I Saw Interstellar, I am a Nolan Fan, It Is Not Perfect (and that's okay)

Of course, if you've been around these parts for a little while, you'll know that I've been a pretty huge Christopher Nolan fan since 2010. It has reached some pretty fanatical heights (why yes I do own two copies of Memento, a copy of the Inception shooting script and bought a special collectors edition of The Dark Knight Rises that came with little figurines), I may call him God from time to time and I do get exceptionally excited whenever I hear his name mentioned. So of course, once I heard he was doing a film with my favourite person ever Jessica Chastain, along with my other favourites Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, I was very excited. Levels of excitement included being a countdown for the film from April 6th, using procrastination time to watch the trailers over and over again and possibly just about amputating my boyfriend's hand whenever the trailer came on before the movies we saw at the cinemas.

You'd be expecting me to hightail into this movie with the "Nolan is God, he can do know wrong, #Nolanfangirl" attitude.

Thing is, Interstellar is not perfect. And that's okay.

I have a feeling there'll be a lot of talk about Interstellar over the next few days, so I'll keep this a little brief. I'd have to give this another watch to fully absorb it, particularly in the Xtremescreen format instead of just the normal cinema viewing (damn you, exams). But yes, everything you've heard about the technological achievements of this film are true - this film is probably one of the greatest visual experiences I have ever had. Nolan's new teaming with cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (the guy behind the incredible cinematography of Let the Right One In, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Her) has produced some pretty incredible results, giving this film this weird blend of independent sensibilities - think Memento-era Nolan, with the polished pride of something like Inception. The visual effects work on the space scenes, along with the real locations used to represent the other planets are all absolutely perfect.

In terms of being compared to Nolan's other work - and of course, I'll have to give it another watch considering I've seen each of his films at least three times, with The Dark Knight being viewed over 25 times - I wouldn't say that this is one of his best. It lacks the completed narrative of Memento (and to be honest, I would take a lot for that film to be topped for me), the general magic of The Dark Knight and the cleanness of Inception. I'd currently place it somewhere in between The Prestige and The Dark Knight Rises if I were ranking his films, but since it is a little too early to tell, here's what I will say: Interstellar is in no way like any of his other films. Yet, in saying that, it isn't like he is departing from the style of anything he's previously done - it just doesn't neatly fit with the rest of his trajectory. Or any cinematic trajectory for that matter. The thing that stands out most about Interstellar is that it shows incomparable ambition that is precisely the reason why I love film so much.

Let's just take a second to appreciate how damn ambitious Interstellar is and for that reason alone it should be counted as one of the greats. Every single frame is dripping with ambition. Nolan has brought out everything in full force, and where we think that he'll step back in fear of going too far, he chooses to go further. He goes much further with this film than what is generally 'required' by a film, and maybe that won't be to everyone's taste but I was utterly in awe of what he was doing. The emotional strain of this film is absolutely beautiful, mostly due to the wonderful performances by Matthew McConaughey along with Mackenzie Foy and Jessica Chastain playing Murph at different ages. Apparently the scientific stuff was pretty interesting, but even though I didn't really understand some of it, it was still broken down in such a way that it was easy to swallow.

Again, the film isn't perfect - it is hard to pinpoint reasons why, but it is so very close to being a masterpiece. The really fanatical Nolan fanboys will tell you this movie is resoundingly perfect, and they could be right. The really fanatical Nolan haters will tell you that it is overlong and silly, and they could be right too. Even though I've been hyped up for this film for months, I am hesitant to say whether it lived up to my expectations, but I don't think they ever extended beyond me being generally excited to see my favourite actress in a film by my favourite director. It is going to generate some interesting discussion by being a bit divisive - and I think that's something we're lacking a little these days with films either being "good enough", "MASTERPIECE (that we'll inevitably forget about anyway)" or "wow that sucked". Above all, I'm still floored by the ambition and courage of this movie, but it isn't perfect by any means. And you know what? I'm not even disappointed that it wasn't perfect. I'm not even disappointed that it doesn't rank high among Nolan's best. I'm not even disappointed after months of waiting, it didn't completely change my world in a way that some of Nolan's films have. I'm grateful that it reminded me of love these stupid little things called film and want to make a career out of them - Interstellar is direct proof of how much ambition can be put into them.

