Trailer for Interstellar:
Interstellar was directed by Christopher Nolan, written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan, and stars Matthew Mcconaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Cain. The film is set in the future, on a dying Earth. In order to save mankind from extinction, Cooper (Matthew Mcconaughey) sets out into space to travel through a wormhole, with the hopes of finding a new planet for humans to call their home.
Something most people don't know about the film is that it has been in development since 2007, with Steven Spielberg originally set to direct. It wasn't until early 2013 that Christopher Nolan was in talks to take Spielberg's place to helm the project.
On the casting side of things, Nolan stated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he became interested in Mcconaughey after seeing an early cut of the film Mud. When asked about Mcconaughey's character in Interstellar, Nolan said, "I needed someone who is very much an everyman, someone the audience could experience the story with."
Interstellar differentiates itself from other movies in Nolan's filmography with it's strong emotional story line and emphasis on love. Not to say that emotions haven't played a big role in Nolan's past movies, but never has the connection between characters, specifically a father and daughter, been so central to the plot. That being said, it does share similarities with Nolan's past work, most notably Inception. For example, both Interstellar and Inception experiment with hefty ideas of time.
Most people after seeing Interstellar have been quick to point out the similarities it has in common with 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nolan himself has stated the influence that films like 2001, Blade Runner, and Star Wars had on him while making Interstellar. But I feel that it has more in common with the movie Sunshine than any other. The plots of both films are eerily similar. But where Interstellar sets itself apart from other sci-fi films is the relationship between a father and his daughter that keeps the entire story grounded.
The importance of Interstellar will be felt by any one who sees it in theaters, as it puts faith back in the movie going experience. Any one who waits to see this film on DVD will be missing out. Nolan made this movie to be viewed on the big screen.
Here's a picture of a black hole and an orbiting planet from Interstellar
An aspect of Interstellar that definitely represents a trend in our culture is the fascination with the vast unknown. The target audience of this film is people who have ever looked up at the stars and wondered what's out there?
The film does a good job of avoiding stereotypes. For example, scientists in movies and TV are often portrayed as geeky guys, but the majority of scientist in Interstellar are strong, empowered women.
The main strength of Interstellar is easily the ambition and scope of the project, and I don't just mean on an aesthetic level. Sure, the visuals are MIND-BLOWING, specifically the worm hole and black hole sequences, but where Nolan truly reaches for the stars is on an emotional level. At the core of the story is a relationship, and each person's enjoyment of the film will be based on how much they buy into or invest in that relationship. Aside from that, there are a few flaws here and there, like issues with sound mixing and some cheesy dialogue, but nothing that detracts from the overall experience. Is Interstellar a great film? Hell yes! Is it a masterpiece of modern cinema? Only time will tell. As far as Interstellar ranks among Nolan's other films, it's not his best. That title still belongs to The Dark Knight. But it is easily his most ambitious, and certainly one of his most memorable.
Interstellar has been receiving positive review from movie critics. James Dyer of Empire wrote, "Brainy, barmy and beautiful to behold, this is Stephen Hawking’s Star Trek: a mind-bending opera of space and time with a soul wrapped up in all the science." I couldn't agree more with Dyer. Simply put, Interstellar is a spectacle.
After seeing this film with my dad and sister, we walked out of the theater in awe. All we could do to express how much we enjoyed it was to look at each other and say wow. We just kept saying wow over and over for a good five minutes. If that isn't an indicator of a great movie, I don't know what is.
If this review taught me anything, it's that no movie is perfect. That includes Interstellar. But once you analyse the flaws you see the strengths clearer too. That being said, Interstellar is, for better or worse, a cosmic experience that is worth the price of a movie ticket. Do yourself a favor and go see this movie!
