Contact
Jodie Foster plays a SETI scientist who thinks she’s detected an alien signal in Robert Zemeckis’ 1997 adaptation of Carl Sagan’s novel. While Contact is far more cerebral than action-packed—and features a Matthew McConaughey performance that hovers between “eccentric” and “distracting”—it makes a surprisingly soulful impact. Yes, the twist ending could be interpreted as a bit of a downer, but the movie’s more about faith and the emotional journey of Foster’s character than it is about extra-terrestrials placing long-distance calls to Earth. (Max)
