Inception, The Greatest Movie Of All Time

I watched G.I. Joe - Rise Of The Cobra, and thought it was a great movie. I watched SALT, which really was an amazing movie. Then just when I thought things couldn't get any better I watched Inception, and it just blew my mind.

I remember watching Killing Zoe and thinking, woah, this has something. I remember watching Léon The Professional, and when his eye, shielded by red glasses, appears and disappears behind a bullet hole in an aluminum wall I remember insuring myself that this would probably be my favorite movie of all time. Of course I thought the same when I saw Banlieue 13, and Legend Of The Drunken Master. Even Ice Age 2 had something other cartoon movies didn't have, yet Inception has something amazing that none of them will ever even get close to.

It's not about special effects, breathtaking music, or an amazing storyline. Nor is the spectacular filmography the key point, though the movie certainly has all of the above. Though it radiates a confidence that clearly breaches perfection this still isn't the base element of it's undeniable brilliance.

It has depth, yet this is not the secret. I watched Matrix and came to the same realizations, had the same dreams, thoughts & visions; even though this movie came after, it soars over the competition like a breeze over the sands of Kazakhstan. It has something the other's don't, and I can't seem to see what it is.

I could watch this movie a thousand times, and though I don't really mean that, I could watch it a thousand times. This does not explain the movie, but maybe it can tell you how I feel about it and how it makes me feel about everything. I'm not going to say it's the best movie of the decade, but it is, if not of this entire century, both past and previous. The hype doesn't precede it. I had no expectations, but it would have surpassed anything I did have.

The actors all do a great job, but it feels like the movie goes beyond them as well, I wouldn't care if they switched out the entire cast, because it's so much more that makes this movie into the undeniable masterpiece that it really is. If you haven't seen it, go watch it, surely you'll come to the same insights as I have. So have the audience of IMDB, with 1648 user reviews averaging 10 golden stars each, and after 230,000 votes a score standing at a solid 8.9 golden stars; landing it on place number 4 in the top 250 movies of all time. That's quite an achievement, though I wouldn't be surprised if it climbed up to the best movie of all time.

I'll be posting more about this. ;)

posted by Cyber on Sunday, November 21st, 2010 (12:15 PM) in Movies.
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► S3C
Friday Jul/20/2018

Inception has 205 award nominations and 94 wins- a Wikipedia page dedicated to the accolades of the film alone. I think that speaks for itself.

I saw part of GI Joe, saw that it contained Channing Tatum, didn't really catch my interest and I would probably give it a 3/5 S3C not-bad-but-there-are-other-movies-to-watch-with-your-limited-freetime. had I watched the whole thing. I watched SALT, which was pretty good, but just gets a 4/5 S3C must watch.

I don't remember watching Killing Zoe, that's a pretty obscure foreign flick that I'd imagine most USers haven't seen. I remember watching Leon the Professional and thinking woah, this is a pretty good, artistic film with great action with violence one right, interesting characters and gripping plot. Perhaps on the verge of 5, but not a 5/5 S3Classic like American Beauty which I had watched in proximity with this one. Never seen Banliue 13 but I've seen Brick Mansions (4/5) and been told the original is that much better, so I look forward to seeing it at some point. The Legend of the Drunken Master doesn't crack my classics, but it probably has some of my favorite fight scenes of all time. Ehh I saw the first Ice Age in high school biology class, while I won't say that it wasn't well made it just isnt my type of movie so I won't subject it to my subjective score.

Inception is better than all the aforementioned films, but I personally wouldn't rank it ahead of the Matrix, or even say it's Nolan's best film (gotta be Dark Knight) for that matter. Inception doesn't have the same breadth as the Matrix universe, the deep, revolutionary plot, nor the same level of originality and groundbreaking effects & ideas (bullet-time, running on walls, pills that bring you in and out simulated reality). Also Inception featured one of Zimmer's better scores, but his content never really stood out to me. With the Matrix you get the oscillating horns and crisp string riffs that synchronizes with the cold movements and dark cyberpunk world. Even the second and third movie had some interesting electronica tunes made by Juno Reactor scoring additional points for diversity.

Now, I'm not saying Inception doesn't have all that- it does; and does an exceptional job at that, hence the 5/5 S3Classic...It's just that the Matrix was that good in my mind, and probably will never be topped. As far as the Dark Knight, rating that higher than the Inception is questionable, it definitely isn't as an original idea. But Dark Knight delivered a constant stream of intensity that brings you to the edge of your seat and erects body hair, with a perfectly constructed story. Also, Heath Ledger's Joker might perhaps be the greatest villain of all time.

Of course much of the 'breadth' that I refer to in these movies is (unfairly) amplified by the fact that they are part of a series, while Inception is the lone film in its collection. Single movies, you say? I'd probably rank only Akira and Cloud Atlas ahead of them, and there you go, I think I indirectly listed my top 5 movies of all time here...

Well still a year and half for the film industry to provide something worthy of a change of the legendary 6, but the chances of that happening is about zero.

There are some movies that I can watch a thousand times- like the Matrix, Nolan's Batmans, Inception, Mad Max Fury Road, Sicario, which somehow has eluded me as a spammed film recommendation on your NG page...however, I have to give it some time before a rewatch. Like an extended moment of silence before I watch it again, or any another film for that matter. Also there are some 5/5 movies that I have watched only once- and don't plan on viewing again because the first time left a perfect impression in my mind: Cloud Atlas, Akira, American Beauty, Vanilla Sky...I recently finished watching a Netflix series Sense8, and haven't watched anything in a few days just out of being wowed...Also brought me to the verge of tears, which is a rare thing for cinema to do. I'll even cringingly say- that the series made me feel love. There's a special finale that I have yet to see because the ending to the seasonal episodes was just so damn perfect. I know you're not one for series but Sense8 is one I'd recommend. It's written/produced/directed by the Wachowskis.
► Cyber
Tuesday Aug/7/2018

That it does. :) Though there seems there are still people out there who don't share the awe I've shared herein. The more time goes since the last time I've seen this movie the more I question it really was as great as I remembered... but each time I see it again I realize that yes, it really was. It's been a while now, though. Questioning again.

