Now I know why ILM . . . IS . . . Number #1

Contains Spoilers . . ..

To anyone who has digital cable, and/or has seen this DVD on your digital television/HDTV; WATCH the movie from when the storied Team Daedalus finally gets into space within the story. The approach of the shuttle to the satellite, the view(s) of Earth, the activation and mishandling of the satellite, and the shuttle’s landing. . . My goodness . . . the finished effects work is (dare I say it) Beautiful.

Yea, this movie is filled with gender-stroking, baby-boomer demographic material. But, some of the effects shots "suspended some of MY disbelief".
"Space Cowboys" (2000), when they actually get into space, The Day After Tomorrow (2004), most of the shots in "Attack of the Clones" & "Revenge of the Sith",; the opening to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) . . . ALL of these films contain STUNNING work.

I would watch AND purchase the pod race in "Episode I: Phantom Menace" as a film short on it's own merit!

I could go on and on. AND, I would say Digital Domain is the only "effects house" that even comes remotely close to the Volume and QUALITY of work, BUT Industrial Light and Magic is the "gold standard". Knowing how much they have improved their CGI computer's processing capabilities recently, I believe that ILM will be number one for quite a while. I "invite" anyone to convince me otherwise.