Inception
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine

During the last ten years, Christopher Nolan has written and directed Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, and the third highest grossing film of all time, The Dark Knight. To say that expectations were high, for Inception, would be an understatement. What Christopher Nolan has achieved with this film is simply extraordinary.

Leonardo Dicaprio leads a team of thieves trained to enter dreams and steal the secrets that they hide. By invading these dreams, they face attacks from the subconscious minds of their targets and risk becoming trapped in the false realities of the dreams themselves.

Dicaprio’s performance as the leader, with secrets of his own, is stellar. I still find it hard to believe that with his body of work that he has yet to win an Academy Award. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been the prince of indie cinema for years; starring in serious dramas such as: Mysterious Skin and Brick. It is a pleasure to see him bring his talent to a big budget blockbuster. Oscar winner Marion Cotillard is simply stunning in her heartbreaking portrayal of a tortured soul imprisoned in a never ending dream. Oscar nominee Ellen Page is the team's dream architect. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight alums Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine round out the cast and give first rate performances.

You will need to keep your thinking cap on for this one. As the team dives deeper into dreams and dreams within dreams it will be easy to lose your way. Whether it is a train running through the middle of a city street or a dizzying fight scene in a spinning hotel hallway (my personal favorite), you will wonder if what you are seeing is just a dream or reality. Refreshingly, the effects are only an extension of Nolan’s storytelling. Too many film makers pin their successes or failures solely on the visual effects and forget to tell a compelling story. The effects are most assuredly worth the price of the ticket. But the true ace in this deck is the mesmerizing story, and that is what will keep your eyes fixed on the screen. Rounding out the superb writing, acting, and visuals is Hans Zimmer’s haunting score. All great movies have their own sound and Zimmer has provided a soundtrack that will become indistinguishable from the film.

In a season of movies that will largely be forgotten, Christopher Nolan has made a film that will resonate with its audience for years to come. This is an absolute must see. You will be transported to a world you could not have imagined. I can only hope that my future dreams will be as dazzling.

*fashionadofilm score 9 out of 10

fashionadofilm with Jamie Clemons