Review: Inception

A story arc like a Möbius strip, twisting in on itself but always keeping the narrative line intact. Visual effects like optical illusions, demanding a second and third look as your brain considers their construction. Continuity of characters and events in imperfect symmetry like the Penrose Stairs - the inspiration for M.C. Escher's enigmatic Ascending and Descending print - fascinating the audience but never befuddling them. Inception is brain training for moviegoers, and writer/director Christopher Nolan will stretch all your synapses before you walk away from the cinema spaced out on serotonin.

Such an intricate picture puzzle should not be spoilt by a lazy review, so the following plot points are entry level only (and if you really want to start at the very beginning, check out 'The Cobol Job' - an online graphic novel prequel that's an excellent scene-setter).

An honourable thief, Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is at the cutting edge of corporate espionage. Ably assisted by his partner in crime Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), the duo extract private information during their marks' dreams to sell to wealthy clients - a sort of brain burglary, somehow made possible by wires poking out of a suitcase. But Cobb has a hidden secret of his own; his dead wife Mal (Marion Cotillard) has become a ghost in the machine, making awkward appearances at critical junctures in his work. In an attempt to bring balance back to his own life, Cobb accepts a job that requires a dangerous change of tactic - from extraction to inception. In the style of Neo crossed with Danny Ocean, he assembles a team to fill the roles of Architect, Forger and Chemist - a dreamweaving student called Ariadne (Ellen Page); Eames (Tom Hardy), an Englishman adept at blending in effortlessly; and a sedation specialist called Yusuf (Dileep Rao). In addition, Cobb's client Saito (Ken Watanabe) chooses to come along for the ride as a Tourist to ensure he gets what he's paying for. He wants to place the germ of an idea in the mind of a business rival (Cillian Murphy). If Cobb succeeds, the idea will grow into a decision that brings down an empire. If he fails, he risks waking up in a real-life nightmare...

It's hard to believe anyone will fall asleep during Inception. Not because the movie is noisy (in fact, Hans Zimmer's synth score makes use of subtlety as much as the sub-woofer), but because viewers will want to think deeply about what they see on screen. This is not a headache inducer like Primer or Stay that you happily go along with at first, only to find the film suddenly races away and leaves you lost. In all his films, Christopher Nolan has gently probed the mind - playing with time in Memento and playing tricks in The Prestige, studying sleep and sin in Insomnia and studying psychosis in The Dark Knight. This latest effort is a true original amid another summer season full of remakes, eight years in the imagination for two-and-a-half hours of entertainment. None of that time is wasted.

All the elements interlock in Inception. There's energy in the cast and the script; DiCaprio's determination drives the story forward, Matrix-style moments allow coolheaded Gordon-Levitt to levitate, and the supporting players offer more than just the defined duties of their characters. The movie poster depicts a Dark City but cinematographer Wally Pfister shoots bright cityscapes, beaches and snowy peaks as well as underground labyrinths. The special effects and post-production work - spinning corridors, skewed streets, gravity-defying drops etc - never even jut out as stand-alone set pieces, so expertly are they blended into the action.

The phrase 'it was only a dream' has long represented the ultimate cop-out in storytelling but in the case of Inception, it's the way in to a rabbit hole of staggering imagination that rivals anything invented by Kubrick, Lynch, Kelly or Gondry. Nolan elicits a revelatory sensation like the first time you ever focused in properly on a Magic Eye picture. However, this film is no fad; you'll be excited at the prospect of repeat viewings. In fact, you may even develop a recurring dream based on the adventures of Cobb and co, as Inception's message is too powerful and compelling to be forgotten quickly.

Memorable Line: Eames (producing grenade gun that dwarfs Arthur's AK47): You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling. (fires round, huge explosion)

I Know That Face: Nash, the original Architect, is played by Lukas Haas who, 25 years ago, got his big break playing Amish boy Samuel Happ in Witness.

Location, Location, Location: The final snowbound scenes were filmed in Kananaskis Country near Calgary, Canada.

