"Inception" (2010)

"Inception" is the film that will finally give Christopher Nolan the Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director he has for so long deserved. Or at least it should be. This is a supremely intelligent work of art delving into the dreams of reality and the reality of dreams like no other movie in recent memory. And it comes from Nolan, one of the most talented storytellers working in cinema today, in the form of the biggest movie event of the summer. As a combination of "The Matrix," Charlie Kaufman's "Synecdoche, New York" and James Bond, the movie has the narrative puzzlement of "Memento" with the grand, epic scale of "The Dark Knight." Nolan dreams larger than life, and best of all, he succeeds.

Consider the feeling you get after jolting awake from an intense dream that feels all too real. That's how leaving "Inception" feels with your heart racing, head spinning and nerves jangled. Fitting, then, that the movie is about understanding dreams and the process of creating a reality within them. This concept opens up a labyrinth of possibilities, and Nolan navigates these possibilities with complete control through a screenplay that supposedly took him 10 years to complete. The film is impervious to spoilers because it's almost impossible to describe in words, and any details that might give anything away would not and elicit confusion instead.

If there's any movie out there that needs to be seen to be believed, this is it. With an ending so powerful prompting one of the most diverse audience reactions I've experienced, you will need to take a moment to set yourself back in the real world once the credits roll. There is no possible way to fully comprehend it upon a first viewing, but you can immediately appreciate its grandeur warranting multiple viewings. Prepare to have your mind twisted, turned inside out and then completely blown because this 148 minutes is more than worth the effort.

Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) describes how an idea is the most resilient parasite and that an idea planted in the mind is a seed that can grow to change the course of a life. He is a skilled professional hired by corporations to infiltrate the subconscious of others to steal their ideas, a practice known as extraction. Cobb, though, is hired by a wealthy corporate man, Saito (Ken Watanabe), to do just the opposite. The job requires Cobb to perform an experimental procedure called inception where he will plant an idea deep into the mind of a young billionaire, Robert Fischer Jr. (Cillian Murphy), an idea that will eradicate a corporation that rivals Saito's. All Cobb wants to do is to be able to go back home as a free man. After a terrible accident he was forced to remove himself from his family, but completing this job would allow him to return. It's a job he can't refuse and a job he vows will be his last.

A meeting with his father-in-law, Miles (Michael Caine), leads Cobb to discover his new architect for the job, Ariadne (Ellen Page), who is a smart and promising student and a genius when it comes to building and replicating spaces. As a test of her ability, Cobb has her sketch a maze in under a minute, but what Ariadne will sketch for the job is much more elaborate and fully realized. She must create a space within Fischer's dreams that is a deceptive maze, and this is all described to her by Cobb as they sit at an outdoor café in Paris. His discussion with her about fabricating environments within a dream while navigating and manipulating them is Nolan's way of teaching the audience how to follow along. In one of the film's most impressive sequences, the interior of a dream is introduced as the environment around Cobb and Ariadne starts dismantling itself and shattering all around them in a gorgeous slow motion effect. The cityscape lifts into the sky and literally folds onto itself.

They assemble a team to begin the infiltration process which includes Cobb's close associate, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a disguise master named Eames (Tom Hardy) and Yusuf (Dileep Rao) whose concoction of a sedative will allow the participants to stay asleep during their extensive inception. You see, they eventually dive into four levels of dreaming which means the plot is at one point simultaneously dealing with five layers of reality. You heard that right. Five layers. Yet it never becomes muddled or too disorienting--of course it has to be disorienting at least a little bit--as it progresses with a forward momentum that reaches the breaking point of intensity. It is accented with a pounding and brassy musical score by Hans Zimmer echoing that of "The Dark Knight."

Physics and time are altered as they descend deeper into the layers. Seconds in the first layer of a dream are minutes in the following layer which then descend to what could be hours, days or even weeks. This allows for visual flourishes that are downright awe-inspiring in many instances. When a van carrying our heroes tumbles down an incline, this places the second layer Arthur in the midst of a gunfire showdown in a rotating hotel hallway. When this same van gets launched off the edge of a bridge, gravity in this second layer ceases to be.

