The movie I picked as a contender to the throne of greatest SCI-Fi movie of all time is Starman. A John Carpenter movie. Like in Close Encounters the alien was not the “bad guys”. The government was the bad guy there is no doubt to me.

The movie starts out with shots of space as the Voyager probe hurtles into the void with its message of greetings. It reaches a planet that pulls it down. Shortly after that the planet shots a spaceship out headed for Earth. Which brings us to Jenny Hayden who is grieving over the death of her husband played by Jeff Bridges. Then we see the US governments way to greet a UFO, blowing it out of the sky. And of course it crashes near Haydens’s place where the alien takes the appearance of Jenny Hayden’s dead husband. She watches in wonderment as the alien changes into her dead husband. “I send greetings” he says and Jenny Hayden passes out.

Which brings us to my favorite character of the movie, Mark Shermin. He is a scientist who is with SETI. When he arrives at the crash site one of the guys inspecting the crash site asks him if he’s with the National Security Agency. Shermin responds “Not really, I just work for them. On loan sorta like a library book”.

In fact when Shermin is explaining it to George Fox(who is the NSA lead asshole) of why and how this alien came to our planet. The NSA asshole thinks that if there are aliens that they are out to get us. Shermin plays the greeting from the Voyager probe and says that we have invited them here. The NSA goon tells Shermin that “Greetings is just what the cannibals told the missionary before he ate them.” Shermin smile and asks “Who is the missionary and who is the cannibal?” Another good bit is towards the end when Shermin gets to the Governments HQ and sees the Autopsy area they have setup for our visitor. He inspects the buckles and leather belts and says with a heavy heart “Welcome to planet Earth.” A little after that Shermin Asks Fox what is going on. And Fox tells him “Its the one thing I don’t need from you is a lecture on morality.” Shermin snaps back “All right screw morality. What ever happened to good manners? We invited him here!”

You can see I really like this Shermin guy. But how about the alien you all ask. What about him? The alien explains what his people are like “There is only one language, one law. And there is no war, no hunger. The strong does not victimize the helpless.” Of course the alien is finally captured. But before the NSA guys can get their hands on him my buddy Mark Shermin shows up. Shermin is truly amazed. This is something he has only dreamed about. He has so many questions to ask. He asks if they have been here before. “We are interested in your species. You are a strange species not like any other. And you would be surprised how many there are intelligent but savage. You are at your best when things are worst.”

Shermin lets him go. His Boss George Fox the NSA asshole is not happy. “Shermin you are finished. I will have you eviscerated for this.” Shermin looks at him and says “Well as much as I hate to stoop to symbolism” and he blows a big poof of smoke into Fox’s face. Shermin has a big shit eating grin on his face happy in knowing that the alien was allowed to escape and have a happily ever after.