Interstellar – The Movie – And The Value Of A Dream

Ah, the ability to act on a dream. Recently I celebrated my 10-year anniversary. The years leading up to it weren’t full of struggle or filled with difficulty either; instead, they were joy-filled and full of what I’ll call “coasting.” You know what I mean: things are on autopilot, simply happening because that’s how they occur. I’m blessed, I know. We decided to go to a cabin in Wisconsin for a few days just me and my wife, decompressing and spending time doing whatever we wanted. During this COVID-19 season, we actually watched a lot of T.V. Now, normally we wouldn’t. Normally we would have explored the area some, but since we were visiting her older parents, we wanted as little contact as possible. But hey, 10 years of investment allows us some time to do, well, just about anything we want to.

What a time it was, too. The cabin we stayed at was in the middle of nowhere, and when it got dark, it got DARK. You could see the stars so clearly – something many of us don’t get the opportunity to see living in the throngs of population. It’s here I want to stop, take a moment, and discuss the subject of this post.

Interstellar

       

One of the movies we watched was Interstellar, a superb movie dealing with the human condition, survival, exploration, the need to feel significant, to matter, to interact with others, a race against time – in short, a movie that had A LOT going for it. I’ve wanted to watch the movie ever since I saw a snippet at my neighbor’s house some years back but for one reason or another never got around to it. This time, however, we purposefully rented it through Amazon Prime, and I enjoyed every moment.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film has a unique feel to it – you could compare it to Inception and understand they had the same director; there’s a vibe for sure. You know what I mean. It wouldn’t be hard for someone to pick out a Tim Burton movie, for example. There’s a certain style to it. So it is with Christopher Nolan.

Of course, then, there’s the music. It has an amazing score, elevating the suspense with it. Again, Inception comes to mind. The Dark Knight also has recurring instrumental that powerfully adds to the suspense. I could let the main theme loop for hours on YouTube and not tire of it. There are times when I need to focus on the task at hand and invite music to be my companion – and the score for this movie has found its way into the selection process. I do enjoy good instrumental, after all.

       

The graphics of our time lend itself to the movie, too. I mean, how well would the movie be perceived if done 20 years ago? What about 10? Let’s be honest for a moment and concede the obvious: the technology we use today affords us movies like Interstellar – with breathtaking cinematography to sell the overall plot. This is a great segue into the next point…

Interstellar and the Human Condition

Humanity – precious, complex, and beautiful

Interstellar is SO MUCH MORE than just space exploration. Yes, there are some great actors cast, and they have some excellent character development, but the thing that ties it all up in a nice package is the human condition – which is the most powerful connection a movie could make with us. Whether it’s Cooper and his strong connection with Murph (his daughter), Dr. Brand and her love for Wolf Edmonds, or even Dr. Mann and his overpowering will to survive, I suspect we can all see the human condition shine through powerfully in each of their own lives and entanglement. What are we to say about those on planet Earth? What about their fight to continue life despite all of the tragedies besetting humanity? Or the slim chance of traveling through a wormhole seeking a hospitable planet capable of hosting life?

The human condition is perhaps the most powerful thing a movie can connect the audience with. It draws us in. It humanizes characters, revealing their flaws and weaknesses. It connects us in ways we often don’t see or experience. There is no happily ever after, either; there are fights, complex choices, sacrifices are made, and losses are guaranteed.

The Value of a Dream

What do you dream about – and will you act on it?

This might come as a surprise, but despite the above, this post isn’t meant to be an in-depth critique of the movie. I thought the movie was excellent. In fact, I watched it three times, catching things I had missed previously, and even googled several questions I had after watching it.

Still, what started this post was an underlying theme the main character espoused: being pioneers. Dreaming, wondering, questioning, exploring. What our place is in the vastness of the cosmos. It was this – which I’ve labeled the value of a dream – that resonated with me so much that I wanted to write a piece about it.

So I ask you – what is the value of a dream?

The ability to dream, to question, to wonder, to explore – what value do you have for it?

You see, Interstellar is a great movie for several reasons – some of which I’ve listed above – but there is another, underlying reason I believe it resonates with people: the exploration of the unknown. On a clear night we can see the stars (even better in places where there is no light pollution) and in our awe ask what is our place among them? The Earth seems infinitesimally small when compared to the vastness of space – so we ask – where do we fit?

When we were (or are) younger, we used to dream, or at least I did. I can remember looking at a planetary and being awestruck in wonder at the enormity of the universe, just how vast the expanse of space truly is. I used to dream about traveling to other planets, what they would be like, and wonder if there were any other habitable planets out there. The trip to Saturn ranges from 746 million to just over 1 billion miles depending on when and where. That’s almost unfathomable to conceptualize. So is the picture of the massive black hole, which was unveiled last year.

And to think this black hole is 53.5 MILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY. That’s not unquantifiable, but it sure seems to be.

What happens to the dreams

Many of us allow our dreams to evaporate over the years

All that wondering, all that curiosity, all that speculation, all that dreaming…what happens to it? When we are kids, we dream of the strangest things, or so it seems, anyway. We live there, equipped with curiosity and wonder that excites us. It can drive us, fuel us, and enable us to do great things.

Something seems to happen, though, and that something robs us of most of the above. We stop wondering. We quell curiosity. We replace speculation with skepticism, we languish under the weight of adulthood – and shed the freedom to dream.

Now, some would say we should shed our childhood ways to be responsible adults, and I agree to an extent. I would argue, though, that the skill/ability/freedom/capacity/aptitude to dream is not one of those childish ways. Too often we throw out the baby with the bathwater, and it’s clear we do this with dreaming.

Think about it: dreamers are those willing to take a risk, to take a chance and dive into something. They are entrepreneurs, creators, inventors, and problem solvers. They dare to dream. Moreover, they act on those dreams. They resist autopilot and actively seek to fulfill them.

Movies – a great equalizer

Movies have the power to bring balance to things

Knowing the above, is it any wonder movies like Interstellar stir the imagination, allowing most a chance to do what they’ve abandoned long ago? To put it another way, people live vicariously through movies, giving them permission to dream and imagine once again. They stir something up in us, fanning a smothered spark for curiosity. They allow us to rewind the clock and think about the impossible. We’re given a pass to dream once more, imagining the impossible to achieve the unattainable.

This is why movies like Interstellar are so good. Moreover, this is also why childhood is just as much for a parent as it is for the child. We are reminded of the innocence that a child displays when dreaming of impossibilities, probing the unknown, and seeking adventure. And far too often, our response to those vivid dreams is to quell them with reality. We’ve become so accustomed to merely living we’re content with simply existing.

The wealth of dreaming

The value in dreams is almost unqualifiable

So I return to my original question: what is the value of a dream? How much is it worth to dream of the impossible, to imagine the unattainable, or to think up the unbelievable? Can we not see the wealth granted to us when we allow ourselves to dream? The freedom that’s granted or joy when we let down our guard is of immense worth. I’m of the opinion if we could see through the haze of adulthood, we’d discover just how far we’ve drifted from origin. Perhaps we’d even realize how much we are creatures of comfort and seek to recompense that with dreaming of the unexplored, the uncharted, the unimaginable.

Maybe we’ll even recognize the value of dreaming and give ourselves permission to dream once more. Those of us in the skilled trades could definitely use some more of that.

It is for us to find that balance between reality and dreams, maintaining one foot in each camp, and allowing ourselves to dream again. And if you figure it out, let the rest of us know – some of us would like to know how you did it.