By Lubna Abdel-Aziz Do we live in two different worlds, one in reality and the other in dreams? In sleep we experience "a wild realm in a wild reality," which we call dreams. Contrary to the bright light of our waking world, this one is dark, obscure and mystifying, yet it is just as real and just as genuine. It is the world of dreams and as Tennyson rightly asked "and do we not live in dreams?" Sigmund Freud believed that dreams "are the keys to total knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind," and is not the mind the key to our identity as real and as palpable as our body? What if our dreams were meddled with, altered, readjusted and rearranged to suit another design. How would Freud analyze that? Inception, a film written and direct by the brilliant Christopher Nolan, infiltrates the private territory of one's dreams. The concept is new and daring, and it seems not altogether impossible. Science has already developed technologies to explore human thoughts and emotions, but can they add or remove data from the human brain? Such technologies are still under development, but scientists are on their way. Unlike Fantastic Voyage which entered the body, Nolan's psychological thriller begins with the premise that ideas are similar to bacteria or viruses. They live within us, driving us, and forming our lives. Our director/auteur has been obsessed with the idea of the story since he himself was a boy. At long last his idea took shape on the silver screen, baffling and bedazzling the film community. An international cast headed by Leonardo DiCaprio exposes those mythological technologies in a complex and original sci-fi thriller that travels inside the human brain in a wild and wonderful adventure. It is a case of art inspiring science, as did others like Jules Verne and H.G.Wells. The plot of Inception revolves around and espionage expert Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) who specialized in stealing corporate secrets. He does not resort to laboratories, files, or films, but to the dreams of his subjects. Complex and gripping, this action-filled heist needs to be seen more than once to experience its full impact. Cobb is hired, not to simply steal ideas from the brain, but to plant ideas into another man's subconscious through his dreams. In his conscious state the idea becomes the subject's own, affecting his mind and ultimately his decisions. The plan is to "seed" a viral thought in the well- guarded subliminal depths of a corporate scion (Cillian Murphy) tunneling so far into the brain they need a triple stacked dream - within a dream -- within a dream, just to get there. Fantastical plot with twists and turns that keep you riveted on a compelling thrill ride, leaves you exhausted and hungry for more. If you enjoyed Matrix, Avatar, James Bond or Batman, Inception is the film for you. Already claimed a masterpiece, it combines titillating elements of the genre, while marinating a unique, cerebral idea and at a pace, fast and furious, filled with hair-raising excitement. The international stellar cast lead by DiCaprio, include Ken Watanabe from Japan, Marion Cotillard from France, and Cillian Murphy from Ireland. If anyone dare inject himself into the dreams of others, it is Christopher Nolan, the director de jour. Born in the early 1970s in England, Christopher Nolan dreamed of being a filmmaker since childhood. He made his first movie with his father's Super-8mm camera, when he was only eight. By age 12 he was well on his way. At the University College London, he studied English literature, but joined the film society and started churning out sophisticated, smart, short films through the 90s. His films drew the attention of critics and were featured at several festivals. By day he made short films for corporations, and used his income to buy equipment to process his shorts. His first feature film was Following (1998) a noir thriller which he wrote, produced, edited and photographed. It was shot at night and on week-ends because everyone involved had a day job. The film was shown at numerous film festivals and highly praised by the critics. That led to his first major production Memento, another film noir where the story is told backwards in part, giving the viewer the sense of discontent, something that Nolan excelled at. Nominated for numerous awards including the Golden Globes and Academy Awards, Memento was a thinking man's film, a rare commodity in Hollywood. His next project was Insomnia, starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams. Then came the revival of the Batman Franchise, Batman Begins. In typical Nolan fashion, he delved into the original source and answered fundamental questions about Batman's character that was ignored in previous films. The public understood the real motivation behind the character, and why he needed to create an alter-ego. The New York Times critic was enthusiastic, remarking that "Nolan balances the story's dark elements with its light, and arrange it the familiar genre elements in new and foreseen ways. It was a veritable blockbuster, and now Nolan could write his own ticket. He has become famous for developing his own worlds. He uses special effects with intelligence and conviction, creating a memorable and visceral experience for the enchanted viewer. His imagination rivals any other who saw the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. It is a compelling race with the action as we sink into the labyrinth of the twisted, torturing plot. Will Inception keep us awake, afraid to sleep, afraid to dream? What is next on the scientist's palette of challenging targets? The mind remains a place of mystery, where no one is allowed to enter without our approval or permission. After viewing Inception, that too, may soon he lost to the insatiable appetite of the scientist. Is there nothing sacred anymore? But dream we must, and continue to dream dreams, and relish what we are: "such stuff as dreams are made on." Awake or asleep, are we not the product of our dreams? I have spread my dreams under your feet Tread softly because you tread on my dreams -- W. B. Yeats (1865 -- 1939)
