Interstellar: 10 Superior Philosophical Sci-Fi Films
5. Solaris
Tarkovsky was also responsible for the first adaptation of Polish sci-fi author Stanisaw Lems Solaris, but its Steven Soderberghs version in 2002 that hewed a little closer to the source material. Starring starring George Clooney and Natascha McElhone, Soderberghs take on Solaris manages to be both more accessible that the 1972 version, whilst also delving deeper into a lot of the philosophical and psychological themes Lem was tackling in his novel. Dont worry, it still involves an intrepid bunch of astronauts venturing into space and happening across something they weren't expecting. Its just Solaris has a lot more to say than Interstellar. Set almost entirely upon a space station orbiting the eponymous, far-flung planet, Solaris is all about the nature of memory, and the way that it can become twisted, fractured, and affect our modern lives even when theyre just ephemeral moments from the past. Like, heavy stuff, man. Clooney struggles with hallucinations of his wife, who had committed suicide years before; apparently, something in the planet is causing these painful memories to not only return, but almost come back to life. A tough watch, but a rewarding one to say the least.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