If you really need proof of just how much I was affected by this film, I cried quite profusely four separate times during the film, characteristically cried at the sight of Christopher Nolan's name, then cried for a full fifteen minutes after the film. I'd like to say that I've grown out of Nolan's films emotionally wrecking me, but I haven't.

Making the Case for The Dark Knight Rises + Blogathon Links!

So this blogathon went rather well, considering it was my first real crack at one. Lots of great entries, I'm seriously impressed with the variety among them. Super huge thank you to everyone who participated! And while I have everyone's attention (hopefully), I have exciting news that deserves a line of its own:

I was announced Head Girl of my school last night!

Very exciting times. Alas, now I shall add my own case to the pile: the case for The Dark Knight Rises to win all of the awards. And I've got a few honourable mentions because I couldn't bear to leave them out. Here we go!

So I really don't need to say any more about it: I love The Dark Knight Rises. I love that movie so much I'd shout it from the rooftops but I can't be bothered doing that so I just made a whole Christmas window based around it. The Dark Knight Rises is just amazing to me, and it is a shame that people can't see it in the same light. I'm not going to get into the whole "ah everyone sucks because all they did was pick at the plot holes (which I contest didn't really exist)" thing. I just want to say that this was a movie that has played a huge part in my life. I've never been more excited to see a film, nor have I ever experienced the intense emotion I had when I first saw it. The only thing I was really sad about was something that was beyond anyone's control. However, this movie is something of a cinematic marvel: it shows a pretty brave and gritty social commentary through the eyes of a superhero movie. No, I didn't think it was better than The Dark Knight, but I still thought that Bane was an extremely good villain, looking like a human Hulk and getting on people's wrong sides in an extremely smart way. And don't even get me started on those final moments. I still cry every time I so much as think about it. The look on Gordon's face when the Batman statue gets unveiled - it gets me every time. In an ideal world, this is what I'd love for The Dark Knight Rises to be nominated for:

Best Picture - We used to be so sure it would get in. What happened? It was bad enough that The Dark Knight got snubbed all those years ago. Of course, this one can't stand as a consolation prize, but The Dark Knight Rises truly does deserve it. It is a modern epic that we'll remember for years to come.
Best Actress: Anne Hathaway - Sure, she'll be getting her fair share of awards for Les Miserables. But her performance as Selina Kyle was nothing short of amazing. Just her walk and her talk - wow. And people thought she couldn't pull it off.
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Caine - He made me cry. A lot.
Best Supporting Actor: Tom Hardy - I once saw a picture of him in his Bane costume and it said, "Still has more facial expressions than Kristen Stewart". And that's the outright truth. Even with a huge piece of machinery on his face, he managed to be wonderfully chilling. Not to mention that last scene with Marion Cotillard. Who on the flipside I've come to realise gave a truly terrible performance.
Best Director: Christopher Nolan - One day the Academy needs to get over the fact that he's better than the large majority of them.
Best Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan - Because that would be cool. Some of the lines in this film are so amazing I try and use them in day to day life, but people look at me strangely when I put on my Bane voice.
Best Cinematography: Wally Pfister - It would be cool to see Pfister to have an Oscar nomination in this field once more before he turns his hand to directing. His cinematography is wonderful - the movie is actually darn pretty.
Best Original Score: Hans Zimmer - There's not a day that goes by when I don't wish that I could casually use 'Why Do We Fall?' and 'Rise' in a film of my own. The rest of the score is wonderful.
Anything else - I imagine that the film will at least get a whole lot of nominations in the technical categories. And I'll still be waving my little one-man fan club flag down here!

Other honourable mentions:

Matthew McConaughey in Killer Joe and Magic Mike - I never used to like old Matty M. But no-one can deny that this has been the year of Matthew McConaughey being bloody awesome at acting. His performance in Killer Joe is by far my favourite of the year. It is so blood-curdlingly great that every time I see so much as a picture of him in the film I cover my eyes. Which made watching Magic Mike very hard, but he was easily the best thing about that film. That SAG nomination snub hurt, but I just know that he'll make it to the Oscars. If he doesn't, I'll be very angry.

Michael Fassbender in Prometheus - One I reasons why I liked Prometheus was because of Michael Fassbender's stunning performance as David the android. Even though the character annoyed the hell out of me, Fassy's transformation into an android was actually terrifying. He was so...wow.

