Interstellar

This post is not about fallacies, but I am doing it as a makeup. I saw Interstellar a while ago and was blown away. Those who have not seen it or 2001: A Space Odyssey should not read this post.

I want to compare Interstellar with 2001: A Space Odyssey, as Interstellar is clearly an homage to 2001. Christopher Nolan touches on many of the same themes, but approaches them completely differently. 2001 is very emotionally distant. Much of the dialogue is monotone and there is not much character development. As a result, we don't "feel" anything for the few main characters. Interstellar on the other hand, spends almost the entire first half of the movie developing Matthew McConaughey's character's relationship with his family. When he finally leaves, viewers know that he is doing it all to save his family, but mostly his daughter.

The second aspect, is each film's views about computers/robots. 2001 famously ends with the evil robot, HAL, taking control of the ship, having killed off all of its crew members. HAL is an indifferent, calculating, scheming computer. Interstellar is quite the opposite. Computers' ability to calculate and act with lightning-quick precision and efficiency sets them apart from humans. Computers are capable of more than we could ever hope to do on our own. The computer saves the ship multiple times, most dramatically when it docks itself with the spinning space station that was reeling after an explosion. Interstellar says that the only reason humans are needed is for their emotion, which gives them a sense of desperation. It was McConaughey's desperation that gave him the idea to match the space station's spin. Only a combination of human desperation/emotion and computer accuracy will lead to success.