CONTACT (1997) | FIRST TIME WATCHING | MOVIE REACTION

[@CLFmoto87]

“First rule in government spending, why build one when you can have two at twice the price?” Such a great line.

[@wal6377]

Something about that quote just hits me hard. It doesn't make sense. It should be ...you can have a second for half the price.

[@Lucklaran]

The rationale of the book was so much better though. Book spoilers: They weren't sure the machine would work more than once, so they made 2 of everything so they could run tests on the pieces to make sure they built them correctly before making the parts for the "actual" machine. The second machine was built using the test pieces.

[@andrewreisinger6860]

Agreed! Holds true to this day! $$$

[@joshuacoldwater]

@@wal6377you clearly didn’t get his bleak, dry humor.

[@wal6377]

@@joshuacoldwater or perhaps I just don't care for bleak dry humor. Clearly.

[@josephscally6270]

The quote: "You're an interesting species. An interesting mix. You're capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares. " has remained with me for many years since I first saw this film

[@MichaelAS007]

I could not agree more.

[@luketimewalker]

me too

[@ct6852]

So much of this movie just sticks. The lines and concepts pop into my consciousness constantly. And have for years.

[@anthb3377]

Great quote

[@Metamorfeus]

It also reminds me of a similar quote from John Carpenter's "Starman": “You are a strange species. Not like any other. And you'd be surprised how many there are. Intelligent but savage. Shall I tell you what I find beautiful about you? You are at your very best when things are worst.”

[@LF-du4uc]

Jody Foster’s performance is out of this world. This is how you write strong, powerful, intelligent female characters.

[@jp3813]

David Drumlin: "I'm about to end this woman's career."

[@eolsunder]

one of my favorite movies of hers, and she has a lot of good ones i love. This, Maverick, Silence, and many more. This one is my favorite.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

@@eolsunder Sommersby.

[@gehtgoogle_nixan]

yeah imagine if they just put a chick in it and made her gay.

[@nickwhite5119]

Make you wonder what went wrong in Hollywood

[@mzliz1249]

The beach is a replication of her childhood drawing of Pensacola.🌴🌴

[@freddiemossberg7204]

You can’t deny Jodi Fosters passion in this movie. Possibly my favourite of her performances.

[@user-ih5jr8rt5q]

they just watched Ransom, but Flightplan is better her Nell performance is noteworthy, though movie is meh

[@anonymous19844]

She was great in Silence of the Lambs, Panic Room, and The Accued, too.

[@Faltor895]

Her acting as a 13 yr old in The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane was incredible.

[@daitommasino911]

This is my second fav. My fav performance of Jodi Foster is NELL 🔥 one of my fav movies ever that not a lot of people know about

[@OG21020]

@@Faltor895 I always remember her in Bugsy Malone. 😄

[@brettmuir5679]

When the screen fades to black and the words, "For Carl" appear, every time I cry a little bit. I miss him sooooo much

[@thomaspalumbo6482]

e too. I used to count the days until the next episode of "Cosmos" would come on TV

[@BiffMan42]

Came looking for this comment. When I saw this in the theater the first time, that was the most brilliant and beautiful punch to the gut.

[@Sigusen]

My introduction to cosmos and Carl Sagan was this movie. I didn't know who they referred to and jumped down the rabbit hole. As a millennial, I will definitely stand up and say: Carl Sagan was a beautiful human who embodied the very best of humanity, and I'm sorry I never knew of him before this movie.

[@BiffMan42]

@@Sigusen Thanks for sharing! That's beautiful and I think it's fantastic that he still resonates with new folks to this day.

[@brettmuir5679]

@@Sigusen I am so happy for you that now you know. It is mindblowing to me to rewatch Cosmos today and understand how much of what he envisioned has now come to pass. Check out another rabbit hole with a similar hero. James Burke and his BBC series "Connections" :)

[@grumpyoldgraymetalhead2441]

One of my favorite lines is when she says “ they should have sent a poet.”

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

A paraphrase from Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins: "What the space program needs is more English majors."

[@PygmalionFaciebat]

For the first contact with an Alien species i think we should send a child. Whoever the aliens are: one thing is for sure: they also have some ''sort'' of children. Or/and they definetely know the value of children. There isnt a bigger trust , than having children make the first contact with an alien species. It would prove: that we trust in their goodness.

[@treborrrrr]

@@PygmalionFaciebat You just have to look at our own history to see that maybe that's not necessarily a purely good thing. A whooole lotta child sacrifice going on here which aliens might be into or frown very heavily upon depending on how they interpret a child being sent.

[@arraymac227]

RIP Arecibo, in 2020. It was such a lovely backdrop for this film.

[@jackbedient]

There’s amazing yet sad footage online of its destruction…

[@Silas.Marner]

My Mom passed away last June and this was a favorite of hers. Shout-out to my Mom. RIP.

[@themourningstar338]

Sorry about your mom. My mom passed away in Sept, and she really liked this movie too.

[@monacaravetta]

Peace and love to you, dearhreart.

[@chrischampagne9469]

Very sorry for your loss. Your mom had good taste. My dad passed just before last Christmas. He was a fan of Carl Sagan and this movie and read the original book as well.

[@whatdidujustsay2094]

That's nice!

[@furryrug5998]

Your mum had great taste dude❤

[@jdovma1]

I've watched Contact like a hundred times over nearly three decades and I never realized the runtime was 2 and a half hours. That legit surprised me. Goes to show how good it is. You don't feel the runtime at all.

[@jp3813]

I never even realized that Back to the Future II was only 1 hour & 48 minutes long. So many things happened that it was like three movies. Zemeckis was the man!

[@JustSomeGuyLV]

EDIT: don't read, turns out i need coffee myself. If you have seen this movie so many times and you always missed the part where they clearly state how long the recording of her camera was, than you need to drink more coffee while watching movies..

[@jp3813]

@@JustSomeGuyLV **crickets chirping**

[@Dinosword2000]

@@JustSomeGuyLV Have another coffee and read again.

[@JustSomeGuyLV]

​@@Dinosword2000Yeah i wrote that before i had my daily coffee.

[@AlexSadof]

That tracking shot into the bathroom cabinet mirror is one of my favorite movie shots of all time. Absolutely brilliant.