Reviews: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans

Haven't blogged here in the best part of two months. That's mostly attributable to a hectic football schedule - my thoughts on which are available above via the cunningly-named 'FOOTBALL' tab.

You can blame the producers for the clunky title, but there's much to thank them for too. Thirty-something Chicago-born siblings Alan and Gabe Polsky were looking to switch from investment banking to the movie business, and met up with experienced Hollywood exec Edward R. Pressman. The 67-year-old has helped bring some quality films to the screen - Wall Street, The Crow, American Psycho, Thank You For Smoking - and some awful ones too (such as Judge Dredd and Street Fighter). Among his oeuvre was the outlandish but acclaimed Bad Lieutenant (1992), directed by Abel Ferrara, which starred Harvey Keitel as a corrupt drug-addled gambling New York cop who finds redemption in police work.

Pressman had the rights to any follow-up, and asked the Polskys if they wanted to come on board for their first feature as producers. After watching the original for the first time, the answer from both brothers was a resounding yes. They hired former LA Law writer William Finkelstein to pen a more 'commercially favourable' screenplay than the original (in which there were several visually shocking moments) and then went after a new director and star. Ambitiously, the brothers approached 'the maverick from Munich' Werner Herzog - a director whose previous work (Aguirre, Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo, Grizzly Man) suggests such a project wouldn't have been up his street. But Herzog saw potential - a fascinating central character that would be perfect for Nicolas Cage, with whom he had long wanted to work, and plenty of scope to tinker with Finkelstein's screenplay.

The finished film shows the Polskys were right to seek Herzog's experimental eye, which has considerably livened up what would otherwise have been a fairly formulaic police procedural. Straight off the bat, Herzog agreed to a request from Cage to move the setting from New York to New Orleans. The action takes place post-Katrina, but the hurricane is rarely referred to beyond a flooded jail cell opening that shows Cage's Terence McDonagh to be a man of mixed morals, taunting a prisoner who's in up to his neck and then deciding to save him after all - a decision that wins him a promotion from Slightly Dodgy Sergeant to the titular Bad Lieutenant.

Thereafter, McDonagh can't stay off the hard drugs, can't stay away from his prostitute girlfriend (a fellow junkie), can't stop gambling on Louisiana's college football team (even though they keep losing)... he's addicted to everything that's bad for him. The brutal murder of an immigrant Senegalese family gives him something else to get his snarling teeth stuck into, and the identity of the culprits - an angry drug dealer called Big Fate and his henchmen - soon becomes clear. As his authority and rationality slowly unravels, McDonagh grasps frantically at the threads in a bid to keep his world together...

Herzog throws his own oddities into the cocktail. Visible boom microphones bounce into the top of scenes of dialogue, an occurrence so obvious and amateurish it must be deliberate. An alligator watches from the side of the road as his companion lies seriously injured following a road traffic accident, accompanied by some jaunty jazz music. During a surveillance, McDonagh's dependency and sleep deprivation results in a hallucination - two iguanas appear, all sleek dewlaps and long necks, their heads bobbing up and down. The cops behind them stand stock still while Cage, resembling the reptiles, watches his vision warily. Later, when Terence is at his most deranged after a shootout involving Big Fate, an even stranger yet funnier image presents itself. In addition, there's quirky casting (eg comic actress Jennifer Coolidge aka 'Stifler's Mom' playing it straight as McDonagh's depressed drunken stepmom Genevieve, and Oscar-nominated Michael Shannon as low-level property room cop Mundt) and the addition of some unexplained symbols (such as a fish in a glass, and a silver spoon) that don't have any obvious meanings at first but can be interpreted differently after the credits roll.

Herzog was keen to drop the words 'Bad Lieutenant' from the release title; but the Polskys wanted to retain it, in the hope of ultimately building a successful franchise of crazed cops, with a different director, star and location each time. Pressman is reportedly not so keen, but it's an interesting premise and if the framework is loose enough for a director like Herzog to work so well within, I'd love to see the results. But the magic ingredient in this particular concoction has to be Cage - an actor much maligned when chasing paychecks in mainstream fare, but worthy of praise when willing to go loco in indieland.

