Stellar!

Rating: 10/10 (20 October 2005)

Recap: Ellie Arroway a bright little kid, is orphaned at a young age and seek comfort in trying to contact other people, and her dead parents on her radio. When she grows up (maybe feeling betrayed and abandoned by God - personal reflection) she turns to science and specifically, the Search For Extra-Terrestial Intielligence, SETI. This field in science, often frowned upon by other scientists, leads to Arroway always having to fight for and defend her projects. Kicked out of Arecibo, she turns to the private sector for funds. She finds a benefactor in the eccentric industrialist S.R. Hadden. With the money backing her she goes to the VLA and continues her search. And suddenly it happens! A signal. An intelligent signal! Complete chaos breaks lose, with media, government, military, politicians and scientists all wanting to have their say. Parallel with the struggle to understand and decode the signal, a political and personal struggle for fame and power goes on. And a struggle between science and theology about in which aspects to view the signal. Ellen Arroway finds that her fiercest opponent David Drumlin, suddenly takes credit for her work and makes and has a personal agenda. And then there is Palmer Joss, a theologist with a completely different view on the world compared to Ellie, but still there is something going on between the two. Everything is suddenly very hard to do, but her mysterious benefactor has an uncanny ability to find a clue for her every time the projects threaten to come to a standstill.
Comments: A very visually beautiful movie with deep philosophical questions with a lot of different interpretations. But it is not therefore I love this movie. I love this movie because of the sense of wonder, the curiosity and the feeling of exploration. It manages successfully to transport me along with Ellie, to feel her awe and curiosity, both when she is in the desolate desert watching the star filled sky and listening to the radio sources of the sky, and when she is going on her (or did she, decide yourself) trip to see all the alien places. And, just having watched the movie again tonight, knowing what is going to happen, I still get the same sense of curiosity. Just love it!
As stated, the movie is very beautiful (and a little sad from time to time) using special effects very successfully. And that it manages to convey those emotions, is proof of a very well directed movie. Along with very good acting from the cast it makes the movie complete (yes, it got a great story as well). Foster is great in the lead, she just has one little cheesy moment that keeps her from giving a stellar (hehe) performance. McConaughey gives a flawless performance too, but in my opinion, the best performances is given by actors in smaller supporting roles, namely Morse, Fichtner and Busey. Morse is just great as Ellie's dad, Busey perfect as a madman. Also like Woods as a cynical government official.
Well, I could go on, but I won't. I'll just say. Watch it. It is a great journey.
10/10