Dreaming Big

Since I was away for much of last week, I've only got one new review to post in this latest link collection. It's for Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated follow-up to The Dark Knight, Inception, which I found to be depressingly underwhelming.

Out Now:
Inception (Slant magazine)

Comments

[Blue]

Hey Nick,

Just watched Greenberg on video & I have to say that yours was one of the only sane voices on that movie. Call me a classicist old fart, but I greatly prefer the artificiality of his first film, Kicking and Screaming, because at least that had a ton of funny one-liners.

Basically the film is a mumblecore remake of As Good As it Gets, minus the laughs, with a lead actor without the charisma necessary to make an audience want to follow such a selfish, morose character.

As is almost always the case, you were spot on with that one. Keep up the good work, CHiPs.

-Blue

[Anthony]

Having now seen Inception, I take back my last comment about you being a buzzkill. I went to a midnight showing and left thoroughly disappointed. I pretty much agree with every point in your review. The exposition about the dream logistics simply does...not...stop. Plus the dream world presented is oddly nothing more than James Bond cliches.

The film could have used more moments like when the freight train plows through the city street...moments of inspired madness where the subconscious breaks through the architect's and Nolan's rigid design. Instead, we were left with a rather generic shoot 'em up with one cool rotating hall scene.

Everyone I speak to loves the film so I find myself in a rather small minority.

Best,

Anthony