Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Arrival (2016)

This is topic Arrival (2016) in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=002221

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 09-14-2016, 08:30 AM:

A professor of linguistics agrees to help the military decipher the language of recently arrived aliens, but while she is doing so the rest of the world prepares for what it sees as a potential threat. At the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, opens nationally on November 11th.

*****

It’s difficult to describe what happens in this excellent but highly complex movie without dropping major spoilers, but the gist of it is: alien “heptapods” (seven legs) have landed at twelve different spots on Earth. They are only too happy to talk to us, but it has to be in their language, and, as the linguistics expert played by Amy Adams discovers, it’s better if you do it in writing. But as she delves further and further into understanding their language she starts seeing strange and sometimes upsetting visions of a young girl who may or may not be her daughter, and who may or may not actually exist. Why is she is seeing her, and how does it fit into the alien’s purpose in coming? Can she convince the rest of the world that they are peaceful, especially when they mention that they have “weapons”, a piece of information that agitates the madman ruling China?

Arrival is a very good and very complicated movie about communication and the lack of it in the world, and it is also a very emotional movie about, of all things, motherhood (and when I say “emotional”, believe it, many of the women who sat around me at the screening were in tears). It’s very well made but it is a little stiffly acted, and as lovely as Adams is I thought she was a bit too slight to carry the picture, it possibly would have been better with an actress with a little more screen presence. Some have been hyping this as a potential Best Picture Oscar winner; that’s going a little too far, but it is a terrific movie, a human story told with special effects as opposed to a special effect story told with humans.

Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 09-14-2016, 08:47 AM:

This is the movie I'm most excited about for the 2nd half of 2016. Thanks for the review!

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 09-14-2016, 09:31 AM:

I was wondering if this film had anything to do with the film "The Arrival" with Charlie Sheen. I actually liked that film.

While there sounds to be similarities, this one sounds more interesting.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 09-14-2016, 11:01 AM:

I ran a special showing of this about two weeks ago. I hadn't
intended to watch it, but somehow got 'sucked into the plot'
once it started. It took me almost 24hrs to absorb what I
saw and decide if I really liked it or not. One of my criteria
is that "If I had PAID to see this movie, would I feel like I
got my moneys-worth" - and I would say definitely "yes" and
I did finally wind up liking it overall.

Amy Adams was at the screening I did, and gave some interesting
insights into the production during the Q&A after the show.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 12-01-2016, 04:56 AM:

CINEMA: Warren East, Wichita, KS
AUDITORIUM: 19
PRESENTATION: The WAVE (Warren Audio Video Experience)
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: None [Cool]

RATING: Three stars (out of four)

They actually made a "WAVE" showcase trailer, which has replaced the THX trailer, so I guess they've dropped THX certification.

THE PLOT: AAALIENS have LAAANDED! Or have come close to it...they're sort of hovering. Wackiness ensues.

Well. That was deep. I still have no idea how they deciphered what each specific ring meant and there's that whole M. Night Shyamalin-style ending, but for managing to compact something this ambitious into a watchable two hours is no simple feat. Well done.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 12-04-2016, 05:27 AM:

Boring and incoherent.
One never knows what exactly is going on from moment to moment.
Nor does one care.
The ending is a huge "so effing what" ?
Extremely low wattage in the narrative and drama departments.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 12-18-2016, 09:19 PM:

even though I thought the first thirty minutes were a bit on the dry side, as the story progressed I found it more engrossing - a scfi film that didn't gave into one dimensional characters or plot devices - one of the best of the year!

interesting use of a nearly monochromatic color grading of the image for the movie and one of the best 7.1 surround sound mixes of the year - very evocative and eerie.