Rating: 
Summary: Incredible Insight
Review: This is one of the best books I've ever read. I couldn't stop thinking about it after I read it, and I still think about it. I've always believed in life on other planets, it's stupid to think we're alone, in my opinion anyway. In this story Carl Sagan describes an intriguing and exciting scenario of how first contact with an alien species would be made. He uses scientific facts and scientific theories as the basis of all the events that happen. So it's more than a fantasy story, it's actually believable. The movie contact, while it was good, made me very angry. Sagan's story was about contact with aliens and just that, while the movie was about politics and conspiracy to gov't to hide information from the public. I wish they'd stuck to the real story, which was more scientific than political. Anyway, this book blew me away and I'd recommend it anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible sense of discovery and wonder.
Review: This movie kept me glued to my seat and filled with a great sense of wonder, until the explorer reaches her destination. That part was disappointing. I was left unfulfilled at that point. Curiously, I did like the ending quite a bit. Still, the movie was excellent and is well worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: Sagan's Last Stand
Review: /Contact/ is a great film based on an excellent book. Never before has the relation between science and religion been portrayed accurately in a major movie, and I'll bet never again will it be portrayed so well. The plotline is easy to understand and yet provokes emotion and thought on many levels. The movie is even /more/ relevant in the light of the September 11 attacks-- you'll have to see it yourself to learn why. Five stars for an outstanding attempt by Carl Sagan to popularize science for the superstitious masses. I'm not saying this movie's perfect, though. The Machine seemed far too Euclidean, and the images of space could have been thought through better-- it looks like Jodie Foster's character is getting all weepy over nothing. Foster herself is a rather bad actor. She has a sort of nasal hoarseness that comes out when she's trying to act upset, and I suppose she was hired as a main character simply so that her fans would see the movie. However, even all these problems combined can't bring my rating down to four stars. :) I would recommend this movie to a Christian evangelist who also happens to be a Jodie Foster fan.
Rating:
Summary: Very realistic science fiction
Review: The performances are excellent and the scenes memorable. Though the filmed version lacks the key points in Sagan's novel, Contact is one of the most realistic science fiction films ever produced with many real newscasters (almost too many, at times)lending their hands. Aside from its special effects and mysteries revealed, Contact presents a very believable story of
worldwide reactions to the discovery of life beyond. I strongly recommend the novel to anyone interested in this topic. Reading the book is well worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: What would happen if intelligent life contacted us?
Review: Think about it. What would the pope have to say? How would world leaders weigh in? This incredible book suggests what might happen. I've read the book twice and enjoyed every page. While the movie was also quite good, the storyline was changed to accommodate Matthew McConaughey. I imagined Palmer Joss to look and sound like Jerry Falwell. I have no doubt that Sagen wrote the novel with Falwell in mind -- though I doubt Falwell has tattoos. This book is so good that I enjoyed my second read as much as the first.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book, Please Read it!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This is one of my all time favortie Sci-Fi books. The characters are three deminsional and believable, and their problems are. I'd almost call this book a cultural collage of society. There is everything from history, to religion, to politics, to science, to humanity crammed into this book. I also liked it because it seemed like the story could be going on now. (Besides that Russia was called the Soviet Union). it wasn't campy or futuristic like most Sci-Fi. The story is that Ellie Arroway finds messages from the planet Vega and the earth builds a machine to get to these aliens. But there is so much more. I couldn't possibly explain it all. I love the imagery of human feeling Sagan gives you, and also the science in it is very strong, since its written by Carl Sagan. Just read it! Also, if you've seen the movie, don't think you've seen it all. The movie only skimms the surface of this complex and enjoyable book. I mean, you couldn't possibly cram that much meaning into a hour and a half movie!
Rating:
Summary: A loving look at advanced alien civilizations
Review: Carl's life obsession was with alien civilizations and what they might be like. This novel represents only one aspect of his numerous ponderings on the nature of civilizations and their technological and spiritual (humanistic, not religious)development and achievements. Although he has the aliens in the book involved in a qausi-mystical discovery of a 'message' in pi, what I think he really wanted to do (he wasn't religious) is convey some of the sense of wonder and even awe that we would experience if we did make contact with an alien civilization. Think of the things aliens from an advanced civilization would be capable of doing, and the knowledge they would have (I'm sure we couldn't begin to imagine). It's that sense of awe and amazement he was trying to convey, rather than trying to show that there is a creator behind it all.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: Before I read this book, I did not have just one, single favorite book. I had multitudes of favorites, and my favorite for the time was only determined by which book I had read the most recently. This book tops them all, in the story, the emotions, the basic ideas, it's just completely awesome. I highly reccomend this book to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Cracker Jack?
Review: One of the best movies of the late 90's, this movie pretty much has it all. This movie doesn't rely on CGI to tell the story, it relies on a good story and great acting from all the big name talent. This movie leaves a lot to the imagination and a lot to interpretation, and that's probably the best thing about it. The DVD features crystal clear video and an amazing thunderous 5.1 mix. There's some decent extras too, it is definitely worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Science Fiction Read!
Review: In my mind there are two kinds of science fiction in the world ... one: Earth is under attack by aliens, space ships, secret government aircraft, save the president!, laser missiles, and a lame movie ... and two: the good kind. Guess what kind this is? Contact is mostly about the impacts of a message from intelligent life forms on the human race. Argus, a project set to scan the cosmos for communications from intelligent life forms finds a baffling sequence of zeros and ones, coming from somewhere around the star Vega. It is decrypted, and Earth is sent into a multi-trillion dollar investment, and a huge controversy. Religious leaders fight against scientists over the true meaning of the message. The characters entertain me, and I love their personalities. They are all very human ... no one is a super hero. It takes place from the point of view of Eleanor Arroway, director of the Argus project and genius. She goes through a transformation in the course of the book, her personality changing and her mind widening. Other characters include the intriguing Hadden, (and his spectacular ending), and a hilarious female president of the United States. This is not a modern book, (we're past the year 2000 and there are no space stations or alien communications in sight), but it is not dated. Set your mind back a few years before you read it. Contact, though the abrupt ending may disappoint some, is about the unification of the world. This is not lame alien attack science fiction ... the aliens actually open the eyes of scientists and bring about a new age for Earth. A common goal helps to bring about world peace. If you love science fiction, read this! Entertaining, intriguing, and a book that will hold you interest, Contact is what I recommend for the science fiction reader.
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