This was genuinely the greatest experience I’ve ever had inside of a movie theater. 

Even though it was in IMAX, it still was the most emotionally and visually compelling film I have ever seen in a theater. The only other film I could think of that would rival the experience I had in “Interstellar” was the one I had several years ago watching “The Dark Knight” in IMAX; so, I think it is safe to the say the writer and director of both films, Christopher Nolan, is doing something right. 

I’m almost hesitant to label this movie as, well, a movie. I say this because it is so much more of an experience than just watching something with a beginning, middle and an end. Not to say it wasn’t a beautifully structured piece with flawless delivery across the board — because as far as the context of the film — it was. 

It is just that this film did things I have never seen any other film do. 

I wholeheartedly believe that even for its time, this film is slightly more groundbreaking than “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Those who follow film closely will know that there are some strong similarities between the two films that should be addressed. Both films ask very heavy questions about time and space and human existence. Stanley Kubrick’s film in itself is a masterfully constructed work of art, but “Interstellar” is a masterpiece. Where Kubrick saw a chance to leave us in wonderment and allude to hidden meaning, Nolan left us satisfied, but still bewildered at the sheer depth of the message of his film. 

It is probably safe to say that this film alludes very closely to one of Nolan’s other recent and highly acclaimed films: “Inception.” “Interstellar” is by far the most groundbreaking and intrepid film since “Inception” came out in 2010. It asks those same heavy questions about life, but instead of exploring the human psyche as “Inception” did, he now explores concepts of the cosmos. 

Nolan is an artist who forever seeks to further the boundaries of his element. He seeks to bring us intelligent films with unintelligent budgets. Within “Interstellar” he relied as little upon computer-generated imagery (CGI) as he possibly could in order to give the film the most realistic feel possible. This means that the miniature models he built were some of the most elaborate and expensive ever created. It goes without saying that Nolan is trusted in Hollywood to create groundbreaking scripts that will give a considerable return on investment. 

As far as the actual context of the film goes, the plot is heavily driven by the theme of love, which can transcend the limits of time and space in Nolan’s universe and apparently in ours. Questions of science and reason and even Einstein’s theories are put to the test in this film. Just like “Inception,” it pushes us to our brink to go deeper than we expected when we entered the theater. 

The acting itself was phenomenal, which comes as no surprise given the all-star cast laid out on the screen. Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain are all spectacular in their own moments. Nolan gives us numerous close-ups of emotionally charged tearful moments from many of the characters in the film. There is even a surprise appearance from an unbilled actor, which, in its secrecy, does the film great justice. 

At the end of the day, “Interstellar” is as thought-provoking as any film I have ever witnessed. I wholeheartedly believe that it is Nolan’s best work and the best film I have seen in a number of years. It is films like this that drive me to do what I do and help me love to do it. It is a masterpiece in every sense of the word, and I truly hope to see it again before it leaves theaters. PASS.

My Rating: 10/10

Current IMDb Rating: 9.2/10

Jack is a sophomore in Media. He can be reached at [email protected].