“Inception” continues to rule the box office, and is now enjoying what should be its fourth consecutive weekend at the top of the chart — depending on how well “Step Up 3D” and “The Other Guys” open. (Next week I’ll be looking at the latter, just because I like to keep the torture to a minimum.)

The incredible success of “Inception” shouldn’t be all that surprising, I guess, especially considering the quality of movies it’s been going up against. But it’s still refreshing to see mainstream audiences so enthusiastically embrace an impressive piece of true pop art, as opposed to the recycled drek they usually champion. Between the bigger-than-expected successes of Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island,” Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” and Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” as well, general audiences are actually having a pretty decent year in terms of demonstrating good, sane taste. Let’s hope they keep it up.