Thompson on Hollywood

Inception is Mad Men: Dom is Don

Pop Watch's Jeff Jensen argues that Mad Men's Don (Draper [Jon Hamm]) is in fact the same "heroic anti-hero" as Inception's Dom (Cobb [Leonardo DiCaprio]) - and not just because of the varying consonant. He insists that the TV show and film are very much the same thing, with only a few differences ("period setting" and "Lionel Richie-inspired dancing-on-the-ceiling special effects").

By Sophia Savage
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August 4, 2010 5:22 AM
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Unraveling Inception: Zimmer's Piaf Riff, Clothing Clues, Nolan's Anxiety

One of the great pastimes of summer 2010 is unravelling, explaining and debating Inception. Which is the main reason it is such a big hit: repeat business. (The movie's so good that the Chinese government is allowing it to play there, a rare honor for a Hollywood picture.) Here are some recent popular memes:

By Anne Thompson
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August 3, 2010 5:27 AM
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Weekend Box Office: Inception Beats Dinner for Schmucks, Charlie St. Cloud

In its third go-round, Inception, buoyed by repeat business, continued to stave off all challengers, including the comedy Dinner for Schmucks, which scored a robust $23.3 million, and the Zac Efron weepy Charlie St. Cloud and animated sequel Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, which were both DOA. Anthony D'Alessandro does the numbers.

By Anthony D'Alessandro
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August 1, 2010 4:08 AM
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Box Office: Inception Beats Out Salt on Boffo Summer Weekend

Having already passed the $100-million mark, Inception and Leonardo DiCaprio beat out box office challenger Salt and Angelina Jolie this weekend, reports Anthony D'Alessandro. It was an embarrassment of riches at the weekend box office, as two films led by stars, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Inception and Angelina Jolie’s Salt, racked up $43.5 million and $36.5 million respectively. Clearly both original pictures leaned on serious star power to launch their franchises, during a time when box office analysts have been questioning whether stars mean much these days. Inception had a remarkably small slip for a tentpole film of just 31%. Typically an actioner will halve its ticket sales in its second frame, but Inception's complex plot inspires moviegoer debate--and lots of repeat business.

By Anthony D'Alessandro
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July 25, 2010 4:26 AM
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Comic-Con: Whedon Confirms Avengers, Inception Passes $ 100 Million, Warner Bros. Does Dan Dare

Joss Whedon has confirmed that he is directing The Avengers. The beloved sci-fi writer-director revealed this nugget of info--which everyone already knew--at a Comic-Con EW interview with colleague J. J. Abrams. The two men joked about their nerd tendencies before Whedon said, "That is not an official thing because I think Marvel couldn't afford a press release. So can I just make that an official thing? I'm directing The Avengers." He also claimed, "It's just a gig."

By Cameron Carlson
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July 23, 2010 3:17 AM
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Eva Green as Maria Callas, Speculating on New Bond, Movies as Dreamscape

Welcome back to French actress Eva Green (Casino Royale, The Dreamers) who is now in negotiations to play Greek opera singer Maria Callas in a biopic from the Italian DeAngelis group and British producing partner Future Films, reports THR. Green also has Perfect Sense, a love story with Ewan McGregor, in post-production, and a remake of Neil Jordan's 1986 Mona Lisa with Mickey Rourke in development. Rourke plays the ex-con driver for Green's high-class escort in this thriller, adapted by director Larry Clark and David Reeves.

By Sophia Savage
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July 21, 2010 4:18 AM
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Inception's Cotillard vs. Page, Wahlberg's The Fighter, Schreiber Faces Sexual Tension with Jolie

During Nicole Kidman talk with Marion Cotillard in the August Interview, Inception star Cotillard admits that “It’s a paradox to be an actress." Why a "paradox?" Well, it's in "living in the city, taking planes all the time, trying to find the right balance in this life, which is not so eco-friendly, and still try to respect the environment.” She was recently on a Greenpeace trip to the Congo, where she connected with the locals who live within the corruption of the timber industry - their "their hopes and despair and struggles" - and reveals she's been wanting to do a documentary about their forest. While she used to feel like an outsider ("a hippy") for being concerned with the environment, she's convinced the awareness is now spreading.

By Sophia Savage
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July 20, 2010 5:00 AM
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Next Wave of Inception Reviews: Less Effusive

One sign of a movie worth seeing more than once is that you also want to read more than one review. Rarely have I been more compelled to read what my respected colleagues have to say about a new film. Now that those reviews are pouring in, Inception's Rotten Tomatoes ranking among "top critics" has fallen to 87--which is a very high number, by the way. Most Oscar contenders rank in the 80s.

By Anne Thompson
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July 15, 2010 2:26 AM
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David Lynch Wants Your Money, Hefner Takes Back Playboy, Ruffalo Directs, Inception Without DiCaprio

- Got fifty bucks? David Lynch wants your money to fund the final installment of LYNCHthree, a documentary trilogy that follows his life and work. LYNCHone was cut from 700 hours of footage shot over two years post-Inland Empire. A behind-the-scenes look at Inland Empire comprised LYNCHtwo. Now, LYNCHthree will be shot by the director of the first two installments, who goes by the pseudonym "blackANDwhite."

By Sophia Savage
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July 13, 2010 4:11 AM
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New York Magazine Blows Inception's Rave Review Record

Expect an Inception backlash. Warner Bros.' marketing pattern is to launch a big movie's buzz with the internet press and trades, then let the established print critics (who tend to be tougher on films) have at it closer to release. And so the inevitable negative review from New York's David Edelstein breaks Inception's 17 for 17 record on Rotten Tomatoes.