Throwback Thursday Review: 'Inception'

Sorry for the extreme delay in publishing this review. Before I begin, I'd like to update my readers on what's been going on behind the scenes. First off, I came up with an interesting idea for this review, but it just never took off, so that got abandoned. Secondly, Hurricane Harvey struck the Houston area back in August. This threw me off, of course, and I scarcely had time to sit down and work on reviews, much less any of my delayed ones. However, a sense of normalcy has long since established itself so I'm getting on to publishing these dreadfully delayed reviews online ASAP. Reviews you can expect to see in the near future include a Triple-R for Interstellar and Throwback Thursday Reviews over Stand By Me, The World's End, The Shining, the 1990 It miniseries, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Risky Business (1983).

'Inception' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Original Score.

Won: Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

Inception follows Dom Cobb, a thief who utilizes shared dream technology to enter people's minds and steal secrets from their subconscious. This skill makes him incredibly useful in the world of corporate espionage, but has also been accompanied by substantial personal consequences for Cobb. While on an assignment, he's offered a chance at redemption so that he can finally return home and see his children again. All Cobb has to do is assemble a team to infiltrate the mind of a CEO and implant an idea in his mind. The task seems inconceivable, but the reward far outweighs the risk for Cobb, so he accepts and the quest to pull off the most impractical mind heist begins.

Inception was written and directed by auteur filmmaker Christopher Nolan, standing as his seventh feature length film and first follow up to the massive success of The Dark Knight. I think every successful storyteller has a defining point in their career where they prove themselves capable of more than just making remarkable movies, but also expanding exceptional, original ideas into fantastic feature length projects. For Nolan, I believe Inception is his quintessential film. 

I'm not necessarily stating Inception is his best work, but I believe it to be one of the defining points of his phenomenal filmography. I still haven't seen Following, Memento, Insomnia, or The Prestige so I can't quite speak on how those films impacted his career trajectory, but I do believe Inception exemplifies all the aforementioned points. 

For starters, everything originated from one of the most unique ideas ever brought to film that presents infinite opportunity for elaboration and development. What if people were able to infiltrate one-another's dreams? What would the implications of that be? What are the rules? Nolan knows all, and the fact he thought this all up still astounds me. It's wonderful world-building from the group up, and Nolan realizes he's gotta break it down for the viewer so he cleverly incorporates exposition in an incredibly interesting way. He shows as he tells, explaining the fundamentals clearly and concisely for those providing their full attention and willingness to think.  

Nolan doesn't forget that the human mind is complex though. He remembers that the past haunts us and our personal trauma will always trail behind, so he brilliantly pushes that idea forward as the driving narrative for our protagonist. The base premise of Inception centers on a heist, but at its core the film is all about letting go of the past. The way Nolan integrates this thread with the overarching story is utterly exceptional. The stakes in Inception remain personal in spite of elevated spectacle. Rather than focusing the film's climax entirely on the heist at hand, Nolan pits Cobb against the personal demons of his past, and forces him to confront them in an intense, emotionally charged resolution. 

Like nearly all of Nolan's other films, Inception is a masterpiece on a technical level with splendid cinematography, impressive editing, proficient practical production design, absolutely authentic visual effects work, superb sound mixing and editing, and a booming score from Hans Zimmer. There's not a single technical category that slouches amidst Nolan's especially ambitious magnum opus, and absolutely all of these involved elements have gone on to be incredibly influential (just look to last year's Doctor Strange for evidence of that).

Time is a reoccurring element in virtually all of Nolan's work. Though the way Nolan compounds time within the layers of dreams in Inception's pivotal dream-heist is simply astounding. Every talked-about technical technique accentuates the tension and importance of the cerebral stickup, but the sense of urgency is only emphasized and amplified by these filmmaking instruments, not fabricated by it. This perception that time elongates within each layer is best communicated through the slo-motion sequencing and tempo fluctuations in Zimmer's score. 

