Rating: 
Summary: Believe the Editors! A top five SF pick!
Review: This was my first DVD purchase, and I couldn't be happier. This is definitely one of the top five SF films of all time. I personally would place it third after 2001 and 2010, but ahead of any Star Trek or Star Wars film, as much as I enjoy them. Its strong points are its evocation of "sense of wonder" and intelligent treatment of a core SF theme; if you prefer action and special effects you would rank it lower. There are a lot of nice special effects here but they don't dominate the movie as in Star Wars.I don't know of any other film that gives such a balanced presentation of the conflict between science and religion. My only problem was the claim that "95% of the world's people believe in some sort of God", a figure which is preposterously high but goes unchallenged in the movie. Ellie (the protagonist) should have laughed at this claim rather than being cowed by it. Things you should know: -- This release is lean in extra features; there is no extra video included. The only substantial extras are annotated reconstruction of some special effects and three alternate audio-commentary sound tracks, one by Jodie Foster herself. For someone like me who would be entertained listening to her read a phone book, her audio commentary is a real bonus, like having her sitting there next to me explaining the movie(!) -- On a standard TV the video shows in a relatively narrow band; it's in 2.35:1 format, which is as far as I know the narrowest presentation used for DVDs; it uses just slightly more than half your screen. You should not let this prevent you from buying the DVD; like me, you will *someday* get a widescreen TV, and it's still quite enjoyable on a standard TV.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent movie.
Review: Contact is one of those movies you have to buy. The plot and story are very deep and something everyone can relate to. Religion vs. Science, Space, Love all major parts of this movie. The special effects are terrific! All star cast including former President Bill Clinton, Jodie Foster and others. Watch it and then buy it...
Rating:
Summary: We Are Not Alone
Review: Contact is extraordinary. Yes, it has cliches, yes, some plot elements are predictable, but the story is mesmerizing. Special effects are used only to enhance the story line. Yes, the folks at observatories really do things like fish in wading pools. Extraterrestrials are neither demonied nor deified, and it is a deeply spiritual movie. Those who have read the novel will not be disappointed - despite many plot and character changes, it is the same story. I especially recommend it for those who think they don't like science fiction.
Rating:
Summary: My first DVD
Review: I can't stop watching this movie. I was enthralled in the theatre and continue to be so in my living room. The opening scene always thrills me, as does most of the cinematography. Jodie Foster is as talented as ever, and who could not want to look at Matthew McConaughey. More importantly, the themes of the story reach me the most. The battle between science and religion and the testing of our search for truth. As humans, we are constantly assuring ourselves that we have the answers, and this movie just re-interates how young we really are.
Rating: 
Summary: The Worst of the Best
Review: Robert Zemeckis' worst film. Jodie Foster's worst performance. Given the potential of the crew, this is one of the worst movies of the 1990's. It's nearly as bad as Twister and bad for the same reasons: lazy direction with 2 minutes of visuals serving as compensation. A real low point in the career of some brilliant artists.
Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars
Review: This is one of the best done sci fi films ever. It appeals to everyone, even people that claim not to like sci fi. I went to see it expecting an action adventure or thrill but what it really is is a top notch drama. Jodie Foster does a fantastic job (as usual) The story is very compelling, and the special effects are beautiful and awe-inspiring. The aliens were done with a twist too that I thought was really unique.
Rating:
Summary: Good Movie
Review: This was a very good movie, but a little....loopy at the end. Jodie Foster plays an astronomy lover who dedicates her life to finding alien life. She falls in love with Matthew McConaughey, who's life is with God. Jodie's life takes a deffinite turn when she finds out that their is more than stars out there... Good movie overall. I recomend it if your into astonomy or just want a good movie.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and touching!
Review: I saw the movie twice at the theatres, then later on Video and finally I bought the DVD. I did read the book first and eventough there are some differences the subject of how would be a first encounter with aliens is treated in the best possible way. No fantasies or alegories but just a very interesting scientific point of view. Plus remarkable on this movie is the possible reaction that such an event would generate for the great public and the government. All the craziness and insanity reactions are just perfect captured in this movie. Jodie Foster is a great actress and gives a touching and very sincere representation for Ellie, the main caracter in the story. The extras on the DVD were not that great, I think they could have showed more about Carl Sagan and his legacy. Overall, Contact is a great movie and makes you reflect about all the insane things we see on the media about aliens... I also recommend not only this movie, but the book itself as well as all the other books from Carl Sagan, in particular The Demon-Haunted World.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Movie of More than the Usual...
