MOVIE: Inception

Your friends are probably already singing it's praises, (most of) the critics love it, and judging by the box office numbers you have most likely seen it too. Nevertheless, Inception is a must-see this summer on the big screen. Written and directed by the über-talented Christopher Nolan, who creative genius never ceases to amaze (see Momento, Batman Begins, The Dark Night, etc.), the complex story unfolds like an M C Escher piece, with twisting layers that both reveal and hide secrets about the story and the characters within it.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, the troubled head of a team of "dream thieves," people who break into others' subconscious and discover their secrets while they sleep, the film starts strong and never lets up. Ken Watanabe plays a business mogul who wants an idea planted, not stolen, from a competitor, played by Cilian Murphy; in exchange he will give Cobb his life and freedom back, allowing him to return to his children in the United States. The team, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and the scene-stealing Tom Hardy, venture deep into the dream of Murphy's character, in the process discovering far more than they had intended.

Marion Cotillard shines as Cobb's deceased wife, who shows up in flash-backs and occasionally in his dreams, and the dreams of others, causing added issues for the team. I expect to see her name on some lists come awards season, along with Nolan's. Also popping up in smaller yet important roles are the always welcome Michael Caine and severely underrated Tom Berenger.

One aspect of the film that I loved, other than the special effects which were incredible (Paris folds in on itself!), is the timing aspect of the dream sequences. Most of us have heard that although a dream or nightmare may feel as though it went on all night, in reality, it was only a matter of seconds. Nolan has used this notion to the film's benefit, bending time in the different dream states. Therefore a few seconds in real life might give someone several hour's time in a dream. Now what happens if the person dreaming then dreams that they are dreaming? The possibilities are endless and mind-boggling and Nolan knows this and clearly loves it.

See this movie and you will too.

Sergio del Limónar