INCEPTION tops Manila movie sales in just 2 weeks!

Excellent word-of-mouth and multiple viewings have driven Warner Bros.’ sci-fi thriller “Inception” to a remarkable P60.88-million gross nationwide after two weeks of release (July 15 to 28). This was announced today by Francis Soliven, general manager of Warner Bros. Philippines.

“Inception” posted a respectable P22-M gross in its first weekend, and in a rare development, earned bigger receipts in its second weekend with P23.32-million. Most titles strike with their biggest hauls during the first weekend, and go steadily down as the weeks pass.

“The film’s exceptional business is being powered by recommendations from those who’ve seen it and curiosity from those who haven’t,” noted Soliven. “Everyone’s talking about it, and in some cases, arguing over certain points about the story! It has clearly transcended the big screen.”

The cinemas that registered the biggest receipts are SM Mall of Asia (P4.25-M), Trinoma (P4.15-M), SM North EDSA (P3.70-M), Power Plant (P3.25-M), Greenbelt 3 (P2.90-M), Glorietta 4 (P2.76-M), SM Megamall (P2.40-M) and Gateway (P2.37-M).

Also earning huge grosses are Theatremall (P1.96-M), Alabang Town Center (P1.83-M), Shang Cineplex (P1.82-M), Robinsons Ermita (P1.68-M), SM Cebu (P1.40-M), Robinsons Galleria (P1.18-M), Festival (P1.06-M), Market! Market! (P889,788), SM San Lazaro (P883,250), SM Marikina (P825,854).

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, “Inception” is an original sci-fi actioner that travels around the globe and into the intimate and infinite world of dreams.

In the film, Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the best in the dangerous art of extraction: stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse; their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime.

Still playing across the Philippines in IMAX, Digital 2D and regular format, Inception is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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OSCAR bids for INCEPTION

though it messed up your mind, (LOL) admit that it's a very nice movie.

Let the Academy Awards buzz for INCEPTION begin!

Days before the genre-defying film opened in the US, internet giant Yahoo already proclaimed Inception as the best film of the year to-date. Yahoo wrote in its citation – “From its mind-bending dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream plot to its way cool special effects, the movie stands head-and-shoulders above an otherwise lackluster movie summer.”

Then the glowing reviews started pouring in – from the high-and-mighty Time Magazine and New York Times and Variety to the pop-centric USA Today and Chicago Times to the heady Rolling Stone. All are ecstatic over director Christopher Nolan’s originality, genius, even…balls…to realize such a high-concept film. Inevitably, the word “Oscar” kept coming up.

Which prompting news bureau Reuters to ask in a syndicated article, “Can Inception safely dream of Oscar glory? That's one conundrum that will linger long after average moviegoers have stopped debating the ambiguities of Christopher Nolan's twisty new thrill ride into the subconscious,” continues the story.

In the old days, like 2007, the middle of July would definitely be too early to start thinking about the Oscars. Back then, Hollywood loaded up its prestige fare in the fall so that it would stay fresh in the minds of Academy voters. Yet last year, four of the ten Best Picture nominees -- including winner The Hurt Locker -- were released in the summer. So Inception’s chances for a best picture nomination may not be a farfetched idea.

The Warner Bros. release cleared the first hurdle last weekend when it opened to a solid $60.4 million in North America. Oscar nominees don't have to be box office blockbusters, but if Nolan's fan base hadn't shown up en masse, that would have damaged the movie's chances.

Still according to Reuters, “Such other visionary movies as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner and The Matrix all failed to earn best picture nominations, though they picked up nominations in other categories. On the other hand, it might be a good omen that Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound, his 1945 plunge into Freudian dream analysis and surrealism, earned best picture and director nominations. Inception should also prove competitive in a wide range of categories, and, with 10 slots to fill, that would help push it into best picture contention.

“Now, it's all a question of how the industry responds over the coming weeks and months. First reactions, which trickled in over the weekend, were for the most part upbeat. `I saw Inception last night & had a good time, but must admit it's a bit trite & stilted. Still though, leagues above most drivel,’ producer Ted Hope wrote to his Twitter followers.

In another tweet, Lost executive producer Damon Lindelof, no stranger to mind-bending puzzlers, exclaimed, `I wish that someone would break into my dreams and give me an idea HALF as good as INCEPTION.’”

(Now playing across the Philippines in IMAX, Digital 2D and regular format, Inception is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.)

