Thursday, April 16, 2015

MOVIE REVIEW: Interstellar (2014)

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Matt Damon plus a bunch of other famous folk!
My Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Running Time: 169 Minutes (WOWZA!)

I've actually watched a few movies recently!  I've gotten so that I really prefer the medium of TV (I'm not sure how I feel about that but a discussion for another time) but I've been in a mood lately for some cinematic hijinks and drama.  I had heard only the briefest things about Interstellar - that it is Sci-fi and that people generally really liked it.  Seriously that's all I knew and I think that's a pretty great way to go into the film so I will try not to reveal too much.

Synopsis for context's sake: The Earth is toast.  A group of people head out into space to try and find a new home for the human race.  It has lots of consequences and also serves to reveal quite a bit about human nature in the process.

I really liked it though it wasn't what I expected at all.  I think I expected a solid space adventure, which it is, but it also has a very personal touch.  While it sometimes becomes unbalanced and the schmaltz takes over, I think this mixing, when it's in the right proportions, is what makes the movie standout and is why I liked it.  I loved Cooper and Murphy's Father/Daughter relationship so much and it gave the movie a heart and helped propel the urgency and add to the complexity of the mission. The movie is thoughtful and emotional and not always in the ways I expected.

It also has some seriously tense moments.  There are some scenes on a watery plant that are terrifying.  The movie plays around a LOT with time and relativity and that kept me stressed out for most of the movie.  It definitely pushed my buttons in the way that it is supposed to.  It also surprised me a few times with the directions it takes which is refreshing and great.

The visuals are spectacular which is exactly what you want in a movie in outer space.   The cast also does a spectacular job. 

Negatives?  It is a bit too long, I think.  In some ways I like that Nolan took his time and gave every piece it's due but I was antsy by the end even so.  As I hinted at above, sometimes the personal/sentimental side of the movie becomes a little over wrought.  The ending is also perhaps not quite right.

Taken as a whole though, the film really worked for me and it's nice to see a character/relationship based sci fi movie that has intelligence and the thrill ride you might expect from a space exploration film.

FINAL VERDICT:  If you are looking for an emotional and thrilling Sci Fi adventure that will also exercise the old gray cells, give Interstellar a whirl.  I really enjoyed it!

Have you seen this movie?  What did you think about it?  I could totally see this movie not working for everyone so I am interested to hear if anybody did not like it at all?

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