Rosemarie DeWitt in Your Sister's Sister - Because Rosemarie DeWitt is just awesome and Your Sister's Sister so clearly shows that. She's so wonderful, as is the movie.

Jack Black in Bernie - Jack Black is another actor who I generally don't like but he was great in Bernie. He managed not to annoy me for once. And was I the only one who was absolutely shocked when I found out that this story was true at the end?

Rian Johnson's screenplay for Looper - Because Looper was utter awesomeness and it happened to be a great time travel film. As I said in my review, he created "a vision of the future, not a dream".

Matt Whelan in The Most Fun You Can Have Dying - A really huge longshot, but I thought I'd throw this one out there. The Most Fun You Can Have Dying is a NZ film, and a surprisingly good one (your move, The Hobbit). Matt Whelan gives a stunning performance as a man out to destroy himself on his last days of life. I've never actually seen a Kiwi perform so well as an average Kiwi. He was great.

Jessica Chastain for the newly incepted award called 'Most Awesome Person Alive' - I really need to appeal to the Academy for this award, just so Jess can win it every year.

Everyone else's entries, in no particular order:
-Sati @ Cinematic Corner makes her case for the awesome score by Hans Zimmer for The Dark Knight Rises.

-Anna @ Defiant Success makes her case for the three performances in The Deep Blue Sea from Simon Russell Beale, Tom Hiddleston and of course Rachel Weisz.

-Nikhat @ Being Norma Jeane made a case for The Avengers to get a Best Ensemble nod at today's SAG nominations, but unfortunately, her case went unnoticed. So she decided to make a case for The Perks of Being a Wallflower's Adapted Screenplay, adapted by Stephen Chbosky himself, and the performances by Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller. Even though I haven't seen the film, these choices are infinitely awesome!

-Nicole @ The Madlab Post saw Skyfall by chance since she'd missed the screenings for Argo and Lincoln - and lucky she did, because she wrote a beautiful piece about the score by Thomas Newman and the original song by Adele.

-Katy @ The Drama Llama also got on The Perks of Being a Wallflower train and made a case for Ezra Miller's performance. I can only imagine how wonderful he is!

-Courtney @ On the Screen Reviews makes the case for Dwight Henry's supporting performance in Beasts of the Southern Wild. I'd love to see some new talent in the mix!

-Alex @ And So It Begins... makes his case for Edward Burns' screenplay for The Fitzgerald Family Christmas. It would be awesome to see him get nominated!

-Rich @ Wide Screen World makes his case for Frank Langella's performance in Robot & Frank. No amount of Langella love will ever go amiss!

-Drew @ A Fistful of Films made his case for Greta Gerwig's work in Damsels in Distress...and also making Greta Gerwig a thing!

-Nika @ The Running Reel makes a case for Moonrise Kingdom to get a whole slew of nods. I can't wait to finally see it at the end of this month!

-Josh @ The Cinematic Spectacle makes the case for Cloud Atlas, hoping to see its ambition rewarded.

-SDG @ U, Me and Films also shares some love for Rosemarie DeWitt's performance in the brilliant Your Sister's Sister.

-Robert @ The Sketchy Details makes a case for Cosmopolis, a film which still intrigues me to this very day, and this article makes me even more intrigued.

-Brittani @ Rambling Film makes the case for Pierce Gagnon's show-stopping performance in Looper. I definitely thought of including this one - how great was he for someone who is only 5 years old?

If you have a case you want to be made, it isn't too late. Mail me in the next three days and I'll add you to the list! Who's case would you believe out of these wonderful entries?

