The Breakthrough Sci Fi Movie of the Decade

Rating: 10/10 (15 January 2019)

8 November 2014. Interstellar (2014). What stands out in this movie is the role of emotion and how the script introduces a fascinating "long-distance" relational component of parent-child interaction unlike those movies with a similar powerful, intense, and emotive impact found in the horror movies of Jennifer Connelly's performance in Dark Water (2005), Radha Mitchell's performance in Silent Hill (2006) or John Cusack's performance in 1408 (2007). Interstellar is today's version of the 1950s sci fi classic Forbidden Planet (1956) in storytelling, big scale, and special effects, perhaps rivaling 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) of the sixties, or the sci fi monster thriller hit of the1970s Alien (1979) in its scale and authenticity or the inspirational, newly presented idea film of the last decade of the super hit Avatar (2009). The interweaving of two story lines in this movie was also a huge editing and script challenge that was well handled and presented on screen. Interstellar is solid story telling with its dramatic but not overly stylish Hollywood gloss and glamour as of say Avatar or Forbidden Planet. Even Ann Hathaway's under-stated surprisingly diminutive performance stands out as a directorial and acting highlight considering Hathaway's bigger than life screen presence and public popularity of the past that enhancing the impact of the movie.
The overall direction and performances in this movie are introspective and authentic in their approach much like that found in the sci fi drama Stranded (2001) or Apollo 18 (2011) that don't rely on big screen stereotypical theatrics to wow its audiences. Somehow this supposedly epic sci fi adventure is as intimate as Cloud Atlas (2012) was as large spanning literally hundreds of years. Unlike a number of other review references comparing Interstellar to the visual style of sci fi action thriller Inception (2010) or some brief resemblance to Gravity (2013), Interstellar seems to take more from the sci fi relational drama Upside Down (2013) and the sci fi space drama Elysium (2013). As for plot outline, one can argue that Interstellar has more in common with the sci fi mystery of Oblivion (2013) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968 ) especially with noted theoretical leading astrophysicist Kip Thorne as scientific consultant and executive producer. And in contrast, the minimalist music score is in departure to A Space Odyssey's dominating and sometimes haunting musical score. This mind twisting experience includes pieces of the emotion and twisting, off balance characteristics of Déjà vu (2006).
Some might complain about the extended dialogue, there really is a more satisfying exchange of relevant thoughtful ideas during this movie that are interspersed among amazing special effects that are leading edge for our literal time and space. When it comes to cerebral and emotive impact, Interstellar does so in a more narrative, mystery drama fashion as Ender's Game (2013) hit the similar points using a war action, adventure motif. The sci fi television mini-series The Triangle (2005) brought many of the intriguing and suspense aspects in a lower budgeted, popular mass audience approach, but also indicating how Interstellar was presented in a quality, big budget, high definition big screen format with a corresponding mesmerizing impact. What makes Interstellar so markedly ground breaking is director's Christopher Nolan's leap with this movie in its freshness and significantly different visual presentation, its tight editing and retention of the human relational importance while also presenting to dual track story outline in seamless and meaningful power way. Interstellar recalls the similar breathing mind-bending experiences in Brainstorm (1983) with Natalie Wood and Christopher Walken. Contact (1997) with Jodie Foster and also co-starring Matthew McConaughey, the children's version of A Wrinkle In Time (2002), the otherworldly time altering classic of Slaughter-House Five (1972), the haunting alien ambiance of Solaris (2002).