The special effects have a mind-bending effect not only in looking great but also in making sense with the circumstances of the dreams. Scenes from the movie's trailers which seemed illogical make wondrous sense once in context such as sceneries tilting and shifting right before your eyes, a freight train barreling down a busy street and crumbling buildings in a dilapidated state of limbo, the result of death in a dream while under Yusuf's strong sedative.

All of the performances in "Inception" are superb. Leo DiCaprio is impressive carrying a brooding weight with his role of Cobb who, unbeknown to his colleagues, has performed inception once before with devastating results. Marion Cotillard is fantastic as always playing Cobb's tender yet sorrowfully vicious wife, Mal, who perpetually invades whatever dream Cobb occupies because guilt from his past keeps her locked in his subconscious like a prisoner. Cotillard's presence has a saddening love that lingers in the scenes between Mal and Cobb.

As Ellen Page's first adult role, she fits in seamlessly, and I can't help but hope this is the start of a new trend for her because it's refreshing to witness. Also notable is Joseph Gordon-Levitt whose shining moment arrives when he solely wrestles with a batch of floating sleeping bodies.

The brilliance of "Inception" is the way it fits huge metaphysical ambition reflecting one's own sense of a dreamscape into an action Hollywood blockbuster structure without one hiccup. It makes the chase sequences and other conventions of the action genre feel like something wholly original all over again. With "The Dark Knight," Nolan reinvented the superhero movie. I think now he may have just reinvented, well, the standards of explosive commercial entertainment. He said his film is what Hollywood blockbusters should all strive to be. I couldn't agree more.

Archive: 'Juno'

Movie Review
Juno (2007)


"Juno" is becoming more and more the "Little Miss Sunshine" of this year; it's the little movie that could and one that you'll want to hug. Its popularity is growing immensely and with good reason. This comedy is indie all around from the opening credits to the songs, especially, by Kimya Dawson from The Moldy Peaches. It also happens to be very funny and very touching from start to finish. There's not one spoiled or missed moment within a screenplay that is, in a word, perfect. With a movie this warm-hearted and sweet, it can't help but be at the top of the year's best films.

"It all started with a chair," says Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page), the wise-cracking and extremely likable 16-year-old teen. It's a chair on which she and her best friend, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), decide to engage in a risky experiment that ultimately gets Juno pregnant. After a scary trip to an abortion clinic, Juno decides to have the baby and give it away to a couple who really wants it. Her friend Leah convinces her to check the Penny Saver for adoptive parents. The movie transcends the genre of the teenage comedy, making sure to shatter all of the usual stereotypes. This is first apparent when Juno reveals the news to her parents. They are warmer, brighter, and more sharply observant and humorous than any other parents you'll ever meet in a movie. Juno's step-mother, Bren (Allison Janney), and father, Mac (J.K. Simmons), have reactions that are more human than you would expect. Upon hearing Paulie is the father, Mac turns to Bren and mumbles, "I didn't know he had it in him."

Mac goes with Juno to meet the potential adoptive parents out in the suburbs. Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) is consumed in desperately wanting a child, while Mark (Jason Bateman) seems to not have yet given up being a child. During the meeting, Juno takes a special interest in the couple; she likes Mark, especially, as he has an interest in playing guitar, watching old horror films, and listening to weird music. While stopping by to deliver pictures from the ultrasound, Juno sits and simply hangs out with Mark while Vanessa's at work. As Juno continues to get closer with her adoptive parents, this relationship adds an intriguing dynamic to the story.

Director Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking") and first-time stripper-turned-writer Diablo Cody have collaborated to craft a movie that slowly reveals surprises, which I simply cannot go on to spoil. These surprises are not only in plot, but also in rich character development. We follow Juno along her nine-month journey in segments indicated by change of the season, with the consistency of Bleaker's high school cross-country team running past each time. Through this period, hidden feelings come to light and themes about certain truths in life are presented.

A most darling moment arises when Juno sits down with Mac to discuss the probability of two people loving each other and staying together forever. Another is when Juno bumps into Vanessa at the mall and insists that she talk to her belly. And then there are the times of honest humor, which reveal thoughts we were already thinking to ourselves, including when Bren tells off the ultrasound technician.

