It is deadly dangerous for me to watch a clip from that film. It could inspire dozens of hours of rage-filled but closely-argued physics lectures. Given the slightest provocation, I will go all xkcd.com/386 on its ass and my actual career will die of neglect.
Now, I need to go calm myself by fixing some bugs before I start to throw things. ;)
For what it's worth, I was having a conversation with my son (he's 11) about the key differences between scientific and religious beliefs - I think I'll use that film as an example of how it can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference - especially when people present what are essentially religious beliefs using terminology derived from science.
(NB I remember reading some Erich von Däniken books when I was 9 or 10 and getting awfully excited - I was quite upset when I found that people could just make stuff up and present it as science).
That's the extra-infuriating thing. In theory, I'm completely down with the project of using parables based on science to convey religious ideas. Religion is built out of the raw materials that the world gives you. If we live in a world full of science and technology, we should expect our parables and our myths and our stories to be filled with science and technology.
(Cue a chorus line of Doctor Who cosplayers.)
So, in theory, I could have been okay with What the Bleep. In practice, however, it is just horribly grating -- way more grating than any SF, even the dumbest SF.
The Nova debunking of Chariots of the Gods was epic, and a important lesson to me as a high school student not to take scientific sounding arguments at face value. Also, an important lesson in not underestimating human intelligence and creativity. Most of the debunking was simply figuring out how ancient peoples did things we now think are impossible without modern technology.
Now, I need to go calm myself by fixing some bugs before I start to throw things. ;)