Rating: Summary: Inspiring Review: Contact is slow going at times, and the story wanders occasionally, but in the end you end up with an inspiring and alltogether magnificent novel.
Rating: Summary: Versimilitude Review: Contact is the most satisfying science fiction movie I have ever seen. It avoids the pitfalls of being a shoot 'em up like Starship Troopers, or being coldly intellectual like 2001. It is also one of those rare movies that gives the scientific aspect of the script proper respect, without being pedantic or sacrificing character developement.For me, what makes the movie work is the versimilitude with which the story is handled. Using CNN reporters, celebrities, and even President Clinton, the story comes off as very realistic. (Clinton was said to be offended to have had his image used in this movie. He should have been honored that Contact presented him in such a positive light, considering how his administration has gutted the space program.) Certain details from the book would have made the ending a but less ambiguous--i.e the fact that sand was found in the pod seemed to indicate that Ellie really did visit another world. Apparently, the producers wanted to keep the ending more ambigious, which is understandable, since one of the themes of the film is faith. Ellie's lack of faith in organized religion ironically comes back to haunt her when she realizes that for people to believe her journey actually took place, they must accept her statement--on faith. (Incidentally, the book makes clear that Ellie is not an Athiest, but rather an open-minded Agnostic.) This is one of the few films in this genre to have truly first class acting. Foster does her usual excellent job, as do the supporting players, especially Tom Skeritt. The visual effects in this film are in a class of their own, and they are placed at the service of the story. This is one of the first DVDs I purchased, and it remains my demo-disc. Warner has simply packed it with extras, inclusing three commentary tracks and a French translation. There are also extra materials explaining how the visual effects were achieved and how the Machine was designed. This is a DVD everyone should have!
Rating: Summary: An enthralling read for all Review: This book was a terriffic read. I really enjoyed it. Although I am not generally a fan of Science-Fiction, I found this book amazingly realistic. However, the movie of this book was a big dissapointment. I found that the story was incredibly different in the movie, although the basics stayed the same. If you have seen the movie, then I suggest you read this, and be prepared for a pleasant surprise. In the copy I read, there were quotes relavent to the coming chapter on the page preceeding. This gave an extra depth to the story. I wasn't able to put the book down. This book is an amazing read for anyone who has looked up at the stars and has wondered if we are alone.
Rating: Summary: An intelligent view to a threshed subject Review: The film is one true realistic and accesible view to the big question: are we alone in the universe? Here we see all the crash of so many disciplines mostly it's religion VS science. I liked all the intrigue, the memorable quotes (some were quoted by Carl Saggan before his death), but mostly I liked the human part of each character, because I found it very accurate, we see at the end that faith is always a fundamental part of the human being, even if you're very rational. And from my point of view Science and Religion aren't completely incompatible after all, 'cause they both come from the same root: philosophy. That was my favorite message of this film.
Rating: Summary: The book and the movie had positives Review: After reading the book, seeing the movie and reading these reviews I can see there is an element of science vs religion. The book was great because Ellie wasn't as meak and intimidated as Jody Foster portrayed in the movie. Matt McCaunhey was just too quick in the movie with illogical retorts of how all the information she was receiving could have been God. I would guess Sagan needed to feel the need to appeal to the theist to educate them in their faulty logic. I did like the ending of the movie in that Jody Foster helped the next generation by telling the small group of children to keep looking for answers. The movie had an element of absolute farce, Ellie saw her Dad who was dead. The fact that time was an element did entertain me. We have created time and to see Elle travel through all those visions in a few seconds, leaves me wandering what if we could ultimately understand in outerspace. Though we hardly fathom time travel as factual, the intellectuals are working on making this a reality. I mean it's only been thirty years since we landed on the moon. Could you imagine telling your great-grandfather we will land on the moon? He would have said impossible. Luckily our tax dollars are being used to explore science projects despite all the opposition of people who think we are the center of the Universe. Sagan should be admired for his ability to make us think of what we can attain through space exploration. If I had to recommend one over the other, read the book.
