'Interstellar': Time Cubed

"Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

- Dylan Thomas

  

In 2013, Alfonso Cuarón gave us the gift we didn't ask for named 'Gravity.' We sat in front of screens and watched trailers upon trailers about a woman frantically screaming in space, ultimately fueling our fear of the nothingness of the deep unknown beyond our planet Earth. A bucket full of popcorn and 91 minutes later, we were left scratching our heads...impressed, but scratching our heads nonetheless. The amazing well-crafted sound and stunning visuals kept us on the edge of our seats from beginning to end, but there was no substance. It felt like an empty box; an appealing and gorgeous box that you would want to show all of your friends, but it's still just an empty box. Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar,' on the other hand, isn't an empty box. In fact, it isn't a box at all. I would go as far as to say that it's...elegant and sophisticated. A cube perhaps. It's exactly what 'Gravity' and even 'Inception' missed the mark with. It's exactly what you're looking for. Trust me.

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'Interstellar,' directed by Christopher Nolan ('Memento', 'Inception', The 'Dark Knight' Trilogy), follows a group of space explorers who are given the task to explore a new galaxy in order to find a suitable planet for humanity to survive on because the Earth and its resources are slowly wasting away. Former-astronaut-pilot-now-farmer Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) leaves behind his two children, Murph (Mackenzie Foy) and Tom (Timothée Chamlet), in hopes of finding a solution to mankind's problem and giving them and humanity a bright future. He is accompanied by the brilliant scientist Brand (Anne Hathaway), the character who didn't die first Romilly (David Gyasi) and Seneca Crane Doyle (Wes Bentley) on the journey across the space time continuum. Like most other things in life, things don't go according to plan, and sacrifices have to be made by Cooper and the rest of the crew aboard The Endurance between their loved ones and the future of mankind. In all honesty, no synopsis or summary of this film will ever do it the justice it deserves. The plot is so much more than what can be said at 3 a.m on a keyboard on a Monday morning. With that said, the cast is incredibly strong. Big names are laced throughout this film, (including the Bat Cave's own Michael Cane because what's a Nolan film without Alfred right?) and the acting is nothing short of amazing. It was plain to see that Nolan directed this brilliant cast of actors into new territory, putting them into roles that carried such emotional weight and complexity that unfolded with each passing minute of the film.

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 'Interstellar' is a film that carries a lot (and I mean a lot, a lot) of hype with it. Not only did the trailers, posters, and commercial spots pique our hyperactive curiosities, it's a Nolan film. Christopher Nolan is probably one of the most hailed directors of current time, and he's that guy that everyone and their grandmother  says is their "favorite director" when asked to name their favorite director in front of the class. That being said, 'Interstellar' does not disappoint. It meets the hype that you would come to expect from a guy who gave you sleepless nights thinking about dreaming within a dream. After feeling so empty and confused after 'Inception,' this film makes sure you walk away at least somewhat satisfied. You want plot? You've got plot. You want gorgeous scenery? You've got that too. That Nolan-induced headache that may or may not keep you up at night? Bam! You got it. This film will take you on a journey, and I'm not exaggerating. I left the theatre mentally exhausted, not because of anything confusing, but because my brain had worked hard to digest the barrage of information that was going on in the movie. You're gonna have to think for this one kids.

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One of the things that make 'Interstellar' stand out is that it's completely different from what you expect. That's what makes it feel like such an adventure. As the viewer, you're thrown into a world where you have to to let go of almost every instinct you have and just trust in the hand guiding you. Christopher Nolan has created a a marvelous and thriving cinematic world. The America of the future isn't the one that we'd expect. Resources are scarce, people are dying, and society has regressed into a state where almost all hope of the future is abandoned. I found myself completely immersed in a world that I knew absolutely nothing about. Quite frankly, I felt lost...but in a good way. I was happy to have nothing with me except my empty guesses and the once-again beautifully crafted scores of Hans Zimmer as I drifted into the great unknown. It'd have to take a lot of convincing to get me to believe that I wasn't going into space with the explorers onboard The Endurance. 'Interstellar' made me want to be patient, taking everything a step at a time. There's a reason why this film is almost 3 hours long. In the end, it was worth it, the vast expanse of Earth and space left me in awe. Nolan and Zimmer have created something that displays wonder on an unimaginable scale almost on the level of '2001: A Space Odyssey.' Kudos to you Mr. Nolan.

All praise and brain pains aside, 'Interstellar' is certainly not without its faults. The trouble is that in the midst of the complexity, it's hard to nail down the small parts where the film actually went wrong. I can't say much without spoiling it, but you may find yourself joining the growing group of people that adored the first 90% of the movie, but left scratching their heads at the final 10%. It's not that the tail end of the film was bad, but I'm sure that everyone who has seen it can agree that it was a speedy change of gears. I know that's when I broke out the aspirin. Some of the dialogue could've been done just a tad bit better as well. It wasn't that any of the lines were bad, it's just that in the midst of all of the emotional pressure (and I mean a lot!), it was hard to fully appreciate a lot of what was being said in those moments. Again, not really a complaint, but just something I think that could've been a bit tighter to really drive the heartaches and tears home. 

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'Interstellar' is in its own category. Period. This epic adventure filled with stunning sights and phenomenal character development is something that everyone should experience. In short, go watch this movie. There isn't much else I can say without spoiling it and honestly, it's something that you just have to experience for yourself. This journey is one best appreciated once you've taken the first step. You won't be disappointed. While it's far from being Christopher Nolan's best, just this once, allow yourself to get lost in Nolan's world. Is it perfect? No. Is it the best movie of 2014? Maybe. I need to mentally digest it a bit more first. I will say this though, it was been the most challenging movie of 2014. Think Noah got you talking? 'Interstellar' has got me doing research...and I hate science. I was left at nothing shorter than drained both emotionally and mentally afterwards. This thing deserves awards, and lots of them.