ves

PHM wanted to start in space rather than spend the first 45 min on Earth. So we get the ridiculous amnesia gimmick that allowed them to break that 45 minutes into 5 minute chunks revealed throughout the film. Interstellar’s gimmick is the “ghost”. It gives the film a mystery MacGuffin that keeps audiences interested throughout the set up and journey to the planets when the movie finally has its pay off scenes. Both try their hardest to emotionally manipulate the audience. PHM is more obvious about it. Interstellar is also obvious about it but has a bit more tact. Both have a lot of filler. The Matt Damon sequence is the best thing between either film. PHM has the stronger cinematography and doesn’t just flash a cool image for 2 seconds then cut away (a big pet peeve of mine with Nolan; he never lingers on a great shot). PHM is cheesier and more by the numbers. But also actually develops its characters and relationships in a way that makes them feel fully three dimensional. Interstellar does not do that. It’s something Nolan struggles with, in general. I find both have kind of weird endings that feel more like shrugs than a meaningful conclusion. Alright. I’ve made my pick. Interstellar wins. As fun as Rocky is and as much as I enjoyed the dynamic between the two, the Matt Damon stuff is just that much more interesting than like 99% of PHM. The build up of Damon’s character, the surprise, the payoff. I don’t think PHM had a moment that came anywhere close to that.