Rating: Summary: Contact the original novel by Carl Sagan Review: We chose this novel because it is the original "Contact" (first published in 1985 by Simon and Schuster in hardback ISBN 0-671-43400-4) Reading this novel was a credible journey into galactic realms, by 5 humans and thus humanity itself. It becomes a journey of soul, science, religious belief and politics simultaneously. Mr Sagan's career in science lends him the perfect tools to describe the intricate work of the central figure, scientist Ellie Arroway and her fantastic discovery. His cultural knowledge is deep and enriches the other characters who journey with her. There is enough of the book given over to science, romance and fantasy to make this a perfect book for any generation, it leads it's reader into an opening of the mind beyond our own galaxy, beyond where many of us ever go in our lifetimes. It gives value to contemplative star gazing and faint traces of credibility to intelligent life beyond our small earth-bound domain. Wow what a trip to take by anyone needing some sense of order to ones fantasies...he makes it scientifically believable. I enjoyed the religious debate and felt it appropriately elevated beyond our own earth based beliefs to seem credible, pushing one towards something larger. A larger concept of God or the Creator as we know them. It moved one towards a concept of preserving the world for the future generations, a more unified world, a single humanity, a true global village! I enjoyed the book because of it's balance of all realms: theological debate, science, humanity and it's struggle for survival and search for love and truth. All vital statistics for a fantastic voyage. The film is less intricate but recommended. We also read Ben Bova's "Mars" and found it equally fascinating. This book is a mind and heart and eye opener, it will send your spirits souring to the heavens amid a cascade of science, of human emotion and human politics.
Rating: Summary: Plotline is great, screenplay was juvenile Review: Conceptually, it sounds like an incredible story. And it is. However, the war mongering NSA guy, the new age holyman, and the incredibly self assured scientist are just way too stereotypical to be taken seriously. Maybe if the characters involved were a bit more real, rather than comical. I don't know if this was based on a book or not (I haven't read many reviews), but I would definitely give the concept huge thumbs up. It was definitely a believable approach to the concept of "contact".
Rating: Summary: A favorite Review: Contact is among the few films today that actually require you to "think" while you are viewing it. The story is very unconventional compared to the other science fiction films of today, in that it deals with actual SCIENCE. The only major flaw in this movie is that the ending is very disappointing, and leaves the movie feeling very unfinished. Contact is by no means a classic, but a favorite nonetheless.
Rating: Summary: Contact; One of the best ever... Review: TRU Drew: You obviously don't know a great film when you see one. "Contact" is one of the best movies ever made with excellent screenplay by superb actors. Not only a science fiction movie, but also a good look into humanity. Buy or rent this movie.
Rating: Summary: Thoughtful Review: I remember walking out of "Contact" struck by how unusual a film it was for a summer release. Not an action film, not a romance flick, not a comedy, "Contact" was a serious exploration of the roles faith and science play in our daily lives, and it asks a good question of us- how compassionate are we really? Do we accept the beliefs of others, or do we stay to our own narrow beliefs? (Appropriately, I saw the movie in our nation's capitol, just a block or two away from where numerous scenes take place in the film.) The short and sweet of the plot is this: Jodie Foster plays an atheist scientist whose quest to find life on another world is rewarded with a signal one day carrying instructions on how to construct a machine capable of transporting a human being. I won't give away too much else. Suffice to say I was impressed by how the film handled the message and the response- it was not melodramatic and seems quite plausible. The viewer gets the feeling that if mankind does ever make contact, this would be how it was done. The question of whether there is extraterrestrial life out there is a daunting one- to put it mildly it would be the greatest discovery in the history of mankind and would fundamentally challenge virtually all of the assumptions mankind has made about our place in the universe. Foster is quite good, but I found Matthew McConaughey's role as Foster's love interest and a religious thinker to be a little hard to swallow. He's a talented actor to be sure (he was terrific in "A Time to Kill"), but he was miscast here. James Woods and Tom Skerrit don't impress as the film's two villains, but the story and Foster are strong enough to carry the movie along despite some weak characters. Does the movie demonize religion? For the most part: no. The unfortunate casting aside, McConaughey's character has an important role to play here in making it abundantly clear that faith and reason need not conflict and that mankind can believe in god and still be able to question the world around ourselves. A good message, but one that the film only half-heartedly makes. In terms of technical execution, "Contact" has much going for it. It all looks plausible, like we are watching a documentary instead of a fiction film. The sequences involving CNN reporters and clips of President Clinton (re-edited to make it appear like he was commenting on events in the film) blur the line between fiction and fact. On the balance, well done. This is a film that will impress and make people think. Good work.
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