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: 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: Intelligent And Interesting.
Review: Let's say that proof of alien life was found with the radar, satellite stuff we have poking around space, then the events that would take place would probably be very much like those in "Contact," and that is the beauty of the film. Robert Zemeckis' movie cleverly takes a look at what would happen if we discovered evidence that we are not alone. It sets itself apart from blockbuster science fiction like "Independence Day" because of how realistic it is, how convincing and plausible. The screenplay by James V. Hart and Michael Goldenberg, based on the novel by Carl Sagan, is filled with interesting characters, but more with interesting ideas. We also appreciate how they add philosophical arguments into the mix. Most science fiction films don't really explore the debates about God and science, this movie does, by letting the two main characters debate about the issues. The movie is also entertaining on the dramatic angle and the special effects are wonderful to look at. The movie has style and realism mixed with science and deep philosophical issues. I have nothing against the "cool" stuff like "ID4" or "Mars Attacks!" but "Contact" is a breather for people looking for something smart and thoughtful. It has detail, great performances and nice photography. A very good movie.
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!
Rating:
Summary: Contact is one of my alltime favorites
Review: In my list of favorite movies, Contact resides in the top three for some years now. As a Carl Sagan fan since my early youth, I went to see this movie and I was completely blown away from the very first already classic opening scene till the end. Contact has a strong story, because you never know what will happen next and the suspense lasts until the last scene. Jodie Foster is very convincing as a researcher who believes in her discovery. I like the bonus on this DVD where she comments the complete movie.
Rating:
Summary: The best movie ever!
Review: A fantastic movie, which brings at the same time lots of important points, such as: meaning of human life, science, religion, and many other ones, all together, with a fantastic story. I still wonder how could Contact be ignored at Oscar's, wasn't even nominated, when it deserved at least three nominations: best movie, best actress (for Jodie Foster, great as usual) and for special effects. And deserved to win the three of them. I reccomend for you to watch, you won't regret
Rating:
Summary: Exciting, Thoughtful, and Visually Spectacular
Review: Contact is a movie that works on every conceivable level. It is a smart, thoughtful, and entertaining show with an absolutely brilliant performance by Jodie Foster (her closing scene testifying at a Senate hearing could be the best thing she has ever done, and that's saying a lot.) What makes this movie so special is its ability to keep the focus on the characters and story despite the presence of some mindblowing, truly spectacular visual effects. That's unexpected with films today normally leaning one way or the other. (Speaking of visual effects, the camera perspective for the scene in which young Elle tries to help her stricken father is just impossible to explain or describe.) For the serious movie buff, the DVD includes some insightful commentary from the director and FX supervisors, as well as Foster. This is just a stunning piece of work that was overlooked to a great degree when it was released.
Rating:
Summary: Not really
Review: Just this,Warner is completly lost and they promise but never give as with this so called special edition which does NOT include the bonus material "after the movie"it claims.Do they really do their work?Do they care?
Rating:
Summary: Mankind is not alone in the Universe.
Review: A Visually spectacular film, based on the novel by Carl Sagan, and having a outstanding cast of actors led by Jodie Foster, this movie attempts to address the central idea about what man's place in the universe really is. Similar to 2001 and Star Trek, Contact should rightfully take it's place as a movie which shows us a possitive future that awaits us all.
Rating:
Summary: Just fantastic
Review: This movie stands head and shoulders above most science fiction. I was really moved by it when it came out... Before I forget, I want to recommend looking at "Carl Sagan: A Life" by Keay Davidson, or at "Black Holes and Time Warps" by Kip Thorne. Both have some discussion of this movie -- Kip Thorne's discussion mostly has to do with Carl Sagan consulting him about the wormhole idea, but still. Or, for more about the Drake Equation, look in your copy of Michael Crichton's "Sphere". This movie captures the excitement of astronomy, and the feel of SETI-like programs, to a "T". Jodie Foster is terrific -- I wonder if she considers this one of her better roles. I hope so, because she blew me away. Tom Skerrit plays a complete jerk, which is sort of a stretch for him, as he generally seems to get more solid, midwestern-American-values sorts of roles... He does a good job though. Rob Lowe has a minor but interesting part, as the movie's version of the real-life Ralph Reed -- look it up, seriously, that guy is worth knowing more about. Also, Angela Bassett plays a powerful African American woman with her usual aplomb. She brings a lot of intelligence and vividness to her part. James Woods is pretty terrific too -- I would give a lot to hear his input on various scenes, he's no dummy, science-wise, as a real-life M.I.T. graduate. The excitement of science is what you walk away from this movie feeling. So often scientists in movies are "mad scientists", or maybe an action movie hero type with a slightly introspective streak. Jodie Foster's character is an atheist, a scientist, and of course a woman, but she makes a great heroine. Generally this movie just rocks, and rocks hard. I imagine that Carl Sagan would have considered this a fantastic curtain call, before he left this planet. Two thumbs up.
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