[@randomthoughts5601]

Corridor Crew did an analysis of how the shot was done. I don't remember which episode, but it was fantastic to see how they did it.

[@randomthoughts5601]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/poXPZWV5hKiBl68si=NAZ71yjeaAWW4OLw

[@jameswarner5809]

When I first saw this film, I realised that the view down the stairs with the pills spilled on the floor was a mirror image of a previous view of the hallway. For a few seconds I thought it was an editing error until that moment with the bathroom cabinet mirror and my brain whooped and clapped its hands. Smartest piece of cinematography EVER!

[@sdrew2lboroacuk]

Yes that shot is my favourite all time shot too

[@ezerish]

@@randomthoughts5601 Pretty sure they talk about it in the DVD commentary too

[@hibhibb5429]

The scene with her Dad on the beach is ugh...It leaves me speechless and with so many emotions. There are so many big names in this movie. Such a big cast.

[@seansmith4880]

This movie rules. Often gets overlooked, in my opinion, as a genuine sci-fi gem. Can't wait for the reaction!

[@Pkewe4me]

I just thought of them and if they ever did Contact and look what I came on to! I’m excited to see their reaction too!

[@DaniBlazin]

Agreed! Saw this shortly after release, probably vhs Blockbuster rental lol Opened my mind! 💫

[@etherealtb6021]

I'm so glad this movie is highly getting its due.

[@user-ih5jr8rt5q]

not overlooked, just most people are pre-2000 movie-stupid aka lack culture

[@allengray5748]

Dang Mr Smith. A shared conclusion it appears! A gem indeed. ☮️

[@luciebrisson5881]

Ellie's dad is played by David Morse who was Brutus Howell in the Green Mile, a good guy. Very talented actor.

[@Otokichi786]

I remember David Morse as "Dr. Jack Morrison" from "St. Elsewhere" (1982-1988).

[@JohnDAmico-ci2hz]

Also was a bad guy on "The Long Kiss Goodnight" with Geena Davis/Samuel Jackson...

[@francescathomas3502]

I did not watch much of St Elsewhere, because I was busy being a teenager. But I do remember watching this exciting Miniseries called the Brotherhood of the Rose. (1989). Morse was brilliant in that!!! Other than St Elsewhere, that is the first time I clearly remember watching him. Until Contact of course.

[@bmriverrat11]

He was also the Major in the Rock they both watched that together too.

[@wal6377]

He was also in a TV series called, Space: Above and Beyong

[@cmkwan59]

Being one of the most brilliant scientists and astronomer, Dr Sagan passed away before the movie released, and yet Contact is still the most inspiring and important in movie history!

[@forgetaboutit1069]

43:38 it’s subtle and not seen here but during this moment of the movie, Ellie’s face turns into to hers as a child when she says “it’s so beautiful”. Watch again carefully. I know I missed it the first time. Other tidbit: you can see the Big Dipper constellation laid out in the popcorn as she runs up the stairs as a child to grab the medicine. You can also see it in the father’s hand when he picks up sand on the beach. And you also can see the Big Dipper shine in the grains of sand she picks up at the end of the movie.

[@NickRedstar]

Carl Sagan the author based Jodi Foster’s character on a real person. The characterization of Ellie Arroway was inspired by Jill Tarter, head of Project Phoenix of the SETI Institute.

[@willcool713]

I was skeptical about whether Carl Sagan, smart as he was, could pull off a good science fiction novel. But he did, this was a great book. One of the final scenes in the movie has a fuzzy, distant shot of Matthew McConaughey in a dark coat and red scarf, which was one of Dr Sagan's trademark public looks. This movie was a nice homage to him.

[@carltonbakerii8274]

I'm not sure you know this (and I apologize if you do) but Carl and Ann wrote "Contact" as a film proposal first but no studio would touch it. They then wrote the book, which got bought and turned into a movie. Weird world, yes?

[@luketimewalker]

oooh

[@willcool713]

@@carltonbakerii8274 Yeah? Huh. Makes sense, though, they were science communicators with a lot of work in video. I wonder why Ann Druyen didn't get credit on the book? I bet Sagan wrote the book, and they thought it had a better shot at a movie than a best seller. So they worked that angle first. The story in the book was definitely first, because it was trimmed ham-handedly. Significant plot points in character development were left out, which the movie alludes to but doesn't include -- the movie couldn't do that if the book hadn't been out first. It probably would've been better as a miniseries or short, single season show.

[@blacknail]

This movie is largely responsible for my life long interest in astronomy and cosmology. I wanted to be an astronomer for most of my childhood. I didn't pursue it later but I will always love this stuff.

[@ReaLifeHDchannel]

Same here! I had books on our solar system, but my passion turned into sci-fi writing. Except I haven't finished writing anything yet.

[@PDNH]

Just a reminder that the Arecibo Telescope was used as a filming location for the James Bond film "Goldeneye" and the movie "Species" as well as "Contact." The suspended portion of the radio telescope has since collapsed into the dish portion.

[@jodyspiegel73]

R.I.P. Arecibo 😰

[@falcychead8198]

Probably my favorite part of this movie is the opening sequence. I haven't seen anything that better conveys the utter vastness of the cosmos. When I saw it in the theater, there was the usual noise of candy wrappers, people coughing, shifting in their seats, etc. But as the camera kept pulling back and back and back... and back... the whole theater fell dead silent as everybody tried to take it all in.

[@drozcompany4132]

It starts to put the vastness in proportion when you realize that our first radio broadcasts drop off fairly close to home and those have been going into space for almost a century.

[@charlie.on.youtube]

Exactly!

[@TrentRidley]

It's definitely a sequence made for the big screen.

[@LordLOC]

@@drozcompany4132 It's still amazing to me, since even now in 2024 it's only been 88 years which means only 88 light years of travel for that first radio signal with enough power to go out into space. Which is absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Considering we look out in the cosmos and see galaxies and stars literally at the dawn of the universe 13+ billion light years away. It's mind boggling in the best way, and the movie indeed did a terrific job showing it.

