Hidden Universe

If you have ever wanted to travel out into the universe, this is probably as close as you are going to get to fulfilling your dream.

The film contains spectacular 3D imagery based on real data and real science. And for a change, it's not gimmicky - it adds enormously to the experience by making you feel like you are really there. In fact, the whole film prides itself on the use of real scientific data to show audience what the universe and astronomy is really like - not some CGI artist's version of it.

Thoroughly enjoyed the film, and judging by the comments around me afterward, so did many others. It seems everyone has their favourite bit (and there are many bits to choose from) and the kids in the audience sounded super-excited by what they had just seen.

A rich spoiled child goes far away to push the Humanity forward. At least this is what the first part is going to tell you. He could have been a pianist. But he gives free concerts in a small Heaven built for rich white children next to some of the poorest populations. A dog, a pool, expensive consumer DSLR cameras and lots of cars burning lots of fuel. All this to make some well paid researchers renounce their ivory towers back in the Western Universities to experience a safe adventure. The Internet seems to be something far far away who does not bother anyone.

I do not minimize the importance of this research. But I ended up with a nauseating sensation when I got out of the room. This is an expensive research. I used to have a more romantic view associated with the SETI project.

The one star is not about my feeling, but about the quality of the piece. What is the goal? To show the life in the base station? To show the build process of a large observatory? To show the antenna array? To show the individuals behind the research? To show how the snapshots are taken? To show what? It fails at every point.

Contact me with Questions, Comments or Suggestions ryitfork @ bitmail.ch