Tag: Matthew McConaughey

Interstellar Movie Review — Christopher Nolan’s most epic, but human movie yet

Interstellar is a visual masterpiece that has a human touch that propels it to greatness. It is perhaps one of the best space movies ever made.

Christopher Nolan isn’t one known to be taciturn when it comes to his movies. Even his smaller movies like Momento have grand structures bolstering their simple plots. However, Interstellar is easily is first brush with the epic — unless you consider the full Dark Knight trilogy as one. On paper, it should not work. A sweeping narrative covering different times and worlds would be eaten up by audiences. That’s why Gravity found so much success financially and at the Oscars. But Nolan does something completely different with Interstellar. He introduces science in a way that isn’t watered down or ignored. His film, according to astrophysicists, is completely plausible. Though that fact makes the movie a hard one to digest for viewers, the end result is an incredible study of human nature and our desire to survive.

Food is running out. The world is becoming overpopulated. The Yankees look nothing more than a high school baseball team. A crop blight is threatening the very existence of the human race. Nolan drops into this terrifyingly realistic future plagued with dust storms and the risk of the world simply ending within grasp. With this, the nation turns its attention to farmers and away from the sciences and engineers to save the world.

Check Out: “Sleeping Giants” Book Review: A Unique, Engaging Sci-fi Thriller

However, Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) who was once a pilot for NASA, maintains his faith in STEM. After a dust storm, a mysterious gravitational disturbance leads him back to the formerly disbanded agency. He discovers that NASA, led by Dr. Brand (Nolan regular Michael Caine) and his daughter Dr. Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway) have discovered a wormhole. “One system with three potential worlds,” as Amelia puts. it. Something, or someone, has given the human race a chance to live by presenting them with potential new planets to call home.

Cooper is given the seemingly possible decision to leave his children forever, potentially, or save the humanity from extinction. Choosing the latter, he embarks into an incredible mission on the ship Endurance. He, along with Amelia, Dr. Doyle (Wes Bently), and Dr. Romilly (David Gyasi) set off to assess the three worlds to choose where to start a new civilization.

Back on earth, Murphy Cooper (Jessica Chastain), who grows up while her father is gone, begins to help Dr. Brand determine the formula to get humans off of earth in a mass exodus.

While wormholes and other worlds seem like the work of science fiction, the science is very real. Though throughout the movie it sometimes gets a little confusing, with a little thinking you can piece it together. Essentially, it’s the Neil DeGrasse Tyson of movies. The science is explained in a non-condescending way.

One of the most surprising elements of Interstellar is not the story or the science, but the sentimentality. It’s shockingly emotional and often heartbreaking. In fact, parts of it gutted me. Whether it’s surprising because of the director or the premise is anybody’s guess. However, the grasp it has on humanity is both refreshing and welcome. Especially in the science fiction genre, a human factor is usually missing. But Nolan and the screenplay exhibit human nature for all its beauty and destruction.

We have an innate desire to survive. That’s why the people on earth in Interstellar begin to lose faith in the dream to leave the planet. They are thinking of how they can solve the problems on Earth. The very idea of the movie is thinking of a way to save our race. However, the movie explores the selfish motivations we also innately have. The way it is explored is surprising and devastating.

But it’s not just the screenplay and direction that exudes that. The ensemble was tasked with accessing emotions that humans would actually feel in these situations. Overall, the entire cast is phenomenal. However, there are three standouts for me. The first is Matthew McConaughey. I think it’s very unfortunate that he won his Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club. Not to take away from that performance. His performance in Interstellar is an incredible meditation on one of the hardest questions for humans: how much will you sacrifice for the greater good. There is no better way to show this than when he is watching messages from his kids as the years go by. This is the best performance of his career.

Check Out: “Arrival” Movie Review: One of the Best Sci-Fi Movies of the Decade

The other two performances that stood out were the two actresses that portrayed Murph. Mackenzie Foy breaks any stigma surrounding child actors with a really naturalistic and heartbreaking performance. She has these knowing gazes that foreshadow the scientific curiosity that follows her throughout her life. Jessica Chastain is an incredible presence as the older Murph. She carries over the knowing gazes, but adds the emotional baggage of years of abandonment by Coop. It is easily one of her most memorable performances.

