From the beginning, I took the vast ocean to be representative of Limbo and the fortress having been the place that Saito "fell into" after taking that bullet and dying. Does anyone think that the ending when we return to the fortress/palace from the beginning where Cobb washed up was just another flashback?
I'd like to think that Nolan opened the scene with the Saito encounter to help us 'summarize' everything that had happened up to that point once we reached that part of the film.
Another theory floating around the internet is that the entire movie was in Cobb's mind - remember how Saito is controlling Cobb's totem in that opening scene ? And remember Cobb explaining that if someone else were to hold and wield your totem, they'd be able to control what you dream of ?
I took the ending where they all woke on the plane to suggest that their plan went off successfully. With this in mind, I thought the opening scenes with the aged Saito to be Cobb reflecting on him finding Saito in limbo.
Possibly.
How did you interpret the actual ending with Cobb back at home with his kids ? Some will argue that it actually happened, seeing as how the totem wobbled ever so slightly before cutting to the credits ... although it's arguable that Cobb's subconscious made it topple so that hed' be able to cope and live happily within that dream.
When they showed the top and went to black, a guy in the front row said, "Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me."
The point of the ending is to create discussion. Nolan has clearly succeeded in doing that. I feel that it was reality and that he really did get back to his kids.
Remember, they said we don't recall how we got to a certain point in a dream. Well, we see Cobb wake up on the plane, we see him in the airport and then we see him in his house.
I really believe that by putting the spinning top at the end, it's Nolan's way of messing with the audience. He's planting the idea into our minds that maybe this whole thing is still a dream.
If you fall for it, then you have fallen victim to INCEPTION.
I really believe that by putting the spinning top at the end, it's Nolan's way of messing with the audience. He's planting the idea into our minds that maybe this whole thing is still a dream.
If you fall for it, then you have fallen victim to INCEPTION.
Don't be so quick to dismiss the idea, as there are plenty of things to support the theory. Isn't it strange that the movie opens amidst a dream ? Cobb's ? Saito's ? Is it just a flashback ? Can you be sure ? And as I highlighted above - Saito was handling Cobb's totem, something that was explained as having fatal consequences to whomever lost his/her totem.
Think about it - Cobb being chased by a faceless corporation that is never revealed. Cobb being able to twist the rules to his convenience. Cobb being the only one who has ever pulled off an Inception.
I'm not saying I believe the entire thing was a dream, all I'm saying is that there are elements presented throughout the movie that can certainly be used to sustain the theory.
I really believe that by putting the spinning top at the end, it's Nolan's way of messing with the audience. He's planting the idea into our minds that maybe this whole thing is still a dream.
If you fall for it, then you have fallen victim to INCEPTION.
Don't be so quick to dismiss the idea, as there are plenty of things to support the theory. Isn't it strange that the movie opens amidst a dream ? Cobb's ? Saito's ? Is it just a flashback ? Can you be sure ? And as I highlighted above - Saito was handling Cobb's totem, something that was explained as having fatal consequences to whomever lost his/her totem.
Think about it - Cobb being chased by a faceless corporation that is never revealed. Cobb being able to twist the rules to his convenience. Cobb being the only one who has ever pulled off an Inception.
I'm not saying I believe the entire thing was a dream, all I'm saying is that there are elements presented throughout the movie that can certainly be used to sustain the theory.
No, you're right, there's a ton of information that points to the end still being a dream.
I just think that's a pretty elaborate scheme just so Leo can get back to his kids. I'm just not sure the whole rest of the plot makes sense if it was all a dream.
and the top started to wobble before the movie ended. in the dream, it never even shook, not one bit. he wasn't dreaming, but Nolan probably just wanted people to walk out the theater with a kind of a "what the fuck man!!!" expression
I have many leather bound books.
I'm kind of a big deal.
Changing the plans that I’ve been setting on, I’m scared by the way that my life is getting gone
No joke, this is one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. In my honest opinion, this is a sci-fi masterpiece. It has taken over my mind for about a week now. I can't stop thinking about it!
My mother in law was nice enough to watch the kids for us on Tuesday night and my wife and I went to go see this. She was going strickly based on what she saw in trailers, I went in because Nolan is the fucking man. When she saw the poster and it said "From the director of the Dark Knight" she giggled and said now she knew why I wanted to see it.
It was so much more than that though. Nolan's only made ONE subpar movie in Insomnia and the rest have been nothing short of breathtaking in the scope, the mindset he leaves you in and the way that he gets you there.
My wife and I (And I love her to death!) can never talk movies. She wants to be lost in the movie and doesn't want to think about the process that it took to make the movie (The camera work, special effects, directing and most importantly the writing) which of course I WANT to talk about... so now you guys are stuck with me
In all seriousness I loved this film. I think it's quiet possibly the best film of the year and any others that come out will be hard pressed to entertain and awe as well as this one did. The story was outstanding and had so many twists and turns that it made me want to ask the film projector person to stop and rewind it for a second.
