Contact

Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking and intelligent.
Review: "Contact" is an intelligent handling of the "first contact with extra-terrestrial life" theme. No one gets infected or possesed, no slimy creatures springing from someone's thoracic cavity... none of that here. Simply a closer-to-science-fact than fiction adventure, set in the present-day. While the ending was a "let down" to some friends of mine, I thought it was right on the mark and completely unexpected.

Rating:
Summary: Jodie Foster's Definitely Got The Right Stuff
Review: Based on a novel by the late, great Carl Sagan, "Contact" follows the course of events that lead up to a faith-shaking experience in agnostic scientist Ellie Arroway's career. Spurred on to succeed by the death of her father, Ellie embarks on the proverbial "search for intelligent life", and indeed encounters some on terra firma in the form of Palmer Joss (played by dashing Matthew McConnaughey). The two meet up later in Washington after Ellie discovers a pattern of prime numbers sent back from the Vega system. A great maelstrom of excitement ensues when streams of data are decoded (Ellie is surreptitiously aided by an eccentric millionaire called Hadden) and the blueprints for some great machine come through. The next conflict is, who gets to go...well, we know who it eventually turns out to be, and for all her doubts in a higher power, Arroway now faces the challenge of scrutiny when the time she has spent "away" from earth doesn't jive with the events experienced by everyone else. Interesting philosophical overtones, and the question of "Are we alone in the universe" are subtlely asked in this film. Wisely, they only tweak our interest and we are left wondering for ourselves about the infinite possibilities and secrets the universe holds.

Rating:
Summary: Contact "A must read book"
Review: I have read this astounding scientific book by Carl Sagan Contact. It has left me a lot of good impressions about this book. This book is well written and well detailed for many people to read. This book goes over a lot of detail, compared with the movie that came out in the theaters. There are couples of passages in the book that I would like to discuss with everyone. They are as follows: "the search for extraterrestrial intelligence-everywhere abbreviated SETI, and except by those who talked somewhat more optimistically about communication with extraterrestrials intelligence (CETI)-was essentially an observing routine, the dull staple for which most of the facility had been built." Page 49, last paragraph. This paragraph talks about the many types of organizations that are designed for searching for extraterrestrials. In the book Dr. Arroway seems to be very involved in keeping up to date from the sponsors of the program and to see that everything is going as scheduled. She's always trying reach for the things that would seem impossible from other people's perspective. One example would be that she always explores every opinion that he could find before she says that something would not work. My second passage: "No Ellie, this is endless. After dozen years you will find no sign of anything. You will argue that another Argue facility has to be built at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars in Australia or in Argentina to observe the southern sky. And when that fails, you'll talk about building some parabolic with a free flying feed in Earth orbit so you can get millimeter waves. You'll always be able to think of some kind of observation that hasn't been done. You'll always intent some explanation about why extraterrestrials like to broadcast where we haven't looked." Page 47, 2nd paragraph. In this passage it got really interesting for me, because it went to the heart of the story and the goal that the character is trying to achieve by using more sophisticated and more up to date technology than before. In this passage she always looking for someway of improving her observation and never give up in the process no matter how slim the chances are. When Ellie was little girl she was every much interested in electronics, the functionality of different type radio, and also mathematics. As she grew up she got more and more interested in the career in radio astronomy. As she grew up and got her degree she started looking for a way to communicate with the Alien in the universe. The one thing that I like about this book was the strength of the character in the story, and her ability to push herself to the edge, and try every option that she could think of before going on to the next phase. For my final passage from the book, it talks about one of the most frequent conversation the Dr. Arroway has with the collogues at the work place: "there's a chance that dozen of additional dishes might be added to the Very Large Array, and make it into a dedicated SETI observatory. They'd do some of the usual kind of radio Astronomy also; of course, it would be a superb interferometer." Page 50. 2nd paragraph. In this passage it talks about the project named SETI, and how it's developing among the scientific community. In this book it talks about the way SETI would help the community and be able to profit the research for scanning the skies for radio signal that some life form would be broadcasting to the other planets. In this story the word SETI comes up a lot and it represents the beginning research project in radio astronomy. I had a lot of fun reading this book and I was able to obtain a great amount of knowledge. I would recommend people reading this book, and especially to those people that have the academic level of high school and up, and are interested in astronomy. This book would be a book that you would never want to put down and want to continue reading page after page, chapter after chapter.

