In 1999, Laurence Fishburne indelibly changed the movie industry with just 3 simple words: "Free your mind." Fishburne's advice in "The Matrix" seemingly inspired directors, as cinema's special effects became more advanced and the makeup of films changed: stories became grounded in physical landscapes as well as the inner workings of the human mind. The latest edition to this trend in filmmaking is Christopher Nolan's sci-fi thriller, "Inception."
There is little known about this movie other than what has been seen in trailers and critical speculation online, yet it seems this is more than enough to intrigue audiences. Images of crumbing skyscrapers, distorted gravity, and entire landscapes folding over have created a lasting impression: even the concept is enough to make you want to mark down July 16 down on the calendar.
It could be argued that "Inception" is just another rendition of the same story that has been seen before in films like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" or "The Cell." However, unlike the chaotic memory jumps of the former and uber-gothic style of the latter, "Inception" examines the human mind when it is most creative, in its dream-state. The film explores the possibilities of stealing someone else's dreams or greatest ideas.
From the look of the cast alone, it is easy to tell that this movie should be entertaining. The honor of first listing goes to Leonardo DiCaprio. It seems that success has followed him all over his expansive career, with films such as "Titanic," "The Departed," and most recently "Shutter Island." Also starring is Ellen Page, who has been a hot commodity in the acting community since her debut as the title character in the critically-appraised "Juno." In addition to these two actors, director Christopher Nolan has brought along some of his regulars, including Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe, and the award-winning Michael Caine.
Aside from a great cast, let's just hope that the director has brought along a few other things. Christopher Nolan made his first splash in the filmmaking business with 2001's "Memento," a psychological thriller shown completely in reverse. He would later go on to revamp the Batman franchise with "Batman Begins" and then immortalize his name in the film industry with "The Dark Knight." What made Nolan's movies so successful was the original direction they were taken in, a great cast, and a unique concept. If "Inception" adheres to any of these standards, then audiences everywhere will be blown away by what they see.
Christopher Spall can be reached at christopher.spall@student.shu.edu.