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INCEPTION movie review

you won't be able to get out of the concept for a while until you figure out how every scene worked. INCEPTION is a very recommendable movie for everyone to watch. it will make your brain juices flowing in the puzzling points.

you will get to think that there are dream levels in each of us. and if really people can get in your dreams consciously in which you are not, it might be a very dangerous thing but to them, it's fun and you might keep your secrets no more.

Christopher Nolan really did a fabulous job turning our minds. screen play, visuals and casting is carefully stitched together to make this awesome movie. he did his own play at his own mind creating a new world and instances which somebody might be able to think but repressed his own creativity to let it out.

this concept my be very helpful to the investigators only if the subject would allow it. if it appeared before Minority Report, then the latter is just waste. check out the movie showing on July 15 distributed by Warner Bros. Productions.

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Leonardo DiCaprio as THE EXTRACTOR in INCEPTION

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Dom Cobb, a master in the art of dream-extraction, in Warner Bros.’ original sci-fi action adventure INCEPTION.

In the film, Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction: stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption.

“Cobb has achieved a level of expertise that has made him very well known in the underground black market of individuals who are able to infiltrate people’s minds and extract information,” DiCaprio notes.

“At the beginning of the film,” director Christopher Nolan says, “we learn that Cobb is the best extractor in the game. He is hired by corporations to steal secrets they would otherwise never have access to. It’s all based on the persistence of an idea, the notion that any concept will stay fixed in the subconscious. It’s impossible to unlearn something, and that forms the basis for what an extractor is able to do in terms of retrieving information.”

The way extraction works is through a process called dream sharing—manufacturing the world of the dream and bringing the subject into that world, which feels completely real as long as they are in it.

But Cobb’s rare skills have also resulted in him being a wanted fugitive who can never go home. Producer Emma Thomas shares, “From the start, we know he is a man with a past that makes it impossible for him to go back to America. But his kids are there and that motivates him more than anything else. He’s willing to take any risk in his work if it means he can get home to what he loves most.”

For that reason, DiCaprio says that the approach he and Nolan took was that “no matter how surreal the dream state, everything needed to be grounded in our connection with the character; everything had to be emotionally charged. From Cobb’s standpoint there is something very real at stake, so all of his choices, his reactions, and how he deals with the people he’s working with is a means to one end: getting back his life.”

Nolan expounds, “Working with Leo early on, we really delved into the emotional life of his character. It was very important to him that that be the guiding thread of the story, and with it he is able to draw the audience through the complex story in a very clear fashion. That’s what great actors are able to bring to a project, and Leo made a massive contribution to the film. I think he is one of our finest actors and his performance in the film is extraordinary.”

For his part, DiCaprio states, “Chris is an extremely talented filmmaker,” adding, “I also appreciated getting to collaborate so closely with such an unbelievable cast. We had lengthy conversations about our characters, and their individual histories and relationships. And Chris definitely encouraged that; he wanted every actor, no matter how big or small the part, to have a real sense of our characters and to bring something to the table to make them our own.”

Opening soon across the Philippines in IMAX, Digital 2D and regular format, INCEPTION is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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CHRISTOPHER NOLAN invades your dreams with “INCEPTION”

Director-writer Christopher Nolan follows up “The Dark Knight’s” blockbuster success with Warner Bros.’ new sci-fi action-thriller INCEPTION starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

The acclaimed filmmaker reveals that he began creating the world of “Inception” almost a decade before he made the movie. “About ten years ago, I became fascinated with the subject of dreams, about the relationship of our waking life to our dreaming life,” Nolan explains. “I’ve always found it to be an interesting paradox that everything within a dream—whether frightening, or happy, or fantastic—is being produced by your own mind as it happens, and what that says about the potential of the imagination is quite extraordinary. I started thinking how that could be applied to a grand-scale action movie with a very human dimension.”

INCEPTION hinges on the premise that it is possible to share dreams…dreams that have been designed to look and feel completely real while you’re in them. And in that subconscious state, a person’s deepest and most valuable secrets are there for the taking. Nolan elaborates, “At the heart of the movie is the notion that an idea is indeed the most resilient and powerful parasite. A trace of it will always be there in your mind…somewhere. The thought that someone could master the ability to invade your dream space, in a very physical sense, and steal an idea—no matter how private—is compelling.”

