Arrival

A 116-minute journey of every single human emotion existed, Arrival is the pinnacle of filmmaking that serves as a reminder to cherish time. I’ve adored this film ever since the very moment I watched it for the 1st time back in February ‘23 and let me tell you, this shit is pure science fiction perfection. An inspective and rephrasing take on the genre that’s, whilst big in scope, letting you time to breathe and dissect. It has this extremely contained, minimalistic, and reserved approach, especially for a big alien invasion film, that at the same time feels so impactful, painful, and devastating. It’s so pensive and chilling, yet also extremely emotional and human. One of the most heartbreaking yet awe-inspiring narratives that I’ve ever seen in science fiction. Denis closes a lot of loose ends in that final montage and warps this film up extremely well, to the point where it genuinely feels like a big, warm hug, yet simultaneously he leaves so much room for interpretation. You’re leaving this experience of a film with an understanding of where this story goes, but he’s also giving us ample opportunity to discuss it and to apply our interpretation of what the fuck we had just witnessed. An ominous, moving, nostalgic, contemplative, deep, thought-provoking, and heart-wrenching summation of the human experience that I simply can’t get enough of.