“Interstellar” opened on Friday, Nov. 6, and is already being anticipated as a nominee for best picture of the year.
Now, I don’t normally buy snacks at the movie theatre because of the outrageous prices, but “Interstellar” was truly a movie worth paying for. Just by seeing the trailers, I knew that this film was a must-see in IMAX with a bucket of popcorn and a box of Mike and Ikes to fully capture the experience. Let me tell you, the extra cost was worth it.
“Interstellar” follows Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, an ex-NASA pilot turned corn farmer due to the drought and shortage of food plaguing the world at an undetermined time in the future. As he deals with the dustbowl-like conditions of his farm and raising his two children, Cooper is approached by the resurgence of NASA and professor Brand, played by Michael Caine, to pilot a last-hope mission to find a new planet for Earth’s population. Cooper travels with Amelia Brand, played by Anne Hathaway, through a wormhole into another solar system in search for a livable planet, but he must cope with leaving his children behind in doing so.
Following writer and director Christopher Nolan’s usual style, “Interstellar” is very original and full of complex ideas and fascinating metaphors. Nolan is well known for his work on “The Dark Knight” films and “Inception,” both of which contain the gritty, not-so-unrealistic style of “Interstellar.”
Throughout the film, Nolan explores the concepts of love, family and what it means to be human. With heart-wrenching scenes interspersed with visually stunning images, Nolan manages to make the audience feel truly immersed in the world he has created. While some of the dialogue felt odd or even pretentious at times, the writing was overall splendid, and the delivery by the actors even better.
Nolan also reveals unexplored aspects of the old sci-fi space movie, such as wormholes, black holes, the theory of relativity and different dimensions. Viewers are blown away by these truly awesome images of space travel; these shots are like nothing you have seen or imagined before. The score by Hans Zimmer, known for “The Lion King” and “Inception,” still further engages viewers in the story.
Nolan could not have chosen a better or more current actor than McConaughey for the lead role. McConaughey has moved far beyond his typical typecast character in romantic comedies in the past few years with his roles in “Dallas Buyers Club” and “True Detective.” His impressive acting was supported wonderfully by Hathaway and other actors, including 13-year-old Mackenzie Foy, who played Cooper’s daughter, Murphy.
The only movie I would visually compare “Interstellar” to would be “2001: A Space Odyssey,” directed by Stanley Kubrick. However, “2001” was extremely abstract, slow and frankly a little boring, “Interstellar” was relatable and exciting.
Fans of Nolan, science fiction or just great storytelling will flock to see this film. If you plan on going to the movies any time soon, “Interstellar” is the one to see.
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