Inception

Its been a while since a movie created this sort of anticipation and it has everything to do with Christopher Nolan, who hasn't had a real misstep in his career since he announced his arrival into mainstream movies with the mindfuck of a movie, Memento. Since then there has been Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, and of course The Dark Knight. All of them have been highly accomplished features which fell into the right side of very good movies.

Inception, is another one of Nolan's winners that literally toys with us with its intricate plot structure that is structured like a heist movie while remaining at heart one man's journey to find his way back to the one thing that holds any meaning to his life.

But intricate structuring does not mean that Nolan makes it difficult for us to understand the almost straight forward narrative that is at once intellectually stimulating and yet does not condescend to the lowest common denominator among us - like most mainstream movies tend to do. Until the end everything is kept straight, though am sure the last scene will have its share of debates around it. Does this movie deserve the ambiguity at the end...I would assume so, cause it allows each one of us to carry with us our own interpretation to what actually happened.

The story line follows a group of dream stealers who invade the mind of a target to implant an idea deep into his subconscious. This involves travelling deep into a dream within a dream within a dream and effectively creates a situation wherein it becomes difficult to tell what is real and what is a dream. The plotting is an amazing exercise in playing with layer upon layer upon layer of complexities that are bound together by complex rules. After the exposition is done, the movie is one long sequence that hurtles towards the end as it intercuts between the different levels of dreams the protagonists are trapped in.

Inception features some amazing sequences, but the highlight for me was a gravity defying action setpiece set in a hotel lobby.

Hans Zimmer's music score complements the action on the screen providing the right amount of zest and suspense as the movie speeds towards the climax.

The acting for what its worth is quite good, especially Di Caprio and the always delectable Marion Cotillard. If there is a quibble, it is that the other characters are not suitably developed to provide us with any sense of emotional connect. This may be deliberate, because the central story of Inception is about Cobb's
(Di Caprio) journey at finding a way to atone for past sins and his relationship with Mal (Marion Cotillard). It was also nice to see Joseph-Gordon Levitt in an action role after his essaying of the timid Tom in the anti-romance, 500 Days of Summer.

Inception is another one of those accomplished sci-fi movies that can be grouped alongwith the likes of The Dark City and The Matrix. It also makes me wait to see what Christopher Nolan can come up with next.

Recommended.

...of Vuvuzelas and Africa

...and that concludes another edition of the football World Cup. South Africa hosted a wonderful and memorable month of football, not pretty football most times, had its share of controversies, moments of ecstacy coupled with the cruel agony of defeats, beautiful goals and moments of magic...but that is just football, the World Cup is so much more than just football. The sheer drama, the extravagance, the flamboyance that surrounds the people's game brings so much life in these troubled and cynical times. It was nice to see the Africans unite together at least for a month and support the tournament, support each other and for a fleeting moment give rise to hope.

FIFA, despite all its issues, has done so much more to bring humanity together and build a sense of optimism. A sense of optimism to a world that is going thru tumultous times while getting increasingly fractured along racial, religious, and economic lines. I do not think any other sports organization can claim to have done as much or even aspired to. FIFA over the years has started shedding its pro-european bias and have become more inclusive. The emergence of Africa as a footballing power is the result of this inclusiveness.

Now you have thousands of Africans plying their skills in Europe. It is heartening to see the likes of Drogba and Essien not just content to make money and be a part of success stories that were built on individual skills and talent, but also get involved in trying to change the fabric of a land that was pillaged and raped for centuries, the scars of which are still left behind to erupt as communal and ethnic strife that plagues this great continent. The African footballer has become a symbol of hope for the thousands of children who have nothing better to look forward to in life. For a generation that lacks access to basic amenities like water, health services, education...football is a way out. I remember one of Essien's interviews for the Time magazine where he states that when he started playing football Ghana did not have one proper football stadium, but now Ghana is one of the powerhouses of African football...indeed world football. Sadly unlike footballers in any other part of the world, the African footballer besides trying to compete with the best in the world also carries an enormous burden...he is carrying ...hope.

I know, this is just wishful thinking on my part. How can something as trivial as a game of football even aspire to such greatness. But what do we need now more now...the naysayers like Pele or the English media - who prophesied that Africa will not be able to host an event of this magnitude - or a willingness to believe.

South Africa showed the world that, we can do it..all we need is to find out what we want as a part of the global community. Brothers and sisters from the African continent, with their vuvuzelas and enthusiasm managed to keep alive the spirit of carnival, the spirit of togetherness and showed us that if only we shed the cynicism, if only we looked beyond the shallowness of superficial differences, we can forge a world that can with all its difference be a wonderful place indeed.

Thank you South Africa.

Bring on Brazil.