Inception Week Continues

Christopher Nolan has been fascinated with memories, dreams, and stealing since his first film Following. In Inception, he combines all of his favorite themes and ideas into one beautifully woven jolt to the brain. By fusing parts of many films, Nolan himself is like Cobb in that he steals ideas from other people's brains. He also takes shots at critics who don't find his work original by claiming that artists don't know where an idea comes from - frequently the subconscious, sometimes in a dream. I feel he's also part Ariadne because with a blank piece of paper, the screenwriter can experience "pure creation".

Elements of Vanilla Sky, The Matrix, Planet of the Apes (the uninhabited post-apocalyptic beach), and Where Eagles Dare (the snow-fort assault) are seamlessly fused as are elements of The Dark Knight - Hanz Zimmer's pervasive, threatening score, Wally Pfister's dark but opulent cinematography. The end result is wholly original and unforgettable - especially the zero-gravity scene. At the end of that astonishing scene after the white van lands on its wheels, Yusuf asks to his sleeping passengers, "Did you see that?" It's almost as if Nolan is asking the same of his audience. Yes, I did, Mr. Nolan. Thank you.But to what end? Since one of Cobb's kids is named Magnus Nolan in the credits, is it possible that Nolan forgets his kids' faces when he's on long film shoots out of the country? Or wishes he had them turn around one last time before he had to catch a plane? This is definitely Nolan's most personal film to date. You could easily transfer the troubled story of Nolan's brother (Matthew Francis Nolan) who has been charged with murder and kidnapping as well as bank fraud to Cobb's wife Mal ("Matt" and "Mal" are pretty close after all). Does Nolan feel guilty about some moment or experience with his brother in the past? Does he feel responsible? This is the essence of the film to me. Dealing with your past and present guilt and trying to get the things you did wrong before - right.