Wow. I can not remember another movie that took the audience on such a mental roller coaster that at the end of the film there were simultaneous gasps and laughter followed by applause. Now that is impressive. I also don’t recall a movie that so thoroughly confused the less intelligent in the crowd that you could hear them asking their dates ‘what is happening’? Hilarious.

Writer and Director Christopher Nolan may be best known by the masses for directing Dark Knight, but his true masterpiece (until now) was Memento, a film that delivers its plotline in reverse. With Inception, he takes mind-bending to another level as he explorers: shared dreaming states, dreams within dreams within dreams, and a sublimely tragic love story. Oh, and did I mention zero-gravity fight scenes, violent car chases, and enough machine guns and explosions to make this existential examination of the subconscious into a shoot-em-up action film as well. I understand now why Nolan spent the last 10 years writing this truly original and elegantly crafted script.

I really like how Matt Goldberg from Collider.com explains it:
“True inspiration is impossible to fake,” explains a character in Christopher Nolan’s existentialist heist film Inception. If that’s the case, then Inception is one of the most honest films ever made. Nolan has crafted a movie that’s beyond brilliant and layered both narratively and thematically. It requires the audience to take in a collection of rules, exceptions, locations, jobs, and abilities in order to understand the text, let alone the fascinating subtext. Nolan’s magnum opus is the first major blockbuster in over a decade that’s demanded intense viewer concentration, raised thoughtful and complex ideas, and wrapped everything all in a breathlessly exciting action film.
— Read the full Inception Review (It’s a great review, but has spoilers)

The obvious comparison is The Matrix, since both films explore the nature of reality, have eye-popping sets and truly unique action sequences. But Inception is not a re-hash of The Matrix. It is a much more layered and complex story and Nolan does an amazing job delivering the exposition that guides the viewers through the cinematic labyrinth he has created. I could go on and on about this film, but for now I will just say: “I can’t wait to see it again.”