Cinema Review: Inception

Christopher Nolan, a man renowned for his unique storytelling, follows up his Box Office smash The Dark Knight with one of the most anticipated films of 2010, Inception. A noticeable withdrawel of any sense of predictability is blatant from the trailer alone, yet the inevitable outcome of his latest blockbuster was spoken with extreme caution - were we expecting too much?

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb, a skilled thief who earns his living by entering the subconscious of a person's mind and steals valuable secrets as they remain in a dream state. In a year where such technology exists, said mission(s) have caused Cobb to lose all of those close to him. Still, when a business proposition crops up promising him his original life back, Cobb enlists the help of a few other professionals to pull of the impossible-inception; planting an idea, rather than stealing one.

Fortunately for fans, Nolan's work hardly falls in the 'inconsequential' catagory. By straying from the paths which most often follow, Inception stands firm as a truly original idea which, thanks to Nolan's sharp and intelligent writing, is incredibly refreshing. With a style as broad and individual as his, it's all the more surprising when, by adding multiple elements, he first-handedly blurs the lines of his normal target audience, as well as opening the doors to those who've possibly never seen his previous work -- if you haven't, buy his 2000 feature Memento instantly after reading this.

Shrouded with deep intellect and uncommonly enticing, his story contains an unimaginable amount of continuously-developed layers, all of which provide an extensive peak into the Dream world in which he has created. Forcefully dragging the audience further and further (down the rabbit hole, if you will), the story fully envelopes you, twisting your mind with a magnitude of unanswered questions and, due to the brilliantly intense climax, throws you back with an almighty force. Nolan's particular style of fast-paced, always mind-blowing, action fused with a story that maintains the ability to captivate, whilst surprisingly moving, makes for essential viewing.

Ironically aiding the dream-like setting are the dream-like cast of characters, all of which are played by A-listers who actually can act. DiCaprio exudes enough enthusiasm for the role, with his love/hate relationship towards his potentially dangerous ex-wife Marion Cotillard proving deeply heartfelt throughout. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page also shine, especially as Page has truly never starred in a film much like Inception, but proves with every role she participates in that she is more than ready to handle such heavy 'equipment'.

With copious amounts of scenes that become increasingly more jaw-dropping as the film progresses, Inception contains enough to entertain most audiences. Action junkies will be floored with the array of scenes nearing the end, but whatever you're into, Nolan has created a masterpiece that will stand as one of the most explosive, immersive and downright original films that will be released in years. An unarguable work of art, showcasing Nolan's individualistic behaviour towards film.

5/5

This Week's UK Cinema Releases, 23rd July

-The first of this week sees the release, finally, of Vincenzo Natali's sci-fi horror Splice. Adrien Brody and Sarah Polly star as two ambitious but rebellious scientists as they defy all laws of science by combining the DNA of several animals, including that of a human, and create a creature they later call 'Dren'. Forming at a rapid rate, she grows into a winged human-hybrid, but her bond with both of her creators turns deadly. An undoubtedly unique, hopefully twisted, horror.

-Andy Garcia teams with Julianna Margulies, Emily Mortimer and Alan Arkin in family drama City Island. A young ex-con (Steven Strait) forces individual members in a family to uncover their hidden aspirations and careers, with Dad of the family (Garcia) working as a corrections officer despite his life-long dream to become the next Marlon Brando.

-Catherine Zeta Jones stars in romcom The Rebound, centering around Sandy (Jones) as she moves to New York with her two children. Hiring a coffee shop worker to babysit, an attraction instantly forms, but will their relationship work despite an extensive age gap?

-Karate Kid, the re-imagining of the 1984 film, hits cinemas this weekend. Will Smith's offspring Jaden Smith joins with Pat Morita's substitute Jackie Chan as a series of run-ins with a group of bullies forces him to join alliances with handyman/kung-fu expert Mr. Han (Chan).

Movie News: Teaser For Saw 3D

"All true geniuses always save their best for last..."

Jigsaw returns October 22nd in his latest, and final, outing, pitting another group of unlucky souls against an array of his incredibly creative traps, with an inevitably gory outcome to please fans of the seemingly never-ending franchise.

The seventh outcome follows a group of Jigsaw's survivors as they seek the support of a self-help guru, with fellow survivor Bobby Dagen setting off a rippling effect of misery as his very own dark secrets are unleashed.

Fighting at the Box Office with fellow sequel Paranormal Activity 2, will Saw 3D -- the sixth sequel in the series -- rise on top? A sad decline in numbers with Saw VI may see PA2 rise, but a possible advantage is given to Saw 3D as it closes the series. We all want to see Dr. Gordon return, right? S**t, it's what we've wanted since the first god-damn film!

Saw VI director Keven Greutert will direct the final film, with Tobin Bell somehow reprising his role as the inexplicable 'saviour' Jigsaw. Due to Saw VI surprisingly resurrecting the series after the abysmal fifth entry, high hopes are abound with Greutert helming the project.

This is Saw, therefore expect an explosive, unpredictable, gory last act.