[@TheSpiritOf97]

*Fun Fact:* The opening shot to contact had been originally intended to be the opening shot for the unproduced and psychedelic rendition of DUNE That Alejandro Jordorowsky had planned. An approximation of the shot was created using still images from storyboards and pencil sketches in the documentary Jordorowsky's Dune. Kind of wild to think that the shot itself would have been considerably longer and included things such as planetary destruction and space battles.

[@christopheryochum3602]

The actress who played Ellie as a young girl, Jena Malone, was adorable. Two things made me cry. First, when she asked if they could talk to Mom; and second, when she tried to reach Dad on her shortwave radio.

[@ct6852]

Hope PiB watches Stepmom at some point.

[@dvhughesdesign]

And that shot of her running to the medicine cabinet with the mirror is one of cinema's all time classic cinematography triumphs. It is extremely complex. Many vids on YT that break it down if interested.

[@stephenlackey5852]

Jenna Malone-actress, musician, inventor.

[@luketimewalker]

@@dvhughesdesign oh wow thanks!

[@mynameisnotearl4383]

Jena malone is great in Donnie darko

[@ribbitrebecca]

I watched this movie for the FIRST TIME in my life a month ago while on a 12 hour plane ride. It was unbelievable. I'm delighted you two enjoyed it and I'm sure you felt the concepts deeply.

[@herpiede]

1997 was a great time for great movies, excellent actors and acrtresses, great stories and not just CGI !

[@stevenwinterhill3623]

Oh totally

[@troy34bronze]

I like the fact that Carl Sagan (the author) was himself an atheist, but told a story that didn’t discount people of faith. Ellie initially questioned Palmer’s faith because she said she needed proof. But in her evolution became someone with an experience she couldn’t prove.

[@authorrayrogers]

The movie inverts after her experience. For the whole film up to that point, she is strictly a person of proof. Then... she goes through something she KNOWS happened, but she has no proof. The world turns on her, wanting the proof she called for herself for so many years... and she now knows what faith is. It's really rather beautiful.

[@talkingdonkey1817]

Carl Sagan’s Cosmos series changed my life. Amazing to think that Dr. Sagan’s Voyager 1 (“Veger” in first Star Trek movie) and Voyager 2 are still sending data back to Earth today as they continue their voyage through interstellar space. Big love for my biggest hero, Dr. Carl Sagan.

[@MattMajcan]

thank you.. this is the entire point of the movie and something a lot of people totally miss. the overlap and differences between religion and science.. how they can coexist, or not.. as you said, i think this movie is brilliant for demonstrating that you can be both religious and scientific without contradicting yourself. most people dont think thats true

[@willvr4]

Yeah, I never understood people who judge those who either believe, or don't believe in God. You can't prove it either way. That's why I'm agnostic. Judging people who are REALLY religious on the other hand....I can understand that. There is way too much contradictory evidence out there for adults in 2024 to still be believing in fairy tales designed to teach people thousands of years ago how to know the difference between what is right vs what is wrong.

[@nagaslrac]

Sagan was agnostic. As he believed a good scientist should be. No proof either way, right?

[@Metamorfeus]

The final dedication just before the credits roll that simply reads "For Carl" never fails to fill my heart with such high hopes and such deep sorrows. RIP Carl Sagan (1934-1996)

[@Embur12]

Carl said we are an insignificant blue marble floating through space, when in reality, we live on a planet so rare the odds of lifes existence on it are almost mathematically impossible. At the time, in the 90s, we thought their were only 30 factors necessary for life to exist, distance from the sun, rotation on an axis, liquid water, etc. We now know it's closer to 300 factors. If a 50/50 probability for each factor exists, the resulting probability that all were present is a mathemaically impossibility.This tends to point toward intelligent design, not a random happenstance of all of these conditions existing.

[@dogawful]

I loved watching Cosmos when I was growing up. I had a friend who worked at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center coffee shop. She ran into Sagan there a couple of times. She said he was super nice.

[@johnathanmichaud867]

​@@Embur12how did you leap from extremely rare to an intelligent designer? Also, how did you come up with those variables and probabilities?

[@Embur12]

@johnathanmichaud867 Science came up with the variables needed for live, gravitation field, liquid water, distance from a yellow white star etc. Over 300 variables now know. If each factor naturally occurs at a "generous" 50/50 variability (yes it occurs with the other factors or not) , 50% X 50% X 50% 300 times equals a mathematical impossibility. So if this is impossible for life in the universe to exists, yet it does, strongly implies it was set in place by a Supreme being, which you can call by whatever name you like. This is just the impossibility of a home for life, with complex life springing from inanimate objects being a much larger step by a factor of 10,000.

[@johnathanmichaud867]

@@Embur12 what are you basing your 300 variables (are they listed somewhere) and 50/50 variability on?

[@rama30]

Her trip through the wormhole will always be breathtaking..

[@ct6852]

The special effects were pretty solid. They seem to hold up fairly well. Especially the beach scene.

[@ben_spiller]

Jodie Foster is great. She became an advocate for SETI after this film.

[@fajarkurniawan9434]

I watched this on theatre during my high school years “If it is just us, seems like an awful waste of space” That line really triggered my interest of life from outer space

[@allanmanaged5285]

Based on Carl Sagan's book; also titled 'Contact'.

[@gregtalley1601]

For anyone that's never read any of his books or watched the show Cosmos, they're highly recommended. He was a brilliant scientist and had a knack for explaining deep and complex scientific concepts in an easy to understand way. One of the great teachers of all time. He also had one of those super chill voices like Bob Ross or Mr. Rogers.

[@Doutsoldome]

Indeed. I'll comment about another person involved in it, though. When Sagan was finishing his novel, he contacted his friend Kip Thorne, a theoretical physicist, to help him in finding an explanation for Ellie's travel that would be more scientifically plausible, even though still remaining fiction. Thorne thought about the issue for a while and did come up with new ideas about wormholes. In fact, this exercise lead him to really new mathematical insights and the result was a boon to the scientific research on the matter. Years later, Thorne came up with the basic idea for a plot that, after contributions from other people, evolved into Nolan's movie _Interstellar_ - of which he served as the main scientific consultant, making sure the physics involved was being taken seriously. And a couple of years after that, Thorne was awarded the Nobel prize in physics for his contributions to the detection of gravitational waves. Great guy, on all counts.

