Arrival (2016)

One of the best things about hanging out and relaxing over my birthday weekend is that I got full run of the television and was able to absorb a few different flicks in different genres. One of the first films I picked up at Family Video is the 2016 sci-fi entry Arrival.

Plot/ When twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world, linguistics professor Louise Banks is tasked with interpreting the language of the apparent alien visitors.

This movie will definitely be polarizing. More of a drama than sci-fi flick, this story dives into many elements that make it interesting and thought-provoking. While this one is not perfect, there are certain points that will stick with you long after watching it. The cinematography is amazing and captivating, the performances are believable and natural, the atmosphere is tense, but not overwhelming, and the storyline is an intriguing look at how a situation like this would likely occur with the differences between cultures and governments that exist in the world today. Yes, the pacing is a bit slow at times, some of the actions with the alien creatures are odd, and the scripting does have some uneven moments, but those do nothing to take away from the power of the story. In the end, if you are hoping for a flashy, action-packed invasion movie, this one is not for you. However, if you are looking for an alien film carrying a deeper non-linear meaning, you should definitely check this one out.