My Movie Biography: 2010 - The Year of Christopher Nolan

(2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) 2010 was such a messed up year. I'm not sure why, but I'm pretty sure I changed my personality about 5000 times, and everyone else changed 5000 times, too. After that year, I kinda swore not to let much bother me, and just take everything a little less seriously. It seems to be working out so far. Anyway, 2010 as it was in movies:

• I went on my first actual plane ride! I went down to Christchurch, which as you know, was left devastated by two earthquakes which occurred late in 2010 and early in 2011. It was my absolute favourite place in New Zealand, mainly because of this DVD store they had there called "Alice in Videoland". Seriously, that place was magical. There were like, all of these themed room for the DVDs. Like, the horror/sci-fi room was all dark and scary. They had so many classic DVDs. The whole place was seriously like another world...kinda like how I imagine heaven. Plus, I'm pretty sure they had every DVD known to man. Yes, there's a huge difference between that DVD store and our DVD store. Unfortunately, it was damaged during the earthquake, but earlier this year it relocated and opened with an arthouse cinema. I'm definitely going down there as soon as I can afford it.
• I saw Avatar. I'm sure that was supposed to be one of those life-changing things, but it really wasn't. I'm no Avatar hater, but I'm pretty sure I was more excited over this special Avatar cup I got at the cinemas. Sadly, that cup has disappeared. 
• Say what you want about The Hurt Locker, but Kathryn Bigelow winning that Oscar for Best Director actually changed my life. Up until that moment, I had always wanted to be an actress. But when Kathryn Bigelow won that award, I realised how few female directors there were. And I thought, "why do something everyone else is doing? Let's be a director!" I still hold on to that stupid dream now, but don't expect me to be the next Bigelow.
• I did happen to win an Oscar that year. Okay, not a real one. I was a part of our school production and I won an "Oscar" for being the best performer in our group. Is this foreshadowing? 

A Firey End to an Epic Trilogy.

Film: The Dark Knight Rises
Year: 2012
Director: Christopher Nolan
Written by: Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Liam Neeson, Cillian Murphy, Juno Temple.
Running time: 164 min.

Let me be straight-forward from the start: The Dark Knight Rises is the biggest film-event of my life so far. Sure, I've only had 16 years for films to compete for that title, but this film takes the cake by a long shot. That is not to say that The Dark Knight Rises is my favourite film ever. I honestly don't think it will have the mass effect that The Dark Knight had, with it making it's way to the top of IMDb's top 250 or anything like that. Simply put, The Dark Knight Rises isn't as good as The Dark Knight. But there's no denying that this is a grand-scale finish to what is probably the best trilogy of films that I have ever seen. The only problem that I have is that now the trilogy is all over. I guess that I can now properly understand how all of those Harry Potter fans felt when their series came to a close this time last year. Even though Christopher Nolan's Batman franchise and I didn't get off to the most conventional start, I can't help but feel a little nostalgic over the way The Dark Knight changed my perception of films when I was just about to leave primary school. Now I'm nearly on the precipice of leaving high school, The Dark Knight Rises has come along and reminded me of why I love Nolan's take on Batman, why I love Nolan's films in general, and why I love going to the cinemas. However, Nolan's closing the door on his Batman, even though he's leaving the door somewhat open for someone else to pick it up. Which I hope isn't the case, because I don't think anyone can do the superhero genre better than Nolan. Hell, this guy invented his own genre.

A Christoper Nolan Retrospective/Appreciation Post

I make no secret that Christopher Nolan is my favourite director ever. Call me unworthy of a cinephile card, miseducated or just a fangirl, but before you unfairly throw those labels out, here my story of just why it is that I love the guy.

On July 30th, 2008, my friend and I went to see The Dark Knight. We were both super excited to see it, even though I hadn't even seen Batman Begins (and I didn't for another two years). I could tell you everything about that day until the very last detail. Mainly because it was an awesome day that ended with an awesome film. I hadn't had expectations for it, so I came out completely shocked by this new breed of superhero film. And when that title hit at the end...that's my favourite thing I've ever experienced in cinemas. I was obsessed with that film from the time I saw it, even bringing it along to school for everyone to watch. I was even more interested in the way it swept across the film nation, bringing everyone together in the harmony of Heath Ledger's masterful performance. Little did I know that at age 12, I'd inadvertently been introduced to the man that would change my cinematic life forever - none other than Christopher Nolan.

I became obsessed with the guy in 2010 when I was anticipating Inception like it was the air I needed to breathe. The funny thing was, at the very start of that obsession I had only seen The Dark Knight, which I backed up with The Prestige. Before I saw Inception, I saw every film of his apart from Insomnia, which I got for my birthday. However, the period in which Inception took over my life has to be one of my favourite periods of time in these near 17 years I've been alive. As you'll probably know, I saw the film three times in cinemas, and 14 other times on DVD. Those three times were magical, but I wish I could go back and see it for a first time again. Just the sheer brilliance of it, how shaken I was after it (I couldn't even eat my Burger King), and how my friend and I tried to sort out the plot on the whiteboard in maths the following day. Plus, I count the time I went to see it with most of my friends as my favourite birthday ever (well, it was two days after).

