic spawned a sequel where the Predator took to the streets of Los Angeles, and a rather unfortunate crossover series with Fox's Alien franchise. It took 23 years for the Predator series to return to its jungle roots - a setting that is perfect for sci-fi/horror. I am a huge fan of the original, and have been excited about this one since seeing the talent behind it. This is a pretty stacked cast - Adrian Brody, Lawrence Fishburne, Topher Grace and Danny Trejo are the highlights. Robert Rodriguez EPs. Count me in.

The first hour or so of this movie is incredible. It opens up gangbusters and doesn't let up for quite some time. The tension is palpable, and it really keeps you on the edge of your seat. You're right there with the characters as they try to unravel just what the hell is going on. The film opens with Adrian Brody in free-fall, his shoot opens, but not high enough to prevent him from taking a pretty rough fall. As he struggles to find his bearings, he discovers other humans are dropping all around him. Gradually, our merry band discovers that they are all elite warriors and killers in their own right, and they have been brought to an alien world/game preserve as quarry for a group of Predators on a hunting excursion. The film quickly becomes a struggle for survival, as the Predators take apart the human survivors 1 by 1.

Is this a perfect film? By all accounts, no. However, it is a damn good time and a worthy sequel to the 1987 classic. The film ultimately fails to live up to the promise of its first hour, as by the end it devolves into rather standard fare chase-horror. That is not to say it isn't well done however. The film looks great, hard to believe it was made for only $40 million. Brody and the rest of the cast are strong (of particular note is Walton "Shane from the Shield" Goggins), and do a hell of a job selling what could potentially be a preposterous premise. I do have criticisms - one is that Brody is acting a whole hell of a lot tougher than he looks or could possibly be - another is that the characters make rather large leaps in understanding that don't seem possible given the information given to them. Granted, I understand that these are necessary to further the plot, but they seem a bit off-putting. That being said, this flick is a whole hell of a lot stronger than any Predator film since the original and well worth your time if you're a fan of the sci-fi/horror sub-genre. It's a can't miss if you're a fan of the Predator series, and one of the better flicks I've seen this summer. 7/10.

2010: The Year in Film: Knight and Day review

Once upon a time, Tom Cruise was the biggest movie star on the planet. Sure, he's dwarfish, he can be a spaz, he's a weirdo scientologist, and he most often resembles a bi-polar manic, but he also can be immensely charming and likable, with an undeniable screen presence. A lot of people have been calling this one Cruise's "comeback", a charge I deny, since I enjoyed "Valkyrie", but if it truly is, one will see that despite the insane scientology nonsense and the leaping about on Oprah and debating Matt Lauer over the fruitlessness of pharmacological treatment, the same charming, funny, talented Tom Cruise is still there. Action comedies, like the three little bears, come in three flavors - too much, too little, just right. If you swing and miss and it turns into just an action movie that takes itself too seriously, you've got a bomb. If you swing and miss and it turns into a silly ass comedy that doesn't do action all that well, you've got a bomb. There's a delicate balance you've got to achieve, where the action scenes have the requisite gravitas but the whole thing is still light and fun rather than stuffy and brooding. Is this movie life-changing? Absolutely not. It's not a work of art that will leave you wringing your hands and pondering life's mysteries over beverages of all sorts. However, what it does provide is good old fashioned entertainment, of an actually enjoyable sort. Where many action-ey flicks bash you over the head with spectacle, explosions and ridiculous effects (make no mistake, this flick has all of them), this one primarily relies on the strength and chemistry of its leads. Tom Cruise is funny, charming, and all too believable as a rogue CIA agent who may or may not be completely out of his gourd. (it actually may be the perfect role for him, minus the whole epic badass thing) Cam Diaz is perfect at doing her thing, good looking, surprisingly ordinary regular chick who's just a little zany - she's basically been doing just that since "There's Something About Mary". Director James Mangold (Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma) is one of the more consistent directors in the game today, Peter Sarsgaard and Paul "Eli Sunday" Dano are the other principals, and honestly, I just had a good time with this one.

Our hero, Mr. Cruise, one "Roy Miller" is on the run from the agency, and clearly has something that they want. Along the way, an innocent bystander, June (Diaz) gets swept up in his path of destruction. The madcap plot jumps from exotic locale to exotic locale across basically every type of transport (plane, car, boat, train) as Miller seeks to evade those seeking him, both the Agency and a power-hungry European weapons manufacturer and lead his wards to safety. I honestly was surprised at how much I laughed in this one - Cruise does possibly crazy but very capable very, very well. If the film had relied more on the leads, humor and the obvious chemistry between Cruise and Diaz than completely over the top action scenes, we may well be talking about greatness here. As it is what we have is a fun, charming little movie that is destined to be played ad nauseum on FX in 4 years time. That is in no way a bad thing. Take it for what it is, it's a fun, silly little time, and I'd rather watch Tom Cruise carry a fun, ridiculous action movie than just about anyone else. (Not counting Robert Downey Jr.)

So don't go in expecting too much, see some cool gun battles, some witty dialogue, and a couple of solid little performances, and you'll have 2 hours of solid entertainment. That's certainly more than a lot of movies can say. 6.8/10.


Ignore the use of Muse in the trailer, Cruise can't help it, he's a scientologist.