Comments on: Isaiah’s Inception http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception A New Read on Jewish Life Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:58:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Amy http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/#comment-112351 Amy Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:26:48 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=40290#comment-112351 Miha's allusion to Solaris is interestingly the first mention of this connection I've seen. Solaris (the original) deals so eloquently with dream vs. reality. I enjoyed Inception, but Solaris left me with so many more existentialist things to ponder. And nice work Liel looking at Inception from an Isaiah perspective. Miha’s allusion to Solaris is interestingly the first mention of this connection I’ve seen. Solaris (the original) deals so eloquently with dream vs. reality. I enjoyed Inception, but Solaris left me with so many more existentialist things to ponder.

And nice work Liel looking at Inception from an Isaiah perspective.

]]> By: Pop Chassid http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/#comment-111188 Pop Chassid Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:44:57 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=40290#comment-111188 I have to disagree with most of your blog. Isaiah was not a critic. He was a vessel for G-d, and although he decried the state of the world, it was only in order to help create a new world. And Inception, I think, was more than met your eye. It seems as if your real desire was for a specific kind of special effect. But still a special effect. The truth is that there was a lot to think about, if we really took the time, in Inception. Christopher Nolan made sure to turn this movie into a tightly connected tapestry, weaving something that is beautiful, if you allow yourself to go a little deeper. Anyway, just my take. Feel free to look at more of my thoughts: http://popchassid.com/inception-part-1-reality/ I have to disagree with most of your blog. Isaiah was not a critic. He was a vessel for G-d, and although he decried the state of the world, it was only in order to help create a new world.

And Inception, I think, was more than met your eye. It seems as if your real desire was for a specific kind of special effect. But still a special effect. The truth is that there was a lot to think about, if we really took the time, in Inception. Christopher Nolan made sure to turn this movie into a tightly connected tapestry, weaving something that is beautiful, if you allow yourself to go a little deeper.

Anyway, just my take.

Feel free to look at more of my thoughts: http://popchassid.com/inception-part-1-reality/

]]> By: miha http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/#comment-87225 miha Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:49:00 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=40290#comment-87225 Did Nolan read Isaiah? Maybe, in a Bible class, but not for this film. All associations to Isaiah are Liel clever writing and his way to entertain us, in a Jewish way, which not too liberal and not too orthodox (never too orthodox). The movie can be also compared to Dianetics, Ron Hubbard science fiction writer who created the Church Scientology and the science fiction "Solaris" written a polish writer forty years ago. When dropping the books from hands, one is alleviated that these artificial worlds of dreams are non-existent, although they want us to believe the contrary. All yak, is artificial, is ugly and story could be told in two pages. The actor who dominated the screen, is the one who appears only for three minutes or so: Michael Caine. Every time I saw him, there was hope in the 200 minutes plus, plus, plus... that seemed an eternity. This was a total contrast from "Leonardo DiCaprio's ... with the same tortured expression that he wore in his last four films and that seems, by now, to be permanently etched onto his handsome face." Anyway, the movie makes zillions, whether we like or not. This is the only value by Hollywood standards. Naming the people like Mal, Shmal is like explaining a Jackson Pollock painting this way: this stain is the infinite, this yellow area is all about his lover. and this circle, it show Pollock himslef does not have the answer. Did Nolan read Isaiah? Maybe, in a Bible class, but not for this film. All associations to Isaiah are Liel clever writing and his way to entertain us, in a Jewish way, which not too liberal and not too orthodox (never too orthodox).

The movie can be also compared to Dianetics, Ron Hubbard science fiction writer who created the Church Scientology and the science fiction “Solaris” written a polish writer forty years ago. When dropping the books from hands, one is alleviated that these artificial worlds of dreams are non-existent, although they want us to believe the contrary. All yak, is artificial, is ugly and story could be told in two pages.

The actor who dominated the screen, is the one who appears only for three minutes or so: Michael Caine. Every time I saw him, there was hope in the 200 minutes plus, plus, plus… that seemed an eternity.

This was a total contrast from “Leonardo DiCaprio’s … with the same tortured expression that he wore in his last four films and that seems, by now, to be permanently etched onto his handsome face.”

Anyway, the movie makes zillions, whether we like or not. This is the only value by Hollywood standards. Naming the people like Mal, Shmal is like explaining a Jackson Pollock painting this way: this stain is the infinite, this yellow area is all about his lover. and this circle, it show Pollock himslef does not have the answer.

