Moonage Daydream

This weekend I had the pleasure of going to see the highly anticipated space epic, Interstellar. Christopher Nolan's ambitious masterpiece staring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, reaffirms just how truly great science-fiction can be. The film delves into wormholes, space travel and black holes but at it's core begs the question, how far would you go for the ones you love?

What I personally love so much about the sci-fi genre is its ability to make you think. I do enjoy stunning visuals but what keeps me interested long after the credits have rolled is a mind bending plot. Many of the concepts put forth in sci-fi explore very relevant philosophical themes and scientific theories. Topics commonly dealt with include the nature of reality, the mysteries of conscious, the structure of power, the perils of technology, Etc. 

While there are often times far-fetched elements alongside, the thread of truth remains bringing science-fiction to life. Some of the best movies, television shows, short stories and novels in this category reflect on the unique human factor. In the film Interstellar, Cooper brilliantly played by Matthew McConaughey faces glaring danger and overwhelming odds but the most difficult part of his journey is the incredible personal sacrifice he must make by leaving his family. When science-fiction can both push the boundaries of our imagination and effect us on an emotional level it is such a powerful thing. 

In my opinion, one the best examples of this is my all time favorite movie, Blade Runner. In this groundbreaking film from the 80's, Harrison Ford portrays Rick Deckard, a police officer know as a Blade Runner who is tasked with hunting down and executing life-like androids in a futuristic, dystopian Los Angeles. Deckard must contend with the emotions of having to kill Replicants, androids who are virtually indistinguishable from human-beings. 

Thought provoking science fiction has always interested me. I was a child that grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, a TV show filled with intriguing characters and ethical dilemmas. As I got older this fascination for all things sci-fi only became stronger. In some regards I see myself as sort of a nerd and frankly I'm proud of it. I feel that science fiction serves an extremely important cultural role, it allows us to look forward but also look at ourselves now. 

At the heart of all sci-fi lies the question of what if? From H.G. Wells (War of the Worlds) to Gene Roddenberry (the original Star Trek series) all the way to Christopher Nolan (Interstellar), they all explore the realm of what could be. This infinite questioning gives me the ultimate hope that whatever can happen, will happen.