Interstellar - Part 8

[BatLobster]

Yeah so... Nolan may have a brother who was involved in a contract killing.

That's actually really old news. I feel like this tends to get run as click bait each time Nolan releases a film.

But yeah, pretty bizarre lol

 

[Tequilla]

I read the script today (instead of working...sorry boss !). Wow , its extremely pulpy. Now i understand some reviews of the script and the surprise some people had that Nolan was going to direct this movie.It sort of goes nowhere after a while . The robot thing reads like 2010 explaining ehy HAL behaved like that in 2001. The conflict is ...protocol ! It lacks the emotional punch of everything happening in the film. Murph is irrelevant. Cooper and Brand dynamic is a walking cliché.

The fractal creatures sound cool , but their role in the script feels like an irrelevant tangent to what's happening. And their part in the end is absurd.

 

[terry78]

So it was more sci-fi basically. This sounds grounded compared to what Spielbergo was gonna do.

 

[Tequilla]

So it was more sci-fi basically. This sounds grounded compared to what Spielbergo was gonna do.

Yes. A lot more. It even has an instrument that sounds straight out of a twilight zone episode. But it also tries to depict stuff kinda realistically. It's such a strange balance.

 

[Micromind]

The old script sounds more suitable for HBO mini-series than big screen.

 

[Enriquespy]

I like Sunshine more, too.

What is this HERESY!!!



I liked Interstellar much more.

 

[BatLobster]

Okay, so here is something I was curious to get some thoughts on.

Edit: SPOILERS

Spoiler

In this interview with IGN:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/08/jonathan-nolan-interstellar-spoilers

Jonathan Nolan says:

But the one thing you know about wormholes is, they're not real. Wormholes don't exist because the only way they would exist is if they were seeded with exotic material created by an intelligence far beyond our own. Something would have to make one. So the idea with the film was that it was a wormhole that leads us to a place that creates an opportunity for us and then disappears. By the end of Cooper's journey, the wormhole is gone. It's up to us now to undertake the massive journey of spreading out across the face of our galaxy. Brand is still somewhere out there on the far side of the wormhole. The wormhole has disappeared entirely. It's gone.

IGN: And he has to try and get to Brand in this little ship?

Nolan: That's the idea.

So, that definitely wasn't my takeaway after I saw the movie, and seems like most people assumed the wormhole was still there and that Coop would go through it get to Edmund's planet and meet up with Brand.

Mind you, I've only seen the movie once and I don't recall if there is anything definitive that proves the wormhole is gone, so this could simply be Jonah's interpretation (he wasn't the final "author" of the film, and it wouldn't be the first time he and and his brother have disagreed).

Assuming what he says is the intended interpretation of the film though...let's think this through. What it does explain is, why in 80 years nobody has ventured off to Edmund's planet. So the relatively big question it leaves then is...

How does Coop have a prayer of reaching Edmund's planet in another galaxy in that small, sedan-like ship? Are we to assume that the technology for the new spacecraft is based upon the harnessing of gravitation (the equation that TARS and Coop help Murph solve)? I think we almost HAVE to assume that the ships are based on new technology that has been developed in the 80 years that have passed, because there's no way to believe that a fuel-based vessel that small could ever reach ANOTHER GALAXY. Not to mention, even if we're to assume that the ships are based on new technology- there's still the time factor (though I guess we can just assume Coop would go into hyper-sleep for as long as necessary).

Would love to see some of the keen minds on here help me think this through. I actually love the notion that humanity gets a bit of guidance in the right direction, but ultimately has to fend for itself. And I think Coop's archetype is that of the pilot, the explorer (which probably has a lot to do with the design of the ship at the end)...the idea that he's not just going to pop through the wormhole and easily reach his destination actually plays into the romanticism of space exploration more and works better for me thematically. I'm just wondering if it creates a gaping hole or if I'm on the right track in terms of how to account for that with the movie's internal logic.

 

[The Shape]

I need to see this again and soon.

 

[redhawk23]

I thing Spilbergs version was more coherent and visually appealing. ITs not the first time he tackled this issues, i dont know if you ever played The Dig, but it has a lot of elements of the 5th dimension.