[@charlie.on.youtube]

I had a REAL hard time dealing with the film differences from the book when I first saw it in theaters. But now I love both

[@holdensagan]

@@gregtalley1601 The Demon Haunted World is my favorite non-fiction of all time. I read it once a year.

[@CribNotes]

The book was good, but Contact is one of the few cases where I liked the movie better than the book. The movie script is a much different story from the book but of course draws from many of its elements.

[@sebastianhuvenaars6537]

Carl Sagan is one of those people I wish he could have lived a thousand years.

[@mr.kinkade2049]

If only we could have sacrificed Neil DeGrass Tyson to keep his mentor alive.

[@Browncoat66]

@@mr.kinkade2049 I would do it gladly! PLUTO IS STILL A PLANET!

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

@@Browncoat66 Pluto is a dwarf planet.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

@@mr.kinkade2049 Sagan would probably shun you for that remark.

[@dreadpenguinlord340]

billions and billions of years...

[@mattybob12310]

I love how the hearing afterwards puts her, an athiest scientist, in the exact same position as a person of faith, she had an experience that to her was absolutely real, but she has no way to communicate it, like a vision of God. Such a cool way to show both sides of the same coin.

[@davestang5454]

I doubt that her character would have remained an atheist after that experience.

[@KonaLife]

@@davestang5454oh, please. I believe in God, but not everybody has to, even with an experience like that.

[@innotech]

exactly! The most brilliant part of this film was putting a Scientist at the mercy of faith. Her personal experience could not be scientifically proven and she had only the personal belief in an experience to prove that anything happened at all. Perhaps it gave her insight into Palmers faith in God and religion's place in general. An incredibly well written movie.

[@Jodka96]

The problem with this way of thinking is that she had 18 hours of static recorded. Proof of her experience. All religious nuts have is "Trust me bro"

[@StephenArdent]

I think Palmers reply to her statement that God would have used a loud booming voice, was perfect- he tells her it’s exactly what she got. Often how God speaks.

[@ZacharyLoeser]

Some fun facts: The "one shot" scene where Ellie sprints up the stairway after she first hears the signal was actually filmed in two different states. There's a neat hidden cut. Second, the "Vega crowd" scene was mostly unplanned. The producers invited a bunch of random people (not even preplanned extras) to dress up for essentially what happened in the movie and this is what they got. The choir just showed up. Third: The director considers the handhold at the end of the movie to be the titular "Contact:" the moment when science and religion meet.

[@luketimewalker]

oooho THANKS FOR THAT

[@aerosnowu2]

I had never realized the symbolism in the hand holding, thank you for that insight! This movie became one of my all time favorites because of how it masterfully weaves together science and religion and I loved the part near the end about the humility of realizing that no one would believe her and that that is exactly what faith is.

[@Embur12]

Most people assume science and religion are at odds, when in reality they are in lockstep. Pseudo science nowadays claims to know the facts without applying the scientific method, with climate change being the number one example.

[@davestang5454]

I was a choir singer extra in a movie and I am a lousy singer! Having "random people" in movies is normal too, because may sets are not "closed" at all. Production crews will set up signs informing the public that they are passing through an active film set and, by doing so, consent to be filmed. It sure saves on expenses!

[@EdmontonRealEstate01]

The actor who blew the first machine up is Jake Busey (Gary Busey’s son). If you’ve watched the movie “Starship Troopers”, you’ll remember Jake Busey as the guy who asks the drill Sargent “why do you need a knife in a nuke fight”. Also, the actor who plays the billionaire (John Hurt) is the same actor whose character is the first person to die in the movie “Alien”. And the guy that plays the a-hole in this movie also also starred in Alien. He played the captain of the ship in that movie.

[@luketimewalker]

good catch!!!!

[@anorthosite]

Tom Skerritt was Drumlin. He has been in lots of movies, including M*A*S*H, Alien, Top Gun, to name a few.

[@tylerthompson1842]

He was also in Identity

[@rama30]

When I think of Jake the first film that comes to mind is "The Frighteners"

[@w1975b]

The actor playing the blind guy was in another movie with Jodie, Elysium (2013). Main star Matt Damon.

[@BOGO2020]

This movie and the book are amazing. Fun fact: In the book, on top of the 18 hours of static, they recovered some traces of sand inside the pod from “Pensacola” which added to the government funding her research. Such a great story!!!

[@MiBrCo4177]

I'm not sure if you guys watched it or not but The Arrival (1996) with Charlie Sheen came out a year before this did and it's another freaky alien film. Definitely worth a watch.

[@Ender7j]

True! Underrated gem.

[@anorthosite]

I believe this movie and "The Arrival" used the same "sound" and screen visual effect to portray an alien signal. Or maybe it was just in the trailer for the latter movie. Vs. "The Arrival": I personally prefer (2016) "Arrival", with Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner. Also reacted to, on Popcorn In Bed.

[@porkins74]

This was one of the first movies my family went for see after my mom passed away. I’m sure you can imagine how wrecked I was throughout it. It’s a great movie and I’m glad you two enjoyed it.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

If only Sagan's legacy was truly taken seriously. After all, in many ways, he himself "was" Ellie Arroway. To a point.

[@willvr4]

Wow, yeah. That sequence towards the end when she sees "her father" must have been hard to watch, but beautiful

[@porkins74]

Definitely that.

[@brianhatcher2799]

I’m so sorry for your loss.

[@zammmerjammer]

Oh my gosh. I hope the movie helped you feel better a bit rather than just made you feel sad. 😥 I remember going to see "Finding Neverland" in the theatre and some poor woman was just SOBBING by the end. It's a sad movie but obviously it had triggered some real stuff going on with her.

[@patrickcromwell7554]

The guy who tries to shut Ellie down in the beginning is played by Tom Skerritt. He also played the ship captain in Alien and he played Viper in Top Gun. Ellies father was also in MANY movies but the one I believe you are thinking of (where you said you thought he played the bad guy) could be The Rock with Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage. He played the Colonel who was helping the General hold Alcatraz hostage.

[@rnorth8812]

Whenever I see David Morse, I think of Dr. Morrison in St. ELsewhere.

[@bjgandalf69]

Another memorable performance from Tom Skerritt was as Julia Robert's dad in Steel Magnolias.

