An Iconic Shot
For my second blog post of the semester, I wanted to look at a shot of a movie that helped me mature into someone with a more complex taste in movies. The first psychologically intense film I ever watched was the mind-numbing Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan in 2010.
IMG Source: https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/MCDINCE_EC027.jpg
I'll admit, the plot surrounding the various levels of the dreams and reality confused teenage me, and it took me until the third time through to fully grasp the story of Dom Cobb and his team.
However, the final shot of Dom's spinning top wobbling on his kitchen table has stuck with me ever since the first showing.
He uses his spinning top to help establish his surroundings. If it falls over, he is in the real world. If the top continues to spin, he is in a dream world. Earlier in the movie, it's revealed that he had stayed in the dream world for over 50 years, which affected his mental state and it drove his wife insane. The whole movie, he's wanted in the US for the alleged murder of his wife even though she jumped to her own death. He has left behind two kids, but his mind doesn't allow him to see their faces in his visions in the dream reality because of his guilt.
IMG Source: https://images.cinemaexpress.com/uploads/user/imagelibrary/2020/7/18/original/0.jpg
At the final shot after the movie concludes (SPOILERS), he is able to return home and see his kids again. He hears their voices and goes to spin the top, until he looks up and sees their faces for the first time for the entire film. He frantically runs away from the top, which is still spinning, and goes to hug his kids.
IMG Source: https://images.hindustantimes.com/rf/image_size_640x362/HT/p2/2020/04/16/Pictures/_2258ddd6-7fc4-11ea-bf35-36f2d834daf8.jpg
The camera zooms in on the spinning top, still consistently spinning. We hear Cobb celebrating the reunification with his family in the background. Then, right before the movie ends, we see the smallest wobble in the top. Christopher Nolan has said the ending is up for interpretation as to if he is in reality or a dream, but that's not the point. Cobb finally feels at home because he can be with his kids, regardless of the reality of the situation. Frankly, I wouldn't change a single thing about this shot because it was a perfect ending.
