Inception

Walking out of the movie theatre, my mind was blown after watching Christopher Nolan's highly imaginative and entertaining film Inception. The film was a great follow up to Nolan's acclaimed The Dark Knight, proving that the director refuses to become a product of Hollywood mediocrity. Aesthetically, this film is one to be emulated; like The Matrix, Inception creates a world of pure imagination, diving head first into the subconscious of its central characters, immersing the audience in a world where the lines between reality and fantasy are constantly blurring together. Leonardo DiCaprio leads this all-star cast in one of the most thrilling and entertaining movies I'd seen in theaters since I can remember.
However, looking back on the Oscar's past winners, Inception may be a film that's a bit too fantastic for the Academy--it lacks a certain element of realism necessary to take home the best picture award. Getting a summer theatrical release definitely hurts the film's chances even more, seeing as those films are typically forgotten once award's season comes around. While Inception is a great, mesmerizing, and entertaining film, I believe the subject matter is not appealing to voters for the big awards. Surely, it will sweep the categories in visual and audio effects, and maybe even cinematography; but other than that, I see the film going home empty handed. Think about it, did The Matrix win any significant awards? No, and if anything, this film primarily drew inspiration from that film. Both are great films, but simply, they are not in congruence with the Academy's tastes.