As for Inception's illustrious ensemble, the all-star talent bring their A-game. Accomplished actors including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine each provide sufficient substance to their respective roles and make especially favorable impressions with every moment onscreen. 

However, it's Leonardo DiCaprio and Marion Cotillard who practically run away with the movie. DiCaprio absolutely authenticates Cobb's struggle to distinguish fiction from reality, and the fact his mind is constantly responsible for undermining his plans only strengthens the struggle. One outburst from him, in particular, is so powerful that you can feel Cobb's pain resonate through the screen. It's one of DiCaprio's few performances that exemplifies such a poignant balance between intellect, emotion, and subtle nuance. Cotillard is able to match him emotional beat-for-emotional beat though, demonstrating a strengthened resolve and etherealness to play Mel as a faint shadow of the woman Cobb remembers loving. She finds a strange sweet-spot between seeming real and unreal, so the viewer (like Cobb) will also have difficulty differentiating the hallucinations from flesh and blood.

Aside from expanding audience's minds in 2010, Inception stretched the limits of efficiently executing and innovating a director's most inconceivable abstraction. I realize I've used adjectives like "brilliant," "exceptional," and "astounding" quite often in this review, but there's simply no other way to describe Nolan's craftsmanship. He continually pushes the boundaries of every element of filmmaking to consistently deliver intellectually-stimulating entertainment. Inception remains to be ample evidence of just that, and so much more!

Film Assessment: A+

'Assassin's Creed' Review

In Assassin's Creed, criminal Callum Lynch is administered a lethal injection only to wake up inside a mysterious facility ran by a shady organization, Abstergo. Abstergo recruits Callum for a research project known as the "Animus Project" where he's asked to relive the memories of his ancestor in hopes of locating the lost Apple of Eden artifact, a device with the power to eliminate freewill. Calum is soon enlightened that his ancestor Aguilar Nerha was a member of a secret Assassin's brotherhood involved in an eternal struggle opposite a rival Templar society during the Spanish Inquisition.

Assassin's Creed is the latest cinematic adaptation of a popular video game franchise following this year's summer release Warcraft and while I was unfamiliar with the lore behind the fantasy massive multiplayer online role playing game, I have indeed played a few Assassin's Creed games and so I'm familiar enough with the mythology that I had an easier time jumping into this world. 

Assassin's Creed re-teams 2015's Macbeth director Justin Kurzel and lead stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard in an effort to make a credible adaptation but only do so half-heartedly, nailing the aesthetic but falling short when it comes to character depth and storytelling. The slick well-choreographed action sequences are admittedly one of the the best aspects of Assassin's Creed as the combat and practical parkour brilliantly materializes crucial game mechanics and the style hardcore fans are familiar with while director of photography Adam Arkapaw offers gorgeous escapist views of renaissance Spain. 

Unfortunately, unsteady shaky-cam and jarring jump cut editing detract from the grandiose nature of the action as viewers will find it difficult to keep track of what's happening amidst the chaos. Kurzel flourishes in the exhilarating 1492 Spanish synchronizations but the present day Abstergo facility sequences are dull, lifeless, and characters feel restrained in their flat environment. The script penned up by Michael Lesslie and rewritten by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage disappoints in almost all regards; the story's generic, the characters aren't fully fleshed out, lack development, and simply aren't likable. 

Neither the present day characters or those running around Spain in 1492 receive substantial arcs or any real character growth for that matter. One really nice touch for the Spanish Inquisition sequences though was that all the dialogue was spoken in Spanish which makes logical sense because it's always a bit odd to see foreigners depicted as unrealistically speaking English with ease in many blockbusters. 

Despite all the problems present in the film's story, the acting talent doesn't slouch with the material. Michael Fassbender inhabits dual roles as both Callum and Aguilar and makes both at least look cool amidst the action but due to the lackluster screenplay fails to really bring out any human element in Callum and lack of screen-time for Aguilar doesn't afford him enough to explore the character.

Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons exchange some interesting dialogue highlighting their opposing viewpoints and make a compelling father-daughter pairing as Sofia and Rikkin but aren't allowed a character journey for them to accentuate and even they can't improve their dour surroundings in the Abstergo facility. 

Ariane Labed has little dialogue, primarily serving as Aguilar's companion in his mission to keep the Apple out of Templar hands. She has some cool action moments but other than that probably won't register with the viewer and remaining cast members have even less to do than Labed as the focus is placed on the three headliners. 

In conclusion, Assassin's Creed's insistence and focus on being faithful to the source material prevents it from reaching the heights it could have as the Spanish Inquisition sequences show promise for a better film. About a year ago Assassin's Creed and Warcraft were poised to potentially be the first great video game film adaptations but fast forward and both seem to have fallen flat. Assassin's Creed doesn't fall short because it's a video game movie, it fails because it doesn't have the right end goal in sight. Assassin's Creed leaves the door wide open for a sequel but failed to convince me future installments would be worthwhile.

Film Assessment: D+

'Allied' Review

Nominated for: Best Costume Design.

Allied is a dramatic romantic thriller following the exploits of two World War II operatives stationed in French Morocco posing as husband and wife in efforts to assassinate the German ambassador. However the pretend relationship blossoms into an actual romance as Canadian intelligence officer Max Vatan and French resistance fighter Marianne Beauséjour fall in love. Fast-forward a year, the two have a daughter and British intelligence have reason to suspect that Marianne is a German spy, and provided they're correct Max will be under order to execute his own wife. Max then takes it upon himself to discover the truth and do everything possible to prove her innocence. 

Allied is the latest directorial effort from Academy Award winning director Robert Zemeckis, best known for helming  the Back To The Future trilogy, Forrest Gump, Cast Away and Flight, and certainly seemed like a promising addition to his filmography based on the tantalizing premise, A-list talent involved, and the stellar marketing material but in reality is simply a substandard romance set in the WWII era with some dramatic moments of '40s spy thriller tension. Zemeckis clearly is homaging romantic dramas of the era with heavy influence from Casablanca, so much so that the first half of Allied actually is set in the city of Casablanca, and succeeds in his endeavor to evoke the atmosphere of classic Hollywood but the pacing and tone suffers as a result from the mash-up of romantic drama and spy thriller genres. 

Zemeckis and frequent cinematographer Don Burgess frame some compelling shots that place just emphasis on the meaningful while simultaneously escalating the tense environment. Zemeckis' knack for CG-heavy backgrounds is a tad noticeable at times, such as the Moroccan desert, but the authentic production and costume design work stands out as a nice embellishment for the genuine '40s setting. Zemeckis also teams with recurring composer Alan Silvestri and Silvestri's compositions are suitable accompaniment but nothing remarkable in comparison to his previous scores. The screenplay from Steven Knight provides a meaningful story but fails in propping up a scandalous romance, in that dramatic tension is absent where it shouldn't be. 

Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard bring a suave, charming demeanor to Max and Marianne but their chemistry onscreen isn't as charged as one would expect from these accomplished actors. The pair looks fabulous onscreen but the underlying spark just isn't there. However they put forth their best efforts and provide some fantastic performances, Pitt plays up his dramatic scenes while Cotillard relishes in her cryptic character. Supporting characters are surface-level, in the background of the romance, but notable inclusions are Jared Harris and Lizzy Caplan. 

Allied makes for an enjoyable WWII thriller in it's best moments and a mediocre stylish romance in it's worst, the combination of which making for a more muddled viewing experience than I was expecting. There are without a doubt incredible things to find in Allied; stylish visuals, engaging action sequences, and great performances but the less-than-stellar love affair at its core detracts from the intended dramatic weight and emotional resonance. Allied is a tad disappointing when Zemeckis' past work is taken into consideration but succeeds in it's vein to be a modern slick love letter to classic '40s Hollywood.