Rating:
Summary: On par with Close Encounters
Review: Robert Zemeckis' adaptation of Carl Sagan's novel is as thought-provoking and intelligent as Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The film contains two prominent themes: a conflict between science and religion, and the wonder and excitement of discovery. It is slow-moving and deliberate, and yet contains some incredible special effects in the final act. The result is an extremely absorbing and up-lifting experience. Contact centers around a bravura performance by Jodie Foster as Dr. Elinor Arroway, an astronomer obsessed with the idea of life in other galaxies. The Foster character is in virtually every scene of the movie, but is aided by terrific supporing characters. In particular there is Ellie's father (David Morse), who motivates her as a child to pursue her dreams; Palmer Joss (Matthew McConaughey), theologian and love interest; and billionaire Hadden (John Hurt - almost unrecognizable), who provides the financial stability for Ellie at just the right moment of her life. The discovery of a signal from outer space by Ellie triggers the beginning of the second act of the film, and I had great fun at this point watching the world come together, trying to figure out what to do next. I won't reveal any more, since the key to the enjoyment of the movie is discovering at the same time as the characters. Definitely a must-own.

Rating:
Summary: Human Destiny
Review: After reading this book, you will likely agree with Dr. Sagan that humanity has reached a turning point in its maturation. We, unlike other creatures, have the intelligence to choose our course. We have the technology to destroy ourselves -- or the technology to make "contact."

This book is very exciting and serves as a reasonably good introduction to the efforts of the SETI program. The book brings up questions about the nature of intellence, our place in the universe, and the nature of our possible brothers of intelligence in the universe. Since these questions are not yet answered conclusively, the book cannot hope to tell us the exact setting of the contact. So keep in mind that the "findings" of this book are not inevitable, and that they are not based upon any single and fully successful scientific study. But it does illustrate conclusively the depth and scope of those questions, and the fact that if and when contact occurs it will be wonderful in ways that most of us cannot currently imagine.

On a slightly different note, with all of the problems facing mankind in the near future this book's message stands out as a beacon of hope. I highly recommend it to the open-minded reader.

Rating:
Summary: A flawless reading of an excellent book
Review: The only science fiction novel by a prominent astronomer who was the late twentieth century's foremost popularizer of science was bound to be something special, and Carl Sagan's "Contact" certainly is. No other science fiction novel is quite like it in its thrilling realism; one can easily believe that a sequence of events similar to that in the book could begin taking place tomorrow. The book is filled with a plethora of wonderful plot twists, fascinating details of scientific fact and speculation, and unexpected bits of characterization that only Sagan could have thought to include. Sagan, who apparently considered himself a "spiritual agnostic," explored religious as well as scientific issues in this work, and the result is arguably heretical if seen from a traditional religious standpoint -- but not heretical in the specific way a reader might initially expect. Indeed, the story's climactic twist makes "Contact" into a twentieth-century equivalent of "Paradise Lost" -- a work which, while subtly heretical, is one of the most awe-inspiringly religious books ever written.

Jodie Foster's reading of "Contact" on this recording is absolutely superb. She differentiates between the voices of all the characters and her own voice as narrator -- even her voice for Ellie Arroway, the character she played in the movie of "Contact," is a subtly more energetic and characterful version of her normal voice. Foster also employs about seven different accents (counting her usual American accent) in the course of the recording, moving effortlessly from one to another when characters from several different countries have conversations. At one point, when Sagan's text describes a character as having an almost (but not quite) non-existent Russian accent, Foster even manages to produce exactly that! She also evokes all the varying moods of the story, conveying Sagan's sense of awe and wonder at the beauty and majesty of the universe. Foster's performance on this recording is probably the best reading of a book which I have ever heard.

I listened to this recording over several nights, and was in suspense from one night to the next, wondering what would happen next. This superb example of the intelligence and artistry of Carl Sagan and Jodie Foster is highly recommended. Six out of five stars.

Rating:
Summary: Laughably soft-headed "2001" rip-off
Review: Carl Sagan, the scientist, had a lot going for him. Apparently people cut Carl Sagan, the novelist, a lot of slack because of it. I can't think of any other reason that "Contact" wasn't resoundingly laughed out of bookstores, much less theaters. I know my friends and I were reduced to helpless tears halfway through.

The very notion that Jodie Foster is listening to the various frequencies that SETI is scanning for signs of extraterrestrial life is foolish enough, but then the flaws are compounded by repeated improbable meetings with priest Matthew McConaughey. Apparently, his character's dialogue with Foster's is supposed to be thought-provoking and challenging. Apparently, the screenwriters have never actually had a thought-provoking or challenging conversation.

The payoff to all this foolish mumbo-jumbo is a machine the alien message provides for communicating with them, followed by actual contact. Sagan boldly goes where few esteemed figures have gone before, and rips off John Varley's novel "The Ophiuchi Hotline" for the idea of the aliens giving out plans for an interstellar communication device. Then we get the note-for-note theft of the climax of "2001: A Space Odyssey." Space turns out to be Heaven, where lonely little girls can meet aliens-shaped-like-Daddy. It was a foolish concept in "2001" and it doesn't smell any better second-hand.

I urge everyone dazzled by this film to pick up works by Arthur C. Clarke and John Varley. At the very least, you should be enjoying the (far superior) original source material, rather than regurgitated nonsense.

Rating:
Summary: Possibly the best SciFi novel ever written
Review: I have read numerous science fiction novels and this is by far the best I have ever found. I have read several of Carl Sagans other fact-based scientific books and am not surprised that he could make this story so believable. The story is based on radio astronomy and the SETI (search for extra-terrestrial intelligence) program.

The main character, scientist Dr. Ellie Arroway, finally receives a radio message from space that turns out to be the instructions for building a machine. The story revolves around the machine and what happens when it is built and used. A truly gripping tale that will keep you spellbound till the end.

This is the best science fiction tale ever written, Thanks Carl.

Rating:
Summary: Realistic science fiction at its best.
Review: I loved this Carl Sagan masterpiece for three main reasons: (1) it is an intelligent, realistic look at what would happen if we actually did make contact with an alien civilization; (2) it is an insightful commentary on the relationship between religion and science; and (3) it is wonderful fiction, with characters as realistic as the plot and the science. It is the kind of science fiction that is only one step removed from science fact: Consider it a realistic story with some fantasy elements, rather than a fantasy story with some realistic elements (a la Star Wars). I saw the movie first, and it's the only movie that has made me want to go out and buy the book. And the book did not disappoint; in fact, it was even better than I had expected.

Rating:
Summary: Billions and billions...
Review: Contact is a terrific film on many levels: superficially it's beautifully photographed with ace special effects - many of them I didn't realise were special effects at all until I watched the little feature about how they were made, which surely is the acid test of how good they are.

Jodie Foster's performance as a slightly geeky (but secrety rather attractive) scientist is spot on, especially her cheeky rendition of Sagan's own goofy accent, but the remaining characters are cartoonish and a bit theme-functional: for once, the bimbo is a bloke - that Matthew McConaughey's hokey priest is Foster's love interest and intellectual adversary fits nicely with the battle of intellect vs. emotion which is waged throughout the film, but as a credible character he just doesn't stack up. The same is true of Tom Skerrit's Big Bad Boss Who's Only In It For The Glory.

For all that, you're certainly left mulling over the notion of contact, in all its manifestations (you know, with little green men, with other human beings, with your lost father, with your spiritual side etc.) throughout, and given that the author of the screenplay was a thoroughly scientific and sceptical chap, the final message is one of surprising humility and irony.

Ostensibly the conflict is between science (which needs to know The Truth, whatever the religious consequences) and blind faith. But when the arch-sceptic finally establishes (...or does she?) her argument, can she prove it to a sceptical public? Quelle dilemma! Lesson learned!