#Interstellar: Like It or Hate It
#Interstellar
My husband and I went to see Interstellar. I had no real expectations about the movie, but I enjoy space and science fiction. It has a great cast so I had high hopes that it would be good. I have read other blogs about how they either loved it or they hated it. There seems to be no middle ground for this movie.
We loved it. To us the story line itself took a secondary role to the science involved. The story just helped explain the science.
The Science
If you have ever seen ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’, then you know how difficult it can be to get your head around quantum physics and that whole field of science. Couple that with how ‘Time’ relates to our world and you really have some science to wrap your brain around. Remember that we as humans perceive time as linear. Bring in the concept of traveling through a worm hole in space and linear time goes out the window.
I found this video on CBS news that explains a bit about the science concepts in the movie and how realistic they may be.
After seeing the movie I began to google articles about the field of quantum mechanics, etc. It fascinates me.
Wired has a really good, but lengthy, article on Quantum Mechanics. The NYTimes published an article on Quantum Entanglement. PBS has a good article about particles versus waves in Quantum Mechanics, and yes it matters.
If you are not already familiar with the theories around time and relativity, I invite you to research the subjects. If nothing else, it will help you understand the movie better should you choose to see it.
Conclusion
If you don’t care much about the science or it’s too difficult to get your head around, you might find ‘Interstellar’ lacking. The story would probably not be enough to encourage you to like it. There are also a smattering of conspiracy theories included, as this article on CNN notes.
Even the movies bring this up. “We used to be explorers and pioneers,” says a character in the just-released science fiction spectacular, “Interstellar.” “Now we’re a generation of caretakers.” Christopher Nolan’s film conceives a potential future in which what’s left of NASA has gone underground to figure out options for humankind literally choking to death on ecological decay on Earth. In this future, it seems as though the moon-landing-denial constituency has gained such a foothold in the public schools that a student can get in trouble for suggesting we did in fact land on the moon.
The graphics were spectacular. I don’t think anyone can deny that. This is a long movie. I think it’s around 3 hours. For us the time went by quickly.
Have you seen this movie? What did you think of it?
Until next time…
Geek Grandma
Filed in: Reviews
I haven't see it and might wait for it to come to cable. I find the idea of outer space kind of interesting, I have to say that I find the words quantum mechanics, quantum physics, and quantum entanglement intimidating:) Maybe I need to figure out the root of that fear first! LOL
That whole science thing can be intimidating, no doubt about it. 🙂
I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this since I am a fan of Christopher Nolan's work. I'm into science and all that jazz, but have also read in EW that the story can come across as a bit sappy. It will be cool to see if I end up loving or hating it, but first I must see the new Hunger Games movie 🙂
Hunger Games is right up there on my list of movies to see. It just happened that this movie was out first so we saw it first.
Wow – someone else who saw Down the Rabbit Hole! Hooray. Ok. The first review I heard for Interstellar was so far out of unbelievable – like 5 stars better than any other 5 star movie the reviewer saw through the year. The second review was – save your money and time.
Now your review: I'll put it in the watch on pay per view. Kind of in-between.
Thanks Cheryl.
Yeah, if the science does not interest you, I would wait and watch it later.
Exciting to find another lay person fascinated by Quantum Reality. Thanks for all the references. I do believe that Quantum science is a description of the world that is valid. It is a scientific description of what ancient spiritual philosophies (where cosmological ideas were studied long ago) explained about the nature of the universe thousands of years ago. The problem is that that description requires a different worldview, one not based on subject-object as ours is. Trying to grasp a view based on oneness when we've been conditioned to perceive the world as subject-object is indeed difficult, but I believe that human evolution is intimately tied in with making this transition. And for the first time since I have been involved with science, quantum physics could be that instigator.
This reminds me of when everyone thought the world was flat. People had to get their head around the fact that it is round. Science is getting us there bit by bit. 🙂
I'm a science fiction fan and love special effects. Just don't know if I have an extra 4 hours with driving to spare to go to a movie – but I wish I did. Might have to wait for it to come out on DVD and watch it in increments as time allows. Wish my TV was the size of the movie screen. 🙂