Interstellar

 Christopher Nolan is regarded by many as one of the most acclaimed directors of our generation. Films like “Insomnia,” “The Prestige,” “Inception,” and “Memento” are all among my favorite films, because of the dark and eerie atmosphere that they give off. While I do like “The Dark Knight Trilogy,” they don't seem to have the same kind of kick that the other films have. Now with “The Dark Knight Trilogy” wrapped up, Nolan finally returns to doing newer work with his science fiction epic, “Interstellar.”

The film tells the story of Cooper, a farming engineer who wants to do whatever it takes to protect his family. When his daughter, Murphy, discovers the coordinates for NASA's surviving base, Cooper now has to lead a team of scientists through a wormhole, in order to find a better planet for the human race to live on. To be perfectly honest, this is Christopher Nolan's BEST film. His directing and writing skills are put to the test in this picture, and not for a moment do I feel like a scene or performance was done badly. And for a film that's almost three hours long, I was NOT bored by it.

Matthew McConaughey as Cooper is fantastic, and he really shows us that he can act, instead of being that charming southern guy from “How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days.” Even before he heads off into space, the interactions he has with everyone he shares the screen with are great, like he does know how to work through a situation. McConaughey is one of my favorite actors, and after winning the Oscar for “Dallas Buyers Club” and starring in “True Detective,” it's very likely he won't lose his mojo anytime soon. I also find it funny how this is the second character named “Cooper” he's played, with the previous one being in “Killer Joe.” Seriously guys, if you haven't seen “Killer Joe” yet, go check it out, it is awesome! You'll never think of chicken wings the same way.

Mackenzie Foy plays Murphy, Cooper's daughter, and she manages to give a fantastic performance as well. It's really nice to see that after playing the bastard child of Edward and Bella in “Breaking Dawn,” she can finally show us that she can act. The scenes with her and McConaughey are probably my favorite part of the movie, because they have such good chemistry together. You do believe their relationship together as father and daughter, like any good actor or actress should. I also enjoyed Jessica Chastain's portrayal of the grown-up Murphy, which has just as much emotion as Foy does. And, much like any performance from Jessica Chastain, she a strong and determined protagonist, going with her instincts instead of what others suggest. Chastain has really started to become one of my favorite actresses, ever since her flawless Oscar nominated role in “The Help.” And to see her work with one of my favorite directors is a treat in itself.

Anne Hathaway returns from “The Dark Knight Rises” to play Amelia Brand, one of the fellow astronauts that Cooper has to travel with. At first, we don't know much about her character, aside from being the daughter of the head programmer, but we still get that emotional feel with her throughout the film, with every passing moment. It's good to see Hathaway go from being that chick from “The Princess Diaries,” to becoming an Oscar winning actress, and in one of the greatest science fiction epics in the longest time. Michael Caine, another Nolan collaborator, also gives a great performance as Amelia's father. I mean, it's Michael Caine, why wouldn't he?

Other supporting roles such as John Lithgow as Cooper's father, Topher Grace as Murphy's partner, Casey Affleck as Cooper's son, and even Wes Bently and David Gyasi as the other two astronauts give off very good performances. We even get a surprise cameo from Matt Damon and Ellen Burstyn, so that was pretty cool.

Now let me just talk about the effects, because...holy shit, this is a gorgeous looking movie. For a science fiction movie filmed and directed in such majesty and magnitude, I did not think this film was using CGI, much like “Gravity.” I felt like I was watching these people actually go up into space and go through a worm hole. There have been some people who complained about how the science was wrong in this film...but I don't really care. I only looked at this film thinking, “this is amazing,” and it was.

Overall, “Interstellar” is my new favorite film from Christopher Nolan, and is definitely a contender for my favorite movie of the year. If this film does get Oscar attention, they had better give Nolan a Best Director nomination. Hell, he deserves one after being snubbed for “Inception.” But then again, he was nominated for Best Picture and Best Screenplay, so I can't complain too much.

Rating: 10/10