I saw Inception a while ago and have been meaning to review it ever since. So here’s my five on it at long last…
1: Leonardo DiCaprio. Great casting number 1. This guy is so intense. He’s a quality actor for sure. It’s like his face was just framed to carry off intensity. I mean have you seen his eyebrows. In-tense. With all that in mind he kept me completely captivated throughout.
2: Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Great casting number 2. This guy used to have me cracking up as Tommy Solomon in 3rd Rock from the Sun and I’m so impressed with some of the roles he’s taken since. He was brilliant in (500) Days of Summer and I thought he was pretty awesome in this too, a little bit dark, a little bit cheeky and apparently very skilled in a fight.
3: The Beginning.There was a moment at the beginning where I wasn’t entirely sure I’d ‘get it’. I think that was intentional though. For the first five minutes they just throw you into the deep end with nothing to guide you so you really need to pay attention. Eventually all becomes clear but I liked that initial challenge.
4: The Ending. I’ve heard people applauded at the end of this film. Which doesn’t surprise me. It’s pretty epic but what is the real takeaway meaning? It’s too deep to be just entertainment. Too complicated to be just an action film or a thriller. It’s just very philosophical. is it a challenge for us to examine the things that keep us grounded? Is it a warning to the world of commerce on the consequences of persuasive advertising? Is it asking us to examine how we should handle moments of dissatisfaction with our present state?
5: Be prepared to have very, very strange dreams after watching. I’ve seen this film twice and both times I’ve had weird dreams about dreaming within a dream and whether I’m really awake. A number of people have said the same thing happened to them too so be warned, whilst your enjoying the film your subconscious is apparently getting a little trippy.
Rating: 
Jaye
August 17, 2010
I loved this film. I took away something different Harlem.
There were so many truths about the mind and life, here in this movie. You can literally change your life through your dreams.
I naturally Lucid dream. Meaning, I understand that I am dreaming when I dream and I play and have control in my dreams. Though many people are taught lucid dreaming, I wasn’t taught this. I have always done it, mainly because I always feel my pillow when I am sleeping and though sleeping I am strangely always aware of my physical body. I am very into the power of the mind, but until this year, I never understood that because I have this control, I need to have purpose when I dream. I would be a lot further in my endeavors if I had known this long ago. But I just this year have been made aware of this being away to create in life.
But even for those that don’t Lucid dream. Day dreams, visualizations, imagination, creates your life. No type of dreaming isn’t clear cut.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s wife was his past, chasing him in his dreams. She was condemnation coming for him. Always getting in the way of his pursuit, stopping him from getting to his goals. I believe she (condemnation) won. I believe there will be a part 2 to this movie.
Things I learned from this movie:
1. Though I am seduced by the way the mind works. The mind is a not something to play with. Falling into a rabbit hole is not impossible in life. Loosing site of what is real and imaginary happens in small ways all the time. Example, people trying to change people. Dreaming the person is one way, when they are obviously another way.
2. Playing with someone else’s mind, leading them a stray, taking people on a mind trip with no consideration for what that trip in tells can be dangerous for you as well as them. Leonardo DiCaprio led is wife astray, and look what happen to him he lost everything, even control in his own dreams and eventually himself.
We must be careful with others, love others with consideration and be honest at all times. Most of all don’t play with someones mind for your own benefit.
3. Let the past go, forgive yourself and others. Unblock your dreams. As my pastor said Sunday, “Get out the trap of unforgiveness.”
4. Find something to ground you. Carry with you something meaningful. I am not talking about an object. I am talking about something you can hold in your heart to stay present in life. Many are swept away, by fame and success, because there was nothing to ground them.
There was so much in that movie. Harlem, I think I just blogged on your blog. LOL, I will transfer my statement her to my own blog and stick with this a subject for a while.
Ps. I emailed you about being on NappyMuseTV.
Peace out. Much Love to you Harlem.
Harlem
August 18, 2010
Hey Jaye, I got back to your email and i love your blog on my blog lol. Brilliant review and it’s great to hear your thoughts on it
Trinigyul
August 17, 2010
Great review Harlem and Jaye. You both gave me alternative views of the film. I was still on analysing whose dream were in at the end and the amazing way the idea was planted. I love the fact that they threw us completely into the story from the first second. It was exactly the way a good book would read. It has been a long time since a film kept me literally at the edge of my seat completely unaware of what would happen next. That is what every good thriller should do. I have believed in Leonardo as an ADULT actor since Departed and again he did not disappoint. Inception is 2010′s Matrix.
Harlem
August 18, 2010
Oooh 2010s Matrix. Do you think a trilogy’s on the way?
Brett Gerry
August 20, 2010
It’s about time we had a sensible reevaluation of this film: http://bit.ly/9xBJSz
Brett Gerry´s last snippet of wonderful prose ..The local UFO show that could change the way you look at regional cinema and television production
Lita
August 27, 2010
I really enjoyed it, but unlike Matrix I don’t think it was deep or philosophical, just because it was about an abstract thing (dreams). It was complex, and Christopher Nolan is an extremely skillful film-maker who understands the form and how to make it work for him. I want it to be the new Matrix, I’m definitely missing something
!
Harlem
September 1, 2010
Hey Lita, really appreciate your comment. I better check out the rest of Christopher Nolan’s work before I can really have an opinion