The new G.I. Joe franchise is pretty AWESOME if all you're looking for is action. Futuristic equipment. Tough cast. Great pace. It's just a blast from start to finish. If you like movies like Kingsman, or pretty much any of the recent Marvel ones (though I seem to recall you didn't) then this is one you'd enjoy. Bit heavy on the sci-fi though. Not as authentic as SALT was.

Yeah, Killing Zoe's a movie I think I stumbled upon in a list of obscure-but-awesome, and it really was! It's pretty crazy. Not typical Hollywood blockbuster, but masterful in its own psychedelic, drug-induced, violent way. It's like you dive right in to the minds of a criminals, into a new world... sort of. IDK what made it what it was. Great movie anyway.

For sure, you gotta see the original some time if you get a chance! Subbed. Agree with Drunken Master. Plot-wise and all of that: not all that distinguishable from similar Kung-Fu movies, but the fight sequences are something else. I used to watch those again and again. Still great. It's fun knowing that the final villain was Jackie Chan's actual real-life bodyguard, too. You wouldn't think he'd need one, but that dude's got skills!!!

Fair do about Ice Age. The sequels went awry IMO, but the original's special to me. Not just a great story, uplifting as well, but the script was almost poetic, which I think was really refreshing at that time. Just that starting line: ...wasn't as poetic as I remembered at all, but anyway, great script...

The Dark Knight was great, yes, and the Matrix was a revolution in its time, but going back it just doesn't feel as wholesome now. It may have more depth, and a larger world surrounding; a backstory one movie isn't enough to capture (though I'd argue the sequels added in elements that weren't originally supposed to be there just for the sake of sequels - Reloaded might've been the best as far the action went, but the original stood perfectly on it's own IMO. I wish they could've left the sequels out of it considering how it went at the end).

Regarding the Dark Knight it really does suck you in. Bringing up that title now I'm reminded of The Purge, though it almost feels like blasphemy to compare the two. Maybe the former work was an inspiration there, though. It does have a stronger cast, and stronger action; pretty much stronger everything except maybe the score, but I feel the one thing Inception had that the others didn't is the ambiguity. It delves into a world we never fully figure out. It peels away layer after layer, goes deeper and deeper, and when it ends you're not sure what page you're really on. It's both an uncomfortable and satisfying disillusion. With the other two they both end in a definitive way. The Matrix less so, but you know which way it's going. :)

I do like a happy ending, in that particular example, but Inception... it feels like perfection. Such a balance. Such delicacy with which they weave the plot, build it up and break it down, whereas The Dark Knight doesn't stop breaking, and The Matrix... what can I say? In comparison it seems a bit gray, and high on sci-fi. It might've had a bigger impact on the world of film, but it's just... I don't know. My reasoning is lacking. It just doesn't embrue in me the same sense of perfection. I could compare it to movies like Underworld and Dark City, which are also great, albeit maybe not as flawless or wholesome. It feels closer to their level though, and style, to me.

Heath Ledger's Joker was amazing, agreed, but I wonder if his unfortunate demise following the movie didn't hype up his recent character to an almost unworthy level of praise. He's definitely on a whole other level compared to Jack Nicholson's earlier interpretation, but are there really no other villains on a similar level? The lack of a single definable villain in Inception, btw, maybe that's one reason some people have trouble with it...

Hmm Akira's a masterpiece in terms of animation, but I have trouble giving it a top spot too. All great movies though! I do appreciate movies that can stand on their own as well as this one too. In a way the ones which span on into sequels and build up worlds, and suspense, and character relations between them, seem a bit like cheats. That's TV territory. Movies should be a one-watch thing. So I say, though I still can't get enough of those accursed sequels when I love the franchise. I like to think they at least wopn't ever truly measure up to the one-shot masterpieces.

Hmm? Not much hope for the movie industry today? How so? Surpassing the ones listed here may be hard, but they are pumping out some amazing titles lately. I'm open to the possibility! Though wonder if I won't stubbornly cling on to Inception as my all-time favorite even if they do...

Sicario huh... I was thinking of watching that one at the movies but never did, didn't really stand out with the critics, and disappeared fast, I guess I should have! And Sense...eightion? Sensei (silent gt)?... maybe I'll give it an exception if time allows. Would be nice to feel. And hey, the Matrix guys. :D Didn't know they worked with shows too. Thanks for the tip.

I'm not sure there has been a movie I haven't watched again due to perfect first impressions, more so just certain lack of time when I remember the movie and how good it was (and quickly cast the thought of watching it again aside because I don't really feel a need to, and would rather watch a new movie, though I wouldn't mind seeing it again either). Impressions do change though... makes all my review ratings seem so skewed some times. One movie I really loved at the time I reviewed it might just not strike that same chord again. Depends on so much more than the movie itself, like the state of mind your in when you watch it. Best figure out the best state of mind to watch certain movies in and then only watch those movies then, for maximum appreciation. :)
► S3C
Sunday Jul/31/2022

seen the latest Nolan flick Tenet??
► Cyber
Monday Aug/8/2022

Yupp, I think the review for it's in my drafts. Was fascinating, but felt a little flawed somehow... the progression not as easy to follow as it should have been? It started so good but in the end I just wasn't blown away by it. Maybe it's just the backwards theme itself that's difficult to film in a way that feels authentic. Feels like there was more to it though. Not so wholesome.