Particle Fever

In select theaters
March 14^th 2014

99 minutes

In English

Imagine being able to watch as Edison turned on the first light bulb, or as Franklin received his first jolt of electricity. For the first time, a film gives audiences a front row seat to a significant and inspiring scientific breakthrough as it happens. Particle Fever follows six brilliant scientists during the launch of the Large Hadron Collider, marking the start-up of the biggest and most expensive experiment in the history of the planet, pushing the edge of human innovation. As they seek to unravel the mysteries of the universe, 10,000 scientists from over 100 countries joined forces in pursuit of a single goal: to recreate conditions that existed just moments after the Big Bang and find the Higgs boson, potentially explaining the origin of all matter. But our heroes confront an even bigger challenge: have we reached our limit in understanding why we exist?

Director

Mark Levinson

Producer

David Kaplan

Cinematographer

Claudia Raschke-Robinson

Editor

Walter Murch

Producer

Anthos Media

Composer

Robert Miller

86% on the CINEMETER

STL

96% - Feb 23, 2014

For someone who would like to understand physics a whole lot better, I found the documentary captivating. The passion, commitment, brilliance, etc. of the people involved was infectious and i found myself smiling throughout the film as well as feeling emotional, especially the presence of Peter Higgs and his show of his emotions.
St. Louis Member

Did not expect to like this movie but now looking forward to taking my 10-year-old grandson to see it. Excellent movie! And guest speaker was charming--his explanations and sharing most enjoyable.

Another wrote: I have a 9-year-old daughter with a microscope. i can't wait to show her this movie.
St. Louis Member

I felt privileged to share a view into not only the science of physics but the personal experience of the people involved. Even more, I was inspired by the pursuit of truth and humble acceptance of the results regardless of what we would like it to be.
St. Louis Member

Excellent musical score and sound effects superb. Film makes complex subject comprehensible. Comparison of artistic creativity and theoretical and experimental physics was very effective. Builds suspense and puts viewer in the "shoes" of the scientists. Contrast between P.R. "hype" and reality also effective. Film builds respect for "pure" science.
St. Louis Member

Perhaps my favorite film in 6 years of attending, and I expected to be bored to tears. It brilliantly explores and depicts the humanity of science. A collision of science and art that proves how much they share in their search to find and then understand truth.
St. Louis Member

This is the best movie I've ever seen that I don't understand. Talking physics is a foreign language to my unscientific mind . . . still the artistry was beautiful, the music was magnificent, and you could have stopped the cameras at any time and there would have been a perfect picture.
St. Louis Member

MIL

Feb 23, 2014

ATL

83% - Feb 23, 2014

Loved the tremendous accessibility of the material . . . humanized what could be deadly boring and even frightening/
Atlanta Member

Loved the graphics throughout! We need more films like that, that appeal to higher causes, like intellectual progress, while still portraying the emotions underlying it. One of the best documentaries ever by the club. That being said, I guess they cut the sex scenes.
Atlanta Member

I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Moved by the passion and curiosity of everyone involved in the project. Physicists are much cooler and more fun than I expected.
Atlanta Member

I am NOT a science or math person but I really enjoyed this!
Atlanta Member

Fantastic film! Beautifully done. I knew nothing about it and I still have no idea about Physcis. But it is a wonderful story, a wonderful way to show that people from all nationalities can accomplish something and not argue & kill each other.
Atlanta Member

Not a movie I would normally see, but I loved it, and will tell all my "curious" friends about it.
Atlanta Member

BOCA

55% - Feb 2, 2014

Fascinating to see all these brilliant scientists working together even tho I hardly understood a thing.
Boca Raton Member

Very interesting..their passion is awesome and they were all very likeable.
Boca Raton Member

Loved the graphics, the people and the humor.
Boca Raton Member

On a broader level, the film delivers the message that international collaboration is better than war and distrust.
Boca Raton Member

For the intelligensia only. I loved it but certainly wouldn't interest most people.
Boca Raton Member

I learned that scientists are brilliant and very human.
Boca Raton Member

100% - Feb 9, 2014

Thanks to the club for presenting this marvelous film that I would otherwise have missed--and that would have been a great loss.

