If you happen to watch this film for its entirety, pay it your utmost attention and by the end, not feel emotionally moved by it… I’m willing to believe there’s something wrong with you!
While I don’t wish to offend anyone with such an opening, I cannot think of a better way to begin talking about Interstellar.
You know, I don’t even remember what it was that really drew me in to watching this film… We’re talking about a time (shortly) before I began renting DVDs; a time when I would take trips to the cinema at least twice a month. A few months earlier, there was Gravity. Quite rightly, I was sceptical of that one and it went on to disappoint me. But I’ve always had an interest in space and, as I’ve possibly written before; my sense heighten when I become aware of someone attempting to express an idea of who we are, where we’re from and what the future might hold… Especially when it concerns voyaging out in to the great unknown.
Science fiction that pays an homage towards reality (sound does not exist in space). Space-adventure without aliens.
There’s a part of me that’s itching to further discuss the catalyst(s) to the ‘emotional movement‘ I’ve felt twice now, whilst watching this film. But I fear it would spoil the film for anyone who’s yet to see it. Not so much for any plot-related ideas; purely for the experience.
2014 could almost have been dubbed the ‘Year of McConaughey‘ – prior to Interstellar, he also starred in The Dallas Buyer’s Club and even made an unexpected appearance in the acclaimed Wolf of Wall Street (he’s an awesome actor and I often wonder how much of his acting could be improvised). Speaking of surprise stars turning up in films – there’s a well known face who appears in the latter half of this one. Do not Google it! His name doesn’t even make the front cover of the posters, yet he’s almost certainly a bigger name than the two main female roles. He looked older than I’d expected. In fact, I spent a good ten-minutes in my seat before I decided that it was him and not an actor with similar features.
Without a doubt, this was my favorite film of 2014. I watched some great titles, on the big screen and at home. But there was no other experience that came anywhere close to sharing what I felt that first time. Even on my second viewing, from the comfort of my own home; it was powerful.
If I told you plainly that this film is about mankind’s search for a sustainable future away from the dying Earth then you could liken it to one of several other titles you might have seen or heard of from the past decade alone… But while Christopher Nolan (director of the awesome Dark Knight Trilogy and mind-churning Inception) apparently pays several respects towards the Kubrick classic 2001: A Space Odyssey in this movie, I can only think to direct you to the bottom section of the DVD cover; to the true words:
“An instant classic.”
Actually, I’ll add something more… At the cinema, I was watching this film, somewhat aware that the end would be approaching and I counted two occasions, prior to the actual closing credits, where I was expecting it to draw to a close. It’s a film that, for me, kept on delivering. I did not want it to end. Yet, at the same time, I feel it would be tainted if they were to draw a sequel from this.
Interstellar deserves three hours of your life.
Thanks for reading!
PS. All those words and I haven’t even mentioned the robot, TARS!