[@Ryan_Christopher]

@@rnorth8812Just turned 50 and have never seen an entire episode of St. Elsewhere. Always tuned-away when it came on when I was a kid. Perhaps it’s on streaming now but I haven’t checked yet.

[@GUNNER67akaKelt]

They probably watched Disturbia, in which he played the bad guy.

[@bjgandalf69]

@Ryan_Christopher I'm 54 and also haven't ever watched an episode of that show...but then again, I don't really care for any medical dramas.

[@stephensmith6599]

"wanna take a ride?" Such a great line, delivered brilliantly.

[@0rnery0verwatch]

I'm a grown a$$ man and this move makes me cry full blown tears every time I watch it. Jodie Foster gives an exemplary performance... she reminds me of my sister and I love Carl Sagan and the message behind this movie.

[@petersvoboda5526]

Same here. Gets me every time.

[@TerryAllenSwartos]

John Hurt, who played billionaire in the glasses, is another one of the greatest actors of his era. I think you saw him have a creature burst from his chest in the original “Alien” movie.

[@basildave]

Don’t forget Tom (Drumlin) Skerrit was captain Dallas… mini Alien reunion film.

[@MrTrekFanDan]

Spaceballs …1984 too 😎

[@Art-is-craft]

John Hurt in the movie The Field was amazing.

[@YanyTori]

@@MrTrekFanDan "Oh no, not again"

[@bobclarke1815]

John Hurt was Mr Olivander the wand seller in Harry Potter.

[@555smo]

My dad was an extra in this film, he's one of the many, unfocused white headed people in the last scene in the courtroom. He got to wish ( along with EVERYONE ELSE on set) a happy birthday to Matthew McConaughey

[@DernhelmTheSheildmaiden]

I was lucky enough to finally visit the observatory at Arecibo when I was out in Puerto Rico for a family reunion in 2018. I was giddy, completely geeking out over the fact that the movie Contact was made there. I was 15 when that movie came out and I absolutely loved it. The observatory itself was nothing short of awesome. I was completely awestruck by how massive it was. There was a walkway, basically suspended in the center of the thing where people were walking, just dangling hundreds of feet in the air… scared the absolute crap out of me. And far across on the other end of the observatory was a helipad and behind the helipad was just straight up jungle and I couldn’t help but imagine a giant Tyrannosaurus rex just showing up out of the blue right then and there. Seeing that place collapse into itself in 2020 via the news was one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life. On top of everything else going on in the world at the time. 😢

[@lanwyacaere9274]

Neglecting that obsevatory and allowing it to brake down also crushed my heart. Thank's for sharing your story. I wish I could visit that place too. I visited La Sila obeservatory in Chile during total solar eclipse and it was an enchanting experience. I hope I will visit Mauna Kea some day also...

[@johnlime1469]

Ah just one more reason to hate 2020.

[@aaroncillo4318]

David Morse was also a guardian in the Green Mile. Also, has anyone noticed the similitude of shining stars when Ellie grabs the sand at the end and the one that her "alien father" has in his hand when takes the sand from Pensacola?

[@theschoolshipmassachusetts]

You would love "Flight of the Navigator." It addresses the issue of time passing differently for the person who leaves Earth and returns versus those who remain on Earth.

[@RidgeR5]

OMG this was one of my favorite movies as a child! A fun, funny scifi flick with a beautiful aesthetic. Compliance!

[@Code9]

Compliance!

[@forgingbridges2737]

Compliance! 😎

[@SaulofTarsis]

YES!!! "now this is music. I'm getting bugged drivin' down the same 'ol strip, i gotta find a new place where the kids are hip!"

[@eve-llblyat2576]

​@@OneTrueScotsman And thats the point why light speed is impossible. The argument "people belived planes flying through the air is impossible, why dont belive in xy or interstelar travel". is totally imbecile. Even the first humen could see things fly. Leaves, birds. etc. so he knew flying is possible. People build flying things forever. Its known that kites had been made 2300 years ago. People building kites to fly with had been around for thousand of years. 1780 people flew with ballons. 1796 the four aerodynamic forces of flight had been identifyed. Every body knew it was possible. But it needed the ottomotor do propel. But bending physics? Physics are the same since the first humen. Gravitytion, elektric forces, magnetic forces, atomic forces. Even a caveman could observe them. They stayed the same, we only get better in observing them. Lightspeed Gravity or velocity acting on mass equels in rising the energy of the quanten, letting them "move" or "swing" or "what every" faster. Ofcourse this isnt mesurable because we cant leave the inertial system of this quaten / atoms /particels we observing. To load atomic particles with such an amount of enrgy is impossibel. Its a mathematical limited. Only fundamental interactions can travel light speed. But i hate the term " light speed" because light can travel slow as 17m/s or 299.792.458 m/s in vacuum. All in all you guys should forget your belives in scifi travel or interstelar travel. Its IMPOSSIBLE and will stay like that forever. Even if we hack physics (Impossible) and reach light speed it still would take a decade to the nearest star. Thats like traveling 1km on the journey descovering the earth.

[@FreshTechCo]

Jody Foster does the single best commentary of all DVD commentaries i've ever seen in my life. She is so smart. Really made the commentary interesting and insightful. Listen if you get a chance!

[@michaelross1452]

She graduated from a top tier college, i think SR Haden's little ellie reel of life has Jodie Foster's real college transcript if iam not mistaken.

[@dupersuper1938]

Even better than Robert Downey Jr's Tropic Thunder commentary?

[@FreshTechCo]

You know, I haven't seen that one. Good huh? @@dupersuper1938

[@forgingbridges2737]

May I also suggest the movie “Frequency”(2000) with Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. Another absolute gem based on the space/time continuum.

[@lucianaromulus1408]

I love Frequency

[@AirPowered]

Underrated amazing movie.

[@randellosburn5105]

And Dennis Quad does an Elvis impersonation I know you are goin' to love entirely.

[@retroj4634]

Very underrated movie! One of my favorite hidden gems!!!

[@snakesnoteyes]

Frequency is also a great dad movie

[@Neogeddon]

I got this movie at a yard sale as a kid on VHS. Changed the trajectory of my life; can't even put it into words. Glad yall enjoyed it.

[@pleutron]

i've seen this movie at least 20 times since it came out in '97. it still makes me cry even watching this reaction.

