Credible Credits
Year: 2014
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Ann Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, and Topher Grace
Tagline: Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here.
Synopsis: When Earth becomes increasingly uninhabitable, a group of scientists journey beyond the solar system to find a new home for humanity.
Tagline: Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here.
Synopsis: When Earth becomes increasingly uninhabitable, a group of scientists journey beyond the solar system to find a new home for humanity.
Review
This is one of those very rare movies that I'm totally glad I saw, but really don't feel the need to see again. So while I recommend seeing it because it is beautiful and thought-provoking, I have no idea if you'll actually like it. Interstellar does a number of things right, but it does have its flaws.
If I could sum up the movie in one word, it would be "ambitious." Wow, it is an ambitious film. I love Christopher Nolan's stuff (primarily the Batman trilogy and Inception). He has such an incredible vision. His films are original and imaginative. And even though they are filled with special effects, Nolan does as many as possible as practical effects (i.e., without the use of CGI). Because of all that, the worlds he creates are so immersive, and Interstellar is no different.
Another strength of Interstellar is that it is so original. For the entire movie, I had absolutely no idea where it was going or how it was going to get wherever it was going. I had no clue how it would end until it actually ended. You don't find that in many movies these days. Most films have some element of predictability. And while some degree of predictability isn't bad, it is refreshing to watch a film where you just aren't sure what's going to happen.
Another signature element of Nolan's movies is his subtle humor. His films don't try to be funny. But there is humor because it comes naturally from the character or the situation. Given that the fate of humanity rests on these scientists and the people back on Earth are struggling to survive, the human characters don't provide a whole lot of humor in the film. Thankfully, there is TARS, a robot with an adjustable humor setting who serves to lighten the mood from time to time. And just to make sure his human coworkers know when he is joking, he has a cue light. Nice.
Interstellar is certainly a film that demands your attention. A lot of science is thrown about, and the filmmakers did their homework to be as accurate as possible. Still, unless you are a physics major, most of the science can be a bit much. I found it was simplest to just suspend my disbelief and accept whatever science they spouted as accurate for this cinematic universe.
All the actors do a terrific job in their various roles. Matthew McConaughey shows a lot of depth in his role as absentee father. Ann Hathaway is also great, as always. And it never gets old hearing Michael Caine recite lines from Dylan Thomas' famous poem, "Do not go gentle into that good night."
My criticisms all involve spoilers. Suffice it to say here, Interstellar is a fascinating and beautiful movie that is certainly worth at least one viewing.
*** Spoiler Section ***
I really loved the idea of some cosmic "Them" who was helping to save humanity. I wish the film had left it as that: mysterious benefactors. The film lost me when Cooper "realizes" that all this time it has just been future humans reaching back through time. Time travel, even when you have time become a dimension, is tricky. It just seemed like the film created a time travel paradox. Humans can't reach back and save themselves from extinction. They have to survive into the "future" in the first place.
My biggest peeve with the movie comes at the very end. The entire movie has been about the importance of love and family. So much importance is placed on Cooper's love for his son and daughter and how much he wants to get back to his family. And then he does. But by that point, Murphy is old and has a family of her own ... but nobody seems to care. Cooper enters a room filled with his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and possibly great great grandchildren. But he doesn't acknowledge them and they don't acknowledge him. What kind of family reunion is that? And what happened to Tom and his family? It's sad that the film seems to say "family" and "love" only apply to the people you know, not the generations you don't.
This is just a nitpick, but how is it Cooper and TARS are able to simply commandeer a spaceship and take off with it? Worst security ever.
After the film, I found myself wanting one more scene, maybe a post-credits scene. I wanted to see Cooper reach Brand and then she gives him a slap to the face A) for lying to her about his plan to get sucked into the black hole, and B) as an "I told you so" when she said they should go to Edmunds' planet instead of Mann's. Her woman's intuition and desire to follow her heart were right.
Oh, and how the heck did Edmunds die? If that is truly a viable planet for life, it would be good to know why the first person didn't survive.
If I could sum up the movie in one word, it would be "ambitious." Wow, it is an ambitious film. I love Christopher Nolan's stuff (primarily the Batman trilogy and Inception). He has such an incredible vision. His films are original and imaginative. And even though they are filled with special effects, Nolan does as many as possible as practical effects (i.e., without the use of CGI). Because of all that, the worlds he creates are so immersive, and Interstellar is no different.
Another strength of Interstellar is that it is so original. For the entire movie, I had absolutely no idea where it was going or how it was going to get wherever it was going. I had no clue how it would end until it actually ended. You don't find that in many movies these days. Most films have some element of predictability. And while some degree of predictability isn't bad, it is refreshing to watch a film where you just aren't sure what's going to happen.
Another signature element of Nolan's movies is his subtle humor. His films don't try to be funny. But there is humor because it comes naturally from the character or the situation. Given that the fate of humanity rests on these scientists and the people back on Earth are struggling to survive, the human characters don't provide a whole lot of humor in the film. Thankfully, there is TARS, a robot with an adjustable humor setting who serves to lighten the mood from time to time. And just to make sure his human coworkers know when he is joking, he has a cue light. Nice.
Interstellar is certainly a film that demands your attention. A lot of science is thrown about, and the filmmakers did their homework to be as accurate as possible. Still, unless you are a physics major, most of the science can be a bit much. I found it was simplest to just suspend my disbelief and accept whatever science they spouted as accurate for this cinematic universe.
All the actors do a terrific job in their various roles. Matthew McConaughey shows a lot of depth in his role as absentee father. Ann Hathaway is also great, as always. And it never gets old hearing Michael Caine recite lines from Dylan Thomas' famous poem, "Do not go gentle into that good night."
My criticisms all involve spoilers. Suffice it to say here, Interstellar is a fascinating and beautiful movie that is certainly worth at least one viewing.
*** Spoiler Section ***
I really loved the idea of some cosmic "Them" who was helping to save humanity. I wish the film had left it as that: mysterious benefactors. The film lost me when Cooper "realizes" that all this time it has just been future humans reaching back through time. Time travel, even when you have time become a dimension, is tricky. It just seemed like the film created a time travel paradox. Humans can't reach back and save themselves from extinction. They have to survive into the "future" in the first place.
My biggest peeve with the movie comes at the very end. The entire movie has been about the importance of love and family. So much importance is placed on Cooper's love for his son and daughter and how much he wants to get back to his family. And then he does. But by that point, Murphy is old and has a family of her own ... but nobody seems to care. Cooper enters a room filled with his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and possibly great great grandchildren. But he doesn't acknowledge them and they don't acknowledge him. What kind of family reunion is that? And what happened to Tom and his family? It's sad that the film seems to say "family" and "love" only apply to the people you know, not the generations you don't.
This is just a nitpick, but how is it Cooper and TARS are able to simply commandeer a spaceship and take off with it? Worst security ever.
After the film, I found myself wanting one more scene, maybe a post-credits scene. I wanted to see Cooper reach Brand and then she gives him a slap to the face A) for lying to her about his plan to get sucked into the black hole, and B) as an "I told you so" when she said they should go to Edmunds' planet instead of Mann's. Her woman's intuition and desire to follow her heart were right.
Oh, and how the heck did Edmunds die? If that is truly a viable planet for life, it would be good to know why the first person didn't survive.
Quotable Quotes
- "We used to look up at the sky and wonder at our place in the stars. Now we just look down and worry about our place in the dirt." -- Cooper
- "Love is the one thing that transcends time and space." -- Brand
- "What's your trust setting, TARS?" "Lower than yours, apparently." -- Cooper and TARS
- "Do not go gentle into that good night." -- Dr. Brand
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