Masterpiece isn’t a word I take lightly. I’ve said it in probably two reviews on this blog (Boyhood and Moonlight – the former I’m less inclined to continue using that phrase). However, I’d call Interstellar a masterpiece of filmmaking. It’s as grand as it is introspective and as grounded as it is existential. By the end of the nearly three-hour running time — it goes by in a flash — you feel as if you’ve experienced something that is so rarely captured on film. If not for the plot or performances, watch it for the stunning visuals that haven’t been seen on the silver screen since perhaps 2001: A Space Odyssey. I think a decade from now we’re going to look back and wonder how we fell asleep to such a grand and sweeping epic.

★★★★★ out of 5

Get Interstellar on DVD, Blu-Ray, or Digital on Amazon or stream for free with Amazon Prime!

January 16, 2017
Will “True Detective’s” Emmy Switch to Drama Pay Off?

One of the bigger shocks so far in the Emmy season was HBO’s True Detective’s choice to submit in the drama categories rather than the mini-series categories. The series, which is an anthology series like American Horror Story, would have guaranteed itself wins in Best Miniseries/TV Movie Actor and Directing for a Miniseries/TV Movie. Now, not a single win is guaranteed. To determine whether or not the switch will have an upside I will be looking at each category they are likely to be nominated in.

Drama Writing
Prior to the switch I would have said that the series was relatively safe for a writing nomination. However, as of now I have them in 5th place for a nomination. The issue is that it wasn’t a show that was praised for its writing. Is it good? Yes, of course. Was it a standout? No, not by a long shot. If they submit the “The Long Bright Dark (Pilot)” or “Form and Void” I think they have a stronger chance, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were left off.

Did it pay off? NO!

Drama Directing
I’m going to be very brief with this. They were guaranteed a win on the miniseries side, but now they have to contend with Breaking Bad, which hasn’t won in this category during its series run, which is both a handicap and an advantage. True Detective’s directing has always been a main point of praise for the series, so I still think they win here, but it’s going to be an uphill battle.

Did it pay off? Maybe.

Drama Supporting Actress
This one is simple. Michelle Monaghan was guaranteed a win before, but now sits in sixth place with essentially no chance for a win.

Did it pay off? Sorry Michelle, but Anna Gunn gave the best performance of this year.

Drama Actor
Currently in our predictions we have Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in 2nd and 6th, respectively, for Drama Actor. However, I am going to move McConaughey to 1st, which is also part of the reason I think this is the one category where I think they helped themselves. Because of the Drama category’s format of a performer submitting one episode, it gives McConaughey a boost if Harrelson is nominated since voters will essentially see two performance from both actors. The reason I think this helps them is because in miniseries voters are supposed to watch the entire series, this puts both McConaughey and Harrelson at a disadvantage because their strongest scene come mid-season. It is common knowledge that voters don’t watch terribly far into any mini-series, so someone with a top heavy season like Martin Freeman in Fargo or in a TV movie like Mark Ruffalo in The Normal Heart will have an advantage. Although, the duo still has to contend with Bryan Cranston, I think voters will respond well to McConaughey’s performance in his likely submission of “Who Goes There?”

Did it pay off? Looking like a yes. Unless, Cranston still wins.

Drama Series
This is a hard one to determine. The series currently sits in 3rd to Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones in our predictions and I think it’s going to stay that way till the end. A lot of you are going to use the argument that Breaking Bad aired too long ago, but so did Homeland when it won. I am confident that Breaking Bad is going to pull it out to the end. However, had True Detective stayed in Mini-series, I think it still would have lost. Fargo, despite its soft ratings, had one of the best seasons of television in history and voters will know that. They’re not stupid. They aren’t going to be deaf to the industry backlash that True Detective is getting. Fargo is essentially their only alternative.

Did it pay off? It didn’t matter either way

June 4, 2014
2014 Emmy Predictions: Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Anyone watching the episode submissions for Lead Actor in a Drama Series it’s easy to see who the clear winner is here. If voters didn’t pay attention to anything but performance, Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) would be a slam dunk for the episode “Ozymandias.” However, voters don’t have blinders on when they vote. There is a lot of buzz and love for Matthew McConaughey (True Detective). In addition to being lauded for his performance in the show, he also won an Oscar earlier this year and True Detective has been one of the most talked about new shows.

