The best science fiction since 2001

Rating: 10/10 (13 August 1999)

It is so often a fruitless pursuit to find a science fiction move that is truly "science" fiction. A very well-crafted film and the most satisfying for me since 2001: a Space Odyssey. Simple, well-designed special effects and a compelling story. Contact deals with so many issues and does it well: long-distance space travel, near-future science, religion, creation and how modern politics interplay with each of these. The astronaut selection committee's deliberations were relevant to any time period, especially when it came to the question of "Who should represent Earth to the aliens?" Faith in a Creator is part of most humans' daily existence. Unfortunately, the selection committee was duped the first time by a phony. We are left to make up our own minds at the end, which is part of the genius of the story. A fabulous film.