"Juno" is marked by whip-smart dialogue that is quirky and intelligent. Most of all, though, it is highlighted by a magnificent performance from 20-year-old Ellen Page who, without a doubt, deserves an award for Best Actress. She stands out next to Michael Cera's still enjoyably boyish presence and inexplicable ability to be awkward in any situation. As Juno, she treats her pregnancy and enlarged belly as a mere inconvenience, cracking jokes about it all the way. Gradually, though, we see what lies beneath her witty exterior, and Page remarkably shows us a girl that we immediately fall in love with. Ellen Page is brilliant, creating a character we won't soon forget. It's certainly a challenge to make an Oscar-worthy comedy, and that's exactly what "Juno" succeeds to be.

Archive: 'Smart People'

Movie Review
Smart People (2008)


"Smart People" is like the little sister of similar but better movies like "Sideways," "The Savages," "The Squid and the Whale," and "Little Miss Sunshine," all dealing with some sort of family dysfunction. Written by Mark Poirier and directed by Noam Murro, this comedic drama feels a lot like something we've already seen before. Numerous times, in fact. And yet while it brings nothing new to the table, the movie is persistently enjoyable largely thanks to the sharp characters and acting. It's certainly nothing that begs to be seen, but it's still trim, mildly amusing, and sometimes surprisingly intelligent. Like the characters in the movie, the filmmakers are smart people but made some dumb choices.

Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) is a tired and widowed university professor who's a cynic and a snob. He uses his intelligence against his students rather than to enrich them. He's a bitter widower who finds himself drifting through life behind a scruffy beard of depression. The university is scattered with past students he's had, all who he should probably remember but doesn't. This character is in essence what Philip Seymour Hoffman already did in "The Savages" and what Jeff Daniels did in "The Squid and the Whale." But here is the same role again, this time with Dennis Quaid taking a shot at it. He does an admirable job, though, keeping the correct balance of bite and warmth in his character.

Lawrence has a sharp-tongued 17-year-old daughter named Vanessa (Ellen Page) who's super smart, analytical, but emotionally detached and lacking any friends. She's precisely the sort of teenage daughter that such a cynical professor father would have. And she's such a wisecrack that she could only be played by Ellen Page. Lawrence also has an adopted brother named Chuck (Thomas Haden Church) who comes to stay with him and his family after an incident that prevents him from being able to drive. Chuck is Lawrence's unreliable chauffeur, but more importantly, while Lawrence is away at work, there is a relationship that evolves between Chuck and Vanessa. Keep your eye on these two secondary characters because Thomas Haden Church and Ellen Page absolutely steal the show with their scenes together. Chuck's relationship with Lawrence feels like a rehash of "Sideways," but his connection with Vanessa feels fresh with their banter full of witty dialogue and wry humor. Haden Church brings a sense of clumsy grace to his character while Page proves that her success with "Juno" was no fluke.

While being admitted to the hospital because of his accident, Lawrence meets, or rather, gets reintroduced to a former student of his named Janet (Sarah Jessica Parker). After an inititial meeting, they almost immediately begin dating. And here's where the movie's biggest issue comes into play. The movie obviously wants its focus to be on the blooming relationship between Lawrence and Janet, and yet, their situation is rushed and uninteresting and turns into a conventional romantic comedy. And although they're both good actors, there is little chemistry between Jessica Parker and Quaid, which is why the focus immediately shifts away from these leads. But even so, the uneven screenplay still provides enough room for the entire worthy ensemble cast to show their stuff.

It's funny that not only do big Hollywood productions have their set formula but now so do indie comedies. Like most other small character studies, this one never tries to do too much. Yet, by the end of this equally small movie, there's still that sense of perhaps more could've been explored. But even as "Smart People" doesn't exactly nail the level of effortless poignancy that all those other similar movies do, it's still pleasing and engaging. It starts off shaky, gets better around its middle point, and then sinks back into playing it safe, wrapping everything up just a little too neatly in the end, especially during the credits. It's a smart movie that could've been just a bit smarter, but even in spite of that, I have to say it grew on me.

