I wanted to see aliens. I got something infinitely better.

Rating: 10/10 (26 October 2000)

Walking into the cinema, the only thing I wanted to see in this movie was their interpretation of alien life. Instead, I was greeted with an introduction that managed to encapture the insignificance of man, the beauty and majesty of the universe, be visually outstanding, and opened my mind to the countless ideas and issues explored over the next two hours. In this age of winning formulas, predictability, and instant satisfaction, this is one of the few movies that actually makes you stop to think for a while, and I loved it. Most probably what affected me the most was the clear and distinct effort to avoid certain cliches, and present the viewer with something different, and ultimately satisfying. Despite the numerous complaints on the ending (spoilers ahead), the fact that Ellie met with a simulation of her dad allowed the viewer to adsorb what was being said, and feel the suprise and awe which Ellie was experiencing, and as she breaks out into tears on his shoulder, we see humanity as a small, scared child lost in the universe just hoping that someone will hug us and say "everything is all right". If it had succumbed to typical hollywood, we would have undoubtedly been met with a slimy creature with telepathic powers, which would have completely ruined the movie. Instead, by not being presented with images, we are allowed to form ideas about other life, how they can be just as confused about our origins as we are, no matter how advanced, and in fact reach out to help others, and give them a glimpse of a larger world which everyone is ultimately a part of. While this movie does have its flaws, it has ultimately moved me in a way which no other has, inspiring me to read the book (which is also very highly recommended), and I never get sick of it no matter how many times I have watched it. I cannot stress enough the need to see this movie, but be prepared to think.