2001:A Space Odyssey with some human drama thrown in

Rating: 6/10 (11 June 2016)

By the twenty-first century, all of the elements in this movie are already old-hat. So, in a sense, the movie starts out at a disadvantage compared to the groundbreaking classic from the creative minds of Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick. One can't decide whether Nolan is paying homage to the old master, or plagiarizing: e.g., the docking sequence and the man-machine relationship. The inherent conflict between HAL and its creator/colleagues was hugely thought-provoking whereas the Minecraftsque robots ARE robots (especially vis-a-vis the self-serving Dr. Mann), while the last, "hold-your-breath", docking choreography just could not measure up to the majestic original sequence.
There were a few highlights/high-points though: "Once you're a parent, you're the ghost of your children's future." and "Now, we're just here to be memories for our kids." The quotation from Dylan Thomas - "Do not go gentle into that good night; Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light..." Last but not least, "Love (the human spirit in a larger context) is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space (and gravity)."
Whereas "2001" was much more intellectual and detached, "Interstellar" packed in a jumble of human emotions and dramas, but like the rest of the film, felt loosely cobbled together and vaguely unsatisfying. But I do like the poignantly portrayed reunion between father and daughter, and the hinted one with the younger Dr. Brand.