Ow . . . I Hurt My Mind

So . . . Inception.  What an epic mindfuck.  There is truly no more polite way of saying it. 

As a big fan of Leo DiCaprio, and a fan of Christopher Nolan to an extent, I was pretty jazzed by this pairing, and really wanted to see this movie when it was in theaters this summer.  Unfortunately, another epic event was sucking the life out of me this summer – the Texas bar exam.  In my strained mental state, I knew better than to see a movie I knew would be complicated and dense.  For that matter, in my strained mental state, I had no business leaving the safety of my garage apartment and intermingling with polite society.  My mother and sister can attest to the severe degree of crazy I accomplished, and will agree that the nice people of San Antonio did not deserve me unleashing myself upon them.  So, I passed on the movie.  As a big movie fan, I unfortunately had to pass on quite a few tempting movies over the summer – I think the only one I actually went to the theater to see was Toy Story 3.  Don’t judge.

So I was pretty jazzed when Inception came out on Tuesday.  I was a very good girl – I read a few reviews from the main reviewers I like to read (Roger Ebert – we don’t always agree, but I love his writing style), but I was otherwise unspoiled.  I refrained from watching leaked clips on the internet, and from reading all the theories and interpretations.  I wanted to see it and make up my own mind, even though everything/everyone I came across had basically the same reaction – OMGbestmovieever.

Unfortunately, after working so hard to create a situation where I could reach my own opinion on the movie un-influenced by others, I have no freaking clue what that opinion is.  I certainly wasn’t disappointed in it.  I enjoyed it a lot.  It had drama, surprise, intensity.  It was certainly something new, different, and interesting.  The last scene had me out of my armchair.  If my neighbors heard me shouting “BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN???”  at 1AM, I’m sure they’ll stay away from me in the corridors from now on out of fear that my crazy will rub off on them.    I’m sure it will get Academy Award recognition, whether in the newly-expanded Best Picture category,  directing and screenwriting for Chris Nolan, or acting for Leonardo DiCaprio (for God’s sake, will somebody give him a damn Oscar already so he can go back to making fun movies like Catch Me If You Can??).   And I don’t know about all that - I haven’t seen all the pictures, but I’m still fairly sure this isn’t the best one.  I just don’t know what to DO with this movie!  It’s so frustrating!  I both totally get it, and don’t understand a damn bit of it at the same time.  I told somebody else I think it’s like one of those magic eye puzzles – it only makes sense if you don’t really look at it.  Like if you cross your eyes a little and think about something else and look past the picture, then you can see the dolphin.  Cross your eyes a little and think about something else, and maybe this mess makes a little more sense.   I have a feeling that many of the people running around claiming this to be the best movie they’ve ever seen simply don’t understand it and claim to love it rather than admit they didn’t get it and risk looking dumb.  Well folks, don’t ever say I’m not honest – I don’t understand the damn thing.  I enjoyed it as a cinematic treat, and I have a fair grasp on some of the broader points, but don’t ask me to explain it to you, because I just can’t.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go watch something that doesn’t require me thinking or actively participating.

Sarcasmo

PS – that gem of a title comes from my sweet little devil 5 year old cousin.  Upon bonking his head one day, he exclaimed – ow! I hurt my mind!