[@Lynxdoc]

I've probably seen it as many times as well.

[@Cadinho93]

"Wanna take a ride?" Contact is a superb Sci-Fi film. Each time I watch the film, I'm left wondering how "Contact" is time and time again glossed over and seemingly forgotten. It's a true work of art, a beautiful, inspiring, self-affirming, hope filled tale of one woman's ambitious spiritual and scientific journey through the monumental discovery of alien life. Also, "Contact" is the film that came the closest to showing what the cultural/religious impact would be worldwide in the event we did get definitive proof of life outside Earth. All other "alien" movies seem to gloss over that.

[@Lynxdoc]

I remember listening to Art Bell on the radio in the 90's and he would start some of his shows by saying "wanna take a ride?" His show covered topics like this in the movie - Also movie was done by the same guy who did back to the future and Forest Gump and sure the composer was the same - I heard some Forest Gump style notes at the end.

[@chadbailey7038]

This was one of my favorite movies growing up. Interstellar before Interstellar. Gave me a crush on Jodie Foster! I love how you kept thinking this was a true event! 😅they did such a great job creating this world so did I at times 😂. So glad you guys watched this!

[@droidx1191]

The shot where Ellie runs to the medicine cabinet is justifiably famous for being impossible except via genius movie magic.

[@nielsvm7777]

And yet both Popcorn in Bed women show no emotion what so ever during that scene -.-. Great "Movie Reaction"! /s

[@MRxMADHATTER]

There are a bunch of little easter eggs in this. When they zoom out from her eye as a child at the beginning, you can see a reflection of the machine. The pattern of the spilled popcorn on the floor gets repeated in the stars and in the sand in her palm at the end. He picture of Pennsacola and the palms on the beach when she makes contact.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

"If we're wrong we're cooked." Now what's that from?

[@mstorrboy]

This move should be on every top 10 sci-fi movie list if not the top 5. Watching the device break apart in the theater was crazy.

[@brianhatcher2799]

Definitely. I also think Gattaca should be on there. Another sci-fi movie that’s more of a drama and focuses on the human spirit and the beauty of chasing your dreams than on action and visual flair. That one, like Contact, also got me pretty emotional.

[@Docjonel]

@@brianhatcher2799 Gattaca and Contact are two movies that affect your view of the world after you see them. That's what the best science fiction does.

[@charlie.on.youtube]

@@brianhatcher2799came out the same year too, iirc

[@mstorrboy]

@@brianhatcher2799 gattaca is definitely up there also. Let's throw in Dark City also. Maybe not a top 10 movie, but it was a neat thriller/mystery sci Fi in it's day

[@alanfoster6589]

Dark City is real SF.@@mstorrboy

[@Polymathically]

Contact is one of my all-time favorite movies. The theme of science vs religion - and how it gets turned on its head in the end - is wonderfully crafted. Along with Goldeneye, this made me want to visit Arecibo. A shame I never got the chance. Also, this was the final movie I ever watched in a drive-in theater; the theater was wiped out a nasty winter storm six months later. It doesn't feel that long ago...

[@davestang5454]

The point is that science doesn't have to be at war with religion. You really can be a person of both faith and science at the same time. They are not mutually exclusive beliefs.

[@frankiecamacho8739]

William Fichtner plays a convincing blind person. He's that actor that you've seen before but don't know his name.

[@Starbits7]

Fun fact: To film the space scenes there were limitations with the technology back then and they had to create a new program in order to make it look realistic. So this movie basically can be credited with a big step in improving the CGI technology back then.

[@carl_anderson9315]

Totally! Actually, after the huge success of the 3 landmarks for 90s CGI Terminator 2, Jurassic Park and Toy Story, in early 90s, there were a subsequent late 90s insanely creative handful of films that helped develop CGI in an unprecedented manner: Contact, Godzilla, Armageddon, Men In Black, etc. I LOVE 90s movies because they’re so bold and unafraid of taking risks.

[@BruceHoult]

The wormhole sequence was done by Peter Jackson's "Weta Digital" in the lead up to doing Lord of the Rings.

[@ColdCutz]

Wow, the wormhole travel scene was superb, my absolute favorite part of the movie. I’d love to see how they actually got the cgi to look like that.

[@davestang5454]

GGI has ruined the modern movie industry.

[@IsaacBeImont]

You're nailing it with your film choices, lately! RIP Carl Sagan

[@IsaacBeImont]

17:54 Have you ladies been hitting the spice again?

[@IsaacBeImont]

Just another reply to say I'm very happy you managed to get this video out of YT jail!

[@ChibiHoshiDragon]

And RIP John Hurt

[@neon-rust]

"It would be such a waste of space". Sounds really nice, but there's also the other side of the coin, "The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you". Both are profound, in their own way.

[@tatianaferreira5998]

I love that everyone jumps at the Beginning of the movie because it's so loud all of a sudden! 🤣🤣 love this movie and it's always great to watch someone react to it ❤

[@campagnollo]

The guy who plays Drumlin is Tom Skerritt. Among many other films, he was in ‘Alien’ and ‘Top Gun’.

[@Otokichi786]

He was "Dr. Duke Forrest" in "M*A*S*H" (1970).

[@robertdurant-jl8bf]

And Weezer’s arch nemesis in Steel Magnolias.

[@user-ih5jr8rt5q]

yep and they should watch A River Runs Through It with him as the dad to Brad Pitt and Craig Scheffer directed by Robert Redford

[@ZeroKool7140]

“Wanna take a ride?” That line is so mysterious and tempting and evilish and beautiful. I love it.

[@gember1382]

This was one of my favorite movies when I was young. I even bought the video tape and watched it so many times. Love these reactions of movies from the '80 and '90 ❤

[@alberthaust4542]

One movie from the past you might like that is sort of a Romcom is "Broadcast News." Holly Hunter is the lead.

[@heatherr296]

I’ll watch anything Jodie Foster is in, she’s a brilliant actor.

[@peabee4758]

I SECOND THAT !

[@LordNelsonkm]

She's excellent in Elysium as a ruthless elite.

[@joebombero1]

Check out the interviews she gives to French TV. She is totally fluent in French.

