LAMORINDA WEEKLY | 'Interstellar'


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The space and time travel epic "Interstellar," this year's "Gravity," is well worth seeing in a large theater with an audience - the true cinematic experience. Potentially not the best movie of the year on some lists, this film is definitely the most ambitious and visually impactful to come out in a long time. It is important to see "Interstellar" on the large screen; if you choose to wait until it comes out for home viewing you will likely not appreciate it to the level that it deserves. I loved it and would highly recommend this film. The acting led by Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway is superb and the visual landscape is striking and appears to go on forever - much like the vastness of space.

A story that was originally tied to Steven Spielberg, it has been worked and reworked over the last few years by Christopher Nolan (also the director) and his brother Jonathan Nolan. Both are known for the Dark Knight Trilogy as well as "The Prestige and Memento" - all top shelf films. The common complaint is that the film seems like two stories jammed together. I believe that is part of its complexity - a layered film that hits on multiple levels. A space journey that has not left behind the human aspect in its eagerness to leave Earth, it brings home the harsh and desperate realities of those left behind.

The initial reviews of this film are mixed; I recommend you see it and make your own decisions. I can honestly state that I have thought about this film over the last week since first screening and it has only piqued my interest to see it again. It has raised questions and I am eager to experience some of the more nuanced aspects with a second viewing. This film has been aligned with "2001 A Space Odyssey" - a film that was also initially received with mixed reviews. Now the film appears on most top film lists and is No. 22 on the American Film Institute's (AFI) top 100 Greatest American Movies. Time will tell if "Interstellar" makes this list - I would not be surprised, with sufficient seasoning, to see this film become a classic.