On the podcast this time, Steven and Sean are receiving otherworldly transmissions and venturing out into the farthest reaches of space in the 1997 film from Robert Zemeckis, Contact.
This film does many things well, but the best thing it does is inspire deep thought and conversation. It demands that you consider the world outside of your microcosm. It asks you what it would be like if there was other life in the universe and what would that mean for humanity.
To package those questions up in an admittedly lengthy film that features great drama, romance, and suspense is a master stroke. I guess the wonderful Carl Sagan and Zemeckis understood that you need spectacle to encourage people to consider substance.
So, what would you do if we received a credible transmission from a star system many lightyears away from Earth? Would it be something to celebrate, something to investigate, or something to destroy… inate?
At the very least, I think we can all agree that this film posits a spectacular premise. It encourages us to love each other and work together to move ourselves forward. That’s pretty dang noble.
(Recorded on February 18, 2022)
Links to Stuff We Mentioned:
Back to the Future (1985) - IMDb
Men in Black: International (2019) - IMDb
Spaceballs | More Movies Please! - Libsyn
The Good Place (TV Series 2016–2020) - IMDb
Pensieve | Harry Potter Wiki - Fandom
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