Inception

Inception (PG-13) — Christopher Nolan has already directed one unquestionable mind-fuck masterpiece: 2000's Memento. He can now add a second to his résumé. Inception goes so deep, so often, you'll want to watch it again immediately just to see if all the pieces add up. Even if they don't (but I bet they do), it's a visual feast of dreamlike splendor. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb, an “extractor” who enters people's dreams to probe their innermost thoughts. He also carries a ton of personal baggage, which puts his faithful team (including Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page) in constant danger. Cobb's latest and presumably last job is to plant an idea — yes, it works both ways — into the mind of a young corporation head (Cillian Murphy) who's taking over the family business. That's when Inception really kicks into action. Think too hard about what you're seeing onscreen and you'll likely burn out your brain — but that's exactly what Nolan (who also wrote the screenplay) wants. Just know that various levels of dream states are involved, and detachment from reality is necessary. Once you're settled in, you're ready for one of the year's smartest and most thrilling adventures. Buildings crumble, streets flood, and entire cities fold into themselves in this wondrous landscape. It's all mind-blowingly magnificent and spectacularly deep.