Feb 2

Feb 2 Interstellar (2014)

Christopher Nolan’s latest film plays a lot like his previous efforts: earnest and well-intentioned, but also long and predictable. Matthew McConaughey is very good, but normally solid Anne Hathaway is miscast, and Michael Caine is wasted. While the film looks good, the jacked-up soundtrack and visual effects make some of the dialogue in the action sequences difficult to hear clearly. Worse, the film plays out more like fantasy than science fiction, with the rules and understanding of the universe being doled out piecemeal, as needed. A lot happens, but none of it is particularly compelling. A decent film, it did keep my interest throughout—though sometimes just barely—but it never pulled me all the way in.

*⅛ (out of ***)

2014 • 2 HOURS, 49 MINUTES
PARAMOUNT PICTURES • WARNER BROS. PICTURES • LEGENDARY ENTERTAINMENT • SYNCOPY • LYNDA OBST PRODUCTIONS

STARRING
• MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, ANNE HATHAWAY, JESSICA CHASTAIN

ALSO STARRING
• BILL IRWIN, ELLEN BURSTYN, MICHAEL CAINE

WRITTEN BY
• JONATHAN NOLAN AND CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

DIRECTED BY
• CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

2014 ACADEMY AWARDS (1)
• BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

ADDITIONAL 2014 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS (4)
• BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (LOST TO THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL)
• BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN (LOST TO THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL)
• BEST SOUND EDITING (LOST TO AMERICAN SNIPER)
• BEST SOUND MIXING (LOST TO WHIPLASH)