Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The last man on earth, to watch Inception...

I know it is pretty late to blog on Inception, but after watching the movie about one week late, after hearing praises from all my friends, after feeling that I am the last member of the "movie watchers fraternity" to watch the movie, I feel that it is something to note. Thus this post....

Inception is what I would like to call a concept movie, here the makers had a novel concept which they developed into a story and eventually into a movie... There are lot of such kinds of movies where the whole idea can be summarized into a sentence of concept. And most of such movies falls into some trouble, major being the lack of funding. Just imagine you going to a producer and asking him to fund the next movie that you are making, with the concept of the metaphysical transformation of a transvestite in a reverse chronological order... and you end up kicked out of the office with a restriction order preventing you to enter the premises within couple of kilometers.But much to the credit of its producers, Inception does not fall into this problem.. other wise it would have ended up as another indie movie unnoticed by all but a small group of nerds ready to burn the midnight oil....

Other things that can cause problems to such movies are ill handling of subject matter (Kabhie khushi kabhi gham, where a simple concept of joint family is stretched into hours causing unbearable overacting and acute emotional trauma to those watching), more emphasis given to the concept and thereby left with a very weak script (Identity, which despite being a good concept makes you feel that why the hell should I watch the mental conflicts of a super nut), making the concept watered down by adding lot of commercial elements (Avatar, where despite all the peacefulness and philosophy the aliens in the end turns trigger happy assassins much worse than the humans)... But Inception, thanks to the talented Director Christopher Nolan and great bunch of actors led by Leonardo di Caprio, never falls into any of the pitfalls making it a complete entertainer for the brain... Great concept, great script, wonderful execution and superb use of technology... 

I don't want to go into the story details, so I will just mention here that it is a movie dealing with someone entering into the dreams of others and incepting it with ideas... This is probably the most original movie after Matrix series, but here things are more serious and there is no childishness of The Matrix..

But I have one complaint about Indian critics who reviewed the movie... Of course they were all praising it, even those who never got the head and tail of it. But years back there was a movie by Anurag Kashyap called No Smoking, which was also kind of a concept movie, which these same critics trashed. (one person even told outright that No Smoking is a bad movie because he could not understand it. What kind of review was that? How can someone blame the movie maker for his ignorance?) I feel this is double standard. If Nolan makes a brainy movie, praise it, and when Kashyap makes a brainy movie, trash it without atleast trying to figure out what it is... 

22 comments:

  1. :) I'm more interested in "No Smoking".

    After seeing the movie, I struggled a lot to understand the movie. Finally, I felt the entire movie was John's dream! The last part where John wakes up and looks into the mirror was the reality! Unfortunately, none of my friends sat through the movie and I couldn't find any forums to discuss it. What is your take on the movie?

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  2. i loved the movie... but it requires lots of patience... I can understand common movie goers disliking it, but critics reactions was too bad... i watched it three times, and i too feel John is dreaming the whole thing till last scene...

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  3. @selvi thanks for spamming here.

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  4. I liked your '@selvi thanks for spamming here.'

    'Inception' is definitely a heavy-duty one on the mind, I reckon. I have to see it yet but going by the reviews, I think it is something original. But that is not the point here. I understand your point on 'No Smoking' but I would like to see it this way. More than not understanding, the person would not have had the time to "think" and "move" with the movie.' When Nolan does it, he already has the stamp so his movies prepare everyone mentally. It's crude to compare Nolan and Kashyap as both have their own styles, audience and popularity. But again don't you think 'Foreign' films always have an edge over 'Indian' ones. It's bad but still its the norm.

    Hope I made some sense.

    Joy always,
    Susan

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  5. I too hv nt watched it yet..but hearing about it from every1 around..I wnna watch it..!! so u r not the last person probably... :P

    good that u wrote about ur views..sooner or later, doesnot matter really..!! :)

    keep writing..
    Cheers.
    TC :)

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  6. You are maybe not the last man on earth to see this movie. Maybe I am, but I haven't seen it yet. It does sound like a good original idea for a movie though.

    I liked your answer to the spammer too.

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  7. Fists clenched, brows knit together, barely breathing .... 2 1/2 hours of watching a maverick genius's vision unfold on screen. That was Inception for me.

    And Matrix(the first part) happens to be one of my favourite movies. The Wachowski brothers lost it with the sequels that followed.

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  8. I haven't watched this movie yet. However, after I do, I might just be eligible for writing a post "The woman on earth, to watch Inception..." :). Good post by the way.

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  9. Same feelings here after watching Inception .. Matrix and No Smoking ..

    Funny thing, many of my friends who loved Inception, hated No smoking .. My take, either they are hypocrites or they are matured .. Wud prefer the 2nd part (as they are friends).

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  10. I quite liked inception too.. Very nice execution of the concept, but then of course all these big budget hollywood films have such massive budgets that they can hire the best of the best in animation and special effect..

    Will defi check out No Smoking based on ur recce..

    The Matrix is one of my all time fav movies, and i believe it is a level above Inception. I have watched Matrix many many times, but i doubt i'll be able to watch Inception more than two times.

    The Matrix is for me, like The Godfather...a fking baap of a movie that comes along very very rarely.

    I actually liked the Matrix sequels as well... :-)

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  11. Oh.. now I think I have to watch 'no smoking'. Grrrr --- to the reviews who let me down!

    Abt Inception - Oh... what a movie. just out-of-the-world! Join the club; even I watched it late - 2 weeks after it got released, one of the last persons on earth to watch it.

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  12. Happy u liked the movie Inception. In fact, I was provoking all my friends to watch it..

    And you wrote the article..very well..

    Phaps you may find a note on the same movie in my blog also..

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  13. Personally, I am not tat into Inception, it was a bit predictable~~~

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  14. This is a Great Movie, No Loose ends. Perfect Movie.
    Want to watch again, and again. To know more about the same. I like movies which confuse me...

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  15. @all
    sorry for the much delayed reply... but happy to know that you all liked it, well, except xjion89.

    @xjion89 predictable was a vise i never thought someone will attach to this movie, but it takes all to make a world....

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  16. @anjuli: taken note of "the man" part. nxt time will go for unisexual terms- like "person". wondering does it qualify. no one seems to be called as perdaughter, so hope it is ok...

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  17. Inception...the movie of dreamers...a well portrayed thought. Really on the screen, that was a fantastic. but to the common man, it would be difficult to understand the concept that lies in the story

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  18. @manoj every piece of art needs a certain level of understanding. So i think a little try from spectator is also expected... let the brain get some exercise :)

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  19. /The last man on earth, to watch Inception.../
    You are not!:) myself yet to watch!

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  20. @aruna: Thanks for dropping the comment, loved your blog on your school, but never imagined you are the principal there.

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