I totally see your point. For instance, even if Mal is a real character who he has lost, it may be that she has divorced him and this caused him to go on a downward spiral of living in the dreamworld. It's interesting that Cobb and his team are shown the room full of people who spend more time in a day dreaming than awake, and it is certainly possible this was done to hint at the kind of life Cobb is actualyl leading.
It's a contender for his best script, but I do love Memento and The Prestige a lot too. It's easily one of my favourite blockbusters. Out of interest, seeing as you love Punch Drunk Love, do you like There Will Be Blood too? I just rewatched and it blew me out of the water, a truly astounding piece of cinema.
Well this is all only speculation but I'm fairly sure most (if not all) of the film is a dream; Cobb's life plays out as the dreams in the film do.
Mal (who is at this point just a part of his subconscious and is therefore himself) points out the strange and fantastical nature of being chased across the globe by 'faceless corporations' (much in the same way projections of a subject attack those in their mind). The world he inhabits centres around him (just like a dream); just look at when he in Mombassa and Watanabe's character is conveniently placed in a car as an escape route just as he has taken out some baddies. Cobb is even told by Michael Caine's character to explicitly 'come back to reality', which when we first watch the film we assume is a reference to the fact he is still an extractor, or we just dismiss it, but actually when considered within the fractured presentation of the 'real world' in the film suggests strongly that Cobb has lost his grip on reality and is permanently in a dream state.
Plus, two other characters are shown to lose their grip of reality in limbo (Mal and later Saito as an old man), so why shouldn't Cobb, who has already shown himself to be incredibly mentally unstable at this point in his life? The fact that losing yourself in the dream is dwelt on so much heavily indicates that we should at least suspect Leo of having done this.
As for the ending, it's just without a doubt a dream IMO, Nolan couldn't have made it more obvious without explicitly stating as such. For one, the kids haven't aged noticeably at all, they're wearing the same clothes, they're in the same position they were as when he last remembers them (though we now see their faces this doesn't actually mean it's real). Secondly, the move from the completion of the inception to being back in the plane/getting home is done in such a rapid pace that it almost rushes to the happy ending that Cobb feels he has earnt in completing his mission. We as the audience are yearning for this ending and so we do not instantly question it, but think about the fact that from killing himself in limbo with Saito to reuniting with his kids only a couple of minutes elapses. It just feels rushed and I do not think it is just Nolan trying to bring the film to an end, he is drawing our attention to question the 'reality' of the film itself. Furthermore, this whole thing about the totem starting to topple is irrelevant; the totem only tests whether or not you're in someone else's dream, the top can still fall in your own dream even though it doesn't spin forever in theirs. Therefore, even if the top falls, Leo can still be batshit insane in his own limbo.
Sorry if that's not entirely clear, it's been a few weeks since I last saw it so it's not quite as clear in my mind, but that's a few points as to why I don't think it's real.
Really? That's interesting, I thought it was one of their best releases, but each to their own I guess. Yeah Panda Bear's single sounds incredible I can't wait for the album.
I'm definitely sure he's in a dream at the end, and fairly certain he is for the entirety of the film, for reasons I'll expand on later if anyone cares.
Not sure if you've heard Fall Be Kind EP by Animal Collective, but for my money the best release of 2009 along with Varde. There's about three songs on there (I Think I Can, What Would I Want? Sky and On A Highway) that are all contenders for some of the best stuff recorded this decade.
I'm intruiged to see if you're going to love Inception as much as I did. IMO, the perfect blend of the psychologically charged work Nolan's done (Memento) and the visceral, blockbuster stuff (The Dark Knight) of his later career. Surprisingly emotionally affecting too, really an amazing cinematic experience.
Great shout on Andy Stott, but this list is incomplete without Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love.
Hell yes. Shame about the album.
Did you like Purling Hiss?
.
Lol, douche.
Slint - Spiderland
Just to clarify, I was kidding! But nice reply.
Die
JIM MORRISON!!!!
I totally see your point. For instance, even if Mal is a real character who he has lost, it may be that she has divorced him and this caused him to go on a downward spiral of living in the dreamworld. It's interesting that Cobb and his team are shown the room full of people who spend more time in a day dreaming than awake, and it is certainly possible this was done to hint at the kind of life Cobb is actualyl leading.
It's a contender for his best script, but I do love Memento and The Prestige a lot too. It's easily one of my favourite blockbusters. Out of interest, seeing as you love Punch Drunk Love, do you like There Will Be Blood too? I just rewatched and it blew me out of the water, a truly astounding piece of cinema.
Well this is all only speculation but I'm fairly sure most (if not all) of the film is a dream; Cobb's life plays out as the dreams in the film do.
Mal (who is at this point just a part of his subconscious and is therefore himself) points out the strange and fantastical nature of being chased across the globe by 'faceless corporations' (much in the same way projections of a subject attack those in their mind). The world he inhabits centres around him (just like a dream); just look at when he in Mombassa and Watanabe's character is conveniently placed in a car as an escape route just as he has taken out some baddies. Cobb is even told by Michael Caine's character to explicitly 'come back to reality', which when we first watch the film we assume is a reference to the fact he is still an extractor, or we just dismiss it, but actually when considered within the fractured presentation of the 'real world' in the film suggests strongly that Cobb has lost his grip on reality and is permanently in a dream state.
Plus, two other characters are shown to lose their grip of reality in limbo (Mal and later Saito as an old man), so why shouldn't Cobb, who has already shown himself to be incredibly mentally unstable at this point in his life? The fact that losing yourself in the dream is dwelt on so much heavily indicates that we should at least suspect Leo of having done this.
As for the ending, it's just without a doubt a dream IMO, Nolan couldn't have made it more obvious without explicitly stating as such. For one, the kids haven't aged noticeably at all, they're wearing the same clothes, they're in the same position they were as when he last remembers them (though we now see their faces this doesn't actually mean it's real). Secondly, the move from the completion of the inception to being back in the plane/getting home is done in such a rapid pace that it almost rushes to the happy ending that Cobb feels he has earnt in completing his mission. We as the audience are yearning for this ending and so we do not instantly question it, but think about the fact that from killing himself in limbo with Saito to reuniting with his kids only a couple of minutes elapses. It just feels rushed and I do not think it is just Nolan trying to bring the film to an end, he is drawing our attention to question the 'reality' of the film itself. Furthermore, this whole thing about the totem starting to topple is irrelevant; the totem only tests whether or not you're in someone else's dream, the top can still fall in your own dream even though it doesn't spin forever in theirs. Therefore, even if the top falls, Leo can still be batshit insane in his own limbo.
Sorry if that's not entirely clear, it's been a few weeks since I last saw it so it's not quite as clear in my mind, but that's a few points as to why I don't think it's real.
Really? That's interesting, I thought it was one of their best releases, but each to their own I guess. Yeah Panda Bear's single sounds incredible I can't wait for the album.
I'm definitely sure he's in a dream at the end, and fairly certain he is for the entirety of the film, for reasons I'll expand on later if anyone cares.
Not sure if you've heard Fall Be Kind EP by Animal Collective, but for my money the best release of 2009 along with Varde. There's about three songs on there (I Think I Can, What Would I Want? Sky and On A Highway) that are all contenders for some of the best stuff recorded this decade.
I'm intruiged to see if you're going to love Inception as much as I did. IMO, the perfect blend of the psychologically charged work Nolan's done (Memento) and the visceral, blockbuster stuff (The Dark Knight) of his later career. Surprisingly emotionally affecting too, really an amazing cinematic experience.