Matt here! Jay and I just discussed our thoughts about the latest science fiction hit film Interstellar, as well as director Christopher Nolan's place -- as well as his films -- in cinema.
WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS IN OUR CONVERSATION, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM YET -- AND WANT TO -- THEN STICK TO OUR NON-SPOILER REVIEWS WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON THE CULTURE CAVE AND OUR RESPECTIVE BLOGS!
Jay: So, it's been a while
since we chatted. Interstellar seemed like a good chance to get back into the
swing of things, right?
Matt: Yeah! This
was definitely one of my must-see films of the year! So, what were your first impressions as soon as you walked
out of the theater?
Jay: Me too. I felt
good about the movie overall. I was excited to get home so I could look up some
of the science stuff online. I wanted to see how much of what they were showing
was true science or just made up for the movie. That was what I was actually
thinking when I left the film. It got me thinking about space again, in an
exciting way. You?
Matt: I've always been
excited about space and space travel/exploration, but the last 15 minutes or so
had me questioning the validity of the science ... which I know there is no way
of definitively knowing what will happen to a person if they enter a wormhole.
But I'm thinking there's a high probability that one could not survive such an
experience. Then again, we'll never know until someone attempts it. But that
didn't take away from the overall quality of the film or story for me.
Jay: I agree. I
definitely found a lot of scientists online, debunking a lot of the stuff that
happens later in the movie. For me, at some point you have to suspend disbelief
when dealing with science fiction, fantasy or any story that is grounded in
imagination.
If you get hung up on plausibility you miss the point of
what is essentially entertainment that makes you think.
Matt: I agree! As I
said in my review, the beauty of science fiction is that it tests our thinking,
our emotional and logistical/mental understanding and allows us to “think
outside the box” (so to speak) when it comes to our lives and our place in the
universe.
Jay: How did you feel
about the performances?
Matt: This is, hands
down, McConaughey's best film --
even much better than Dallas Buyers Club.
There was only one tiny aspect to the film at the very end which I found
unrealistic. SPOILER ALERT: And that
was what Cooper did.
Jay: What? Leaving his
dying daughter to go find Brand (Anne Hathaway)?
Matt: I could see a
lot of my oldest daughter in the character of Murphy and if that were me and I
left to go on some mission which, granted, had me saving humankind, but also
missing a HUGE chunk of her lifetime, I wouldn't go anywhere. You couldn’t tear
me away. And I think 99% of parents wouldn't either.
Jay: But didn't she
ask him to leave?
BTW, I had no clue that was Ellen Burstyn playing the older Murph until I looked on IMDB when I
got home.
Matt: Oh, you're
slipping. Anyways, yes, she did ask him to leave, but that wouldn't matter. I
just felt it was too emotionally distant for a father who supposedly had this
close bond with his daughter whom he loved so much based on his reactions upon
seeing her in the "parallel universe virtual room."
Jay: Yeah, I guess I
see you're point. It was a pretty emotional movie.
Matt: I mean, he
could've at least waited until she
died before he so whisked in a spaceship and carelessly flew away. Anyways,
yes, a very emotional movie.
I really enjoyed the concept of love as being a motivational
and inspirational force.
Jay: Yes. That was
explored quite a bit. It was also delved into with the Matt Damon character's whole speech about what we see flash in
front of our eyes when we're trying to survive. And also in Brand's (Hathaway) reasoning for wanting to
go to the planet where her old flame was marooned.
I did not know Damon was in this. When they fist unzipped
him I couldn't but think of Team America
-- "MATT DAMON!" I almost said out loud. Just like that puppet of him
in that movie. Hehe.
Matt: I thought of him
in the only other film where I've seen him play an obvious jerk: EuroTrip! "Scotty doesn't know!"
Jay: Ha ha! Yes, EuroTrip! He was almost distracting. Its
like, "Let's put Matt Damon in this role and not tell anyone and they'll
be shocked and say how cool of him to take this small, dark part. He's so
versatile!!" Hehe
Matt: I knew as soon
as he was crying about how happy he was just to see another human face how this
was all gonna go down.