]]> By: Daniel E. Levenson http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/#comment-84811 Daniel E. Levenson Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:39:08 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=40290#comment-84811 I actually enjoyed this film, although I do think there were times when the emphasis on special effects seemed to be responsible for the direction of the film, and not plot or character development. While it did touch on the concept of lucid dreaming (being consciously awareness that one is in a dream state, and to some extent, potentially exercising a degree of control over what occurs within the dream) they did not go far enough in exploring this idea. Frankly, I would have preferred one or two less explosions and a little more time spent on the subtext and substance of the dream state. The author’s comments on the nature of perception are astute, and I am inclined to agree that Isaiah would be less than pleased with the manner in which we (in the modern west, at least) are often overwhelmed by aesthetics, and mistake flashy form for deeper substance. I think there is a distinction to be made, however, between the times when we are taken in by the escapist nature of a Hollywood movie, and the idea of worshipping the stars (and not the one who made the stars) because we are somehow limited in our theological imagination from envisioning a creator that/who exists behind what we can visibly perceive. I would suggest that the former is simply human nature, while the latter is a much more serious failure of the intellect and spirit. I actually enjoyed this film, although I do think there were times when the emphasis on special effects seemed to be responsible for the direction of the film, and not plot or character development. While it did touch on the concept of lucid dreaming (being consciously awareness that one is in a dream state, and to some extent, potentially exercising a degree of control over what occurs within the dream) they did not go far enough in exploring this idea. Frankly, I would have preferred one or two less explosions and a little more time spent on the subtext and substance of the dream state. The author’s comments on the nature of perception are astute, and I am inclined to agree that Isaiah would be less than pleased with the manner in which we (in the modern west, at least) are often overwhelmed by aesthetics, and mistake flashy form for deeper substance. I think there is a distinction to be made, however, between the times when we are taken in by the escapist nature of a Hollywood movie, and the idea of worshipping the stars (and not the one who made the stars) because we are somehow limited in our theological imagination from envisioning a creator that/who exists behind what we can visibly perceive. I would suggest that the former is simply human nature, while the latter is a much more serious failure of the intellect and spirit.

]]> By: charlie salem http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/#comment-84787 charlie salem Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:08:47 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=40290#comment-84787 Dear Roisin, Perhaps the reason for that of one of 'intention'. For Christopher Nolan and his ilk - their intention is to entertain - period! That means to detract, to divert etc. For the prophets it is to seek illumination and true reason. The almost scientific type which allows us to deduce a meaning, then have it repeated again and again under the same conditions with the same result.Hence establishing a permanence. Shabbat shalom to you all from London Charlie Salem (www.iamcharliesalem.com) Dear Roisin,
Perhaps the reason for that of one of ‘intention’.
For Christopher Nolan and his ilk – their intention is to entertain – period!
That means to detract, to divert etc. For the prophets it is to seek illumination and true reason. The almost scientific type which allows us to deduce a meaning, then have it repeated again and again under the same conditions with the same result.Hence establishing a permanence.
Shabbat shalom to you all from London Charlie Salem (www.iamcharliesalem.com)

]]> By: Roisin Gorman http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/#comment-84782 Roisin Gorman Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:54:45 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=40290#comment-84782 Interesting too the Diana was the goddess of silver and she is depicted as the goddess of the silver screen. As Solomon said "there is nothing new under the sun." She has just morphed. People go to cinemas that are now her temples of excess and paganism rather than the temples of old that sat upon high hills. Interesting too the Diana was the goddess of silver and she is depicted as the goddess of the silver screen. As Solomon said “there is nothing new under the sun.” She has just morphed. People go to cinemas that are now her temples of excess and paganism rather than the temples of old that sat upon high hills.

]]> By: Gilbert Brodsky http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/#comment-84769 Gilbert Brodsky Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:38:28 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=40290#comment-84769 Liel, You ended with "Think the path to salvation is straight and narrow?..." Actually, Isaiah emphatically answers that question in the third verse of the Haftarah, and his answer is an emphatic YES: A voice calls: "Prepare the way for God in the wilderness, MAKE STRAIGHT in the desert a highway for our God." [caps added for emphasis] So at least in Isaiah's view, the path IS indeed straight and narrow, at least if our destination at the end of the path is God. And for those who venture to do so, God will do His part to make your road-building easier. In the next verse: "Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked will become level, and the rough places a plain." The trick for us mortals, Liel, is to make the commitment to go and endeavor to build that straight road, in spite of the apparent geographic--and spiritual--obstacles. Yet even before we start paving, it's not easy: we have to leave our comfortable environments, we have to venture out to the desert! So in the end, I guess I do agree with your lesson: for too many of us today, it's just a whole lot easier instead to go to the movies... Shabbat shalom! Liel,
You ended with “Think the path to salvation is straight and narrow?…”

Actually, Isaiah emphatically answers that question in the third verse of the Haftarah, and his answer is an emphatic YES:
A voice calls: “Prepare the way for God in the wilderness, MAKE STRAIGHT in the desert a highway for our God.” [caps added for emphasis]

So at least in Isaiah’s view, the path IS indeed straight and narrow, at least if our destination at the end of the path is God.

And for those who venture to do so, God will do His part to make your road-building easier. In the next verse:
“Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked will become level, and the rough places a plain.”

The trick for us mortals, Liel, is to make the commitment to go and endeavor to build that straight road, in spite of the apparent geographic–and spiritual–obstacles. Yet even before we start paving, it’s not easy: we have to leave our comfortable environments, we have to venture out to the desert!

So in the end, I guess I do agree with your lesson: for too many of us today, it’s just a whole lot easier instead to go to the movies…

Shabbat shalom!

]]> By: carlton http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/40290/isaiah%e2%80%99s-inception/#comment-84722 carlton Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:43:34 +0000 http://www.tabletmag.com/?p=40290#comment-84722 Spot on. Well put. And refreshingly done. Spot on. Well put. And refreshingly done.

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