Change Your Image
farkuldi
Reviews
Cosmos (2019)
A Perfect Watch for Science Buffs!
I was blown away by this film. The story is ultra-niche, meaning that if you aren't a scientist or at least a science nerd, you might not see the appeal. But if you are, well, this is one of those rare gems that succeeds in capturing not only the realistic feeling of a scientist's everyday work, but the wonder and mystery that drives us to do it. Truly, for a certain audience, treasures like this are few and far between. I would compare it in tone to films like Coherence or maybe Primer (although the technical material is presented in a totally layman-friendly way in Cosmos).
As for the subplot I saw another reviewer claim was boring, I loved it. It's very non-distracting, and deals with the friendship between several characters who are very much like real scientists I know and work with, in that they are good people with decent and noble motivations. The most important of these is the drive to understand the universe, and perhaps even contribute to the overall body of knowledge of humankind, since of course that's what science is about. If you find that boring, then that's that I suppose. I personally do not. I thought the relationship between the characters had a bit of a Big Bang Theory dynamic, except without the comedy. The focus here was very much on wonder, drama, and suspense. In terms of length, I LOVED that it was two hours long, since it was an altogether enjoyable experience I did not want to end.
Also, I have to say, the filmmakers of this piece really understand pacing and what it takes to create suspense. These things don't take money; we've just become accustomed to thinking they do. But with no money, no special effects, and no big name actors, they managed to create one of the best car chases I've seen in the last ten years. Three researcers driving in a station wagon . . . What the heck? Who knew that could feel so nail-bitingly urgent? Bravo, team. Bravo.
Thanks for this wonderful film. It has become an instant favorite. I love the Astronuts!