Inception, followup
Thanks to jen_aside, I just read a very interesting thesis on Inception. Anyone who's seen the movie, I highly recommend it. With these new points in mind, I'll be watching it a second time with different eyes.
However, my main gripe about the movie stands. The characters were horribly portrayed. None of the actors were allowed to do their jobs, and the emotional transistions were stilted and unrealistic. There are ways to argue the merit of that, given the position taken in the thesis... but I maintain that nothing forgives wooden portrayals. If the characterisation has to be explained after the fact, then it becomes excuses. And that's inexcusable for an experience that, at its core, is supposed to draw you into a different and immersive world for 90+ minutes.
However, my main gripe about the movie stands. The characters were horribly portrayed. None of the actors were allowed to do their jobs, and the emotional transistions were stilted and unrealistic. There are ways to argue the merit of that, given the position taken in the thesis... but I maintain that nothing forgives wooden portrayals. If the characterisation has to be explained after the fact, then it becomes excuses. And that's inexcusable for an experience that, at its core, is supposed to draw you into a different and immersive world for 90+ minutes.