Interstellar

Being distinctly different than 'soft' science fiction, "Interstellar" is what's known as a 'hard' science fiction, as it follows the actual laws of science closely. Though when it does diverge from the real laws of physics, the whimsy of the experience is enough to make it excusable. Director Christopher Nolan's vision of space and especially the black hole Gargantua was so accurate that, with great assistance from his CGI house and astrophysicists, he was able to assist real-life black hole research with the completed product. There are many dazzling effects like this in the movie, but the incredible thing is that many of them aren't computer rendered; much of the spectacle seen on screen was achieved with camera tricks, practical effects, or projection. Beyond this film being a technical marvel, at its core is a very human element; we follow father and former astronaut Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, and his struggles both in keeping his family together and save the dying world by finding new potential colonies. His acting stands out as the hardest-hitting, as he experiences the relatable difficulty of spending time away from one's family to work, but on a cosmic scale.