Inception by Christopher Nolan

I'd like to share a quote from the acknowledgements of my second 13th Reality book, which was written way before I'd ever heard of a movie called INCEPTION and before THE DARK KNIGHT came out.

"Thanks to the mother of Christopher Nolan for going through the pain of birthing him."

I'm so glad I wrote that. I knew I loved the genius of this man just after three movies: MEMENTO, THE PRESTIGE, and BATMAN BEGINS. (And a lot of credit goes to his brother as well, Jonathon, who has co-written some of the scripts.)

And then came INCEPTION.

I love movies. If anything, I love movies even more than I love books (which is pure blasphemy so pretend you didn't hear me just say that). I see any movie that has even the slightest, remotest chance of being good, including the many great indies. Most of my best writing sessions happen right after I've gone to the theater and been inspired by a brilliant movie. Or sometimes even a dumb one.

Among these countless movies, I have those that I call "Event" movies. These are the ones that go to the top of my list as soon as I hear about them. I'd say there are only four or five of these a year. When I first heard about INCEPTION, I was hit by an instant trifecta of information: Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the words, "Your mind is the scene of the crime." I knew I had an "Event" movie, and started counting down the days.

I saw it the day it came out. And then again the next day. Cuz I'm like that.

And I wasn't in the least bit disappointed, even after all that build up. I absolutely loved every single minute of it, both times. It's firmly entrenched in the James Dashner's Top Five Movies of All Time list. (I actually couldn't name you those top five movies, I just every once in a blue moon give a movie that designation. It just might be more than five by now. Yes, it makes sense. Go with it.)

INCEPTION is utterly brilliant. I feel like I can't do it justice. If you haven't seen it, do so immediately. And then do it again because it's even better the second time around. Every single aspect of this movie is brilliant. And I can't go on because I don't want to spoil it and I don't want to use the word "brilliant" too many times. You don't need to know anything else: just go see it. The less you know, the better the experience you'll have.

Why can't more people make movies like this? Trippy, visually stunning, creative, mind-bending, well cast, well acted, well written, heart-wrenching, the MUSIC (yay Hans Zimmer!), brilliant brilliant brilliant. Oops, sorry. I won't use that word again, I promise. A day hasn't gone by since last weekend where I haven't thought about it. Now that's an Event movie.

I only want to comment on three more things about it.

1. I had a major epiphany about the creation process in this movie. (This isn't really a spoiler, so don't worry.) Leo and Ellen Page have a conversation about how the mind works during the process of creating a dream. Leo draws two curved arrows that point at each other, forming a circle. He says the mind simultaneously CREATES and PERCEIVES, and the two become indistinguishable from each other.

Never in my life have I been able to describe how I write books until that moment. It became even more clear when Ellen responds by saying that when she designs architecture, she feels as if she's DISCOVERING it, not necessarily creating it.

This is how it is for me. I can sit for hours and hours, trying to come up with good ideas, but they usually doesn't flow until I sit at the computer and start typing. Then I feel like it becomes just as Leo described it. I can't tell the difference between my mind creating ideas and perceiving them. I honestly can't. They happen simultaneously, feeding off each other to form the story. It really is like discovery more than creation.

I don't know if that seems as cool and mind-blowing to anyone else, but to me it was a real life changing realization. Food for thought.

2. I won't spoil anything, but I loved the way the movie literally ends, right before the credits. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. It couldn't have ended any other way, and I love the many layers of small questions it brings up. For me, that was the final stamp on how perfect a movie it was. Just how old were his kids, what were they wearing.......

3. I've heard several people rip on the trailer for this movie. Say huh? That, I just don't get. Now, you all know I try to avoid trailers because they spoil movies, but I've watched this one several times since going. I think it's one of the greatest trailers ever. That loud, tonal, booming sound. That's my new favorite sound.

Anyway, there you have it. INCEPTION is a movie that I will own, that I will watch many times. I plan to see it in the theater again. I really, really loved it, and I hope everyone will go see it.

Because it's brilliant. Doh!