So sorry I missed this in the theater.

Just finished watching Inception. Wow. What a sheer joy of a film. It hit on all my hot spots: good science-fiction, a heist picture, and a film that made you think. Christopher Nolan evidently waited close to a decade before making this film. Time well spent. I especially like how they didn't depend on CGI. The stunts and dreamscapes were mostly real sets and camera tricks. Made for a much better feeling film.

Really strong cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio. Once again, he shows that if you give him a meaty role he's one of Hollywood's best actors. Dom Cobb is a complex, multi-layered character that is really engaging. Ellen Page as Ariadne was great, and Michael Caine almost steals the movie with a grand total of three minutes of screen time. Has Ken Watanabe ever not been great in a film?

( OK, my take on the ending - here there be spoilers! )

World Book Day Meme

ganked from frostfox

The book(s) I am reading: Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond A re-read, but I'm always going back to books like this for further insight.

The book I love most: A World Out of Time by Larry Niven My all-time favorite science-fiction novel. Not a world-beater, but an epic tale of one man's desire to be the ultimate tourist.

The last book I received as a gift: Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers Gift from kshandra and murphymom. Interesting, if disjointed, story about a Civil Affairs unit in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Strangely, none of the action takes place anywhere near Fallujah.

The last book I gave as a gift: Stand and Deliver: The Autobiography by Adam Ant Feeding my Child of the Eighties. Kiri loved it.

The nearest book on my desk: No room for books on the desk, but on the floor next to me are the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook and GURPS Religion

A couple more notes on religion.

I'll tackle the dwarf and elf churches in the next couple of days, then.. the heretics! And what will Doug do with the Jews? (Hint, thanks to isomeme I link the Kaballah with traditional RPG wizards.)

But let's talk ceremonies and holidays.

( Services )

( Birth, Death, and Everything In-between )

( High Holy Days and Festivals )

As always, comments and suggestions welcome.