Blog Assignment #5: Contact

One thing that I especially thought was interesting in this book by Carl Sagan, is his attempt to combine religious views with modern science.
I wouldn't say that I self am a religious person - I question God as almighty - I rely on science consequently. Therefore I recognize myself in the main character, Ellie. She's a radio astronomer and is very suspicious against religion and wants proof to believe in something that isn't explainable. When the selection comes to which person shall have the honor to travel in the machine, and meet the extra terrestrials, is she one of them. The reason why she isn't picked as number one is because of her religion thoughts. The stab that select whom that shall travel feels that it should be a person that can represent all mankind and their religions. She tries hard to convince the religious side that religion is inferior science. Pastor, Palmer Joss, think she's wrong and starts to affect her standpoint against the unexplainable. Maybe science and religion can exist side by side?
After her journey to space, she has to prove that she met aliens because none of her technical equipment had worked. This is easier said than done, how can you prove something so challenged (even if you as one person felt it as real) without being judged as mad? Ellie had been amazed by the aliens’ technical skills and what they had achieved. But even such superior creatures haven't the answer to everything. As we have the question: What's the meaning of life?
I think it's a fascinating idea that science and religion can be represented as two sides of the same coin.

Blog Assignment #4: Seen Any Good Films Lately?

Pan’s labyrinth

This is a non-English speaking movie and was nominated for an Oscar for the best foreign language film in 2007.

The year is 1944 and the civil war in Spain is over. An eleven year old girl named Ofelia, who is fascinated of fairytales, travels with her pregnant mother out on to the countryside to visit her stepfather, the cruel and brutal captain Vidal. He’s a follower to Franco and has the mission to supplant the last rebels who are hiding in the forests and still fights for freedom and mankind’s equal worth. During her first night in her new home Ofelia meets a fairy that takes her to an aged overgrowned labyrinth. Here waits a faun for her and he reveals her real identity; she’s the daughter of the king from a furtively lower world kingdom. She has to carry out 3 tasks if she wants to return and meet her real father.

The movie is divided in to two. First the story about Ofelias´s tasks in the fantasy world – or is it real? Than the external world, which is no more tempting, the mother´s fragile health and the housemaid´s double life.

Pan’s labyrinth is a dark and cruel story. This changing between fantasy and historical drama are skilled balanced over the genres. The interpreting is open: is it an unusual chimerical child´s escape from the tough reality or is it happening “for real”?

The movie is extraordinary beautiful, well-played and cruel and dark but not without hope. I loved this film; it’s gripping and magical and won’t leave anyone unaffected. See it and escape in to another world for 2 hours.