Interstellar, written by Christopher Nolan, is a sci-fi movie that depicts a world where crops begin to turn to dust. This world is seen through the eyes of Joseph Cooper. Cooper used to be a skilled pilot and engineer, with a bright future in NASA ahead of him. Then suddenly the world's produce began to rot, resulting in some crops like potatoes, okra, and wheat going extinct due to a disease called “crop blight”.. The only crop unaffected by the disease was corn. The lack of other crops forced Cooper, and many other skilled workers, to become farmers for corn. As a farmer Cooper found his wife and they had two children: Murph and Tom. Before the movie takes place, Cooper’s wife died of cancer, worsening Cooper’s discontent as a corn farmer in the new world order. Cooper’s dreams of becoming a pilot never left him through his farming career, and began to resent farming in its boring simplicityCooper explains, “We used to look up at the sky and wonder at our place in the stars—now we just look down and worry about our place in the dirt,” Lines like this from Cooper demonstrate how he was “born in the wrong time”. At the beginning of the movie, Murph, who was Cooper's youngest daughter, began to notice some gravitational anomalies or her “ghost” that gave her coordinates to a top secret NASA lab. Cooper and Murph follow signs from the “ghost” until they find a hidden area that offers Cooper the decision to relive his dreams, and search space through a black hole for viable planets. Cooper's decision to go on this mission was very upsetting for Murph because the mission was very dangerous and time works differently near a black hole. Time on earth moves much faster, meaning that Murph may never see her father again, or be older than him when they meet next. 
  Interstellar displays a strong foundation of the astrophysics behind space travel. The black hole seen in the film has been cross examined by many scientists that have proven how it shows one of the most accurate depictions of black holes. Every shot with the black hole has been based off of the few known pictures of black holes discovered at the time. Also, Nolan tries to use as few special effects as possible, allowing the effects to never go out of date. In other words, the movie will never be outdated due to bad or aged effects. 
Besides the plot and cinematography, Interstellar establishes many themes involving relationships and human spirit. These themes can be found throughout the entire movie. In some instances, characters had to decide between staying with their families or trying to further the human race. Ethical dilemmas like this lead viewers to question what they believe would be right in this situation and how it would affect their own relationships. Also, the theme of human spirit can be traced through the film. Most notably, a poem by Dylan Thomas that was emphasized in the film solidifies the strength of human spirit to overcome obstacles. The poem leads with, “Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; rage, rage against the dying of the light”. This quote references how people should react towards threats of extinction. This poem communicates the idea of human spirit because it talks about how humans should never give up, even if all seems helpless. 
This movie has refused multiple high rating reviews from movie critics. One critic named Matt Seitz responded to the movie saying, “In any case, there’s something pure and powerful about this movie,” (Seitz). Matt Seitz is trying to convey the point that acting is of high quality and enables viewers to capture the same emotions that the characters feel. One New York Times writer, A.O Scott, commented that Nolan’s “[...]imagination is large; his eye seeks out wide, sweeping vistas; and if he believes in anything, it is ambition” (Scott). Scott is showing how he believes that Nolan’s story telling abilities are able to make his stories relatable for the average viewer, and the messages he conveys through them more resonant. These reviews also show that the film is highly accepted among film critics. 
Between all the urgency, science, and emotions brought up by the film, Interstellar is able to captivate audiences and deliver an engaging story. When I first played it, I was surprised by how long it was, at two hours and forty nine minutes, but the time seemed to fly by due to the captivating plot. It is no surprise that Interstellar has earned numerous awards. Some of these accolades include: Academy Award for Best Visual Effects 2015, Paul J. Franklin, Empire Award for Best Film 2015, BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects 2015, Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie 2015, and critics' Choice MVP Award. Also, Interstellar was voted the 20th best movie on the internet movie database (IMDB). These accolades show how the film is highly reputable and a good watch. I would suggest to anybody looking for an interesting film to watch Interstellar. The complex plot, great acting, and amazing visuals has led to one of the greatest films of all time, and a must watch, Interstellar. 

Works Cited 

“Interstellar.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0816692/awards/. Accessed 13 June 2024.  
Scott, A. O. “Off to the Stars, with Grief, Dread and Regret.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Nov. 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/11/05/movies/interstellar-christopher-nolans-search-for-a-new-planet.html.   
Seitz, Matt Zoller. “Interstellar Movie Review & Film Summary (2014): Roger Ebert.” Movie Review & Film Summary (2014) | Roger Ebert, www.rogerebert.com/reviews/interstellar-2014. Accessed 13 June 2024.