Inception (2010)

Twenty years ago Jane Wagner asked, through a character played by Lilly Tomlin, "What is reality anyway? Just a collective hunch." In this movie we return to that question. Is reality just an illusion?

Writer and Director Christopher Nolan may well be a cinematic genius. He is certainly one fine story teller. As many others have pointed out, this movie is a beautiful synthesis of new and old movie making. They are done so well together you almost forget the line exists between whats real and what CG. But that is, after all, the point of the movie.

Leonardo DeCaprio continues to impress me. I try very hard to not like him but every movie he does beats that impulse down with great gusto. The rest of the cast are very much in a supporting role here, but the names and their work are equally stunning.

Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, and Cillian Murphy, all young guns with good resumes join as senior cast with huge names; Ken Watanabe, Tom Berenger, Marion Cotillard, Pete Postlethwaite, and Michael Caine.

No spoilers here, but from the get-go this movie keeps you guessing about which reality is which. You will have to draw your own conclusions.

Watch this movie with someone who has vivid dreams.

Batman Begins

With all the recent fuss over comic heroes on the big screen, I figure it's time to remind ourselves that this phenomenon is not new. Only 3 years ago Director Christopher Nolan brought his vision of a legendary character's somewhat humble beginnings.

Nolan does not have a lengthy resume, but it is, nonetheless very impressive with offbeat stories for us to sink our imaginations into. Memento. Insomnia. The Prestige. He is also the director who will bring "The Dark Knight" later this year. This tells you how

Christian Bale (Reign of Fire, The Prestige, and 3:10 to Yuma) is perfect as an emerging Batman, a role he will reprise for us in The Dark Knight. He is dark, brooding, understated, and feels like he has always been Bruce Wayne.

Michael Caine, the hardest working man in Hollywood for the last 50 years, does great homage to uber-cool butlers everywhere in his role as the always steady Alfred. Do you know Alred's last name? True Batman fans will. Caine is also in the upcoming Batman movie.

And what a super cast of supporting bad guys, weirdos, and Gotham regulars. Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Morgan Freeman, and Ken Watanabe. Take your pick. One or two alone would be worth the watch.

And what is a good Batman story without pretty girls? Katie Holmes fills that bill well enough.

If you enjoyed Tim Burton's versions of Batman, you should also enjoy this one. I know the Burton purists will boycott me for saying so, but this movie is every bit as entertaining as the previous. I grew up reading Batman comics, and watching the old campy black-and-white series on TV. This movie was very satisfying to me personally.

Watch this movie with your childhood firmly attached.