[@ph8429]

I thought she was great in Inside Man

[@robertcartier5088]

@@joebombero1 Indeed, my biggest surprise when I first saw those vids was that she has almost no accent! Impressive!

[@barkingmadman1169]

The only movie I saw in the theater, walked out, immediately bought another ticket and watched the very next showing.

[@northwestkiwi7742]

I did that after the The Fellowship of the Ring but only because the cinema screwed up the first session and we had to leave after the first hour.

[@SillyMakesVids]

Or you could have stayed for the whole movie and not have needed to buy another ticket. /s

[@1177kc]

I did that with Chicago.

[@charlie.on.youtube]

@@SillyMakesVidshaha.😅

[@charlie.on.youtube]

I think I saw it five times that year.

[@fraziergavin]

I live in New Mexico, and have been out to the VLA before. It's really in the middle of nowhere, but it is absolutely fascinating to see what they're doing out there.

[@ji3194]

I used to run a car club cruise from Albuquerque to the VLA every spring so much fun and such a fascinating place one of my favorite places in NM

[@deepspeed7862]

What they are doing or what they were doing? I thought the telescope was dead.

[@fraziergavin]

​@deepspeed7862 you're thinking of the radio telescope in Venezuela I believe. The VLA is still fully functional

[@MrAndreasSaw]

Contact is a very, very special Movie. Stands out of the "typical Sci-Fi-Movies". So glad, that you watch it now...

[@dlweiss]

Great reactions! So, to explain why they expected her to not age as quickly as the people back on Earth: space and time are essentially two sides of the same coin (which astronomers literally call spacetime), and this means the faster you travel through space, the slower you travel through time. This means that a person travelling VERY fast between planets will experience time slowing down for them, causing them to age more slowly compared to the people back on Earth. You can actually see this same phenomenon happen by synchronizing two clocks, leaving one of them sitting still at home, and then taking the other clock with you while you fly back and forth across the country on fast-moving airplanes. After enough of these speedy trips, the clock that was travelling with you will no longer be perfectly in-sync with the clock left sitting at home (by only a fraction of a second, but still enough to be noticeable). As for why she DIDN'T end up aging like that: the alien device created a wormhole that allowed her to travel across space without actually "speeding up" - because wormholes are holes in the fabric of spacetime that you jump through, essentially skipping all the distance and time in-between. Sorry if this just makes you more confused! :)

[@authorrayrogers]

This is actually one of the best descriptions of spacetime and wormholes that I've ever seen. Thank you!

[@GoSolar]

a question/quibble: if you're moving very fast, do you actually "experience" time slowing down? My understanding is that your *experience* of time does not change. But *relative to some other observer*, time passes more slowly for you.

[@willmartin7293]

Yes, you have it correct according to Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity.@@GoSolar

[@dlweiss]

@@GoSolar Exactly correct: from your own perspective, time would continue to feel completely the same, because you yourself would be in "inside" the alternate timeflow. Only an outside observer would perceive you as moving in "slow motion" or something similar. I realize my initial phrasing was unclear! I meant "experience" in the sense that you'd be *existing* in a slower timeflow.

[@IamnotJohnFord]

​@@GoSolar You won't feel any different, nor will the people going slower. A real life example would be astronauts on the Space Station. the Space Station is traveling almost 30000 km/hr(almost 20,000 mph). So, astronauts on the Space Station are aging slower than people on Earth. You can have identical clocks. Keep one on Earth and take one on the Space Station. When you bring the one clock back to Earth it will be just a little behind the one that never left Earth. In six months the Space Station clock would be behind about 0.005 seconds. If you could travel close to the speed of light you could essential travel into the future as time on Earth would proceed faster relative to your time. I looked this up, and it's really cool. If you travel at 99.99% of the speed of light for one year when you returned to Earth 70 years would have past. That is so cool.

[@matthewmarcinko9157]

Cassie, thank you for reacting to this. I've been waiting for you to watch this for a VERY long time. This movie always makes me cry at the part when Ellie sees her father again, because, personally, I would give ANYTHING to talk to my Dad just one more time, too. Again, thank you, Cassie. You're my favorite reactor of them all on KZbin...

[@alexspindler1]

There's a really nice end at the book when humanity discovers that there's a message hidden in the universal constant Pi. It shows how the diversity in experiences can open up new opportunities so we helped the entire galaxy understand a deeper meaning in the universe we share. Really cool but hard to make meaningful in a movie without a ton of setup. Awesome movie, awesome book, and great reaction from you two!

[@robertomancha6840]

Thanks ladies. I usually don’t like watching other people watching movies but I was absolutely floored by this movie when I first watched it as a kid and couldn’t miss the opportunity to witness someone else get deeply invested in the story and characters for the first time. It was like I was watching myself for the first time all over again. Such a beautiful film with so many powerful messages and amazing performances. You took me back to feeling like a 13 year old kid watching this with you! Thanks 🙏 😊

[@lennyl3843]

One of those movies that leaves you sitting on your couch or bed for a bit after its finished. Letting your brain marinade for a while. A must for sci-fi fans.

[@kaede15]

OMG 1997 was the best year for Sci-Fi movies that I can remember. Contact, Starship Trooper, Event Horizon, Gattaca and Fifth Element.... and other really good titles like The Edge, Dante's Peak, Seven Years in Tibet, Spawn and Davil's Advocate. Contact has a special place in my heart, because before this movie I always thought that science and faith are exclusionary... you can have one but not both.. but this movie made me realize that my premise was wrong, in fact most human hisory one is the drive force for the other... Don't know if Carl Sagan had that in mind when he wrote the book but it certainly hint at that. Plus the movie also has my favorite quote of all time: 'The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space.' ---Carl Sagan

[@OneAndOnlyMe]

Some the camera shots are amazing, the one where the camera pulls out of Elli on the radio backwards through the glass in the door of her house, subtle and yet so cinematic.

[@gregorysouthworth783]

Another point. Our science is only as good as our measuring sticks. The character was deprived of effective measuring sticks. BUT, enough experience to spark curiosity about "something".

[@mariaghiglieri78]

One of the best space movies. The book was written by Carl Sagan, and is considered one of the more scientifically accurate books. The movie condenses a lot of it down, but it is beautifully done and I appreciate that it keeps to the spirit of the book. Thank you for watching it!