Memorable Line: Terence McDonagh (manically): I'll kill all of you! To the break of dawn! To the break of dawn, baby!

I Know That Face: So many! Here's two... McDonagh's bookie Ned Schoenholtz may be better known to most as the evil Wormtongue from The Lord of the Rings trilogy; and Irma P. Hall (playing the grandmother of a witness to the murders) was Marva Munson in the Coen Brothers version of The Ladykillers.

Location, Location, Location: Audubon Nature Institute - Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans.

Reviews: Kick-Ass

Red Mist is cruising the streets of New York City in a souped-up Mustang, with Kick-Ass riding shotgun. The driver resembles some sort of S&M Ziggy Stardust, while his passenger has been scathingly described earlier in the film as 'The Green Condom'. Gnarls Barkley's Crazy comes on the stereo and our not-so-superhero starts nodding his head to the music. Soon Red Mist joins in, and for that moment the costumes and the car don't matter - it's just young guys goofing around, Wayne's World style. The song's lyrics could even have been written by Kick-Ass' awkward alter-ego, Dave Lizewski:

My heroes had the heart
To lose their lives out on a limb
And all I remember
Is thinking, I want to be like them

Ever since I was little
Ever since I was little
It looked like fun
And it's no coincidence I've come
And I can die when I'm done

I often see a parade of costumed students like Lizewski when driving at night through my suburb of Headingley in Leeds. Iron Man, Batman, Superman... usually a few cavemen, nurses and, for some reason, golfers too. Their dressing-up is purely to add some colour to a pub crawl (although the bravest like to play a game of human Frogger in the traffic). Now creator Mark Millar and director Matthew Vaughn have spliced this sort of make-believe with all-guns-blazing action and adult humour to create Kick-Ass - a movie that places the comic-book genre back in our hands and in our daydreams.

Initially, the studios baulked at the British duo's vision of a geek living out his fantasies while around them, the truly dangerous heroes and villains rack up the body count - proof yet again that 'nobody knows anything' in Hollywood. Yet this proved something of a blessing for Vaughn; with no studio interference comes great originality. The characters could hardly be more appealing to the film's target audience - a slightly-below-average-Joe protagonist to identify with (Aaron Johnson); a sadistic mobster boss who looks like a slick City banker (Mark Strong); his eager-to-impress loner son (Chris Mintz-Plasse, aka Superbad's McLovin); and crucially, a hands-down, one-off Hannah-Montana-meets-The Bride assassinette who prefers switchblades to sweet little Barbie dolls.

The Daily Mail took a strong stance on the scene-stealing Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) a month before the film opened, pointing its bony wrinkled finger of moral outrage firmly in the direction of screenwriter Jane Goldman. I'm sure you'll make up your own minds on whether a 12-year-old should be heard dropping C-bombs as well as grenades on the big screen, but Goldman's script shows she knows how teenagers really talk - or would do if they had the self-confidence of a masked vigilante. A 15 certificate is the correct rating. It's cartoon violence with attitude, a more stylish Mystery Men with extra blood and beatings.

Vaughn's style is unashamedly fan-boy, but that will now feel familiar to a mass audience having been distilled through the X-Men and Spider-Man trilogies and their ilk. He starts off by using comic-book cuts and box-outs that are dropped when the reality of Lizewski's humdrum life is established, only for an impressive graphic-novel-style sequence to be later introduced for the back-story of Hit-Girl's eccentric avenger father Big Daddy (Nic Cage, channelling Adam West's TV caped crusader when suited up). Even the unfolding relationship between Dave and girlfriend Katie is handled neatly; we see her misconceptions gradually broken down by his goofy charm in above-average rom-com scenes.

