The Day The Earth Stood Still

Last night, still without power from the ice storm that left 1.25 million people from Maine to Pennsylvania without power, my family and I went to go see The Day The Earth Stood Still. Although I'm told the original is better by my Dad, I enjoyed the movie. The movies main protagonist, Dr. Helen Benson, played by Jennifer Connelly, is a scientists who convinces aliens that the world can survive with humans because humans can change.

This article, from USA Today, gives a positive review to the movie because its science is so realistic. Filmmakers wanted to ensure accuracy and consulted with the SETI Institute, best known for radio signal searches for aliens.

In fact, only one scientist has criticized the scientific accuracy of the film. CalTech physicist Sean Carroll "had to slightly criticize" the fact that filmmakers had one of the physicists in the film win the Nobel Prize for biology. However, even he was excited that the filmmakers chose the physicist as an example of what is right with humanity.

The film is currently showing in theaters nationwide, or, if you are an alien, the Deep Space Communications Network is broadcasting the film at Alpha Centauri, the earth's nearest star system (which is about four light years away).