While I appreciate the attempts Contact makes at grounding its story in realism, thus partly successfully creating a 'this could really happen' feel, it ultimately falls victim to its own best intentions.

The opening act with that 'stellar' opening shot are very good indeed. They lay the perfect foundation for an intriguing story with excellent acting and a nicely fleshed out protagonist.

The second act forcefully hammers home the point that we are watching an intellectual film, forgetting to tell an interesting story. It clumsily deals with big issues by having stereotypical symbols discourse, disappointingly losing the plot in the process.

The final act is beautifully shot and actually quite original. It is also completely devoid of any emotional resonance because of the cold and shallow act preceding it, killing off the connection to Foster's character almost completely.

Expertly made, but too uneven to fulfil its potential.

This literally might be my favorite movie... I'm not sure why I love it and realize it has some flaws. But ever since I was a little kid I've loved it.

It probably helps that I loved the book prior to seeing the movie. Or the fact that Jodi Foster just seems so smart and doesn't give a shit what people think. Or maybe it was the first movie that really left me thinking about what could be out there.

I'm not really sure why but I get all wide-eyed when I see it, I'll attribute some of it to childhood nostalgia I guess... But really I think I just get caught up in what the movie stands for conceptually.

Truly a great film until the very final moments... In true Shawshank Redemption style it would rather tell us what to interpret rather than allowing us the trust and space to do it ourselves. I love this film, Foster, McConaughey, Woods, et al are all magnificent and the story it picthed at just the right one of making the incredible credible and an unbelievable situation and circumstance believable.

So why, in that final moment does it barf all over the 2 and something hours of hard work its put in by telling us something that, without knowing, would be far more powerful.

Ahh well... at least Zemeckis learnt his lesson with Cast Away which by contrast has one of the best, most thoughtful endings ever.

The end of Contact presents the idea that in the end, no matter if your a person of science or a person of religion, all you will have to support your beliefs is faith. I like this concept. What I don't like is the rather horrible effects in the film.

¿Cómo es que apenas me voy enterando de esta película? Esto es ciencia ficción dura. Probablemente una de las mejores que he visto del género.

Good adaptation of Sagan’s novel, which I read last month. A film of ideas.

---

I do love me some good sci-fi. Shame I had to wait almost 2 hours until the final act to get any. The first part of the film is intriguing, as we see Foster's character struggle with the biggest question of all; why are we here? In her quest to finding out the answer, she embarks on lonely journey.

One could argue that the film is as much about religion as it is about Science. The discussion of God throughout the film is one reason, when she reconnects with her deceased Father at the end, this could be "Paradise" how she got there may have been a message from the Gods, rather than extra extraterrestrials.

All makes for good discussion.

Contact is about 25 minutes too long, with a second act that is hollow and cumbersome it really disconnects from the films finale.

I've yet to read Sagan's novel by the same name, so I can't really make even a light comparison as my only experience with the story is cinematic. I've always liked this movie, and I think that may be because of it's realistic approach to explore the societal struggle between science/empirical evidence and religious faith, and how it would pan out if a civilized society such as our own came into contact with someone or something extra-terrestrial. The only part I didn't really like was the ending, which sort of tells you how to interpret it instead of allowing you to come to a resolution on your own.

The end of Contact presents the idea that in the end, no matter if your a person of science or a person of religion, all you will have to support your beliefs is faith. I like this concept. What I don't like is the rather horrible effects in the film.

Nominated for an oscar, yeah right.. 150 minutes of mediocracy, I usually like this kind of movies but this one never got in contact with me.

Truly a great film until the very final moments... In true Shawshank Redemption style it would rather tell us what to interpret rather than allowing us the trust and space to do it ourselves. I love this film, Foster, McConaughey, Woods, et al are all magnificent and the story it picthed at just the right one of making the incredible credible and an unbelievable situation and circumstance believable.

So why, in that final moment does it barf all over the 2 and something hours of hard work its put in by telling us something that, without knowing, would be far more powerful.

Ahh well... at least Zemeckis learnt his lesson with Cast Away which by contrast has one of the best, most thoughtful endings ever.