16 Days of Birthday, Day 1: My Undying Love for Christopher Nolan

What's this '16 Days of Birthday' business? Well well, seeing as this time in 16 days, I'll officially be 16 whole years old (or as we all like to call it, 'legal'), I thought that I might celebrate. Because, after all, I've been waiting to be 16 since bloody ages ago. Why? When I'm 16, I'll be able to get out R16 movies. But how will I be celebrating, especially on the blog? By giving you a special post each day for the next 16 days, ending the marathon on my birthday. Each day I'll pick something new to talk about. This new topic will be something cool that I've found in my love for movies...consider this like my premature autobiography. So, who's ready for 16 days of rambling? Come on, don't all rush in at once!

Today's topic is that of my main man, Christopher Nolan. As some of you may or may not know, I quite like the man and his work. 'Obsessed' would have been a more apt term to describe my admiration for him this time last year, with the release of Inception and all. This year, I've toned down my love for him quite a bit, but I still enjoy the occasional rewatch. No, I'm not one of the obsessors who feels the need to post about every little piece of news that comes out of The Dark Knight Rises. Even I admit, apart from the recent Ane Hathaway and Tom Hardy set pics and, I suppose, the slightly disappointing trailer, I roll my eyes at just about every little detail that is surfaced on the web. It will only be when I see Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard on set, plus a better trailer that I will actually start shitting bricks over it.

Alas, I do quite enjoy the films he has made that have been released. So much so that three of his films are in my top 5 (though there has been a bit of shuffling around since I did my last list, so I wouldn't know where his films stand now), which a lot of you seemed to frown upon. I'm sorry that I'm a simple girl with simple taste, and I guess I am 'brainwashed' into liking Nolan films.

Let's take The Dark Knight, for example. I saw this in the cinemas with my friend mainly because I loved Heath Ledger dearly and this was his final completed film. It actually took me just about two years after watching this to watch Batman Begins. But even with my zero interest in Batman or anything like that, I still thoroughly enjoyed The Dark Knight. This is probably because I thought all superhero movies were meant to be as cheesy as anything, looked cheap and were pretty much brainless. The Dark Knight, however, was the complete opposite to my pre-conceived thoughts. There were times in that first screening when I was completely lost in the screen, forgetting that I was in a cinema, and even better yet, I forgot that it classified as a superhero movie.

Another thing I remember about The Dark Knight was how well-received it was as soon as it opened. I remember seeing it shoot straight up to number one on IMDb's Top 250...a move which puzzled me and still puzzles me to this day, but I'm still proud of what it achieved in such a short time. Especially seeing as it was a sequel. I think it improved so much on the first, which came down to many things: everything getting a shade darker, Maggie Gyllenhaal arriving on the scene, one of the best performances ever by Heath Ledger...it really changed things, as you've noticed a whole lot of superhero movies trying to be dark and moody, but ultimately failing to do what Christopher Nolan achieved.

One thing that never fails to piss me off, though, is how this film was forgotten over the more 'Oscar-bait' movies. Yes, there were some good movies made in 2008. But the Academy made all sorts of stuff ups everywhere. The Dark Knight was nominated for many technical awards, winning one for Sound Editing. Heath Ledger was justly given a posthumous Oscar for his amazing performance. However, the movie was missing from the Best Picture, Director and Screenplay races. Had the Best Pic race been opened up to 10 back then, TDK would have got in. But I'm sure people have already forgotten about the likes of Frost/Nixon and The Reader. TDK lives on, in it's small way, influencing other superhero movies and giving people the smart movie they need. I just need to think of the closing speech and I get goosebumps.

Oh well, there's just something about Chris Nolan and the Oscars. I was at the head of the hate crew when he got snubbed this year for his work with Inception. I was also at the head of the hate crew when his screenplay, which was pretty much the definition of 'original' didn't get picked and The King's Speech, with it's 'original' screenplay did. Anyway, those wounds have healed, and I've moved on. Especially since some great directors never won an Oscar in their lives...even though everyone knew they were the best.

