Inception ****

A very smart action thriller about a hired commando (Leonardo DiCaprio) who leads a team of operatives in a shared dream with a target who they plan to influence at a deep level without his knowledge. Director / writer / producer Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight," "Memento") invents a dream technology and then explores and exploits its ramifications in a mesmerizing, dizzying, brain teaser of a movie. Never mind that the dreams seem to follow action movie conventions, and make a lot more sense than say, my dreams ever do. It's a fully engaging and wonderfully realized project that will prompt many interesting conversations. Expect statuette nominations galore for this one.

Rated PG-13. 148 minutes. Christopher Nolan - Director / Writer / Producer, Emma Thomas - Producer, Wally Pfister - Cinematographer, Hans Zimmer - Composer, Guy Hendrix - Production Designer, Lee Smith - Editor. Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Principal actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard.