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Summary: Great Special Effects
Review: I love this movie and my kids love this movie. It really opens up your thoughts to our place in this universe and how small our planet really is and it will awaken any interest in astronomy.
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Summary: Pure Sci-Fi with awe-inspiring scenes and deep human thought
Review: This movie is what I call "Pure" Sci-Fi... one that takes our reality, then adds a Science-Fiction element to it. [i]Contact[/i] will not bore you if you get into the movie. Ellie Arroway, portrayed beautifully by Jodie Foster, shows you just what a scientist's life is like, slightly Hollywoodized, on the silver screen. Her spiritual, emotional, and scientific journey is one I don't think you'll want to miss.Are there aliens out there? Is the main question and plot of this movie. "It would be an awful waste of space." It also delves a bit into the politics of the science world, which is refreshing and different for a Sci-Fi film. The plot is also quite similar to the book, which I also recommend reading. The DVD, while preserving the sound and video to almost perfection, has included some worthwhile features. The "making of" sequences tell quite a bit how a movie comes to light. Last but not least, if you're still not convinced, then you should get the movie just for the beginning and climax. Keeping an open mind will help you understand just how those parts of the film are interesting, theoretical, and contraversial.
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Summary: VERY THOUGHT-PROVOKING
Review: It's important to not draw any conclusions about this book till you've finished it. So many questions are addressed, and so many different philosophical points of view presented, it's tempting to try to second-guess the author's own perspective on the question of extraterrestrial intelligence. Specifically, did Carl Sagan believe in God, or not? But he doesn't truly reveal himself till the last few pages. And it's worth the wait; the story's closing is very satisfying. One caveat: The book can get pretty bogged down in the development of too many characters. I myself only really cared about Ellie Arroway and Palmer Joss.
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Summary: love it
Review: Love this movie--it's beautiful in every way.
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Summary: The Sounds from Space
Review: A pioneering piece of literature written by one of the pre eminant physicysts of our time. I was very much impressed by the author's writing ability, considering his background of very much academic and scientific work.
At last contact has been established with a foriegn life form, from a distant solar system. This book delves into how the earth as a whole might respond to a situation where everyone has to work together to achieve the desired goal. It also brings to light the classic, but somewhat sleepy struggle of scientific evolutionary principles versus literal interpretation of the Bible. Great dialogue and a wonderful array of perspectives make this book an adventurous and intriguing one to read. This book is well written, and gave me a real sense of the vastness and beauty found in our universe.
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Summary: Great movie ruined by a cop-out ending.
Review: This movie would have rated an easy 5 stars if it had not been for the horrible ending. Great performance by Jodie Foster. She is truly one of the great actresses of our time. Other good performances by supporting cast. Great story line and screenplay. Although, the preacher becomes tiresome. Good special effects. All of this ruined by a stupid ending.
Now, stop reading here if you don't want to know how it ends. Here we go. It makes no sense that a sophisticated Alien intelligence would go to all the trouble of sending out blueprints for a massive space travel machine, invite other races to visit them, tell them "hello", then send them back to their home planet and remove all proof that the trip ever happened. That is the stupidest cop-out of an ending I have seen since Independence Day. What's the point? Then the idea of having the sole alien representative greet Jodie Foster looking like her deceased Dad. Give me a break. So the aliens go to all this trouble so that one person can get a free trip to their planet for no real reason. Brilliant ending guys.
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Summary: Jodie Foster is nothing less than extroadingary
Review: Contact leaves me speechless and every time I watch the film again I can't help but watch the credits float up the screen. The sountrack by Alan Silvestri is also very good (I have it).
I can't decide which is better-the book or the film. I know that Jodie played Ellie Arroway geniusly. I think Carl would be proud of it.
By the way, did anyone realize the two "C's" in the film. One was in Ellie's father's hand. And the other was at the very end when Ellie sifted rocky soil in her palm. I think "C" symbolizes "Carl". They tried to be conspicuous because one "C" is backwards or reversed (forget which). I love this movie.
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Summary: Brilliant!
Review: Definately the most awe inspiring novel I have ever read. The imagery given as I was dragged into the story by your words is just beautiful. I was caught up for weeks on your theories on how likely life is out there and I will forever be caught up in the mystery. Three cheers for the high master Carl Sagan! Thank you sir and you are correct. We Are Not Alone!
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Summary: One Of The Finest Science Fiction Films Of The 1990's
Review: Robert Zemeckis' "Contact" is a fine adaptation of Carl Sagan's novel, inspite of the additional subplot involving Matthew McConaughey's character, a young fundamentalist Protestant preacher. Certainly this is one of the most imaginative films I have seen on the subject of contacting other alien civlizations. It is also an excellent depiction of science on how it is done as well as its politics. Jodie Foster's potrayal of astronomer Ellie Arroway is splendid, almost perfect, with the notable exception of her relationship with McConaughey's character. She excels in conveying Arroway's romance with astronomy and her steadfast determination to do first rate astronomical research. Although this does not rank on my list of the greatest science fiction films, it certainly comes close.
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Summary: Great idea, but...
Review: The plot of this story is quite ingenious. Certainly, few science fiction films are more imaginative, and the journey through the universe at the beginning is simply spectacular. However, the film is marred by the typical hollywood inclusion of gratuitous violence (the destruction of the first transporter), and the sexual fling between the scientist and catholic priest. The Washington scenes are also cliche. Overall, an average movie that could have been great.
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