I don't really know why I love Chris Nolan so much. I just find his movies something...special. Following was a marvel, considering it was made for $6000 and was still completely awesome. Memento, probably my favourite movie of all time, always feels new every time I watch it...it's like I've lost my memory, just like Leonard. That is truly Nolan's masterpiece. Insomnia, though a remake and not written by Nolan, had a very insomniac kinda feel to it. Batman Begins began the new way superhero movies were supposed to be, kick-ass while still being intelligent. The Prestige is exactly like a magic trick: once you know the outcome, everything becomes blindingly obvious (seriously, that movie is trippy). The Dark Knight...well, we've already talked about that. Inception, of course, is exactly like a dream. Finally, someone has come along and injected his original ideas into a dying Hollywood. He's playing the game that the likes of Michael Bay is playing, but he's doing it so much better.

2012, The Dark Knight Rises will be hitting cinemas. Can Nolan really cap off such an epic trilogy with style and make it be as good as the other two? Who knows. But I've got to say, I completely trust Nolan. He's a guy who doesn't think the sun shines out of his ass, who doesn't seem to think much of his immense talent, who has a profound knowledge of cinema, who knows his limits, and who is just an amazing bloke. Is that why I love him? Probably.

So, have you got any film-making idols you just think are all-out amazing? Do tell!

It's been a year since I first saw Inception...time for 52 things I love about Inception!

I find it hard to believe that this time a year ago, I was sitting in the cinemas after months of watching the trailers over and over again, having mini heart attacks every time the word 'Inception' was uttered, watching every other Christopher Nolan flick, and then spending this day shaking excitedly at school, because every minute gone was a minute closer to seeing the film. Just so you know, this was the only time I've ever been so excited over a films release, and yes, even I admit I was a bit obsessed. But do you know what the best thing was? The film topped my sky-high expectations. Which is probably why, after 365 days and nearly 15 watches, I still absolutely love this movie. It hasn't been just a 'film' for me, it's actually meant a lot to me.

So, if you don't like Inception, go to the left. This is my time to share 52 reasons why I think this movie is amazing, and I don't really want any crap comments ruining it. I get that it isn't as good as what it was a year ago...even I don't find it as amazing as I did. But, you know, I still love it to bitty bits. Okay, are we good? I hope so.

Anyway, here we go, 52 reasons why I love Inception (one for every week since my first viewing, not in any order either):

1. "You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling."

2. All of the totems

3. ...but especially the cheeky one at the end.



4. Blasting up '528491' in my headphones at full volume, because that is freaking epic.

5. Cillian Murphy crying.

6. Arthur's wardrobe.

7. This is completely original Nolan - not adapted Nolan.

8. Oh yeah, and this is directed by Nolan. 

9. Yusuf. You should never forget Yusuf and his crazy driving skills and his cats.

10. That spinning hallway scene.

11. Cobb is the director, Arthur is the producer, Ariadne is the production designer, Eames is the actor, Saito is the studio, and Fischer is the audience.

12. Michael Caine's in it for like three minutes and he still gets top billing.

13. When Cobb finally shoots Mal.

14. The fact that 'Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien' is my alarm and it's the best alarm ever.

15. Even the posters are awesome.

16. Tom Hardy.

17. Ellen Page shooting Marion Cotillard because of the 2008 Oscars.

18. The suit porn.

19. This film required a food stylist and an assistant food stylist...(When I found this out, I actually listed all of the food in the movie. Hell, if this means you can take part in a Nolan flick, I want to be a food stylist.)

20. It won as many Oscars as The King's Speech.

21. This is the third Nolan flick that Cillian Murphy has spent a considerable amount of time hidden beneath a cloth sack.



22. The track 'Time' which is at the end of the soundtrack. Simply beautiful

23. The name Ariadne. 

24. "You're waiting for a train. A train that'll take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you. But you can't know for sure. Yet it doesn't matter. Because we'll be together."

25. When the little kids finally turn around so Cobb can see their faces.

26. Saito and his carpet.

27. Blowing up Paris. Because that's a cool way to get friends.

28. Oh, and folding over Paris. Because that's a cool way to get an architect.

29. "Un café! Un café!" - That's how you try an disguise yourself in a chase through Mombasa.

