Inception

If I were a movie executive, I'd push back all my upcoming release dates to distance them from Inception, because this is the yardstick by which all new films will be measured for the next year. If you release a film in 2010, the best reaction you can hope for is, "It was good, but not Inception good."

Alright, I admit I may be overstating things, so I'll back off with the hyperbole and simply put it this way: you may not love this movie as much as I did, but I dare you watch it and not be entertained--both during the movie and for hours of pondering and discussion afterward. And, Dear Reader, keep in mind that although I issue this challenge with no knowledge of who you are and what you like in a movie, whoever you are, you're almost certain to be entertained by one or more of the following:

• mind-bending metaphysical sci-fi (as opposed to mind-numbing Syfy^®)
• well-paced action that's shot by someone who doesn't use ShakyCam^® like a crutch
  
• a love sub-plot that actually has something resembling love, rather than the sappy, overacted, hypersexualized, happy-ending Hollywood version of "love" (which incidentally, thanks to a new deal between the MPAA and Satan, has now been rebranded as Luv^®)
  
• seeing DiCaprio given a chance to act (which he's quite good at) without being forced to fake an accent (which he's not good at)
• having to use your brain in order to keep up with what's going on, rather than simply waiting for the next car chase or fight scene (and then getting some brilliantly trippy car chases and fight scenes anyway)
• immediately wanting to watch the film again as soon as it's over
• being rewarded by getting to the end of a complex sci-fi plot and discovering that the writers DID know what the hell they were doing (thanks for nothing, LOST)

I would be genuinely surprised, Dear Reader, if you found some reason not to like this movie, but if you do, let me know.

IMDb rating: 9.3/10

My rating: 9.8/10