All the moneymen who Vaughn originally pitched to "freaked out" at the idea for Kick-Ass and threw the synopsis back in his face. Thanks to close friends and investors, he got the project off the ground and later, those same studio execs were all clamouring to get back on board. Yet being made outside the system was just what this rebellious movie needed; it's had to fight hard for the hype which currently surrounds it. Don't think you've seen it all before with superhero flicks - if you've ever stood in front of a bedroom mirror and struck a kung-fu pose, you'll want to cheer on this ragtag wannabe crimefighter. And with Little Miss Lethal on hand to provide back-up, that should serve as a cinematic call to arms for today's apathetic youth.

Memorable Line: Mindy Macready: Can I get a puppy? A cuddly fluffy one? And a Bratz Movie Stars Makeover Sasha? (dryly) I'm just fucking with you Daddy. I'd love a bench-made model 42 butterfly knife.

Listen Again: Per Qualche Dollaro In Piu - Ennio Morricone.

I Know That Face: Detective Vic Gigante - firmly nestled in crime boss Frank D'Amico's Armani pocket - is played by Xander Berkeley, whose former CTU chief George Mason is much loved by 24 aficionados.

Reviews: The Blind Side

'I don't know whether I won cause you liked me, or because I wore you down' - Sandra Bullock, Best Actress Oscar acceptance speech, 7 March

I took my seat at Sunday's preview screening of The Blind Side with Bullock's self-deprecating quip very much in mind. Exactly how did she win the highest movie performance accolade on earth? What was I about to see on screen that has elevated this 45-year-old comedy actress to a dramatic class alongside Meryl Streep? The night before the Academy Awards, Bullock had even collected a Razzie for her role in the film All About Steve. Panned and praised in public in the space of 24 hours; wait till Hollywood gets hold of that true story.

Bullock's Wikipedia entry carries a quote about her from film critic Mark Kermode: "She's funny, she's gorgeous, it's impossible not to love her and yet she makes rotten film after rotten film after rotten film." I have deliberately swerved most of these movies to date (life's too short to watch decaying cinema) but I have to concur on Kermode's first two points, and Bullock's career proves that likeability equals longevity in showbusiness.

Bullock's reputation and her Oscar triumph should guarantee good numbers in the UK for The Blind Side, even though few British filmgoers who see it will have much knowledge of the source material. In short, a poor black teenage boy, who's something of a gentle giant, is taken in by a wealthy white woman and her family in Memphis. After several months of getting up to speed academically, the boy - Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) - is unleashed onto the football field. College coaches are soon clamouring to recruit him, leading to some tough questions and eventually a big decision.

There's no denying this is an "extraordinary" true story (the film poster helpfully reminds us) that was worth bringing to the screen. Oher's journey takes him from mean streets to NFL stadiums, from the ravenous to the Ravens, and it's a brassy Republican interior decorator who gives him directions, transcending traditional Deep South divides of class and race. Bullock brings humour, warmth and star quality to her role. She was right on both counts as to why she won the Oscar. However, this does not catapult her into the top echelon of actresses. Call me old-fashioned, but I think awards should be handed out on merit, even if you are Miss Congeniality.  

Also up for debate in The Blind Side is the storytelling employed by writer/director John Lee Hancock. It took five years for Hancock to see another green light after the failure of The Alamo. The movie was trounced on Easter weekend six years ago by Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, and showed an estimated loss of just under US $120m. Hancock eventually went back to what he knew best - sports. His first picture The Rookie had been a minor hit for Disney in 2002 and has since become a firm family favourite.

And broadly speaking, that's Hancock's target audience - Mom, Dad and the kids. On screen, the Tuohys are the perfect unit and you're invited into their home to identify with them. Hancock has given Leigh Anne 'smarts' and a winning smile; Sean is slightly hen-pecked but wise and steadfast; SJ is a cheeky scamp; and Collins is a polite, well-mannered teenager (OK, not so believable). Having watched an interview with the Tuohys, they seem favourably depicted.