Review: This is a great movie with deeper meaning and signifigance than the run of the mill Sci-Fi. If you are looking for a fast paced special effects film, this may not be the one for you, but the film has a great story line and good acting. I enjoyed the twists in the story, and the significance to the story told. If you watch this film and leave without thinking, then you missed the message. I really enjoyed this film.
Rating:
Summary: Foster, Zemeckis Realize Sagan's Vision
Review: All of the greatest work by the greatest scientists has been done while they were very young, when they were stupid enough to believe that two-plus-two-equals-five, and pursued it instead of listening to all of those who were much older and wiser who said Don't Waste Your Time. Einstein, it has been said, asked all of his important questions before the age of twenty-five, then spent the rest of his life working on them. "Contact," directed by Robert Zemeckis, is the story of a young scientist, Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster), who like Einstein and all the greats before her, has been asking questions and seeking answers since she was very young. And now, as a member of the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) team, she is able to pursue her obsession with the mysteries of the galaxies and the infinite universe that surrounds us. Her job is to sweep the skies, using the most sophisticated equipment available, for a signal from deepest space. It may be her job, but for Ellie it's a labor of love, for she is convinced that there is something, or someone, out there somewhere, because otherwise, she reasons, what a terrible waste of space it would be. Ellie may be a dreamer, but she knows in her heart that it is the dreamers who over the years have been responsible for making us evolve, making us learn and grow because they are the ones who take insane, foolish ideas and pursue them. And to her, two-plus-two will always be five. Ellie loves her job and believes in what she is doing, but it's been a struggle over the years, as she and others have had to constantly fight for the funding necessary to keep the project alive, begging for dollars from short-sighted, unimaginative people with vision that goes only as far as the bottom line of their budget book. It's been a tough row to hoe, and she's had to swallow a lot of pride over the years, but then one day it all pays off, when in one magic moment she hears what she's been waiting for all her life: A signal from a distant end of the galaxy-- someone attempting to communicate, to make contact, with the people of the Earth. Ellie and her team soon realize that, whomever it is, they are using the universal language of prime numbers in their attempts at making contact; and when Ellie deciphers the code, she discovers something monumental in the bargain. But it's a message of global importance, something much bigger than she and her team alone, and she soon find herself fighting to remain a part of the drama that is only beginning to unfold-- the first interaction between human beings and an alien life form. And it's only the beginning of the adventure and the wondrous places this film is about to take you. Jodie Foster gives a performance here that demonstrates what a gifted, talented actor she is. Her Ellie is convincing and believable, and someone to whom you can genuinely relate, no matter who you are or where you're from, because there is something universal in Ellie's passion and longing to discover the truth and to see beyond the veil of our limited mortal capacities. There's a strength to Ellie, born of a combination of intelligence and innocence, as well as tenacity and faith, and Foster manifests all of these complexities of her character beautifully, with a performance that should've landed her an Oscar nomination. In this role, she is simply as good as it gets. As the young Ellie, Jenna Malone gives a terrific performance, also, which certainly captures the same spirit that we find in the adult Ellie. And there's a maturity she brings to the character that far exceeds her years. She was a perfect choice for the part, and if this is any indication of what she is capable of, Malone has a successful career ahead of her. The supporting cast includes David Morse (Ted Arroway), Matthew McConaughey (Palmer), Geoffrey Blake (Fisher), William Fichtner (Kent), Tom Skerritt (David), James Woods (Kitz) and Angela Bassett (Rachel). Zemeckis did a brilliant job of bringing this film to fruition, especially in the way he allowed Foster the time to really develop her character, by giving her that extra moment at just the right time that ultimately meant so much in the final analysis. Too often it's those few minutes that wind up on the cutting room floor that make the difference between a good film and an exceptional one; and between Zemeckis and Foster, they took it to the edge by taking some chances to realize that combined vision, which in the end made this a great film. Thoroughly engrossing and entertaining, "Contact" will transport you to places you can only imagine, and it's all done with style and in a way that makes this a truly memorable cinematic journey. It's what the magic of the movies is all about.
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