Cinema Review: Toy Story 3

The anticipation built around Pixar's latest, a sequel to one of the most loved series of all-time, is intoxicating. From the introduction to Toy Story back in 1995 to the equally-as-brilliant sequel in 1999, the toy box full of creative, amusing and all-round captivating characters has charmed audiences worldwide. Eleven years later and we have Toy Story 3, welcoming Woody, Buzz, Jessie and co. back into our lives with outstretched arms.

The latest chapter sees our beloved characters in a state of unknown as Andy -- voiced once again by John Morris -- is off to college. Their owner has moved on, therefore the impending realization of being left behind is hard-hitting. Accidentally dropped off at Sunnyside -- a day-care centre, the toys form alliances with the seemingly innocent Lotso and a cavalcade of other throwaways. Once their true form is discovered, the gang decide to plot their very own great escape, with every intention of returning home to their owner.

It's an undoubtable fact that Pixar create their animations in a God-like manner, with great care, heart and humor. Their astounding ability to reach out to audiences of all ages with a story so rapidly fused with both child and adult-like behaviour is renowned, all of which is easily conspicuous in the third outing. An ability which also accounts for changing a possibly inessential entry to something which appears entirely relevant -- and for fans of the series, overwhelmingly essential. A certain dependancy has been formed upon these characters, all thanks to John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton, the writing team behind every Toy Story feature.

The brilliance of their writing never undermines, merely entertains all ages with their quick witted one-liners and, gearing more towards the final segment, beautifully poignant and incredibly heartwarming scenes. A choice to introduce a series of new characters thankfully also works tremendously, with Barbie's counterpart Ken -- the camp, well-suited girl's doll -- stealing almost every scene he's featured in. The new, however, never overshadow the old. Woody recreates the charm and leader figure we all grew up watching, and Buzz, as always, stands firm as the vivacious space ranger, all of which are aided by the traditional side-splitting humor.

From opening the film with an unexpected nod to the original -- an extravagantly intense, explosive heist sequence -- to ending with a string of heart-wrenching moments -- one of which involving the gang transcend into a sense of acceptance -- which culminates in an ending that borders on the overly saccharine, but fuses intellect with heart. An ending which, despite leaving most audiences weeping into their sleeve, sets you off wishing to revisit Pixar's phenomenon all over again.

Toy Story 3 truly defies the 'threequel' curse which most have suffered from. Pixar boasts their unimaginably perfect, luscious animation once again with each and every character, making the absolute most out of the possible last chapter in this one of a kind franchise.

Bidding farewell to these characters is a mission which won't be accomplished without heartache, but director Lee Unkrich has brought us a film which will be remembered by most for years to come, to pass on to children in the future and will stand as a true testament to animation, and an undoubtable milestone in Pixar's resumé of projects. An utter masterpiece.

5/5

Movie News: Poster & Clip For Monsters

A clear wink in the direction of last year's District 9, the poster for the next big budget monster flick Monsters has surfaced this week. Undoubtedly brilliant, stirring enough buzz in my mind to allow myself to search for a possible trailer.

Said trailer doesn't exist as of yet, but below you will find a clip of the film which featured earlier this year at SXSW. Intense and somewhat surprising, this is definitely a film to look out for.

Six years ago a NASA probe crash landed in the New Mexico desert containing samples of alien life. Growing at an alarming rate, the samples expanded and how inhabit the southern US and the north of Mexico. Now, a US journalist agrees to escort an American tourist back through the no-man's land to safety. Will all go smoothly?

A release date for Monsters hasn't been announced.

UPDATE: BBFC have recently given Monsters a UK release date of November 1st, and is rated 12A.

This Week's DVD/Blu-ray Choice, 19th July

Excluding The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (a film i have yet to see), the rest of this week's releases are surprisingly decent. The remake of George A. Romero's The Crazies and the sequel to hit family comedy Nanny McPhee gaining honorable mentions, but the joint two i have picked are as follows.

My joint two are:

-Chloe

-Donnie Darko: Theatrical & Director's Cut

Seductive, sexually-charged thriller Chloe is released this week, with Amanda Seyfried (from Mean Girls and Mamma Mia fame) channeling her inner adult as she is hired by curious wife Julianne Moore as she suspects her husband, Liam Neeson, having an affair. Moore and Seyfried sizzle in every scene they're featured in, with a delightfully devious, but sensually dazzling, performance from Seyfried. A DVD purchase is fine.

Donnie Darko, a cult favourite, is being re-released this week on blu-ray, containing both the theatrical and director's cut editions of the much-loved indie flick. The end of the world is near in Richard Kelly's critically acclaimed feature, with Jake Gyllenhaal earning his stardom as Donnie, a troubled teen whose visions of a large bunny rabbit named Frank manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.

Today's Cinema Viewing

Inception

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine.

Christopher Nolan follows up the Box Office smash-hit The Dark Knight with Inception, centering around Dom Cobb (DiCaprio), a skilled thief with the unusual expertise in the art of extraction. His job enlists him to delve into the subconscious of unsuspected civilians whilst in a dream state, with the intention of stealing valuable secrets. Doing so, Cobb has become a fugitive and has lost everything he has ever loved. Hopefully earning his ticket back to normality, Cobb and a team of experts plan to not steal an idea, but to plant one; the impossible-inception. Unfortunately, an enemy is hot on their heals.