Watching on Prime now

I watched this last night. Not to bad for a low budget movie. Then I watched Vast of Night. Another good low budget movie.

I watched on Prime last night.

The first third where the men work out their various 'issues' is a bit clunky and seems more at home in a Spielberg-style 'teenage boys coming of age' movie. But once they move into the science-y stuff it gets entertaining.

The ending reverts to pure Spielberg again with music that just never stops swelling as four guys stare in wonder at the overhead sky where we see nothing but an underwhelming solitary bright light spotlight.

I think too that fear and caution would be the overriding emotions rather than awe and wonder. Alien contact means ALIEN... no clue about their motivations, intentions, whether they might wipe us out even if accidentally through the equivalent of an alien flu or cold... the religious and spiritual implications... even just the reaction to their physical appearance... you could go on and on. True physical alien contact (if it ever happens which I doubt) would probably be more Mars Attacks or Alien Nation -- or even Alien -- than E.T. or Close Encounters.

That all said, I enjoyed the movie on its own terms. The actors are convincing, the director does a good job of recreating that Spielberg feel in many shots, the small scale story is entertaining...

It's impressive when you consider that the entire production crew appears to be just seven people. The shortest credits for a movie that I've seen in a long time...LOL.