Nolans version was just a bore for me visually, it was well done technically but nothing stood out or impressed me. It really has his stamp, a technically good movie, but with tons of exposition and sterile visuals. No better example than how he imagines the 5th dimension, i mean really? that's how far your imagination goes? and don't tell me its scientifically accurate, no one knows how all of this works so you pretty much had no limits, i was greatly disappointed by the visuals

Yeah the visuals in that non-existent film are way more stunning. Top notch cinematography.

 

[Micromind]

Urmm..... spoilers !

Well, I was confused too but then -

Spoiler

I actually thought that Cooper will not be using thet wormhole again (maybe it was closed by 5th dimensional beings. Why ? Because if the wormhole existed, Cooper would have got the news that humans have colonized / terraformed the planet found by Edward, since nobody says that.... which means they cannot go there using wormhole.) So, how will cooper find brand ? Hopefully by using some advanced tech.

 

[terry78]

The whole thing is just one big catch-22 cycle.

 

[BatLobster]

No it's not. I'm not talking about paradox issues. This film actually deals with paradox in a pretty clever way that doesn't get in the way of the story and is in fact engrained into the message of the story. I'm talking about something else.

 

[Jaspertian1105]

Yeah the visuals in that non-existent film are way more stunning. Top notch cinematography.

Well be visuals WOULD be more appealing, if that sounds better, you get the point. Those descriptions sound much more interesting than what we got, which was extremely uninteresting for me.

 

[redfirebird2008]

This is a great film that is only flawed by some technical issues. I saw the film in IMAX and visually this is way better than Gravity was. The photo real effects are what makes this movie, where Gravity looks like a freaking video game.

The problems with this movie are the sound editing was ****! I noticed this same problem on TDKR, which makes me wonder if this stuff is getting a pass. There are multiple times where the music and effects overpower the voice track. I do alot with sound engineering so this stuff bugs the hell out of me. This movie would be a perfect 10/10 if it weren't for this.

I also think some of the editing was sloppy about 3/4ths of the way through the film where they are cutting back between the Endurance and Earth.

But the key to this film is Matthew McConaughey. He will get a best actor nod for this role, and right now I would say he will be the first actor since Tom Hanks and only the 3rd actor ever to win back to back Oscars for Best Actor.

I feel I need to see the film again, as there are still many questions that I have, but IMO this was Nolan's best work since the Prestige.

9.5/10

It's not getting a pass on the sound. Quite a few critics have complained about it. I definitely feel the sound is the biggest flaw in the movie. Why was there so much bass during quiet dialogue scenes? Why was Zimmer's score cranked to 11 on top of important dialogue?

In general, I wish Nolan had decided to go very quiet with the sound design. The best moments are when the sound goes completely silent in space and you just have those amazing visuals. I wish he applied the same thing to the rest of the scenes in the movie. It is sad to me to see Nolan going backwards into Michael Bay territory on the sound issue. It's basically the last 6 years where it just keeps getting worse with each movie. The earlier part of his career featured proper sound design and not stuff that was over the top to the point that it hurts your experience with the movie.

Completely agree with you on Matthew's performance. I truly feel he was better in this movie than Dallas Buyers Club, but Interstellar does not have politics on its side and the fact he won last year will hurt his chances of getting nominated. Still though, it is pretty incredible how good his work is right now between True Detective and films like Lincoln Lawyer, Killer Joe, Mud, Dallas Buyers Club, and Interstellar.

 

[redhawk23]

Well be visuals WOULD be more appealing, if that sounds better, you get the point. Those descriptions sound much more interesting than what we got, which was extremely uninteresting for me.

Even the early script is primarily just set on Planet Iceland.

 

[Micromind]

Even the early script is primarily just set on Planet Iceland.

Didn't Bruce train there with RaS Al Ghul ?

Edit: Sound system at my theater was perfectly fine, Zimmer's score was not drowning the dialogue.

 

[Anita18]

Okay, so here is something I was curious to get some thoughts on.