[@AlexSmith_Rhysand]

I saw this in the theatre on a date with the woman who would eventually become my wife. I have very fond memories of this film.

[@CinHotlanta]

I love it when William Fichtner (Kent) gets to play not-a-slimeball 😁

[@snakesnoteyes]

Hey, they spend so little money on NASA. Like at the height of NASA’s budget it was was like 2% of the US budget. But what we got for it was the tech that makes makes your cell phone work, CAT scans, land mine removal, emergency rescue cutters (jaws of life), and so many more things including a way to save our planet from an asteroid impact. That’s just off the top of my head. By reaching for something as difficult as space travel we discover so much that improves our day to day life.

[@RetroClassic66]

Every time I see the scene where Haddon (John Hurt) asks Ellie, “Wanna take a ride?” I get goosebumps. That is such a thrilling moment!

[@little-wytch]

The 50-year time thing would only have been if she traveled at near the speed of light. Wormholes, which are still theoretical, are a completely different story. The Stargate franchise of movies and shows deals with wormholes and might interest you, but there are a LOT of seasons to go through lol. 17 seasons across 3 series lol.

[@Dmitriy.0]

I'd settle for the original Stargate (1994) movie reaction.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

Oh please.🙄

[@garryiglesias4074]

@@Dmitriy.0 SG-1 is the only required series, I agree...

[@3000KJH]

Don't wormholes bend space time, so travel would be more or less instantaneous?

[@dupersuper1938]

4 counting Infinity...5 counting Origins...

[@vinnydaq13]

Jodie’s boss is played by Tom Skerritt, who played Dallas, captain of the Nostromo, in Alien. The billionaire investor is played by Jon Hurt, who played Kane, the guy that had the alien burst out of his chest.

[@shaomongoloid]

The sound of the signal is a modified heartbeat, which used to just be a neat bit of movie trivia for me until I heard the heartbeat of my first child in utero. Now, when I watch this movie, the scene where they discover the radio signal chokes me up.

[@CribNotes]

I love movies like this because it's like getting on an amusement park ride. I couldn't believe how smooth and fast it flew by when I saw it opening weekend. "Wait a minute....that movie was two and a half hours???" It doesn't drag at all.

[@ct6852]

Feel like this would definitely be a series instead of a movie nowadays.

[@dan_hitchman007]

I love how they depicted the alien life as a projection of Ellie's thoughts and aspirations, so she could have closure with her father. In the novel it was pretty cut and dry that this was a totally alien civilization like in the novel "2001: A Space Odyssey" was based on and that there was no question she traveled through space and time. It makes her just like her boyfriend, having to leave some of it to faith in her experiences because the truth was hidden from her due to government secrecy... that her travels were real, though she would have some doubt in her mind.

[@Egobyte83]

One thing I absolutely love in this movie, is how at the end, Ellie; who has always written off faith as something beneath her, has to rely on others to believe her story. There is absolutely no proof, and she, as a devoted scientist, now finds herself on the other side of the table, where she has to convince people to believe rather than know. And the fact that Palmer is the one who with the utmost conviction believes her because all he needs is his faith in her, is just sublime, ironic and poetic all at the same time.

[@firebladenut]

I love the juxtaposition of the characters asking for 'faith' in their science and then those with faith asking for it back. Belief is personal, it can be given but not demanded.

[@coreyfrancis421]

Got to see the Arecibo antenna shortly before one of the structural cables failed and it collapsed. It was very impressive. Excellent movie.

[@chefskiss6179]

"They're still looking for two Canadian sisters... wanna take a riiiide...?" - Wonderful selection! Can't wait!

[@EYNugget]

It's one of my favorite movies. The book is also fascinating and very different.

[@perfectionbox]

"Are there others?" "Many others."

[@msclrhd]

On 7 Aug 1996, President Clinton gave a whitehouse statement on the discovery of a Mars meteorite that may have contained life -- the transcript and video of which can be found online. This film used sections of that speech in the press conference scene, editing it to make it appear that he was talking about the Vega discovery.

[@matthiasheppe]

Robert Zemeckis heard that original speech, and said "I swear to God it was like it was scripted for this movie. When he said the line 'We will continue to listen closely to what it has to say,' I almost died. I stood there with my mouth hanging open." [IMDB]

[@attorneyrobert]

I love this movie. It was the first time I had ever seen anyone discuss religion/God vs. science, and that was fascinating to me. It's an important movie that I forget other people also love.

[@Ferdawoon]

44:30 - I didn't realize until watching this reaction that the area they are in is the drawing she did with her father in the opening scenes. The playa with three palm trees, of the area she managed to radio to.

[@michaeltodd2012]

Someone was watching over her after the loss of both parents, put her in the right profession at the right time, saved her from the explosion, put her together with Palmer AND allowed her to see the vastness of creation. I wonder who that someone is?

[@tomshea8382]

The echoes of 2001 at the end are pretty palpable: The hypervisuals on her journey and the fact that the alien powers constructed a reality that isn't quite real. In 2001 the aliens put Bowman in a sort of terrarium to watch him, that looks like reality but not quite. When these aliens built Pensacola, they got it not quite right: The tides roll out, the colors are wrong, the visuals stop at her hand's length.

[@THOMMGB]

Well, at least the aliens got the Oxygen part right at Pensacola. 😊

[@RidgeR5]

I DO wonder what all took place over that 18 hours? Was the entirety of her contact with the aliens what we saw, and the rest was traveling through wormholes? Or was the ride real time and she spent the rest of that window chatting it up with spacedad?

[@billross7245]

I thought that the movement of the shadows of the palm trees were both awesome and alien.

[@jonhenke1504]

Of course James woods character believed her in the end!! That's why she got a ton of money from the government to go back to New Mexico and work with those giant antennas!! She got all the funding she'll ever need which is why she looks so happy talking to those children!!!

[@nobodyimportant7804]

This movie has some of the best examples of CGI. A lot of it is not even noticeable by most people. Like the impossible shot when young Ellie is running to the medicine cabinet. They could send a signal to Vega, but it would take 26 years + another 26 to get the response.

[@j0nt]

I grew up in a tiny town just over an hour easy (and a bit north) of Pensacola. I've been there many times.