It’s a movie that manages to do more right than wrong, serving as an affectionate nod to Carl Sagan. The subject of extraterrestrial existence has always held significance in cinema, standing as one of the most dependable topics within science fiction. While it's produced some truly excellent films, it’s also occasionally resulted in movies so poor they aren’t worth the cost of a DVD. This film, for me, largely st…

Early in Contact, a character is introduced called “Kent Clark,” and I found myself consistently distracted by the fact that nobody ever acknowledges his name's connection to Superman’s civilian identity. I suspect this might be an intentional nod to the audience, hinting at something we later realize: the unfolding events are essentially an elaborate trick played on both viewers and potentially even the actors th…

I chose to watch this somewhat randomly, as it had been sitting on my list for a while. It didn't have the emotional impact I anticipated, although Jodie Foster delivered a solid performance, as did the rest of the cast. I struggled to connect with the dynamic between Foster’s and McConaughey’s characters; that might be because they shared so little time onscreen—it seemed like maybe fifteen minutes within a two-and-…

I have to say, this is easily among my top science fiction films from the 1990s. The movie demonstrates intelligence, features strong performances and direction, and its special effects actually enhance the narrative instead of detracting from it. Jodie Foster, who hasn't been very active recently as either an actress or director, remains one of my favorite American performers, and I find it interesting to consider h…