In case you missed it, the Oscars were this past weekend and Birdman was the big winner. The Academy’s choice to award Alejandro González Iñárritu’s fever dream was a genuine shock, not least of all because it actually was my favorite movie of the year. Nonetheless, some things never change, and in that vein it’s certainly a non-surprise the Academy also hardly noticed the most ambitious blockbuster of 2014: the Christopher Nolan space epic, Interstellar. Indeed, I use the phrase “non-surprise,” because how could it be a winner when it was only nominated for the bare minimum of five Oscars in technical categories that are reserved as consolation prizes?

This is by all means par for the course with a film that has experienced a mixed reaction amongst filmgoers and critics in addition to the mainstream-opposed AMPAS. Also, I admittedly stand somewhere along the favorable half of the Interstellar divide: for my money, Christopher Nolan again crafted one of the most thought-provoking films of its year, “big budget” kids table qualifiers be damned. Interstellar might be a Hollywood tentpole, but it is also a stunning one that welcomes speculation about its Secular End Times Mythmaking, as well as scientific scrutiny since it is now considered a resource on the visible structure of black holes in relation to light.

Nevertheless Interstellar, much like Nolan himself, seems to be facing an increased backlash that is all too familiar, despite the director being one of the most respected talents in Hollywood.

Generally speaking, it might appear ludicrous to suggest that one of the most lucrative studio moneymakers is experiencing serious blowback, be it critical or populist. After all, Interstellar—a film that has a climax revolving around an elephantine visualization of fifth dimensional theoretical physics—earned over $670 million worldwide and mostly positive reviews. Mr. Nolan’s previous “original idea” blockbuster, Inception, grossed $825 million worldwide and was nominated for Best Picture; and in between those efforts, he finished off The Dark Knight Trilogy, which when combined earned about $2.5 billion worldwide and even a few Oscars, including a posthumous Supporting Actor trophy for Heath Ledger’s iconic portrayal of the Joker.