March 31 marks the release of
Interstellar on DVD and Blu-ray. Directed by Christopher Nolan, this sci-fi film is set in a future in which the earth is being gradually overtaken by the Blight, a mysterious ailment that is destroying the planet's crops one by one. Cooper, a NASA pilot turned farmer, is trying to balance a job in which he has little interest with raising his two children, Tom and Murph (short for Murphy).
When Murph unlocks a mysterious puzzle that sends her and her father stumbling into an undercover NASA base, Cooper suddenly finds himself hired to undertake a seemingly impossible mission: follow the cosmic breadcrumbs out into the far reaches of interstellar space -- and find a new planet for humanity to inhabit before Earth becomes a barren wasteland. Joining the crew of Dr. Brand (the NASA scientist overseeing the mission), Cooper will pilot the ship that will take them farther than any human being has ever been before -- even as Cooper fights to get back home to his family.
Released last year, the film was a smash hit. As a sci-fi buff, it was the 2014 movie I was most excited for -- so I was elated when
Interstellar turned out to be the weird, wild, wonderful, and wholly unique ride I had hoped it would be.
Haven't seen it yet? Here's six reasons why you should give it a go:
1.) You haven't seen space like this before
Nolan named
2001: A Space Odyssey as one of the films that served as his inspiration for
Interstellar, and it's easy to see that influence in the awe-inspiring shots of space that the Endurance crew travel through.
But since the release of the Stanley Kubrick classic, there's been a plethora of films set in outer space, from
Apollo 13 to
Gravity. What makes Nolan's take unique? First, there's consultant Kip Thorne, a theoretical physicist whose expert advice and theories allowed the effects crews to offer a unique take on such typical sci-fi fare as wormholes and ice planets. Then there's Nolan's commitment to practical, physical effects over computerized effects whenever possible. Obviously, a sci-fi film like this one will demand the use of some CGI -- but with much of the action being made without the use of a computer, the film often has a more physical feel to it than similar genre offerings.
Best of all, for me, was the chance to see the film in IMAX. The larger-than-life screen packed an extra-powerful wallop, as sheer size helped bring to life the silent, lonely, terrifying, and beautiful emptiness of space. Never before has a film so effectively offered me a window into what a trip through outer space might really be like.
Speaking of:
2.) The alien worlds are actually alien
Being a Christopher Nolan fan girl, all it took were the words "Nolan" and "outer space" to pique my interest in
Interstellar. But it wasn't until I caught the film's trailer that I realized I was in for something special. In the trailer, we're shown a scene in which the Endurance crew have landed on a watery world which is caught in the massive gravitational pull of a nearby black hole.
The crew looks out across the alien sea towards a mountain range in the distance:
Then the pilot, Cooper, gets a better look. And realizes it's not a mountain.
It's a wave.
Well, bummer.
Too often in science fiction, the alien worlds don't seem to be anything of the kind; they are, instead, thinly veiled versions of our own home planet. But
Interstellar seemed to kick things up a notch, delivering alien worlds that
feel alien in their features, geology, and weather.
This is made all the more ironic by the fact that Nolan was filming in real, natural, outdoor locations (with a bit of CGI thrown in later), but that only adds to the effect of bizarre worlds that are still very physical and real.
3.) These archetypal characters are truly archetypes
The characters in Christopher Nolan stories are often thrown into extraordinary circumstances --
navigating the worlds of other people's dreams or
fighting crime behind a rather unusual mask. But despite their otherworldly surroundings, the characters remain relatable Everymen, with recognizable and understandable motivations.
While the characters of
Interstellar are searching for a way to build a future for humanity and save them from a dying planet, they are also motivated by more personal reasons. Cooper is looking to find a way back to his family. So, in her way, is Dr. Brand, the NASA scientist in charge of the expedition. Murph, Cooper's daughter, finds her own way of searching for the father who had to leave her behind to save her.
Woven into the vastness of space and time is a theme of the timelessness of family, making these characters and their archetypal motivations something relatable and familiar, no matter how weird or wild their surroundings.
4.) It keeps you guessing
In a world of sequels, prequels, and reboots, it's become the truly rare film that has a wholly original story to tell.
Of the top-grossing films of 2014,
Interstellar was the only movie in the top ten that was not a sequel or adaptation.
I spent the entirety of the film utterly unsure of where the story might be going. While it seemed reasonable to think that the good guys would triumph, I hadn't the foggiest idea of what they might do to get there, and how the hints and clues sprinkled throughout the film would lead to a solution. From ticking clocks to alien contact, the story was intriguing, unsettling, and, ultimately, full-circle. But never in a way I saw coming.
Which leads me to:
5.) It's "A Wrinkle in Time" for adults
Well, to be fair,
Madeleine L'Engle's classic YA novel can be enjoyed by any reader of any age. But the fact remains that I couldn't help but be reminded of
A Wrinkle in Time while watching the final act of
Interstellar. The film ultimately ties together ideas of space, time, and the way in which love and family can transcend those realms -- which is more or less precisely what L'Engle did in her own sci-fi adventure over fifty years ago.
There's nothing overtly linking Nolan's space adventure to L'Engle's. But just as
A Wrinkle in Time opened my nine-year-old mind to worlds I had never before considered -- while also telling a story about the unbreakable bonds of love and family -- so, too, did
Interstellar achieve the same feat. It's a sci-fi adventure film, but it's also a tale that resonates on the most personal of levels -- making it the rare story that broadens the limits of imagination and tells an important truth, all at the same time.
6.) There's a snarky robot
I could watch this all day.
And then there's TARS -- the sarcastic, snarky, good-natured, and uniquely-designed robot, used by the Endurance crew to help them on their expedition.
Because what's a sci-fi story without a snarky robot?
Request "Interstellar" on DVD from the Catalog
Request "Interstellar" on Blu-ray from the Catalog
Request "The Science of Interstellar" by Kip Thorne from the Catalog
Request "Interstellar: Beyond Time and Space -- Inside Christopher Nolan's Sci-Fi Epic" by Mark Cotta Vaz from the Catalog
Request the Hans Zimmer soundtrack from the Catalog
-- Post by Ms. B
