Words seem impossible to describe...

Rating: 10/10 (8 November 2014)

I am not madly into Science Fiction type films ordinarily and visiting the cinema to see Interstellar was simply just a treat from me for my sci-fi mad boyfriend. I had already noted the 9.2 review on IMDb prior to going to see this film last night so I had assumed that it was going to be good. I do enjoy the new Batman films though so I guess I had some faith in this movie.
Within the first few moments I was gripped. I haven't really had much of an opinion in regards to McConaughey before so the instantaneous attention he evokes from the audience is fantastic. When my boyfriend had told me that he was in this film and that the premise of the film was the survival of mankind I said 'I don't fancy the world's chances of survival in the hands of Matthew McConaughey' (having only seen pretty dire performances in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and not being able to warm to him in True Detective). Never have I eaten my words in such a large fashion before. He was truly amazing throughout this film. WOW is a very relevant word right about now for how I feel about this guy's acting. He made me laugh and he made me cry. When he was watching the videos of his son you could see the pain in his face. This was fantastic casting in my opinion.
The film has an abundance of outstanding actors/actresses and each one of them shone through with their own individual performances. Hathaway was remarkable. I felt almost like she was the 'modern day Ripley' in terms of the way she looks in the film. I feel Hathway has come such a long way since The Princess Diaries. Her performance in this did not blow me away as much as Les Miserables but she still held her own among a strong cast of actors. There are no words I can find to praise Caine because, as we all know, he is truly a legend. I have to say I felt that Mackenzie Foy outshone Jessica Chastain as Murph. This young girl has great talent and a fantastic future in acting ahead of her that's for sure. I was excited to see Ellen Burstyn was in this film yet saddened that she only featured for a short scene. I thoroughly enjoyed her performance in Requiem for a Dream and she, along with Caine, were the two actors I was most looking forward to watching.
I wasn't blown away by Matt Damon or Casey Affleck. Both actors hadn't previously appealed to me anyway so I guess expectations were low (why can't Damon be without an Affleck?).
Hans Zimmer did an amazing job with the film's score. The music completely blew me away. Without it, I do not feel this film would have evoked so much emotion from it's audience. The music was simply stunning, mesmerising and beautiful. I shall be purchasing the sound-track that's for sure.
The imagery was flawless. Every scene felt carefully thought out and each scene felt as special as the last (if not more so). The silent space scenes (for obvious reasons) were very effective. I have never sat in such a quiet movie theatre before where, during such scenes, not a sound could be heard. I knew then, that not only I, but the rest of the audience were also holding their breath in amazement at what was happening before their eyes. Throughout the film there were gasps, jumps and declarations of 'wow' and other reactions of complete awe.
The film itself was quite long but it didn't feel long at all. I couldn't leave my seat to go for a comfort break because I didn't want to miss anything. If anyone is concerned about the length please don't be; when it does end you will be left wanting more.
I do have to say that I cried on the way home. There are a few sad scenes in this film (I won't spoil it). Not only that, I also felt extremely overwhelmed by the whole concept. The reality that space really is as vast as we hear. Yes we know it is and we read about it often, but seeing it in front of your eyes; it really hit home. I have strong faith (Christian) so my views on Earth and Space differ from the more evolution/physics point of view. Whilst I guess the underlying principles of the film relate to the more scientific notion of mankind vs religion - the film still made me feel overwhelmed by creation/planets and life. Debate after the film might be best avoided, especially as I told my boyfriend that I felt that Cooper and Brand were now the new Adam and Eve of another planet (that didn't go down well with a non-believer/big sci-fi fan). But I guess what this film and others like it aim to do is; leave it open to interpretation.
Thank you to the Nolan's for Interstellar. It is definitely in my Top 5. Even if you don't like Sci-fi (like me) it is more than worth the money. As a horror fan, I get off on the fear when you watch a film, the suspense, the increase in heart-rate and anticipation of a scare. I like the physiological reactions I get when I watch a horror film. I felt like this throughout the whole of this film. My heart beat faster at every turn. Please go and see it. You will be very glad you did.