Inception

Warning: spoilers below.

Let me start with the bottom line: I loved all but the last few seconds of this movie. In that final, troubling close-up, writer and director Christopher Nolan tried to play the ending both ways, and that was a huge, stupid mistake. Cobb, DiCaprio's character, had won, and he deserved an unequivocal victory.

Despite that misstep, however, the movie was a joy. Visually, it was amazing, with more cool scenes and gorgeous eye candy than even the trailers had led us to believe were coming. More importantly, though, it was intelligent, complex, and had enough heart that we cared about all the main characters, particularly Cobb. The dream mechanics turned a bit fuzzy at a few points, but for the most part the movie was also internally consistent, a characteristic almost all big-budget films today lack.

Time and again, movie after movie, I wonder why Hollywood won't learn that a bigger investment in good writing, in true and smart and consistent stories, would lead to much better films.

Or maybe Hollywood knows something I don't want to accept: that enough special effects will draw big box office and let you save on story.

Still, how much more would great stories cost? Writing has to be the cheapest part of any movie.

Ah, well. At least in Inception we have a complete package, and for that I am grateful.

Don't miss this one.