However....
Things that bothered me: First is the fact that with the exception of Cobb, the rest of the players seemed incredibly one dimensional. I understand that it was Cobb's story for the most part and everyone else was basically a pawn but did they have to be such obvious pawns? They were all type cast into specific roles and never weaved them out of it. Sadly that played out like most heist movies.
This is probably a discussion point but when they entered the Mark's limbo, why exactly did it look like Cobb's Limbo? Actually a decaying Limbo to boot. Wouldn't his limbo have another look to it? I understand Mal took him there and all that and while Cobb's subconcious was slowly ebbing into the Mark's subconcious, isn't kind of odd how fast it appeared?
I wanted to know the legal ways that this technique was used. Cobb makes a comment about how after the incident with Mal he was never able to work legally in his field anymore..well then what did he do? Heck, he even goes to a university to RECRUIT! So, what are the legal applications of this technique. What is it that Cobb was so amazing at that he's the best in his field for all intents and purposes?
About the ending? A couple of things that gives me pause and make me think that it's all still in his head is the fact that his father in law is there WAITING for him... So, think about this. His father in law was in Paris, they were halfway through the term, and he's there to GREET Cobb in LA? That smells all kinds of rancid..
Also when the are in limbo and about to face off with Mal, Cobb tells his newbie that an idea is infectious and that it can be caught like a virus.. How do we know that Cobb didn't catch the same idea he planted in Mal as he was saying goodbye to her? Her final attempt to get him to stay with her?
Things that bothered me: First is the fact that with the exception of Cobb, the rest of the players seemed incredibly one dimensional. I understand that it was Cobb's story for the most part and everyone else was basically a pawn but did they have to be such obvious pawns? They were all type cast into specific roles and never weaved them out of it. Sadly that played out like most heist movies.
This is one of the criticisms that the film most often receives. The characters are in service to the story and not the other way around, and in this case you're either on board with it or you're not, style over substance as they say. Although I will say that the given the complexity of the films plot, it would be difficult to cram all those rules / explanations and a considerable amount of character development within a certain limited time frame, considering the films already extensive running time.
This is probably a discussion point but when they entered the Mark's limbo, why exactly did it look like Cobb's Limbo? Actually a decaying Limbo to boot. Wouldn't his limbo have another look to it? I understand Mal took him there and all that and while Cobb's subconcious was slowly ebbing into the Mark's subconcious, isn't kind of odd how fast it appeared?
I'm not sure what you mean by the mark ... do you mean Fischer ? Remember that each layer is a different person's dream (referring to the heist-team). Cobb's limbo looked like a decaying one presumably because he didn't want to be there anymore. When he and Mal first began creating the world, everything was the color of roses ... but then Cobb decided that he wanted out, even though his wife didn't want to leave - his subconscious chose to reflect this by projecting a decaying city.
I wanted to know the legal ways that this technique was used. Cobb makes a comment about how after the incident with Mal he was never able to work legally in his field anymore..well then what did he do? Heck, he even goes to a university to RECRUIT! So, what are the legal applications of this technique. What is it that Cobb was so amazing at that he's the best in his field for all intents and purposes?
The procedure is not legal to begin with. I'm pretty sure what he said to her was "the procedure is not exactly legal."
Cobb was an exceptional architect - so good in fact, that Mal was hellbent on doing anything to return to that perfect utopia that she came to regard as reality ...including... jumping off a building , perhaps ?
About the ending? A couple of things that gives me pause and make me think that it's all still in his head is the fact that his father in law is there WAITING for him... So, think about this. His father in law was in Paris, they were halfway through the term, and he's there to GREET Cobb in LA? That smells all kinds of rancid..
Remember in the beginning when Cobb is having the phone call with his kids in that luxurious apartment ? He says to them "I'm sending some presents with Grandpa". Presumably Michael Caine's character flew to Los Angeles shortly after their meeting at the university where he introduces Cobb to Ariadne to give Cobb's kids the gift(s) he bought for them.
Also when the are in limbo and about to face off with Mal, Cobb tells his newbie that an idea is infectious and that it can be caught like a virus.. How do we know that Cobb didn't catch the same idea he planted in Mal as he was saying goodbye to her? Her final attempt to get him to stay with her?
Well, we definitely know that he didn't stay with Mal because shortly after we're show him in Limbo talking to an aging Saito. Then Saito shoots them both and he wakes up in the plane, lands, and goes him to his children.
I'd like to think that the reason he spins the top at the end and doesn't bother to look to see if it stops or not is a sign that he has finally come to terms with the guilt of Mal's death and the role he played in it. He is finally ready to move on.
