Inception (2010)

Christopher Nolan seems intent on befuddling me. Memento vexed me beyond belief. Besides terribly confusing, I thought it was showy and gimmicky. The Prestige was a whole lotta nothing and his first installment of Batman was just plain lousy (I do not understand his, or any other director's, casting of Christian Bale; unappealing on so many levels). However, there is The Dark Knight, which I love, and now this, which surprised me. Leo really phones it in (again) and his head is looking more and more like an orange cookie jar. Nolan was more successful casting the other roles. Ellen Page is an odd choice for a leading lady in something like this, and a welcome change from the usual stable of go-to bimbos. Cillian Murphy is spot-on, and Tom Hardy nearly steals the picture. Joseph Gordon-Leavitt seems wrong, until the end, where he glides through air in his quick-fitting suit, as graceful and sinewy as a ballerina. I didn't care that at times I wasn't sure what was going on. I just sat back and let it dazzle me. Nolan's most involuntary and wondrous film yet.