In this interview with IGN:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/08/jonathan-nolan-interstellar-spoilers

Jonathan Nolan says:

So, that definitely wasn't my takeaway after I saw the movie, and seems like most people assumed [BLACKOUT]the wormhole was still there and that Coop would go through it get to Edmund's planet and meet up with Brand.[/BLACKOUT]

Mind you, I've only seen the movie once and I don't recall if there is anything definitive that proves [BLACKOUT]the wormhole is gone[/BLACKOUT], so this could simply be Jonah's interpretation (he wasn't the final "author" of the film, and it wouldn't be the first time he and and his brother have disagreed).

Assuming what he says is the intended interpretation of the film though...let's think this through. [BLACKOUT]What it does explain is, why in 80 years nobody has ventured off to Edmund's planet. [/BLACKOUT] So the relatively big question it leaves then is...

Spoiler

How does Coop have a prayer of reaching Edmund's planet in another galaxy in that small, sedan-like ship? Are we to assume that the technology for the new spacecraft is based upon the harnessing of gravitation (the equation that TARS and Coop help Murph solve)? I think we almost HAVE to assume that the ships are based on new technology that has been developed in the 80 years that have passed, because there's no way to believe that a fuel-based vessel that small could ever reach ANOTHER GALAXY. Not to mention, even if we're to assume that the ships are based on new technology- there's still the time factor (though I guess we can just assume Coop would go into hyper-sleep for as long as necessary).

Added spoiler tags, so you might want to edit too. I think common courtesy is to wait until the movie's been out in wide release for a week.

I think the technology vastly improving in that time has to be the answer. I mean, to go from the dust bowl where the most important job is farmer, to [BLACKOUT]most/all of humanity living on a space station that they were JUST building 50 years before,[/BLACKOUT] is a pretty big jump! I think it's perfectly possible. I mean, look at the insane technological advances between 1920 and 2000.

The way that Chris shot it, it's ambiguous as to [BLACKOUT]whether the wormhole is gone[/BLACKOUT]. It seems that the [BLACKOUT]future humans purposely placed Cooper[/BLACKOUT] where he should be, at the end, and when it's done, either just the entrance or the whole thing is disassembled. The astronauts also refer to Gargantua as a [BLACKOUT]black hole, not the other end of a wormhole.[/BLACKOUT] So I'll have to watch it again and see how they keep that straight. But it would make more sense that it's gone, I think.

Spoiler

The time dilation near Gargantua and corresponding timeline mismatches may explain why most of earth is still on Cooper Station and not with Brand. Maybe she's literally just started, when Murph is already an elderly woman. Just because they don't show it, doesn't mean that Cooper hasn't reported on the mission. It's the easiest way to explain why elderly Murph knows that Brand is on a new planet, colonizing by herself.

And maybe Cooper is the only person who can pilot a large colonizing ship through a wormhole, but that doesn't explain why they'd coop him up (har har har) in a replica of his old farm, instead of going out and helping her if it were possible.

I think it's most likely that the wormhole is gone, and nobody knows how to get to this other planet. Maybe Cooper is actually going to see her personally, maybe he just needs to get out and do what he was born to do, which is explore.

I feel like the part about Brand at the end was more for thematic reasons than actual plot point reasons. Wouldn't be the first time Nolan's pulled something like that.

 

[Rowsdower!]

I prefer Sunshine too although not by much. Interstellar was definitely more ambitious and grand (it made Sunshine look like an indie ) but I think Sunshine is more tight and cohesive.

Yeah, I think that's what I liked better about it. Everything just fit better, IMO. Interstellar had a lot of big ideas but there were kind of all over the place.

 

[BatLobster]

Added spoiler tags, so you might want to edit too. I think common courtesy is to wait until the movie's been out in wide release for a week.

I think the technology vastly improving in that time has to be the answer. I mean, to go from the dust bowl where the most important job is farmer, to [BLACKOUT]most/all of humanity living on a space station that they were JUST building 50 years before,[/BLACKOUT] is a pretty big jump! I think it's perfectly possible. I mean, look at the insane technological advances between 1920 and 2000.

