An Amazing and Deeply Nuanced film, That is Deeply Divisive, and Yet One of the Best Sci-fi Films of All Time.

Rating: Null/10 (22 November 2016)

I have watched "Contact" at least 10x's throughout my life, it came out when I was 12yrs and we saw it in the theater. I was blown away by it then, and I still am blown away by it now, and I love the build up to the last 40 minutes, it is exhilarating. The only thing I felt was a weak point in the film, was Matthew Mcconaughey. I did not feel it necessary to the story, and in some ways, bogged it down, and I felt that way even the first time I saw it, this is not to say he is not enjoyable, he is, and I still enjoy the parts with him, but I did find his character to not be totally necessary to the story. Despite that one minor flaw, it still remains to this day one of my all time favorite films.
I don't think this is a perfect film, and I do not believe there is such a thing, but I do believe that overall, it is pretty darn close, this is a film that deeply explores the divide between science and religion, and I feel, shows both sides very well. This is a long film, clocking in at over 2.5hrs, but I have never been bored watching this film. Every time I watch this film, I feel the same, I always get this awe of sense and wonder about the cosmos, in fact, it is what made me want to study cosmology (which I still want to) and explore the galaxy.
I also felt this was a movie about discovery and risk and not letting people stop you from doing what you are supposed to do. I love the discoveries and mysteries of this film, and I have felt the way this film reveals itself is astonishing. Mystery and Horror film makers could take a few cues from this film about twists and surprises. This is a film that provokes discussion, which is what every great sci-fi film or story should do, it doesn't have to be totally accurate or right, but it should always cause you to think and question, and this film absolutely does on many levels.
I have noticed that the vast majority of the negative reviews on here are by people who hated the fact that this movie, at it's core, is about faith, not necessarily faith in God, but faith in general. People who seem to be atheist, I don't see these things as incompatible, you cannot prove Darwinian Evolution, and yet, many believe in it. We believe a great deal about the Universe, which often get's unproven months later or years later, that in itself takes faith. We cannot see a great deal many things, and yet see the effects of them, and thus believe in them. This is really what this film is about. I don't believe this film should rattle your feathers just because you do not believe a god exist, I enjoy movies that "disprove" God, and yet, I am a believer. It should not take away from a film's enjoyment per se, especially one as well made as this one.
I never saw Ellie's lack of evidence as her admitting that religion needs to exist. That is silly. I also find it silly that some people think that the arguments over God or not God, invalidate this film, or that it shoves things down your throat. I loved the struggle, and the fact that she didn't back down from the people who were discriminating against her because she didn't believe what most people do, was very encouraging. As already stated, I am a believer, and yet, I never once got mad at her insistence that God didn't exist. Why? Because other people's opinions do not change my view point, and it blows my mind how some people can be rattled like this by a movie, that in my mind, seemed to play both sides of the fence pretty well. I don't believe the conclusion at all says one way or the other on the topic, other than there are things we cannot explain all the time.
God Bless ~Amy