Inception

It has taken me awhile to dissect Inception, a film so layered and complex, that I wasn't even sure how I was going to write about it. There is so much to analyze, to mull over, and to generally appreciate (or not), that the task seemed daunting. But the time has come, and I think Christopher Nolan has crafted himself one hell of a film, one that I hope will continue to be deconstructed and discussed for years to come.

Inception is a film about dreams, at least on the surface, but it is also about the nature of reality and what one perceives as reality. Is there really any difference? The plot is complicated, to put it mildly, and because the reality vs. perception argument fuels the film, from an audiences point of view at least, you have to question everything you are given and everything you see, because none of it may be "real." Nolan delves into his characters subconsciouses, going deeper and deeper into dream worlds that it is hard to maintain a grip on reality. There are some truly meta ideas hidden within Inception, which, instead of drawing the viewer out of the film, allows them to question their own perception of reality, drawing them deeper into the film. This was the most interesting aspect of the film, and ties into most conversations regarding the film when friends will discuss it, even if they are unaware.

But that is just a bunch of rambling on why I enjoyed Inception, though there are certainly many other reasons. Nolan's directing, combined with the editing and filming of the film, is utterly perfect, and there are a number of scenes that stand out above the rest. There is none better than the hallway fight scene between Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and a nameless, faceless gunman, as the two struggle for dominance in the hallway whose gravity is constantly shifting, sending the two up and down walls and onto ceilings, all in crisp, clear shots. It's a stunning technical achievement to be sure, but it's also damned exciting to watch.

Along with Nolan, his cast does a wonderful job, especially Leonardo DiCaprio. The film rides on his shoulders and he carries it without any strain, which helps the audience watch Cobb in a way that is cold and observational, but still allows for sympathy. And the players around him populate a world that is exciting and mysterious, which would be less impactful if the cast was any less stellar. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy are the two supporting members that really need to be watched, as they stand tall in a story packed with ideas and characters constantly threatening to be more interesting than anything that came before it.

The praise can continue, and end, with the script, which Nolan has been working on for nearly a decade. It took the success of The Dark Knight to get Inception made, because at its core, Inception is a heady, sci-fi, actioner that manages to fit into both in an epic and thoughtful category, which challenges audiences but still excites them. Nolan proves you can combine intelligent story-telling with stunning action, but this isn't his only example. It wouldn't mean much to present the story here, even in synopsis form, because it is better to know as little as possible about Inception prior to seeing it, and it would be exceedingly difficult to do it in a manner that didn't appear convoluted and exhausting. Suffice it to say, Inception is well worth your time.

Genre - Action (4)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

[Rec] 2

Where [Rec] was the Alien of hand-held, first-person horror, [Rec] 2 follows more closely with the action-heavy Aliens. Both sequels, while respecting their horror roots, amp up the intensity and focus on the action, relegating scares to a close second. [Rec] and Alien are horror films through and through, wanting to scare you more than excite you, and their sequels are really action films that maintain a thrilling and frightening atmosphere. There are more similarities than this (the fact the follow-ups focus on military teams the most obvious, something fellow action-horror sequel 28 Weeks Later does to the original 28 Days Later), but the similarities are more homage than rip-off. What is important is [Rec] 2 is a damn fine sequel and film in its own right.

The film begins just minutes after where the first finished, with a small SWAT team moving in to infiltrate the apartment building quarantined to control the deadly virus that killed nearly everyone off in [Rec]. They are joined by a doctor/priest who seems to know more than they do about the going-ons of the virus, as well as some random kids who appear towards the middle of the film. In all honesty, [Rec] 2 is not a character driven film, instead, directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza keep their eye on action and deliver thrill after thrill. This may be the films major fault, though it isn't really a detractor at all, mostly because we don't have time to care that we don't really care or no about these people we are watching. [Rec] 2 compliments [Rec], where the first film spent more time building dread and letting the audience get to know some of the characters, the second film tries to advance the plot, aka the mystery, surrounding the virus.

Which leads us to the second biggest change from [Rec] to [Rec] 2. What began as a film featuring a virus changing people into living zombies, we are now treated to (spoiler?!... not really) a supernatural action-thriller. The virus is more than just a bad case of rabies, it now has ties to some freaky demonic stuff. It could have been a silly and ridiculous premise, but Balaguero and Plaza pull it off, keeping the developments coming and employing a few tricks to expand the universe and environment they set up in the first film. Luckily, the addition of the supernatural element juxtaposed nicely with [Rec], which hinted at some of these developments, so whether the directing duo planned this from the beginning or not is up for debate, they do manage to make it work.

The actors all do a decent job of seeming real, but because they aren't all that important, at least on a personal basis, the focus should be applied to the camera work. [Rec] 2 simply makes filming what is happening important and essential to the story, so it doesn't feel forced to have a camera around all the time. And, in another Aliens homage, the SWAT team uses helmet cams, which allow the main cameraman to tap in to these feeds at will. It allows for more to happen and to be seen, while still maintaining the first-person narrative. So credit once again to the directors.

[Rec] 2 is exactly what you want from a sequel, especially one stemming from the horror genre, and it gets so much right in its limited runtime that any faults are hard to notice/complain about. It feels like a cap to the story, keeping everything contained in two films, but should there be a third, it seems that it will dramatically change what we are used to for this series. Let's hope this finishes it, where it can remain on top.

Genre - Horror (3.5)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (2)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

Predators

The opening of Predators may be my favorite part. Thrust into the middle of action, free falling through the sky, disoriented... like Adrian Brody's character, we have no idea what is happening. And that disorientation, that confusion, lasts the running time of the film. That's not to say that Predators is confusing, or even all that complicated, but the story itself leaves so much open to interpretation (or presents potential future franchise entries plot lines) that you, the audience, kind of have to roll with the punches and accept what you are being shown.

So much of Predators draws from the original Arnie starring Predator, but I never felt like it was ever too much. Sure, Brody slathering himself in mud was stretching homage a bit far, though it did show that he could pull of badass without seeming all too silly. Predators is as basic as your monster movies get, with a random assortment of strangers getting picked off one by one, which is exactly what Predator did and to much acclaim, at least from genre fans. Neither film really draws their characters all that well, so we are left with fairly basic people, some of whom deserve far more backstory and explanation than we will ever receive. It's hard to get to know these people, but they aren't unlikable assholes for supposedly being unlikable, hardcore assholes. Personally, I wanted more on the Japanese Yakuza character, but his mystery certainly works enough for the purposes of this film.

There is plenty of violence and action and blood to satisfy, and the familiar beats may satisfy fans who might have been ready to write this off after a lacking sequel and two atrocious (or so I hear) AVP films. Nimrod Antal does a good job visually, directing a fine B-movie that can at least stand proud next to the original inspiration. Predators is a fun, fast sci-fi actioner that showcases some serious predator mayhem. This is what Avatar might have been like if the alien species there weren't a bunch of tall, blue-skinned, environmental pussies (I kid! Really).

Genre - Action (3)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (3)
Production (3)
Directing (3)