The way that Chris shot it, it's ambiguous as to [BLACKOUT]whether the wormhole is gone[/BLACKOUT]. It seems that the [BLACKOUT]future humans purposely placed Cooper[/BLACKOUT] where he should be, at the end, and when it's done, either just the entrance or the whole thing is disassembled. The astronauts also refer to Gargantua as a [BLACKOUT]black hole, not the other end of a wormhole.[/BLACKOUT] So I'll have to watch it again and see how they keep that straight. But it would make more sense that it's gone, I think.

Spoiler

The time dilation near Gargantua and corresponding timeline mismatches may explain why most of earth is still on Cooper Station and not with Brand. Maybe she's literally just started, when Murph is already an elderly woman. Just because they don't show it, doesn't mean that Cooper hasn't reported on the mission. It's the easiest way to explain why elderly Murph knows that Brand is on a new planet, colonizing by herself.

And maybe Cooper is the only person who can pilot a large colonizing ship through a wormhole, but that doesn't explain why they'd coop him up (har har har) in a replica of his old farm, instead of going out and helping her if it were possible.

I think it's most likely that the wormhole is gone, and nobody knows how to get to this other planet. Maybe Cooper is actually going to see her personally, maybe he just needs to get out and do what he was born to do, which is explore.

I feel like the part about Brand at the end was more for thematic reasons than actual plot point reasons. Wouldn't be the first time Nolan's pulled something like that.

Thanks for your input Anita. Yeah, that's more or less how I was thinking about it, more of a thematic gesture than anything that needs to be dissected in super concrete terms, but it helps to know that others are on the same track there.

I think we at the very least have to assume that [BLACKOUT]technology for space travel has advanced[/BLACKOUT], and [BLACKOUT]I guess you could say that whether or not Coop actually can or will reach Brand's world is almost irrelevant compared to the fact that he/humanity are getting back to what they were meant to do. [/BLACKOUT]

 

[DA_Champion]

I thing Spilbergs version was more coherent and visually appealing. ITs not the first time he tackled this issues, i dont know if you ever played The Dig, but it has a lot of elements of the 5th dimension.

Nolans version was just a bore for me visually, it was well done technically but nothing stood out or impressed me. It really has his stamp, a technically good movie, but with tons of exposition and sterile visuals. No better example than how he imagines the 5th dimension, i mean really? that's how far your imagination goes? and don't tell me its scientifically accurate, no one knows how all of this works so you pretty much had no limits, i was greatly disappointed by the visuals

Mathematicians understand fifth and nth dimensions fully. What Nolan showed was perfect.

 

[DA_Champion]

Well be visuals WOULD be more appealing, if that sounds better, you get the point. Those descriptions sound much more interesting than what we got, which was extremely uninteresting for me.

These are the most beautiful visusls we've had in a space opera in decades.

James Gunn and JJ Abrams should take notes. We saw a massive black hole with an accretion disk, coherent alien worlds, coherent spaceship designs, an awesome robot, etc.

 

[terry78]

Well, it was still kind of muted. I don't want my sci-fi to always be grounded, as it were. Gunn and Abrams are doing pulp sci-fi.

 

[DA_Champion]

Well, it was still kind of muted. I don't want my sci-fi to always be grounded, as it were. Gunn and Abrams are doing pulp sci-fi.

"Always"?

This is the first grounded space opera blockbuster in decades.

Which probably explains the level of originality.

 

[jmc]

I can totally understand someone coming away from this feeling like there was zero fun in the movie, but Nolan likes things that are tactile because he believes it gives the movie weight, and you don't get much more grounded in sci-fi than adhering to the actual laws of the universe.

 

[DA_Champion]

I can totally understand someone coming away from this feeling like there was zero fun in the movie, but Nolan likes things that are tactile because he believes it gives the movie weight, and you don't get much more grounded in sci-fi than adhering to the actual laws of the universe.

With that said he was as ungrounded as can be while adhering to the laws of the universe . Black holes with masses of 100 million Suns exist, but they're very rare, in comparison the Milky Way's central black hole clocks in at ~4.5 million solar masses. They could technically have three planets in orbit, but I'm guessing that's not common, and they certainly need not be Earth analogues.