A fantastic movie - thoughtful, provocative, and beautiful.

Rating: Null/10 (26 March 2002)

[Warning: spoilers]
What I just finished was one of the most gorgeous movies I've ever seen, not to mention one of the best-crafted and best-written.
What really makes this movie so great is the story it tells. Here we have Ellie Arroway, who for her entire life does not believe in God because she has no physical proof of His existence. She then has an experience which no one else witnessed, and is forced to defend what she saw against people just like her - people who refuse to believe her claims unless they can see concrete proof. Of course, she has none, which is what I really love about the movie. She's immediately forced to rethink her entire worldview. The irony in the situation is delicious.
The theme present is certainly not a new one: science vs. religion has been around for years, ever since the famous "monkey trial" in which John T. Scopes was fined and briefly jailed for teaching biology and Darwin's evolution, which was seen as blasphemy. However, it's superbly presented here, with no bias whatsoever. The two sides - represented by Ellie (Foster) and Palmer (McConaughey) - play off each other nicely. I won't go into too much detail on that, but suffice it to say that it's very well done.
Even without the great themes and subplots, the movie would be great. The visuals alone ensure that. From the opening sequence to the wormhole sequence, the space visuals are simply stunning. During Ellie's voyage through the Vegan (as in one who inhabits Vega, not one who refuses to eat animal products) "transit system," we see some absolutely awe-inspiring space images. The whole bit is somewhat reminiscent of the similar scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey at times. And when the voyage ends, she lands on a beach under a perfectly clear sky flecked by countless stars and bordered by azure waters. The whole scene is visual magic.
In short, this movie simply can't be missed for any number of reasons.