#billirwin

Interstellar is a hugely ambitious film. It’s about the endless possibilities of space exploration, but also tells a personal story. Some of the choices it makes may seem wild but repeat viewings make you appreciate them more each time.

In the future, humanity is in trouble. Food sources are running out and it’s only a matter of time before Earth’s changing ecosystem can no longer support us. Former NASA pilot Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is enlisted in a desperate, secret mission to find a new home for humankind. A wormhole placed near Saturn by unknown beings appears to be the key to salvation. Cooper has no choice; to save his children, he has to leave them behind and travel through the great unknown.

When I think of everything humanity has accomplished, from the music we’ve composed to the art we’ve painted to the philosophical debates and the feats of physical strength, I always find my way to space. Isn't it wonderful that we've managed to escape Earth’s gravity? Who could've predicted we'd set foot on the moon when we first emerged out of the primordial sludge? That’s what "Interstellar" is all about. In most science fiction, we learn that aliens and strange worlds are hostile. That we should've just minded our own business and stayed home. In this story, the stars are our salvation for us. The danger is present but it's what makes the journey so exciting.

This story never dumbs itself down to appeal to the most common denominator. It’s not so complicated that you can’t follow it, but there’s a lot to digest. We’re talking about theories involving gravity affecting the passage of time, black holes, wormholes, space anomalies, and more. Manifested visually on-screen, they become some of the most striking visuals I’ve seen in a long time, all set to a brilliant score by Hans Zimmer

It could've been a very clinical film but the human element and emotions are a critical part of the story, particularly towards the end. Our protagonist is leaving his children behind for a mission whose length is undetermined. He will need to hibernate through years’ worth of human history and risk his life for people who may not even exist anymore when he emerges from the wormhole. His children might not event WANT to see him again considering how long he's been gone. No technology could allow them to communicate. All that ties them to each other at this point is love, and family. Can this force overcome the vast unknown?

That last point can be difficult to accept as a major idea in a science-fiction story. Most movies would try to be one thing or another but not Interstellar. To make these seemingly contradicting concepts digestible, every aspect has been carefully scrutinized to ensure it helped drive the point home and provide the thrills we'd expect. We receive sights as we've never seen before and the action sequences are incredible. It isn't perfect. Certain dramatic moments do not quite pack the punch they should and the running time is a tad excessive. These flaws are overcome by the mind-blowing experience and sheer ambition of it all. It’s a picture you won’t easily forget. (On Blu-ray, June 19, 2015)