Arrival

This is the second movie I watched directed by Denis Villeneuve, following Prisoners, and it definitely lived up to my expectations. One of those movies where you have to sit down after watching and think back to what the fuck you just saw. The beginning, where the movie introduces us to Louise and her life, seems perfectly natural. We see Hannah grow up and eventually pass away. After that unfortunate event Louise seems to go back to university to teach her class, but in that moment something feels weird, almost unreal. Later we find out that those moments in her life do not follow a linear timeline, rather, they move in a circle, similar to how aliens perceive time and how they communicate. What we saw, what we thought was her past, was actually her future, in a circular timeline where past, present, and future coexist. She watches her life unfold in front of her eyes, from marrying Ian to watching her precious little girl die. It's a price to pay for humanity, for the greater good. She becomes an ultimate sacrifice that saves mankind. The visual aspect of this movie is breathtaking. Every shot feels unreal and ethereal. CGI looks wonderful, and all of the alien scenes are beyond belief. Sound design and music are also unbelievable, tying the whole movie together beautifully. Acting-wise I think it is a bit overrated. Amy Adams doesn't deliver the performance people give her credit for, but I can't say that she is bad or anything. So far Denis is 2 for 2 in my eyes, and I hope that trend continues.