That being said, his episode submission “Form and Void” doesn’t give a huge amount of material to show off. He has a great emotional monologue toward the end of the episode, but having a second tape from Woody Harrelson (True Detective) didn’t help him any. McConaughey does fine in Harrelson’s submission of “The Locked Room”, but nothing overwhelming.

I think the real dark horse here is Kevin Spacey (House of Cards). The show was much buzzed about when it was first released and, because of Netflix, it’s technically always playing. However, his episode submission “Chapter 26” gives him great scene after scene, including his typewriter scene and of course the infamous desk knock (check out our season 2 Emmy worthy moments here). If voters can’t choose between the top two contenders, Spacey could sneak in.

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1. Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (“Ozymandias”)
2. Matthew McConaughey, True Detective (“Form and Void”)
3. Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (“Chapter 26”)
4. Jon Hamm, Mad Men (“The Strategy”)
5. Woody Harrelson, True Detective (“The Locked Room”)
6. Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom (“Election Night, Part II”)

July 6, 2014
Kubo and the Two Strings Movie Review — One of the most gorgeously animated movies ever

With some of the most beautiful animations committed to film, Kubo and the Two Strings is a movie that prides itself on story and delivers on its promise

“If you blink, do it now.” Some movies just remind you how much you love movies. These are the movies that transport you to a different world, dazzle you with gorgeous filmmaking, and tell a story that you lose yourself in. I think Kubo and the Two Strings more than any movie this year has done that.

One of the first things you learn about when you study storytelling is the hero’s journey. It follows one person’s journey from the known to the unknown and the transformative growth that it comes with. Star Wars is probably the most high-profile example of the narrative structure. The reason it works is because the hero has to earn his or her ending. By going through challenges, defeats, and hard-fought lessons, they have to learn about themselves in the context of their story and the story of those around him or her.

Kubo is a perfect representation of the hero’s tale. The titular Kubo is a young boy whose life has been shrouded in darkness. The movie opens with his mother’s harrowing escape by boat through vicious waves to save an infant Kubo. Her father, the Moon King, plucked out Kubo’s eye in an effort to make him blind to humanity. Years later, the Moon King and his twin daughters continue to seek out Kubo to steal his other eye. After staying out after dark, Kubo is attacked by his twin aunts. His Mother saves him with the last of her magic and sends him on a quest with a monkey — voiced by Charlize Theron in a phenomenal performance — as his protector.

His mission is to find the three pieces of armor that will protect him from his Grandfather – the sword unbreakable, the armor impenetrable, and the helmet invulnerable. Along the way, they find a samurai who has been cursed and turned into a beetle named Beetle who was a student of Kubo’s father. The trio trek through dangerous landscapes and battle many foes. However, the real story is revealed throughout the movie, which ties up to an emotional gut-punch in the end.

At the center of the entire movie is some of the most dazzling animation I have ever seen. Stop-motion is a genre that I often forget to appreciate because its look could be disconcerting. But Kubo introduces beautiful Japanese inspired art that literally comes to life before your eyes. In particular, the animation of origami figures that fold themselves at Kubo’s will is most impressive. The animators use gorgeous, bold colors to paint vivid landscapes and portraits throughout the journey with painstaking detail that is marvelous.

Kubo and the Two Strings bravely trusts its audience, adults and kids alike, with its at times dark tale. Sometimes the plot comes to points where you forget that this is a movie marketed towards children. However, it includes flashes of humor — particularly from Beetle (voiced wonderfully by Matthew McConaughey) — that are pitch-perfect in their delivery and effect.

Laika has proved itself as an animation studio to watch with three hits in a row. With Kubo and the Two Strings, it proves that it’s a top animation studio. From the power of memory to strength in the face of loss, Kubo deals with some heavy themes for a kids movie. However, it balances it out with such beauty, a strong story, and surprising flashes of humor that make it one of the strongest animated movies of the year.

8.5/10

Kubo and the Two Strings is available on Digital HD on Amazon!

November 29, 2016