Computer scientist George D. Montañez hosts the Theos Theory channel on YouTube, which I highly recommend. He’s now watched The Story of Everything, which is in theaters through May 6, and has a wonderful review that’s up now.
I appreciate his way with words. Of the two stories about “everything” that the documentary contrasts, one, he says, represents an “inference to indifference.” That’s a keeper.
On what distinguishes Story of Everything from other documentaries about science and the history of science:
Watching documentaries and faith-based films can sometimes feel like eating vegetables. You do it because it’s good for you, but you don’t particularly enjoy it. This film on the contrary is delicious. It is delicious visually, sonically, philosophically, spiritually.
The only point I would disagree with there is that the film isn’t faith-based, but science-based. It’s supportive of faith, yes, but not based on it.
Personally, I would have zero interest in a faith-based movie that preached at me. On the fact that Story of Everything isn’t trying to convert you:
It’s not a lightweight film. I really like the fact that the film isn’t preachy either. So, it presents the stories, it presents the evidence, and it asks you — I would say it dares you — to follow the evidence wherever you think it leads. This film is daring. It asks big questions and it doesn’t preach. It instead invites you to ask yourself, where is this evidence pointing to?