Producer Emma Thomas agrees, noting that the film had to maintain that balance between a thrill ride and an emotional journey. “It has elements of a heist movie, but one set in a more fantastical framework. It has huge action sequences, but it also has characters you truly care about, and there is a real emotional driving force throughout.”

That driving force is largely embodied in the central character of Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. “In essence, that’s what was immediately engaging to me about the script,” says the actor. “It is this highly entertaining, complex thriller where anything can happen, but at the heart is one man’s quest to uncover a long-buried truth and to get back home. It’s also completely original; I don’t think anyone could say they’ve experienced anything like it before. That combination made me excited about working on the project, as well as with Chris Nolan. He is an expert at taking this kind of multi-layered storyline and making it true and tangible to an audience.”

Nolan asserts that the central theme of the story is both personal and universal “because we all dream. We all experience the phenomenon of our minds creating a world and living in that world at the exact same time. There is also an incredible contrast in the world of dreams—they are so intimate and yet they have infinite possibilities in terms of what we can imagine. So the challenge was to blend the intimacy and emotion of what might take place in a dream with the massive scope of what our brains can conceive of. I wanted to create a film that would allow the audience to experience the limitless realities that only in dreams can we realize.”

“We knew the production of INCEPTION was going to have to be big because of the subject matter—you can do anything in a dream,” adds Thomas. “In fact, the scope of this film is greater than anything we’ve done before, even just in terms of the number of countries in which we shot.”

“To me, the material demanded a very large-scale approach,” Nolan attests. “That’s why we wound up shooting in six different countries, building enormous sets, and really pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved practically, as opposed to computer effects.

“It’s interesting because the human brain is often compared to a computer,” the director continues, “but the truth is that’s a very inadequate analogy because the brain is capable of more than we’ll ever know. For a filmmaker, that made it an ideal world to be delving into because there are no rules for what the mind can create, and a movie exploring that had to be the grandest form of entertainment.”

Opening soon across the Philippines in IMAX, Digital 2D and regular format, INCEPTION is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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INCEPTION screens in 3D in the Philippines

IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures recently announced that INCEPTION, directed by Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight”) and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, will be released to IMAX theatres in the Philippines simultaneously with the film's wide release in Digital 2D and conventional cinemas on July 15.

The film marks the third IMAX project for Christopher Nolan, following the record-breaking IMAX release of “The Dark Knight,” which grossed more than $65 million at IMAX theatres. “Inception,” a contemporary sci-fi action film set within the architecture of the mind, will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with IMAX DMR technology.

"Chris Nolan and IMAX have proven to be ideally suited to each other, and we're very excited to bring them back together again for 'Inception,'" said Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Picture's president of domestic distribution. "With the rapidly growing IMAX network, our IMAX audience base for this release will be significantly larger than it was for 'The Dark Knight,' which will add to the film's event status."

"Chris Nolan's unique vision makes his films ideally suited for the IMAX format," said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President, Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures International. "As the number of IMAX screens around the world continues to grow, we're thrilled to continue to supply films like 'Inception', which become that much richer when experienced in IMAX."

"This is an incredible addition to our exciting and growing 2010 film slate," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. "Chris Nolan's unique vision combined with the talents of Leonardo DiCaprio and the rest of the cast creates the kind of cinematic event that resonates very well with IMAX moviegoers."

"We're thrilled to be working again with Chris Nolan, Emma Thomas and Warner Bros. Pictures to deliver one of next year's biggest movies to our growing audience worldwide," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "With a brilliantly creative and innovative director that knows and understands the power of the IMAX medium, a talented cast lead by a superstar actor and a powerhouse studio that knows how to communicate the IMAX brand to audiences worldwide, this film has all the key ingredients that make this an anchor 2010 IMAX release."

INCEPTION is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

and now i wonder if i'll get even more dizzy in this movie. i assumed that this is a movie that will not only twist your mind but also your sight. hehe

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INCEPTION character banners

below are the character banners of the latest Sci-Fi action thriller adventure by Warner Bros., INCEPTION. starring The Extractor (Leonardo DiCaprio), The Tourist (Ken Watanabe), The Point Man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), The Shade (Marion Cotillard), The Architect (Ellen Page), The Forger (Tom Hardy) and The Mark (Cillian Murphy).

In the film, Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction: stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved.

Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse; their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime.

But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

This season, your mind is the scene of the crime. i really should check it out because the title and the trailer already gives me an epistaxis.

coming soon in Philippine theaters distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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