Jay: Yeah, he was
super sketch from minute one. And surprisingly beefy. What was eating on that
ice planet? More like "Fatt Damon," I think.
Matt: What did you
think of the performances?
Jay: McConaughey was
great in it. His best performance was still in True Detective for me. Hathaway was fine in it. I still don't get
why people think she’s super-talented and gorgeous. Boggles my mind. There was
no one that really stood out. They all did their jobs, you know?
Matt: Couldn't agree
more, and I said it was McConaughey's best film performance. As for Hathaway, I admit that she did good in Les
Mis and The Dark Knight Rises
but, in this, she just annoyed me. And it wasn't her character. If another
actress had played her, I probably would've liked the character better.
Jay: So, do you feel
like this Nolan trying to channel Stanley Kubrick. He wanted to do his 2001?
Matt: I think he was
definitely influenced by Kubrick's 2001
but, in terms of story, I feel there aren't as many similarities as people are
making it out to be. It seems like just because it has that 2001-like feel, people are lining up to
say it's “Nolan's 2001 film.”
Jay: Yeah. I don't
think Kubrick was concerned with sentiment or emotional weight. He was more
interested in the metaphysics behind his story and of course he wanted the
technical aspects of his movie to tell his story - through images and sound he
wanted his audience to have a cathartic response. Nolan wants more a response
through story. When Cooper goes into the wormhole, though, that is obviously
taken from 2001.
Matt: Plus the fact
that the mission in 2001 has to do
with discovering the origins of mankind. That sounds more like the plot line to
the astronauts in Ridley Scott's Prometheus.
Jay: Yep. So, where
does Interstellar rank for you in
Nolan's filmography?
Matt: That's a
difficult one because I think what he did with Inception was something truly amazing in terms of direction,
acting, writing, etc. But there was more emotional depth to this film than Inception. I guess if I had to pick, I'd
put this film just barely at #1.
Jay: True. I guess it
depends on how important that emotional connection is for you. For me, The Dark Knight is still my #1 Nolan
movie.
Matt: That would
probably be my second favorite.
Jay: It is the best
comic book film ever made. That has to count for something. I find it hard to a
flaw in it
Matt: Yes, definitely
the best comic book film ever made! Suck it, Marvel!
Jay: You've got to get
over your Marvel hate, my friend. Such a hater. You know you can like both and
it will be ok. :)
My Nolan top 5:
The Dark Knight
Inception
Interstellar
Matt: I'm getting
"help."
My Nolan top 5:
Interstellar
The Dark Knight
Inception
Memento
Jay: Nice. Can we
agree The Dark Knight Rises is a
deeply flawed movie? It’s by far his worst. I tried to convince myself it was
good. I kept lying to myself.
Matt: No, sorry, have
to disagree. Obviously, not in his Top 5, but not his worst. It's got its
flaws, but not his worst.
Jay: Uggghh. Are you
going to say Batman Begins is worse,
or Insomnia?
Matt: Sorry. Insomnia. Trust me, for me, there was no
insomnia worries while watching that film!
Jay: Hehe. Clever pun.
Insomnia is not as good as the original
foreign version, I will say that.
Matt: I can't wait to
see what he does next.
Jay: So, do you think
Nolan is now one of the best in the business? Where does he rank for you in
your list of active filmmakers? What kind of legacy do you think he'll leave?
Matt: He's definitely
one of the best filmmakers nowadays. Then again, there are only a few notable
filmmakers today: Fincher, Abrams, Cuaron, Jackson, Tarantino, and (although I hate to
admit it) Singer. Granted, there are
other directors who could make this list (i.e., Whedon, McQueen, Jonze, etc.), but I feel they haven't
made enough films to be put in this list yet. For the first time in a long
time, filmmakers like those previously mentioned are finally approaching coming
into the same legendary status of the filmmakers of the 1970s we love so much.