30. The awkward moment when Ariadne finds out Cobb's wife is actually dead.

31. Pete Postlethwaite. Always great.

32. "I bought the airline...it seemed neater."

33. The Eames/Arthur relationship.

34. Fischer's many 'bitch, please' looks.

35. Ooooh, freight train in the middle of the street.

36. Finding out the real story about Cobb and Mal.

37. When Eames turns into a chick. Hahaha.

38. "Paradox."

39. The world that Cobb and Mal built. I can see myself living there.

40. When the van hits the water. 

41. The looks exchanged with Cobb as he walks through the airport.

42. "I know you were disappointed, that I couldn't be you." "No no no. I was disappointed that you tried."

43. Saito's aged look.

44. The fact that it wasn't made in 3D.

45. Mal's dress in the Japanese castle scene.

46. In fact, that castle was beautiful.

47. It's a family affair: Nolan's cousin plays the flight attendant, and his son plays Mal and Cobb's son when he is 20 months.

48. The fact that I can't say 'defibrillator'...but I do like their defibrillator.

49. Arthur's good driving skills.

50. Fischer's wallet has $500 in it, and the wallet is worth more than that.

51. The way the movie starts.

52. The way the movie ends. The screen goes black, the audience gets pissed off, and then the track 'Dream is Collapsing' starts as the title comes up. And then Christopher Nolan's name comes up, and I always cry because I can never be like him.

So there are 52 reasons why I love this amazing film, which has been with me for a year. Why do you like it?

Top 10 Favourite (modern/classic) Directors

You remember how like, a month a go, I listed my favourite modern actors and actresses, along with my faaourite classic ones? I did promise at the end of the classic one that I'd list my favourite directors. But the Classic Movie Marathon got in the way and last weekend I completely forgot about it, so here it is...my favourite directors from any era:

Honourable Mentions: Martin Scorsese, Elia Kazan, John Hughes, Sam Mendes, Edgar Wright, Robert Zemeckis, Billy Wilder, Howard Hawks, Roman Polanski, Jane Campion, Peter Jackson, Kathryn Bigelow, Judd Apatow, Matthew Vaughn, Sidney Lumet, Greg Mottola, Duncan Jones, Rian Johnson.

10. Danny Boyle (on the set of 127 Hours)

When I came to the end of making my 100 Favourite Films list I got really angry because I missed a lot of films (I need to extend the list to 150), but I got especially angry over the fact that no Danny Boyle movies made the list. Now, that is nothing against him - or his films - because every work I've seen of his is absolutely brilliant. It's just one of those things when it comes to making a list like that. Danny Boyle's films have been both revolutionary and visually stunning, with the cool editing techniques he uses, the high saturation he uses with the camera and the always awesome soundtrack music he chooses. What he can do with a film is absolutely amazing. And pretty much half of the music I listen to comes from a Danny Boyle movie, so he gets extra props there.
Favourite film: 28 Days Later...

9. Jason Reitman (on the set of Up in the Air)

I know that Jason Reitman has only made three films. But he is one of those people who just became great after their first feature. I believe that the guy just continues to get better and better, even though he is so consistently great. His films, Thank You For Smoking, Juno and Up in the Air have all been tremendously well-received, which is exactly what he deserves. Add in the fact that he already has 4 Oscar nominations to his name (three for Up in the Air - Picture, Screenplay and Direction, one for Direction in Juno), I'd say that Reitman is well past the 'up-and-coming' stage...and I'd hate to have him let me down.
Favourite film: Juno

8. Frank Capra (left, on set of It Happened One Night)

Frank Capra films are the best. For anyone who is slightly snarky towards those classic films, I'd definitely put forward Capra movies to them first, because his movies are always so happy, funny and all-round enjoyable fares. It Happened One Night and It's a Wonderful Life, particularly, are two of my favourite films. The former because it is probably the funniest film I have ever seen and the latter because it's probably the most beautiful film I have ever seen. Plus, I never feel as uplifted as I do after I've seen a Capra movie.
Favourite film: It Happened One Night

