JOPLIN, Mo. — It’s not often that a movie lives up to the hype, but “Inception” does it. It’s been called the best movie of the summer, the summer’s only great adult movie, the next big thing in sci-fi, the next “Matrix” and more.

It’s all true. Go see it.

Now.

Skip work if you have to.

I’ll hook you up with a convincing fake doctor’s note, if you need it.

Christopher Nolan has done an incredible job in creating Nebuchadnezzer’s nightmare -- a journey into the layers of consciousness found inside our own heads when we dream. The action is great, the special effects are dizzying, but what makes this movie excellent is that the story drives each and every loud boom or mind-bending scene.

Everything you have seen in trailers and commercials -- from the huge freight train plowing through a downtown intersection to gravity defying scenes featuring spinning hotel hallways -- has a reason for being there that relates directly to the story.

My only beef: Ellen Page’s character, Ariadne (one of many names laden with side-meanings -- or possibly dead-ends), becomes Ms. Exposition. She gets saddled with too many lines explaining what’s going on that her character doesn’t get a chance to really shine after the first 30 minutes. But it’s a small beef; almost unworthy of mentioning.

As to what that story is: I don’t want to spoil anything for you. Just go see it. “Inception” is a true mindbender that will be remembered alongside the greatest sci-fi movies ever made.

Benji Tunnell, our movie reviewer extraordinaire, talks more about it on page 14. Check it out, and feel free to take him up on his offer of debating a certain critical question about a certain critical item. Or, post your theory on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/joplinglobe -- make sure to “Like” us).

~ Another great dream movie I saw last week is “Ink,” which alone is worth the price of two months of Netflix.

The independent movie tells the story of storytellers that give people good dreams and incubi who give us nightmares. The two sides clash when Emma, a little girl, is kidnapped by a rogue named Ink who can navigate between all the dreamworlds.

This is another movie that features great effects based off superior storytelling. The cinematography is perfectly filmed, the effects intensify the story and the music is almost hypnotic.

Director and writer Jamin Winans has put together an incredibly moving movie. I’m only a stepfather, and a couple of parts really tugged at those particular child-rearing heartstrings.

~ This is a leftover item from last week: The Lovely Paula Hadsall (TLP) and I snagged some quick dinner at Chick-fil-A on July 9, which happened to be “Cow Appreciation Day.”

Basically, if you went dressed up as a cow, you got your food free. I thought maybe 10 to 20 people would do it.

I was way off. Try hundreds.

One of the cashiers held up a sheet full of participants from her shift alone. Extrapolating that out and running said extrapolated numbers means that Joplinites love them some Chick-fil-A, and will dress up as cows to get it.  

Granted, the costume qualifications were rather loose. Some guys wore simple white pieces of cardboard with black splotches (at least they had funny sayings on those cardboard sheets). Others had some little ears taped to hats that weren’t black or white.

I didn’t dress up like a chicken. I was given a free sandwich for telling a cow-related joke. It’s a really bad joke, but good enough to get me a free sammich, so I’m thankful. Everyone had fun with it, so the day and the restaurant get my geeky blessing.

My pleasure.

~ Throughout the NFL season, my beloved New Orleans Saints held high positions on weekly power rankings kept by sports media outlets. Now two Saints hold high positions on the New York Times best-sellers list.

Coach Sean Payton’s “Home Team” debuted at No. 7 a few weeks ago, and quarterback Drew Brees’ “Coming Back Stronger” opened at No. 3 last week. Who dat!

I haven’t bought either one yet (I know, what kind of Who Dat Nation citizen am I? One that has really been enjoying Justin Cronin’s “The Passage” and Steig Larsson’s Millenium trilogy). Payton’s is more of a bartime conversation about the Super Bowl-winning season, and Brees’ is a testament to recovering from a shoulder injury. I’m interested in both, but Payton’s gets my nod for being more intriguing.

~ What, you still want to know that cow joke? Forget it. It’s that bad.

~ I’ve discovered the joy of the Nintendo Entertainment System all over again. Thanks to an emulator, I’ve been playing the games of my youth, such as “Metroid” and “The Legend of Zelda.”

I really feel bad for today’s kids, who completely missed video gaming’s early, two-dimensional days. Back when graphics were bad, designers concentrated on playability, and many of those great NES games are just as fun to play as they were then.

I can’t wait to introduce my stepkid Duncan to “Mega Man” and “Zelda.” Heck, I haven’t even touched “Super Mario Brothers” yet.

~ A majority of my weekend was spent attending an online magic conference. I wish I could tell you exactly how awesome it was. Let’s just say that I’ll never forget what “tenebrio” are.

~ I’d like to wish a fond farewell to Globe sports reporter Rich Brown, who has been a stolid presence for many years and is retiring soon.

Brown and I have worked the football night gauntlet, and he handles it a lot better than I do. He also ended up with one of my old computers, that featured a desktop picture of the Dream Theater logo. For more than two years, he left it there.

I’m going to miss him and his loud shirts. God bless you, Rich.

~ What, you can’t let go of that cow joke? FINE. Here it is.

“Knock-knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Rude, interrupting cow.”

“Rude, interr--”

“MOO!”

I told you it was that bad.