Reach for the stars

Rating: 8/10 (10 December 2014)

Interstellar's divided critical response is a fairly sad thing. It shows people just can't get over a blockbuster which is actually focused on something other than mindless spectacle. Easily my most anticipated film of the year, Christopher Nolan's first trip into space ignites the stars. It's not a perfect movie, but it's a lot better than my most anticipated film of 2013 (Kickass 2). The earth has become unstable due to lack of food, and Matthew McConaughey and a team of astronauts leave earth to travel through a wormhole to find a new home. Interstellar is too long, is hampered by a weak Anne Hathaway performance and has some silly moments, but it still manages to make loads of exposition interesting which is a rare feat. Of course, no-one needs me to tell them that the film looks amazing, has a fantastic soundtrack from Hans Zimmer, great cinematography, fantastic direction and plenty of deep stuff involving time, love and a fair amount of philosophy.
Interstellar is all of those things. What sets it apart is that there's not actually that much action and it's a deeply moving storyline with great acting. Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain and Mackenzie Foy are all excellent, and the film boasts one of the decade's coolest robots. With it's philosophy, big questions and commentary of humanity itself, Interstellar goes far into territory which most other modern filmmakers wouldn't even think of going to. This is a visually amazing blockbuster which has plenty of soul and doesn't even seem to focus that much on the blockbuster elements. Interstellar is unique, deep, powerful and asks many questions, which are terms which describe few other science fiction films today. Interstellar is a very good movie, which more or less lived up to my expectations. It's a slow movie, but if people (Even critics) are too ignorant to appreciate something different, we may be beyond hope. It's got its critics, but it's destined for classic status. And that's not just because I'm a Nolan fan, since I'm not a huge fan of The Dark Knight Rises or The Prestige.
9/10