Interstellar - Not Just for Nerds

Un-nerd girls and non-sci-fi freaks, don't be scared off by the title and topic of the film Interstellar. Though I might hesitate to recommend it to those friends who violently eschew all things space related, most people will find the spectacular effects, nail biting thrills, and deeply moving, personal story immensely satisfying.

The film begins by depicting our planet in the near future, depleted of the resources needed to support its citizens. To great effect, director Christopher Nolan intercuts actual footage from Ken Burns's documentary, The Dust Bowl, with fictional characters talking about the depletion of soil in America's heartland and the resulting massive dust storms. The people of Earth need solutions, but space travel has been put on the shelf decades ago and is no longer a viable option for finding a new home…or isn't it? Matthew McConaughey stars as a grounded astronaut, who, once presented with the previously discarded possibility of either finding an inhabitable home for the current population of earth, or one where the seeds of new generations can be planted, has no choice but to go with a small, dedicated team of astronauts and one empathetic robot, to evaluate the data of explorers who had gone before looking for life-sustaining planets. To fulfill such a mission, it may be necessary to leave his children with their grandfather, possibly for good. There are too many cinematic secrets within this film to tell more of the plot here, so I won't. But all the wormholes, inadvertent time travel, (something readers of my novels know I'm extremely fond of), and 2001, A Space Odyssey homages, don’t overwhelm the palpable emotion of this film. Oh, you’re gonna cry.

All of the actors, including McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Casey Affleck, Michael Caine, David Oyelowo, Matt Damon, Topher Grace, John Lithgow, Ellen Burstyn, young Mackenzie Foy and more, are at their finest here. I, personally, had a hard time imagining McConaughey as an astronaut―to me, he’s always kind of a cowboy―but he more than pulls it off. As he proved last year with Dallas Buyers Club, this artist is one to be reckoned with. He and the rest of the cast are simply wonderful.

I’ve heard it said, and have to agree: see Interstellar on the biggest screen possible. Please, for the love of God, don’t watch it on your IPad. If you can see it on IMAX, spring for the pricier ticket and do it. It will immerse you. I haven’t yet seen many of the big films out this fall, but this one is sure to take many, many awards. Opening Friday, November, 7th, get out there and see it.

George Clooney: More Than Just a Pretty Face

George Clooney was just within my reach. No, I wasn't in the running as a marriage candidate, but I came very close to meeting him in 2012 at a Q&A for the film Argo - one of the benefits of being a New York City gal, member of the Screen Actors Guild, and entertainment reporter about town. Ben Affleck was there, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, (not to drop names :) and Clooney of course. Sometimes the actors, directors, etc. hang around after those events to meet and greet but not so this time - they were out the door as soon as it was over. But someone spoke to Clooney and detained him. He was standing right at the edge of the low stage. My plus one for the night hustled me over to him, knowing how much I would love to meet him. But I just froze, overcome with shyness. I just couldn't do it. Where were my reporter chops when I needed them?  Before I could summon my courage, Clooney fled into the night.

I, like women all over the world, wept when his engagement to Amal Alamuddin was announced...as if any of us ever had a chance! (Besides the fact that I'm, um, married.) At least he's ending up with a really smart woman, a human rights attorney, as a matter of fact, as opposed to a supermodel or sexy actress. It shouldn't really surprise us though, because even though his track record of dating hot young things pointed to the fact that perhaps he was a tad shallow, he's made a lot of meaningful decisions in the past several years about which films to act in, produce, and direct, including O Brother, Where Art Thou, Syriana, Good Night, and Good Luck, Up in the Air, The Descendants, and Argo to name a few. Not only that, but his record as an activist for social justice is impressive, especially the work he did in, and on behalf of, Darfur, using his celebrity to bring attention to that dire situation, and forming the organization Not on Our Watch to raise money for the cause, along with Don Cheadle, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon. It turns out he's a man with principles who wants a woman who shares them. Good for him.

I will admit, I did briefly buy into the rumors that he might have been gay, especially after the night of the Argo screening. It wasn't that he was effeminate, it was just that he was so genuinely handsome, well-dressed, and charming - I don't know many straight men like that. But I guess he's put that rumor to bed (so to speak) once and for all.

As he ages, he's taking on a certain Sean Connery vibe, something he exuded in his 2014 film The Monuments Men. In other words, he's not losing his sexiness, it's simply evolving. However, there's another reason I mention The Monuments Men. Directed and co-written by Clooney, and produced by him and Grant Heslov, it was notable for more than the fact that it was an interesting and touching film. It was released in February, during awards season, the absolute worst time for a film to be released because everyone will have forgotten about it by the time nominations are announced for the following awards season, and way to early for it to be a summer box office hit: kind of a purgatory for mediocre films. And while it's true The Monuments Men may not be awards caliber, it stars some heavy hitters who are all excellent in it: Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, and of course Clooney. I got the impression that Clooney and Heslov really didn't care if it won awards or if people went to see it in droves. It was a story they were passionate about telling and so they told it. That spells sincerity and conviction to me. 

I used to feel silly admitting that George Clooney was one of my favorite celebrities, but no more. He's a man with a conscience who backs up his beliefs, and has finally found a woman who is his equal. After all, if I can't have him, somebody really great should. He has, indeed, turned out to be a lot more than just a pretty face.

An Exciting Year, Rubbing Elbows With the Stars!

Lordy, lord, what a year. Here's a wrap up of all the stars I've met this fall, being a member of the Screen Actors Guild Nominating Committee, as well as my take on many of the films.
http://connect.chicklitclub.com/wp/2012/12/02/best-of-the-best/

Ewan McGregor

By the way, Mr. Ewan McGregor is my first choice to star as the hero in the film version of my book, The Time Baroness. When you read it, picture his face as Ben.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Denzel Washington

George Clooney

Ben Affleck

Hugh Jackman

Paul Rudd

Garrett Hedlund

Irrfan Kahn

Matt Damon