Outside the clan, it's a different story. Michael's sceptical teachers, the goofy high-school football coach, the toughs in the projects, the drug-addled mother, Leigh-Anne's bitchy friends, the hard-nosed NCAA official - all these supporting players come across as caricatures and stereotypes. Some further digging reveals Oher's school, Briarcrest Christian, asked not to have their name used in the movie, so upset were they with the "artistic license" used by Hancock. And bar one scene where the family says grace, God is never mentioned. Considering Leigh Anne's Christian values inspired her to take in Michael Oher in the first place, why has her faith been stripped out of the film?

The Blind Side is what I'd call a McDonald's movie (here comes the analogy). It made me feel good at first, but sometime later I was left feeling hungry for more wholesome fare. Appropriately, Bullock provides some premium beef; sadly, it's surrounded in processed cheese.

Memorable Line: Leigh Anne Touhy: If you so much as set foot downtown, you will be sorry. I'm in a prayer group with the D.A., I'm a member of the NRA and I'm always packing.

I Know That Face: Wingate football coach Burt Cotton is played by Ray McKinnon, who was the weaselly campaign manager in 2000 Coen Brothers Depression adventure O Brother, Where Art Thou? Like Bullock, McKinnon is an Academy Award winner - he shared the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film with his wife Lisa Blount in 2001 for The Accountant.

Listen Again: Southern Voice - Tim McGraw.

Further Reading: The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. As recommended by my mate Imran on Twitter. In addition, here's an interview with the author where he talks about the real Michael Oher.

Reviews: The Wolfman

Having sat through The Wolfman this evening, I looked into the night sky for the moon after leaving the cinema. Cloud cover; I couldn't see it. And its absence briefly unsettled me, which sadly is more than can be said for the movie.

I can understand the reasons for remaking this classic 40s Universal horror. The original is held in great affection, especially by legendary monster make-up maestro Rick Baker who by all accounts was practically voracious in his attempts to get the gig for this movie. But updating these cinematic collector's items for a new audience is only worth doing if you're going to go for the throat. In this instance, the purpose of the film - scaring people - has to be the same.

I can also see why Vue have been giving away free tickets for The Wolfman. There's much to admire in the fog-bound cinematography of Chatsworth and rural Wiltshire, Baker's transformation scenes are impressive (if not much of a leap forward from An American Werewolf in London), plus you can't fault Danny Elfman's note-perfect Gothic score. But when the shock tactics are largely limited to a barking dog and the overuse of jump-cut editing, your audience is going to be left growling with displeasure at the lack of thrills.

The film is designed to elicit some sympathy towards our hungry hairy protagonist, but the most saddening aspect for me was discovering the identity of the screenwriter - Andrew Kevin Walker. This is the man who created arguably the most chilling, terrifying tale of modern times when he wrote Se7en in the mid-90s. He became an in-demand script doctor, polishing other David Fincher gems like The Game and Fight Club. In 1999, he penned another English period chiller, Sleepy Hollow, but faded from the writing game during the Noughties having tried but failed to jump on the superhero movie bandwagon.

Walker had his own work touched up on The Wolfman when David Self was drafted in - one of many hiccups in the project's journey from page to screen. How disappointing that a man who must have been one of Hollywood's hottest talents only 15 years ago should have suffered such a long spell out in the cold - and such a damp squib to mark his return.

There's not too much wrong with the talent in The Wolfman - Anthony Hopkins and Hugo Weaving are clearly having great fun, layering extra relish on otherwise bland lines to make them more tasty. But there's not enough to savour for the viewers, and surely even modern horror fans with a fondness for monsters of yesteryear require something new to get their teeth into.

Memorable Line: Inspector Abberline: (deliberately) A pint... of... bitter... please!

I Know That Face: The Gypsy woman Maleva is played by Geraldine Chaplin, daughter of Charlie, who was last seen on UK screens as the medium Aurora in the 2007 Spanish horror film The Orphanage.

Location, Location, Location: Chatsworth in Derbyshire. Often voted as the British public's favourite country house and used in the film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice and The Duchess.