Managed to make me completely invested in the outcome - I was excited regardless of my lack of knowledge or understanding of the subject.

Who knew? A science documentary that was a tear-jerker too. Marvelous, terrific film.

San Francisco Member

OK, physicists are brilliant but also:
a) good looking
b) charming
c) articulate!!!
d) funny.

BTW, an excellent film. Bravo David Kaplan and Walter Murch!

San Francisco Member

Brilliant! I feel connected to my fellow man and the universe in the most wondrous way. Thank you.

The emotional content/arc made it understandable to the non-scientists, underscored by the music - bless the producers for highlighting the two female scientists.

Fascinating! A reason I come to film club - GREAT SPEAKER! How lucky we are to have Prof. Dimopoulos.
San Francisco Member

Long drive down from Sonoma on a rainy Sunday morning....The movie had better be worth it: Oh NO! A documentary about physics. So glad to be WRONG! On all counts: Great drama, intense characters, physics made (somewhat) easier to understand. This is why I come to Cinema Club from Sonoma on Sunday mornings!

Our speaker was wonderfully accessible and humorous...and brilliant, of course.
San Francisco Member

Finally! I understand what all this Higgs Particle hoopla is about. 126.5....yeah! No small feat in that the film made a more artistically-inclined chap like myself actually consider studying physics. Pretty great.

Should be shown in very high school and college - clearly the editing and graphics make the film. If there were copies on sale in the lobby I would buy a dozen.
San Francisco Member

When I joined the Cinema Club I was told there would be no math! (Great film for any age of physics students to to think (and work) outside the box.
San Francisco Member

91% - Feb 16, 2014

Nerdvana! I loved this movie and found it surprisingly moving.
Washington, DC Member

Filmmaker should be commended for making a dry, difficult-to-understand subject interesting by choosing articulate, funny and knowledgeable scientists for the film.
Washington, DC Member

Never in my life is thought I would be emotional about two beams colliding. I had tears in my eyes! What a great movie!!
Washington, DC Member

Finally, a beautiful bridge between the "Two Cultures," art and science.
Washington, DC Member

As a movie about science, I didn't understand a word. As a movie about the best of humanity, it was enlightening and lovely.
Washington, DC Member

Really enjoyed this film - it showed the human side of scientists. It gave my nerd heart a thrill!
Washington, DC Member

93% - Feb 16, 2014

General observations: The film received "rave" reviews from our Club! Recurring adjectives from the response cards: "riveting," "superb," "fascinating," "awesome," exciting," Two members said that the film brought tears to their eyes. Quite a few observed that the film made difficult concepts understandable (although there were some who disagreed - see below). Four respondents said that the film should be required viewing in schools. And many members praised our guest speaker, Sarah Demers: e,g,
"Sarah Demers was fantastic: articulate and obviously a wonderful teacher."
"How fortunate we are to have had access to this perfectly matched, articulate, and interesting speaker! She added immeasurably to the experience."
Greater New Haven Member

Stunningly beautiful film that portrays all that is noble in human kind. The surprise was how much humor scientists have.
Greater New Haven Member

This film captivated the audience.
Greater New Haven Member

Quite a change of pace for the Cinema Club. I'd expect to have seen this on "Nova." However, the experience at the Madison Arts Cinema was outstanding, including not only the documentary but the presentation by Sarah Demers. Thank you for a special Sunday morning.
Greater New Haven Member

Reignited my interest in Physics. I wish my kids had seen it in their teen years.
Greater New Haven Member

This is a great documentary. I found fascinating how curiosity was emphasized and passion towards research/knowledge whose answers are not to be found immediately. I also loved the fact that the film highlighted that some connections (powerful ones) exist between art and science, something that is often forgotten. Scientists must be artists/creators and vice versa.
Greater New Haven Member

A wonderful look at the scientist persona. Beyond boring formula and dry mathematics, this movie humanizes the quest and reveals this unknown world of multi-national geniuses. Magnificent. The crayon-color components make this more fun than the grandest set of Legos. Kaleidoscopic collisions were joyful to watch.
Greater New Haven Member

One of the best films I've seen here! Thank you, Cinema Club!
Greater New Haven Member

BOS

Feb 16, 2014

Abramorama