PIRANHA 3D

Directed by: Alexandre Aja

Starring: Ving Rhames, Elisabeth Shue

Runtime: 88 minutes

Rated R for sequences of strong bloody horror violence and gore, graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use.

Piranha 3D spit me out ashamed of how much I enjoyed such a stupid little movie.

The story is about an earthquake that opens a fissure under a lake, releasing a legion of prehistoric piranha that has been thriving on cannibalism in an underground lake for millennia. Now, in a Jaws-like turn of events, the fish are wreaking havoc on the partying teens in the nearby town.

The first thing I noticed about the film was how many awesome cameos it has. “Richard Dreyfuss” from Jaws is the victim in the very first scene, and several others, such as Christopher Lloyd from “Back to the Future” and Eli Roth, the director of several poetic art films called “Hostel” and “Hostel part 2” (Sarcasm is fun).

Anyway, the story is stupid and the characters aren’t developed too well for the most part. However, this movie works very well because it doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is; a gory, over the top film filled with more nudity then even the dirtiest Playboy magazine. It’s even in 3D!

The director, Alexandre Aja of “The Hills Have Eyes”, does a surprisingly good job with the violence here, however. The movie is mostly cheesy and tongue-in-cheek with the violence, such as when we get to see a certain R-Rated body part floating in the lake (in 3D), but there are moments where the violence goes a bit further. There is a feeding frenzy sequence in this movie that is so unbelievably graphic and brutal that I personally was squirming in my seat a little bit. With the exception of Takashi Miike’s “Ichi the Killer”, this is undoubtedly the goriest film I have ever seen.

With all the ridiculously stupid stuff coming out nowadays, this is a film that fully understands how stupid it really is, and consequently just runs with it.

**1/2 (out of four)

I N C E P T I O N

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard

Runtime: 148 minutes

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout

Two viewings, three days and several hours of thought process later, I think I’m finally ready to review Christopher Nolan’s new mindbender “Inception”. It’s a complex, multi-layered and intense sci-fi action heist thriller set inside of the subconscious.

Without spoiling anything, I can say that the basic plot revolves around a man named Dom Cobb, a skilled Extractor, or dream thief. He’s performing odd jobs around the world because he had been accused of killing his wife, Mal, and thus couldn’t live in America with his kids. However, he and his partner are hired by a large corporation to perform Inception on a rival of theirs, Inception being just the reverse of Dom’s skill; planting an idea. If he succeeds at this task, the CEO of the corporation will pull some strings and acquit him of his murder charges and he will be able to return to his children.

One of the people he hires to help with the job, Ariadne, is new in this whole dream invasion business and Cobb’s explanation to her about how the process works serves as both her tutorial and ours, including a wonderful sequence in which she learns how to fold an entire dream world on top of itself like a giant tortilla.

The film truly has everything; fantastic acting, great pacing (when the 2 and a half hours were over, I legitimately hoped that my time in Nolan’s world wasn’t quite up), special effects to rival any sci-fi of the past decade, an outstanding score and some truly awe-inspiring cinematography to compliment the exhilarating action sequences.

However, the main component that defines “Inception” is its brains. Not only is the film complex enough in its basic story, but also in the way the dreams are constructed and subsequently constructed inside each other. Finally, it wraps all of this around a story of a man dealing with the loss of his wife, Mal. Much of the film’s story, especially with Cobb’s wife, is told through implication and different interpretations will most definitely arise from the film, and the film is all the better for it. It’s a complex ride that asks us difficult questions about objective versus subjective reality and whether or not living in your own version of reality is acceptable. It also asks questions about the morality of manipulation, represented through the process of inception, and whether it is okay if the target is happy with the new idea or if it is still an evil act. It does all of this while providing one of the most thrilling action films in years as well. It is one of the best films I have ever seen.

Truly, however, the most remarkable aspect of the film is that, as hard as I try, I cannot find a single hole in the story that cannot be explained by other components of the narrative or implications thereof, a feat that is obviously the result of Nolan writing the film for eight years before shooting it. It did take me more than one viewing to truly grasp the concept of the kicks, however. See the movie and you’ll know what I mean.

Many have compared “Inception” to Nolan’s last work, “The Dark Knight”, but such a comparison is unfair. The only thing that the two works have in common is the director. “Inception” truly is its own film, and while in the thematic and concept department it borrows from several other works such as “The Matrix”, “Dark City” and “Paprika”, it surpasses the intelligence and quality of the source material. It is by far Nolan’s most complex and involving work, and I truly look forward to what else this master filmmaker has up his sleeve.

**** (out of four)

Note: I have what I believe to be a fairly comprehensive theory about the ending and other components of Inception after three viewings, and if anyone has any questions or is curious about something, please email me at emiller94(at)live.com and I’ll do my best to help.