I reviewed “Inception” upon its release, watched it again for this countdown, and found it even better — much better, in fact — the second time. There’s really no point in re-reviewing what I now consider to be a grand, old-fashioned piece of entertainment that hearkens back to the big-budget epics of the ’60s (especially in the third act). But director Christopher Nolan’s snub in the Oscar category of Best Director is worth talking about because it’s unforgivable. “Inception” is easily the best directed film of last year, encompassing a complicated and layered story, not to mention wildly different changes in environment and a welcome lack of CGI, except where absolutely necessary. And every element is controlled with a steady hand and creative eye.
Is Hollywood still angry at Nolan for making that near-billion-dollar-grossing ode to George W. Bush we call “The Dark Knight”? Maybe. It’s more likely, though, that the snub has to do with professional jealousy. Nolan seems incapable of making a film that isn’t heralded by some segment of the move-going population as some kind of masterpiece. With a number of bona fide classics already under his belt, he’s something so many directors wish they were but simply aren’t: a true auteur who delivers truly original stories in unforgettable ways. Furthermore, Nolan was able to do something so few can anymore, he was able to convince a big studio (Warner Bros.) to back his big vision (“Inception”) and ended up with huge box office ($823 million) and a Best Picture nomination.
But Nolan’s biggest sin is likely something worse than his refusal to work on the liberal plantation when it comes to his ideas and themes or his winning the “Inception” gamble both creatively and financially. His biggest sin is that he’s only 40 years old, a whippersnapper in comparison to those aging Boomer directors, most of whom lost their mojo long before completing a canon of classics to match what Nolan’s already racked up after only a decade.
As a film lover who’s legitimately heartbroken over the creative crash this industry is experiencing right now, as a film lover who’s turning more and more towards this new golden age of television were currently in the midst of in order to receive a steady fix of new, compelling dramatic stories and characters, Christopher Nolan is the brightest spot in Filmdom’s universe — a shockingly gifted and original storyteller determined to dazzle with every new offering.
There are other filmmakers who excite me: Zack Snyder, the Coen Brothers, David Fincher, and Matthew Vaughan immediately come to mind — but Nolan is the gold standard, the one to beat, and one of the primary reasons I admire him is the respect he has for the intelligence of his audience. Never forget those elitist critics snickering over whether the great unwashed would “understand” the oh-so complicated “Inception.” Nolan, on the other hand, had faith that challenging us would ignite our imaginations as his layers of spectacle unfolded, and he was absolutely right. It took two viewings for me to finally and fully appreciate “Inception,” but that’s been the case for most of Nolan’s films and in the end this unique quality only makes them better with each subsequent viewing.
Whenever I see a big budget film with some pathetically artificial scene set in a moving vehicle that was obviously filmed in the air-conditioned comfort of a studio in front of a green screen — a scene created by filmmakers who have become so lazy they can’t even be bothered to strap a camera to an actual moving car — I say a little prayer thanking the movie gods for Christopher Nolan. CGI, contempt for the audience, and fear of originality is killing cinema. I’m not sure Nolan is the cure — we’ll see who the next generation of filmmaker’s emulate (please not Scorsese … again) — but at the very least he is an oasis that doesn’t fade soon after the lights dim.
He’s the real deal and any Hollywood era would’ve been lucky to have him, we’re just damn lucky.
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