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It's being compared to 2001, but Christopher Nolan's film in my 36 years of film obsession is truly breathtaking and visionary. I put it up there with 2001, Koyaanisqatsi and other cinematic visions that transcend time, and well space.
Yes, 2001...but a bit of M Night's Signs as well. It's an emotionally exhaustive, jaw dropping experience in scope, sound, visuals and ideas. Ive become a movie cynic but I was at a loss for words when the screen came up. Definitely blows the hell out of Gravity, Prometheus, Sunshine, Moon, Oblivion and every single space epic in the last decade.

Curious what some of you guys who've seen it think.

To be honest, the fact that he did the Batman movies kinda turned me off to Nolan. Batman to me has always been right-wing power fantasy propaganda par excellence, and what I saw of and read about the movies had a deeper, spookier aura about them as well. Memento had a kinda cool idea. Inception utterly wasted its own potential for truly mind-bending dreamscapes and dreamlogic on generic Matrix-lite action sequences. Has Nolan really turned a corner with Interstellar?

I watched it yesterday, and I have to say I was disappointed.

**BIG SPOILERS AHEAD**

The dialogue was atrocious, a ton of quasi-philosophical one-liners. If I hear Michael Cane say "Do not go gently...." one more time I will punch a cute animal.

The characters were not very well developed. What the hell was up with his son? He went from nice kid to bitter lunatic with no care for his family's health with no explanation.
The first astronaut who died - can't even remember his name. Zero emotional impact, they killed him just to show how dangerous the planet was.
The guy who had to wait 23 years.. "So, you waited 23 years, huh? OK." And then he dies.
Speaking of - Matt Damon. What the hell?

The ending was way to happy for my tastes, which ties into my main problem - everything was basically solved by Deus ex Machina. Stuck inside a black hole you say? No problem - the god-like future humans will save you and conveniently dump you back in our solar system to be picked up.

The speculation that love is a higher dimensional property of physics? WTF? Not my cup of tea.

The special effects were great though, and some of the "proper" science fiction stuff was cool (time dilation, black hole etc.), and the robots were awesome. "Humor setting at 90%. This unit will self destruct in 10.. 9.. 8..".

I didn't realize Matt Damon was in it. Only reason I say that is because I was watching Jimmy Kimmel last night and he apologized to Matt Damon, who didn't even make an appearance, for "running out of time". Why? Because the interminable Taylor Swift who I think has been "everywhere" this week. I don't know who is important, perhaps none are, but I would have preferred to see Matt Damon if I was already going to waste my time before bed. I guess, how do you dog a Matt Damon VS a Taylor Swift? Nothing to do with the movie, which I might go see today, I just found it odd that a finely timed show ran out of time for a big star for a twenty something hack with perhaps some of the worst music I have ever heard.

Don't you DARE talk that way about the future Mrs. Ash. Taylor Swift is by far the most beautiful tall grey to visit this miserable planet.

82_28 » Sat Nov 08, 2014 2:15 pm wrote:I didn't realize Matt Damon was in it. Only reason I say that is because I was watching Jimmy Kimmel last night and he apologized to Matt Damon, who didn't even make an appearance, for "running out of time". Why? Because the interminable Taylor Swift who I think has been "everywhere" this week. I don't know who is important, perhaps none are, but I would have preferred to see Matt Damon if I was already going to waste my time before bed. I guess, how do you dog a Matt Damon VS a Taylor Swift? Nothing to do with the movie, which I might go see today, I just found it odd that a finely timed show ran out of time for a big star for a twenty something hack with perhaps some of the worst music I have ever heard.

It's a long-running joke on Kimmel that they bring Matt Damon on as a guest and then announce that they've "run out of time". It's happened like 4 or 5 times in the past with him.

norton ash » Sat Nov 08, 2014 9:28 pm wrote:Don't you DARE talk that way about the future Mrs. Ash. Taylor Swift is by far the most beautiful tall grey to visit this miserable planet.

Yeah, but when you break up you will have to hear about it in (horrible) song for the rest of your life.

82_28 » Sat Nov 08, 2014 3:15 pm wrote:I didn't realize Matt Damon was in it. Only reason I say that is because I was watching Jimmy Kimmel last night and he apologized to Matt Damon, who didn't even make an appearance, for "running out of time". Why? Because the interminable Taylor Swift who I think has been "everywhere" this week. I don't know who is important, perhaps none are, but I would have preferred to see Matt Damon if I was already going to waste my time before bed. I guess, how do you dog a Matt Damon VS a Taylor Swift? Nothing to do with the movie, which I might go see today, I just found it odd that a finely timed show ran out of time for a big star for a twenty something hack with perhaps some of the worst music I have ever heard.

Sorry 82, but this is like listening to "I hate it when I do that" Willie and Frankie

Read a book or go for a walk. Try yogic deep-breathing to achieve a meditative state, instead of clicking the remote. Having commercial messages willfully pumped into your ears and eyes, to be exposed to images stimulating to your other senses and urges subconsciously or not, why do that to yourself?

Love yourself enough to end this foul relationship!
No good can come of it!

Well since I am perpetually at my computer for work, writing a book and now an upcoming newspaper prototype (!), commenting here etc, I just have the TV on in the background. The reason why is not for entertainment but to "get the pulse" of the cycles, the "news", behaviors, etc. A lot of what I write and my attitude towards the teevee is actually paradoxical for those they think they're "reaching". Sometimes, I'll put it on FOX news just to see/listen. Sometimes I like to "watch" televangelists. It's not as though I don't get out. For instance I have Rick Steve's bit on London right now (actually I do). But no, unless it's a football game I care about, I don't plop down in front of the TV. Oh and if it's Key and Peele, Daily Show and Colbert. How do you think those guys get all their material? Somebody's gotta watch all that bilge.

It's only in the background while I am actually doing other stuff, sadly on the computer. It's how I make all my income and it's also the only way to write really. Actually I have started a few threads here because of breaking news I get out of the back of the room, thus kicking off the conversation here before anyone else can touch it with spin. Do I get a pass that I have every ad/popup etc blocked?

That's actually kinda funny, BrandonD.

Well I don't care what the critics or anyone says, I was truly touched and blown away by Interstellar. Beats the bands off Gravity, Oblivion, Elysium, Prometheus, Sunshine, etc.

I can just very strongly recommend this one:

Saw "Interstellar" today at an IMAX.

Surprised to see that the theater was full at the 11:00am showing, but today was a holiday after all.

I was mesmerized. Hey, I'm 62 years old, I've seen just about all the sci fi movies out there, read so many books, grew up on the stuff.

But this movie got to me. Strong story line. Interesting theories. Epic scenes of space anomalies. Saturn is really beautiful. So is Iceland, where they filmed the plant where Dr.Mann was marooned.

Great ride, go see it, have fun, and talk about it over a beer with friends.

Is Love transcendental? That's the big question.

I'm liking it well enough. I don't mean it as criticism per-se, but I find it a little odd that the revelation of powerful invisible uncommunicative alien life (in the mold of the monolith makers) is passed over as a minor point no one seems interested in talking about. but hey, I guess you cant delve into every detail of a plot all at once.

oh darn it. a planet orbiting a black hole, close enough to have time dilation effects, would be ripped to dust by the tidal forces.

justdrew » 12 Nov 2014 04:43 wrote:oh darn it. a planet orbiting a black hole, close enough to have time dilation effects, would be ripped to dust by the tidal forces.

Not if said "powerful invisible uncommunicative alien life" is yet again invoked...