Movie #304 - Inception

Inception
2010 - Rated R - 2 hr 28 min
Director: Christoper Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Marion Cotillard, Pete Postlethwaite, Michael Caine

This movie seems to be quite polarizing, at least in my opinion.  People either love it or hate it.  I happen to love it, mostly because I love a good "thinking" movie that sparks hours of debate when it's over.  Sure enough, everytime we watch this movie, the debate starts up all over again.  And every viewing also brings additional information to the table through new discoveries.

If you haven't seen it, I won't spoil anything for you.  Suffice it to say, Leonardo DiCaprio and friends know how to go into peoples' dreams and extract information.  The premise of this movie - the concept of inception - is a little harder than that.  With inception, the team must plant an idea seamlessly into someone's mind, making it seem as though it were there all along.  As DiCaprio's own past starts to catch up with him, Ellen Page tries to help him root out the truth and confront his guilt.  What happens to DiCaprio - and the end of the movie, in particular - is the subject of the debate.  Is it possible to lose track of reality when you jump through dreams for a living?  Makes sense to me.

Anyhow, I really love this one.  If you don't, I'd love to hear why not.  Plot too convuluted, overall movie too artsy, characters too flat... whatever.  I certainly wouldn't object to another debate on this one.

Movie #157 - The Departed

The Departed
2006 - Rated R - 2 hr 31 min
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin

As expected, this movie's kind of a big deal around Boston.  And with all that swearing and gunfire and all those accents, I can see why.  It's about Boston, crime, double-crosses.  It's all the stuff we love and it's in our hometown.

Watching this movie's like playing a game of "guess who practiced their Boston accent today."  Some of these actors are really good, like Alec Baldwin.  Some of them were born here, so they'd better be good, like Mark Walhberg and Matt Damon.  And some of them get by okay, like Jack Nicholson.  It's jarring at first, how strong all of them lay it on, but after the first half hour you forget about it.

Then, of course, in the last half hour, it's now a race against death.  This movie has all the blood and murders of a Shakespearean tragedy.  But the way half the cast gets mowed down gives new meaning to "sudden death."  Yikes!  Someone's talking and everything fine one minute and then BAM! Bullet to the forehead. 

From beginning to end, a whole 2 1/2 hours later, it holds your attention and keeps you scratching your head.  Who's working for who? Who's gonna die next?

It makes Boston look pretty bad ass, I must say.

Movie #103 - Catch Me If You Can

Catch Me If You Can
DreamWorks
2002 - Rated PG-13 - 2 hr 21 min
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Amy Adams, James Brolin

Want to watch Leo play with people's hearts, minds, and money for two hours? Want to see what it would be like if Christopher Walken were his dad?  How about if Tom Hanks were a fast-acting FBI agent, just one step behind a masterful con artist?

This movie's just fun to watch, given that it's based on an actual true story.  Adapted from the book by con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. - who led federal agencies on a wild goose chase across the country before he turned 19 - these stories seem delightfully farcical.  When you stop and remember that they actually happened, it's even more interesting.  Of course, none of these tricks would work today, but it's still funny to see how easily this kid manipulates and cons.

Then you realize it's a good thing he was a fairly good-natured guy...

Movie #84 - Blood Diamond

Blood Diamond
Warner Bros Pictures
2006 - Rated R - 2 hr 23 min
Director: Edward Zwick
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly

 Watching this movie again was a real treat.  It's one of those movies that simultaneously feels really long but not really that long at all, considering all that takes place.  Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in this is one of my favorite's of his. And his South African accent doesn't really bother me that much, so cheers, Leo.

I don't know much about blood diamonds or illegal mining/trading in South Africa, but after watching this, it's hard not to wonder how true it is. And if so, do I have any diamonds that people were killed over?  Hope not.

All in all, this is a really great movie... but one that you have to be in the mood to sit down and watch.  It's not funny or witting, just very moving.  The journey that Leonardo DiCaprio's character takes is impressive, the story of Djimon Hounson's family quite poignant.  If you have the time to sit and think, and want to appreciate the little luxuries we have in this part of the world, take a peek at this one.