Page 2 of 2
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:54 pm
by criddic3
There seems to be two camps on this movie. One says that it's a confusing mess with good photography. The other says that it's a smart, exciting sci-fi drama that is visually stimulating. You have Roger Ebert praising it for doing "a difficult thing. It is wholly original, cut from new cloth, and yet structured with action movie basics so it feels like it makes more sense than (quite possibly) it does. " Then A.O. Scott said it " is too literal, too logical, too rule-bound to allow the full measure of madness -- the risk of real confusion, of delirium, of ineffable ambiguity -- that this subject requires. " And there are those who dismiss it completely as Rex Reed did: "I'd like to tell you just how bad Inception really is, but since it is barely even remotely lucid, no sane description is possible."
I'm in the first camp, because while it was playing I didn't have much trouble following the narrative. It offered something new and interesting, as well as having some of the best visuals of the year. I think this win may indicate an upset in original screenplay come Oscar time over The King's Speech and The Kids Are All Right.
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:32 pm
by dws1982
Okay, let me make my position clear: I think Inception is a bad movie by any standard.
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:46 pm
by Hollywood Z
The reason Nolan has built such a large reputation for himself is that when Memento was released, it was a huge cult film and had a lot of supporters behind it's fractured story-structure narrative. When Christopher Nolan made Batman Begins, a lot of people who were fans of the comic saw his version as being the one that treated the source material with enough respect and maturity instead of treating as simply "another comic book movie". That was more than reinforced with The Dark Knight and how he portrayed The Joker. So, in observation, Nolan's most steadfast supporters are a hybird of early 2Ks independent film cult fans and comic book fans.
Now, I'll be the first to admit, Inception isn't without it's flaws here and there, but they aren't so glaring as to consider it a bad movie, especially considering the dreck that came out this past summer. The problem with critiquing a movie like Inception the same way you would critique an Ingmar Bergman film is that the movies have two different goals. One is trying to be entertaining and an above average intelligent blockbuster while the other is a more artistic avant garde piece. You can't look at one and use the same criteria to judge the other.
And as far as Best Anything, I would have to argue a strong case for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing (though it was grossly omitted from the nominations), Best Sound and Best Visual Effects.
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:42 pm
by Sabin
(Hollywood Z @ Feb. 06 2011,9:03)
(Damien @ Feb. 06 2011,12:40)
I was sure The Kids Are All Right was going to take it. Not a great screenplay but at least, unlike Inception, it was a screenplay.
You know, I wonder what the reactions of people who give movies like Inception such a hard time critically if those people actually had to watch truly one star or less films like The Last Airbender or Transformers 2 and saw the real pitfalls of a horribly made large studio film. Do you think their criteria might be softened just a little bit?
Hell, let's put Inception up against a bunch of independent films that don't complete production. I'm sure if we put Inception up against a $25,000 film with no stars, color-correction, or sound mix that's only 67% finished, it'll look much better.
(Bog @ Feb. 06 2011,9:39)
This point may have small merit...but the point is, those films from the word "go" of their making, never had any inkling to be discussed within the realm of Oscar. For some reason, unbeknownst to some like me, dws, Damien, Sabien, et al. every single film Nolan now puts on screen is considered to be an Oscar film, no matter how far outside an "Oscar film" is the result.
(to finish and tie into my point above to Hollywood Z)
See, that's where we disagree. I love Christopher Nolan. On the basis of Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, and the first third of Batman Begins, major, major filmmaking talent, and I don't care what anyone else on this board says otherwise. I have no problem with every Christopher Nolan film getting talked up for Oscars, because his films are doubtlessly going to be more interesting than a Joe Wright, Stephen Daldry, or Tom Hoo/pper film. That's what makes Inception such a crushing disappointment. It's just a bad Christopher Nolan movie.
Edited By Sabin on 1297018092
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 10:39 am
by Bog
Hollywood Z wrote:Damien wrote:I was sure The Kids Are All Right was going to take it. Not a great screenplay but at least, unlike Inception, it was a screenplay.
You know, I wonder what the reactions of people who give movies like Inception such a hard time critically if those people actually had to watch truly one star or less films like The Last Airbender or Transformers 2 and saw the real pitfalls of a horribly made large studio film. Do you think their criteria might be softened just a little bit?
This point may have small merit...but the point is, those films from the word "go" of their making, never had any inkling to be discussed within the realm of Oscar. For some reason, unbeknownst to some like me, dws, Damien, Sabien, et al. every single film Nolan now puts on screen is considered to be an Oscar film, no matter how far outside an "Oscar film" is the result.
Inception as a truly "original" screenplay, I'll give it.
Inception as "best" anything - mind boggling.
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 10:32 am
by The Original BJ
The King's Speech was shut out?!
I thought for sure the WGA would change the eligibility rules to allow it to qualify...because movies THIS awesome shouldn't be stopped by mere rules!
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 10:03 am
by Hollywood Z
Damien wrote:I was sure The Kids Are All Right was going to take it. Not a great screenplay but at least, unlike Inception, it was a screenplay.
You know, I wonder what the reactions of people who give movies like Inception such a hard time critically if those people actually had to watch truly one star or less films like The Last Airbender or Transformers 2 and saw the real pitfalls of a horribly made large studio film. Do you think their criteria might be softened just a little bit?
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:40 am
by Damien
I was sure The Kids Are All Right was going to take it. Not a great screenplay but at least, unlike Inception, it was a screenplay.
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:26 am
by Big Magilla
It's a surprise, but not a shock. Black Swan would have been a shock.
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 12:01 am
by dws1982
Jim20 wrote:Best Original Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, Inception
Gross.
Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:56 pm
by Jim20
From Awards Daily.com
Best Original Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, Inception
Best Adapted Screenplay – Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Documentary Writing – Inside Job
WGA New Media Original Award – Anyone But Me
Best Long form Television, adapted – The Pacific
Long form Original – The Special Relationship
Episodic Comedy – 30 Rock