As for what legacy he'll leave, time will tell. He has to
make a few more original films before I can get an idea. Currently, the only
original material he's filmed has been Inception
and Interstellar.
Jay: I agree there
some exciting directors out there, but we do disagree on a few. I don't think
Abrams has proved much. Both Star Trek
movies are good, but not even close to anything Nolan has done. I hope his Star Wars movie is great and I'm really
rooting for him, but he has not made a movie that made me go WOW yet. Singer is
too inconsistent, for every Usual
Suspects and X-Men 2 we get Superman Returns or Valkyrie. Also, I would include Wes Anderson on my list as one of the greats.
Matt: I will say that
a majority of films we see nowadays is muddled with potentially great filmmakers
stuck in making some remake or adaptation.
Jay: Yeah. Originality
is tough to find but I can't blame that on the folks trying to get their movies
made, its the studios and producers fault. There's too much money at stake and
no one wants to take a chance on an original story.
Matt: Yes, I agree
with you about Singer! But, as for Anderson
Jay: I LOVE Steve Zissou!! And Moonlight Kingdom
Matt: I still LOVED Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Fantastic Mr. Fox
and The Royal Tenenbaums, though!
Jay: Fair enough. Well,
we both loved Interstellar it seems. It’s
nice to agree on something every once and a while, huh?
Matt: Yes! What did
you think of Jessica Chastain?
Jay: She was fine. I though
Mackenzie Foy was just as good,
though.
Matt: I thought she
was amazing for a girl her age! A great talent!
Jay: She was very
good, yes.
Matt: Coincidentally,
I just saw her in a TV show my girls watch called R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour and I know she was in The Conjuring.
Jay: I felt bad
for that guy having to wait on the ship for over 23 years while they were down
on the wave planet. What did he do for 23 years?
Matt: Yeah! When
they were getting ready to go to the planet, he was all casual, saying,
"I'll run samples ..." Poor bastard.
Jay: I guess he
ran a lot of samples
Matt: Yeah! So what
are some of the holiday must-see films coming up for you?
Jay: Well, next
weekend is Mockingjay. Looking
forward to it. Obviously, The Hobbit.
Matt: Wait. Mockingjay!?!? Seriously!?
Jay: Unbroken. I read that book. Very good.
Also, Into the Woods.
Yes . . . . Mockingjay.
You have a problem with the Hunger Games?
Katniss kicks ass!
Matt: I won't go
there. But I do like that Katniss provides a positive female role model
character for young people. But I think it would kick 100% more ass if there
weren't some ultimate love triangle.
Jay: I think of
it more as a feminist role reversal. I like how, in this story, it's the girl who
has to rescue the "dude in distress."
Matt: Well, you don't
have to go far for that. All people need to do for that is watch The Wizard of Oz. Think about it.
Dorothy rescues the Scarecrow and Tin Man. She also invites them to see the wizard
-- as she does with the Lion. And when they are finally confronting the Wicked
Witch, who kills the witch? Dorothy! And, even better. She unintentionally does
it while trying to help her friend Scarecrow by putting out the fire on his arm
with the water. In fact, all of the women in that film have the power and/or have the "final say" -- from Dorothy to Aunt Em to the Wicked Witch to Glenda the Good Witch.
Jay: Hmmmm,
interesting point. Well, I have to bring this to a close. In closing, what are
you looking forward to?
Matt: I'm looking
forward to The Hobbit: Battle of the Five
Armies, Into the Woods, and The Imitation Game.
Jay: Yep, we
should get back together to discuss The
Hobbit. We'll be able to put the entire Hobbit
Trilogy in contrast to The Lord of the
Rings (LOTR) Trilogy.
Matt: Yes, we
definitely need to discuss that one! It's finally getting good. By the looks of
the latest preview, the third installment looks like it will tie in mythology
everyone knows in LOTR.
Jay: Agreed.
Until then?
Matt: Until then, this
is Matt signing off. Have a good one!
Jay: You too, man.
