Man, movies are getting good! There is a beautiful thing happening now where the best storytellers are taking advantage of the best effects people and creating breathtaking cinema. There is one end of the spectrum where the best thrive and, in the case of Interstellar, Christopher Nolan once again shows us the right way to make a movie.
Nolan, whose rise to fame came through writing and directing the recent Batman films, has had a formidable career with Inception and The Prestige to name a few; he has become a ticket seller on his own, and not many directors can claim that title, alongside the likes of David Fincher or Edgar Wright. Couple this with a score produced by longtime compadré (and this generation’s ‘John Williams’), Hans Zimmer, and what results is a completely immersive and, daresay, believable story about humans shooting to space in hope of salvation.
Starring Matthew McConaughey as Cooper – an ex-astronaut made redundant in a dreary vision of future Earth where the prime focus is on survival rather than exploration after centuries of excess. Here, he finds himself suddenly embroiled in a scheme and a plot to be humanities last hope as resources and the planet start to erode. In a story that only Chris Nolan deliver, we are travelling across the galaxy, through black holes and into foreign solar systems. There are planets with waves the size of mountains and so much astrophysics and theories that its easier to just believe what the characters are saying rather than try to explain it. It is literally rocket science.
In classic Nolan style, there are great twists, an epic soundtrack, strong dialogue and character development, a good amount of nonchalant foreshadowing, and a solid and satisfying third act. The only downfall of a movie as complicated as this (not to dissimilar from Inception) is that you’ll need to see it a few times to truly appreciate the story its depth. The film is a tad shy of three hours, so clear your schedule and also clear your mind, Interstellar truly take you on a trip among the stars… and I’m not talking about Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine or… well, you’ll see!