This is probably a discussion point but when they entered the Mark's limbo, why exactly did it look like Cobb's Limbo? Actually a decaying Limbo to boot. Wouldn't his limbo have another look to it? I understand Mal took him there and all that and while Cobb's subconcious was slowly ebbing into the Mark's subconcious, isn't kind of odd how fast it appeared?
I'm not sure what you mean by the mark ... do you mean Fischer ? Remember that each layer is a different person's dream (referring to the heist-team). Cobb's limbo looked like a decaying one presumably because he didn't want to be there anymore. When he and Mal first began creating the world, everything was the color of roses ... but then Cobb decided that he wanted out, even though his wife didn't want to leave - his subconscious chose to reflect this by projecting a decaying city.
i thought the city was decaying because it had been years since Cobb had been there, which converts to thousands if not millions of years in limbo. so therefore the city was very brittle
but your explanation makes more sense lol
I have many leather bound books.
I'm kind of a big deal.
Changing the plans that I’ve been setting on, I’m scared by the way that my life is getting gone
Hmm, that's possible ! I'll have to pay special attention when I go watch it again tomorrow, but I'm almost positive I remember him saying something about the city reflecting his sentiments at the time ... will confirm later.
Like Doc said, it's not for people who have grown up watching linear films. So people who are older and not used to such films, may feel lost rather quickly.
Don't be so swift to judge us "older" folks. Ebert loved it and he's older then me, but I'm no spring chicken myself and I also loved it. You might as well have said, "young people who grew up watching Scooby Doo may not understand it because it's not a cartoon about a talking dog." Not trying to be sarcastic, just a bit more fair minded.
(Did Scooby Doo actually talk? I never watched it myself.)
I'm sure if there is intelligent life somewhere out there in the universe, they are wise enough to stay away from us.
And the people bowed and prayed, to the cell phone god they made...
Well, Ebert is a bad example. He's a seasoned movie critic who has seen thousands of films spanning dozens of different genres.
I didn't say all older people, I just think that if you are used to a more linear storyline then Inception might not be for you. I guess that can be said for younger people too.
Most older people I know would not enjoy Inception. Just my experiences.
Like Doc said, it's not for people who have grown up watching linear films. So people who are older and not used to such films, may feel lost rather quickly.
Don't be so swift to judge us "older" folks. Ebert loved it and he's older then me, but I'm no spring chicken myself and I also loved it. You might as well have said, "young people who grew up watching Scooby Doo may not understand it because it's not a cartoon about a talking dog." Not trying to be sarcastic, just a bit more fair minded.
(Did Scooby Doo actually talk? I never watched it myself.)
Scooby talked.
Spoiler:
Damn it! You tricked me into admitting I'm old.
The Awesomest fled across the desert and The Awesomer followed.
If you rescue me
I’ll be your friend forever
I wish that I could write fiction, but that seems almost an impossibility. -howard phillips lovecraft (1915)
I have a question about the end. So were his kids not wearing the same outfits as previously and were they not in the same position and looked exactly the same as all his dreams of them? Or am I just misremembering.
I have a question about the end. So were his kids not wearing the same outfits as previously and were they not in the same position and looked exactly the same as all his dreams of them? Or am I just misremembering.
I made sure to pay especially close attention to this yesterday, and it seems that in the end his kids are wearing slightly different clothing than they were in his dreams. This is probably just a clever ruse by Nolan to get you to doubt yourself, like not showing the totem coming to a complete halt.
People use the children and their clothing to argue that he's still dreaming, but you if noticed - throughout the movie, he is never able to see his children's faces , he even makes a point of this when he takes Ariadne through his sub conscious where he says something to the effect of "I just want to see their faces, but no matter what I do ... I can't change things." Only in 'reality' is he finally able to have his wish fulfilled.
At first I thought he was still dreaming at the end, because of the top, but then the more I thought about it I realized what 'nando said: You can't see the kids' faces in the dreams. I think the fact that they actually showed them was a confirmation. Also, Beautiful Mind spoiler:
Spoiler:
The kids got older. In A Beautiful Mind he figures out the girl is a hallucination because she never ages. I guess he could have imagined them older, but like he said about Mal, they wouldn't have all the complexities needed. He sees Mal as the same age she was when she died.
Anyway, a couple times I thought the dialogue and plot were slightly tiresome (I hate long shootout scenes and something in Leo seems to lose focus halfway through his lines) but the visuals were absolutely flawless. I love that they minimized the CGI because I personally hate how it looks compared to :gasp: actual work. This is why Star Wars visuals often look better than Harry Potter visuals despite the 30 year gap.
Regarding the Oscar... I have very little faith in awards shows, they don't really seem to vote for quality all of the time (Brokeback Mountain got 3 Oscars for having gay cowboys despite being a terrible film) so if he won one it would be nice, but I don't really think it would mean much, at least to me.
Originally Posted by Empath of the White