Film Assessment: B-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'The Dark Knight Rises'

This week I'll be concluding my series of Throwback Thursday Reviews of The Dark Knight Trilogy with my review of The Dark Knight Rises. Next week look forward to a continuation of my Harry Potter Throwback Thursday Reviews with my review of  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and the following week I will review Saving Private Ryan since Sully, a film starring Tom Hanks will be released. In the meantime, I'm currently unsure of Ben-Hur (2016) and this weekends releases so I may review a few of those films and I may not, it just depends on if I find time to see these releases. However, I did watch Sing Street recently and plan to post a review relatively soon in addition to a post detailing what I believe to be the 5 Hidden Gems & 5 Biggest Disasters of the summer movie season.

'The Dark Knight Rises' Review

The Dark Knight Rises is the epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan's exceptional Dark Knight Trilogy, finishing strong despite not living up to it's predecessors. The Dark Knight Rises takes place eight years after the events of The Dark Knight where the audience finds that the Batman hasn't been seen in some time, Bruce Wayne remains secluded in his estate, and the streets are cleared thanks to the prop-up of Harvey Dent as Gotham's hero but everything changes when a brute cunning terrorist Bane arrives on the scene to terrorize Gotham. 

Unfortunately, The Dark Knight Rises has gone down as the weak link in the Dark Knight Trilogy, when in fact it's a lot better than people give it credit for. Yes, the film has problems. There are quite a few plot-holes, and it's certainly not perfect, but it's entertaining and takes the journey Nolan began with Batman Begins full circle. Nolan once again directs the film and co-wrote the screenplay with brother Jonathan Nolan and shared story duties alongside David Goyer. The writers ensure the realized world they've created remains intact as they continue to inject both complex characters and intellectual themes.

Nolan and cinematographer Wally Pfizer brings some of their most striking visuals to date and the editing from Lee Smith helps to intersperse feelings of suspense throughout the film's runtime. Another element Nolan carries over is a reliance of practicality with believable action sequences and awesome gadgets for the Batman to utilize including the latest new vehicle, the Bat. As for the sound, Hans Zimmer brings about another exceptional score for the series that 's the epitome of the word epic. 

The performances from the capable cast are once again a highlight and some supporting characters get more time to shine. Christian Bale gets to do much more acting outside the suit as opposed to the preceding installments, and he brings a dynamic physical change in this film when he bulks up for his final confrontation with Bane. Bale's Bruce Wayne is made a more focal part of the story, a welcome change considering how character driven it made the story, while his Batman is terrific as well, showcasing Bale's ability to handle the duality of the role with relative ease. 

Michael Caine brings more sentiment to Alfred as his willingness to ensure Bruce carries on the Wayne legacy is brought to the forefront. Morgan Freeman is terrific in his role of Lucius Fox and Gary Oldman continued to be an excellent Gordon. 

Newcomers Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt all have scene stealing moments as the enigmatic Selina Kyle, sophisticated Miranda Tate, and courageous John Blake. 

Admittedly, the biggest letdown in The Dark Knight Rises is without a doubt Bane. Tom Hardy's Bane is ruthless as he exhibits wit, brute strength, and a strategic mind in his fight to take Gotham, but a third act twist neuters the character of everything that made him so fascinating as he's ousted to merely be a love-sick henchman. Tom Hardy certainly exemplified physicality and intellect to make for an intellectual and physical threat when compared to the hulking abomination in Batman and Robin. However, the mask he wears makes some of his dialogue discernible. Hardy's Bane was never going to be able to live up to the complex anarchist nature of Heath Ledger's Joker, but he does quite well with what he had to work with. 

The Dark Knight Rises may be remembered as the worst film in the trilogy, but it's not inherently bad at all, and actually is a very competent piece of filmmaking due to the talent involved both in front of and behind the camera. If anything, the reality that The Dark Knight Rises doesn't measure up to the previous installments goes to show just how amazing those films are, considering how terrific the conclusion to the Dark Knight Trilogy proved to be. 

Film Assessment: B+