Friday, September 17, 2010

Mind bending plotting

So we just saw _Inception_ and while I can already tell that I will quickly tire of my husband's constant references to the "subcons", the plot was really interesting. (He's sitting on the couch twitching nervously, eyes wide...maybe he needs a drink to unwind?? This is the same man who couldn't handle the wall clock I had in law school where the numbers were backwards and it ticked counter-clockwise...)
Without spoiling anything for those of you who haven't yet seen this film (interesting cast, too), it was a pleasant reminder that unique movies can still be made, and intriguing ideas brought forth through popular films.
As a writer, I was impressed by the layering and interweaving of the various plots and subplots, and the quick yet effective character development. Plus, they didn't spoonfeed us with clear explanations of what was happening, or where we were going. I found it encouraging. If this can be made for the average moviegoer to digest, I shouldn't have to worry too much about my readers catching on to what I'm throwing down in my story. Right?
Not that I'm comparing my writing with anything directed by Christopher Nolan--he's pretty talented. I remember after watching _Memento_ at the theater, I went into the ladies' room afterwards, discussing the movie with my friend Denise who walked in behind me. I had even turned back to glance at her as we chatted. But when I waited for her to finish up, I couldn't find her in any of the stalls, and when I went back outside, she was already out there, swearing she hadn't gone in at all! My brain was so loopy from the movie that I apparently hallucinated. Now that's effective writing!

2 comments:

PK HREZO said...

Yes, I love Nolan!I did a review of Inception when it came out. Loved it!! SO nice to get mind warped... I love that about his films... clever story telling too.

The Moviegoer said...

I was at dinner with friends last night, one of whom mentioned that she had seen Inception and thought it was really bad. I nearly did a spit take. She later admitted that she had seen only about 15 minutes and generally had problems with Leo DiCaprio. I told her that, yeah, she might want to watch the rest.

Nice to be in the company of people who appreciate the movie. That one left me thinking more and for longer than about anything this year.

And thank you, Betsy, for the recent kind words on my blog. Nice to see your recent entries.

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