Inception (2010)

I recently re-watched Inception, splitting it up into two evenings as it's over two hours long. There is so much I could talk about with this film but I want to keep it simple. I could analyse every single detail of the film as it has so much obvious meaning to it, but that would take a very long time.

However, one part that stood out for me is the scenes involving Cobb's memories. Ariadne travels around these stored memories in a dark lift that is rusty, old and is barred. Cobb has lived 50 years in a separate world which explains the old, uncared for look to the lift. The darkness and the bars are a representation of Cobb's feelings of being trapped in other worlds, as well as a visual metaphor of him caging his memories and caging Mal.

In the same scene, the curtains in the hotel window fly about in the wind. This image is shown again at other points of the film and I believe it is a subtle hint to symbolise Cobb feeling like he has lost control.

Inception wouldn't be the same without the sounds used. Intense, driving orchestral music is used throughout and blends into the film so well that you almost forget it's there. You're left with these feelings of adrenaline and tension and without the music, you wouldn't feel quite the same.
Silence and diegetic sounds are used in a genius way. In one scene, the van in one dream is falling and the music suddenly stops to leave complete silence in a slow motion scene. In the next dream, the only sound is the avalanche. The use of sound manages to captivate the audience and draw you into the film in way that makes you forget reality - which is very much like the main theme of the film.

I forgot how good Inception was. Every detail within the film is hugely important and the film itself is unbelievably impressive.