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Arrival (2016), PG-13, ★★★★

Amy Adams either seeing a vision or thinking. 
The trailer for this movie came out of nowhere because mainly I was focusing on two science fiction films: Rogue One and Passengers. Denis Villeneuve is an up-and-coming director that tackles different topics such as psychology, kidnapping, crime, drugs and politics. He now tackles science fiction as he tries to engage us in the mystery as to why aliens are coming to Earth. It is a set up that has been done many times but this movie is different regarding the mystery and the communication between alien and human. Even though its set-up is familiar, the movie veers into different territory that messes with your mind that its payoff is unbelievably clever. It is clearly one of the best science fiction films in recent years.

Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is a linguist and language professor as her students' phones mysteriously go off as a student asks her to turn the television on. It is reported that at least 12 extraterrestrial vessels have touched down on different sides around the world. Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) visits Louise to utilize her linguistic skills to attempt to communicate with the aliens. Weber picks her up by helicopter later that night and meets theoretical physicist, Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner).

They arrive at the Montana landing site and Louise, Ian and several others are brought up to the top of the pod with their suits. There is a lack of gravity in the vessel and are surrounded by a mist and large tentacled creatures called "heptapods" attempts to communicate with Louise as she writes "human" on a board. One of the creatures emit a response by forming a circular symbol. China's General Shang (Tzi Ma) does not trust the aliens. His teams deviates from communication as his Chinese site attempts to communicate with the heptapods through the game of mahjong.

How to communicate.
I cannot reveal many spoilers because I want to solely praise the journey to its payoff. I will say that this is a "slow-burn" sci-fi movie which means that there is not much action or loud explosions to advance the story because many directors, *cough*, Roland Emmerich, *cough*, rely heavily on explosions just to advance the plot. Rarely has there been science fiction films that allow audiences to be perplexed and be engaged in the mystery from the screenplay and its cinematography. There is a certain filmmaking structure that could be tiring but in the end, it is a brilliant masterstroke.

Amy Adams gives one of her best performances of her career as a linguist that is emotionally driven to solving the mystery but also regarding the loss of life and potentially, love. Jeremy Renner is real solid as the physicist and Forest Whitaker is fantastic in one of his two sci-fi films: later, for Rogue One. One strong element is that every character in this movie is good with their jobs as they process and hypothetically discuss what the aliens want and especially around the world. Why did they land? Why do they want to talk with us? What I also find refreshing is that the aliens are not represented as villains wanting to exterminate our world. They want to extend peace and outreach with humans as a representation of universal peace and dignity.

Villenueve combines cerebral and intelligent characters with fantastic cinematography by Bryson Young as he embodies a mood of maybe vulnerability in its characters but also a sense of curiosity as to why they landed all around the world. Its risk pays off with an ultimate reward that takes a left turn in both its grand and Louise's personal story. There are a few questions left unanswered or can be interpreted as to why the aliens were landing on different sites. There are one or two answers but you are going to have to accept an answer or watch the movie again. Its "slow-burn" pacing ultimates pays off because it combines both the science and fiction to translate into a keen and moving experience. It is one of the best movies of the year.

****


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