Ellen Page On Wheels

Whip It


Ellen Page is a marvel in "Whip It." Her Best Actress nomination was no fluke, and she shows more expression and freedom here than she ever did even in "Juno," and that's perhaps partially because she's not stuck under the confines of Diablo Cody's snarky writing. Page's sharply smart performance is in the role of another lost teenage girl, except this time she leans a little more toward the nice girl side. She plays Bliss Cavendar, whose plucky and down-to-earth attitude is appealing and whose defensive selfishness is understandable. She's a girl trying to find her place, she's only 17, and yet she finds herself in the Roller Derby rink with brute women in their 30s. And in there, she's able to let herself go.

"Whip It" showcases Drew Barrymore as a first-time director, and it proves to be a very strong debut. The movie is written by an actual Roller Derby girl, Shauna Cross, and the screenplay is based off her novel, "Derby Girl." Barrymore keeps a keen focus on an amiable tone that keeps things tender, heartwarming, and funny. She never goes for revolutionary, but she never has to anyway. It allows for a movie that is joyously likable and impossible to dismiss. This is a simple coming-of-age story, and we know where it's going and how it's going to work out almost instantly. And yet that doesn't keep it from being enormously entertaining. The surprisingly rough-and-tumble athletic sport of women's Roller Derby is used as an ideal backdrop for an emphasis on sheer girl power. There are rules to Roller Derby, yes, but the details are never slaved over. What we understand is that you go around that track as fast as you can and try not to get knocked down while you're knocking as many other people down as you can to get in the lead. Yeah, kind of like growing up.

Bliss lives in a small town in Texas and works at a tiny diner with her best friend, Pash (Alia Shawkat). Her mom (Marcia Gay Harden) is old-fashioned and pushes Bliss into the Bluebonnet beauty pageant that is sickening in its standard to uphold 1950s values about womanhood. She purses her lips at any sign of rebellion from Bliss, and so, the girl has learned to comply and play along. Then one day she comes across an ad for Roller Derby. She sneaks off from her parents with Pash to go see the ladies on wheels in downtown Austin, and she immediately falls in love.

Bliss decides to try out, and so, strapping on her pink Barbie skates, she begins to practice for the first auditions. She takes the community bus back to Austin and gets greeted by the women with tough pseudonyms and tattoos. The team is led by the scruffy coach known as Razor (Andrew Wilson) who wears short jean shorts and tries to encourage the girls to care about the fact that their team, the Hurl Scouts, has always come in second. Bliss lies about her age in order to become part of the team, and the veterans immediately welcome her to the bunch. Before she knows it, she has the name Babe Ruthless and is the poster girl for the team.

Having to hide the Roller Derby from her mother, she lies to her parents by saying she had to change her schedule at work for an SAT class. And it just so turns out that Bliss' dad (Daniel Stern) escapes from his wife, too, by cutting out of work early and watching sports in his van. Bliss also meets a boy, Oliver (Landon Pigg), one she immediately locks eyes with and who seems like a dream. This is just another one of those coming-of-age milestones that had to be squeezed in. The thing is, even though Barrymore mostly bases her movie on clichés, they are fine, and she and her cast make an admirable attempt to make them seem fresh.

What's most striking is Barrymore's fond connection with her actors as she finds a big part for every supporting role. Take Bliss' parents for example who have a dynamic all on their own. Marcia Gay Harden, especially, brings dimensions to Bliss' mom that'll spring up on you. She starts off as a prim and demanding mother, but then she goes into different directions later on. You see, she's a mail carrier who needs to light up a cigarette when things get rough. Even Jimmy Fallon as the comedic and enthusiastic Roller Derby announcer is key in helping to point out the subculture of the sport. And Andrew Wilson is apparently the hidden gem among the Wilson brothers.

And then there are the skater vets who really steal the show. Barrymore plays Smashley Simpson, Kristin Wiig plays Maggie Mayhem, Zoe Bell (of Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof") plays Bloody Holly, rapper Eve plays Rosa Sparks, and Ari Graynor plays Eva Destruction. There's also the intensely competitive Iron Maven of the opposing team who's played by Juliette Lewis, and she becomes Bliss' rival. It's fitting, too, because Page has the looks of being Lewis' understudy. It's worth noting that most of these actresses did all their own skating and stunts. That includes Page when she does that wildly remarkable jump.