7. Darren Aronofsky (on the set of The Wrestler)

As some may know, I'm a huge fan of lots of editing and 'different' camera techniques. And no-oe gives me that more than Darren Aronofsky. I'm pretty new to being a fan of him, since I only really started taking notice of him after I saw Black Swan and then trhe big life fuck-up Requiem for a Dream a mere two days later. I've been meaning to rewatch The Wrestler since I bought it like three months ago, but I still haven't gotten around to it. I see Aronofsky's work as an art form; he and his cinematographer Matthew Libatique like creating films that have so many different fragments that they all spin out to be a beautiful masterpiece. And I also like how the first word I say at the end of any Aronofsky movie is "fuck". I mean that in the best possible way.
Favourite film: Requiem for a Dream

6. George Cukor (right, on the set of The Philadelphia Story)

 First thing you should know about George Cukor: he was originally the director for Gone with the Wind. That's before he got into several arguements with David O. Selznick and Clark Gable didn't like his very feminine approach to the movie. One of the scenes he shot that remained in the film was the scene where Rhett and Scarlett have their first dance together. Here is a morsel of the considerable talent Cukor had: he could direct a dancing sequence unlike any other. Cukor was known as a ladies director, since he often directed movies with very strong female characters (including The Women, a film which doesn't have one man in the cast!). The people who direct chick flicks today need to take a note or two off him. Oh, and by the way, he directed 20 different actors to an Oscar nomination...good track record, huh?
Favourite film: Gone with the Wind...but since he was uncredited for that, I'll choose The Philadelphia Story.

5. Baz Luhrmann (on the set of Australia)

I'm quite the Baz Luhrmann obsessor. I own each of his movies, Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, and Moulin Rouge! being the special edition 'red curtain trilogy' copies, and I also own Australia. I've seen each of his films at least three times and I love them all to little bits. I'm actually considering going to stalk the set of The Great Gatsby because I am so excited for that. I've spent too long without a new Luhrmann movie. His movies are great, lavish spectacles, with some great visuals and they always bring a tear to my eye. The fact that the guy is also very musically talented just adds so much pizazz to his films. I need a new Luhrmann film, and I need one now.
Favourite film: Moulin Rouge!

4. Alfred Hitchcock (on the set of The Man Who Knew Too Much)

 Does this man really need that much of an introduction? I know it. We all know it. Alfred Hitchcock was the master of suspense, and he is probably the greatest director who ever lived. His films are all fantastic, and probably twice as scary as they would have been because he had something to do with it. A lot of his films were instant 'must haves' on my 100 favourite films...every collaboration between he and his favourite blonde Grace Kelly got a spot, along with a few others. Psycho is one film which I will never forget. Thank you, Mum, for introducing me to him at the tender age of 11. I simply love his films.
Favourite film: Psycho

3. David Fincher (on the set of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

When making my Top 100, I was surprised at the big mound of David Fincher films got into the very top part of my list. You can't dismiss Fight Club. That movie pretty much changed my life. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has always been a favourite of mine, even though I still can't get over the act that Fincher directed it. And The Social Network. Y'all know how I feel about that one. I don't care what anyone says, that is one of the best movies I have ever seen and I could watch it 100 times in a row if I wanted to. His other films Zodiac and Se7en are both masterpieces. I just wish, that in a perfect world, I would have as much talent as Fincher. He just never stops being fucking awesome, you know?
Favourite film: The Social Network

2. Quentin Tarantino (on the set of Inglourious Basterds)

You know what I like most? When a director directs his own stuff. That's why I absolutely love Quentin Tarantino. Most of what he has directed has come from his own brain, and it takes skill to make that so effing awesome. I live for Tarantino films. When I find out he is making a new one, my stomach does a million backflips. His films are just totally boss, alright? I can't say anything more than that otherwise I might come across as a little crazy.
Favourite film: Inglourious Basterds

1. Christopher Nolan (on the set of Inception)


Wholey shit. What a surprise. I know that no one saw that coming. You know what (in fact, you probably already know this)? Every time I see a picture of Christopher Nolan, I feel so inspired. He's just a normal man, who lives a normal life, but he just so happens to direct some of the greatest modern films. And yet, he's just so cool with it. I mean, The Dark Knight went straight to #1 on the IMDb Top 250 within two days of it's release, and he's just like "cool, people like my movie, onto the next one..." I just happen to think that he is a God-like figure...and probably the greatest idol I have ever had.
Favourite film: Memento

Who are your favourite directors?