Contact Touches The Soul of Science
And The Heart Of Imagination

Sometimes a movie transcends its medium and becomes more than entertainment for the masses. At such a point, it becomes a work of art -- a true film, if you will. I once mentioned that movies deserve to be judged separate from films, because they serve only to entertain. That said, I'm pleased to announce that one of the crop of summer blockbusters deserves to be judged separately from the other movies. Contact is a film, a cinematic piece of art that forces us to examine our role in the universe and what we believe.

Contact is based on the novel of the same name by the late Carl Sagan, the astronomer best known for his Cosmos series on PBS. It tells the fascinating story of Dr. Ellie Arroway (played to perfection by Oscar winner Jodie Foster), a young, idealistic, radio astronomer. Ellie has grown up with shortwave radio, a passion which led her to join the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Project as she listens to the stars for signs of intelligent life. Her search bears fruit, and the world learns that we are not alone in the universe.

Along the way, Ellie must contend with her former project leader, David Drumlin (played by Tom Skerritt), who cuts her funding and ultimately steals her thunder. She meets a young theologian named Palmer Joss (Matthew McConaughey) who questions her atheistic view of the universe and her inability to believe in anything which cannot be proven. Most importantly, she finds a mysterious benefactor named S.R. Hadden (John Hurt) who funds her research in the private sector and helps direct her to some difficult answers.

Although Contact incorporates some hard science, you don't have to be a rocket scientist (or even an adult) to understand and enjoy this breathtaking story. Sagan's Darwinian view of the universe is quite evident, despite the balanced points of view between Ellie and Palmer. The ultimate answers she finds are in science and her experiences, even when she cannot quantify those experiences to anyone else.

Perhaps the most telling thing about this film is how it impacts the people who see it. After viewing the universe through the eyes of Sagan and director Robert Zemekis, I too wondered what will be humanity's ultimate acheivement. Will we be able to survive our technological infancy and one day visit the stars? I'd like to think we will make it -- as long as we have faith.

MY RATING: 9 out of 10.

RATED: PG
RUN TIME: 135 min.