I can't believe people are calling this the "best SF movie of the year", unless there aren't any other SF movies this year. Ebert obviously needs to adjust his meds if he gave this four stars.
Plot holes? Plot holes? The rocks... do they mean *anything*? How come the aliens can't find *some* way to communicate with people? How do they expect to leave their numeric clue hidden for 50 years and have just the right person run across them? Why does the son get all bent about being treated as a child... for 30 seconds? My God -- it's full of holes! This abomination makes Swiss cheese look like battleship armor.
"Thought-provoking" only in the sense that if you start thinking about it, you'll be astounded at how little sense in makes, and how much thinking you have to do to force any of it to work.
I've been reading science fiction for 30 years. I know SF. SF is a friend of mine. And if this is the best SF movie of the year, I'm a monkey's uncle. And aunt. And male offspring. And second cousin once removed.