Arrival - what a great movie (SPOILERS)
Arrival - what a great movie (SPOILERS)
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Streetrod

Original Poster:

6,480 posts

228 months

Sunday 13th November 2016
quotequote all
I have not seen a thread on this movie and having watched it last night I thought it was worth starting one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eCdgsoHm7E

Having watched the trailers I was expecting a classic alien invasion movie, where you check your brain in at the door and go along for the ride. But I could not have been more wrong. This I think was a really great film which totally sucked me in. The aliens were truly alien if that makes sense and the acting was very good as was the concept.

Well worth a watch

ukaskew

10,642 posts

243 months

Sunday 13th November 2016
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Quite a few good reviews in the film thread. Can we add "SPOILERS" to this thread title and use this to discuss it instead of taking over the film thread with spoiler tags?

andyjo1982

5,145 posts

232 months

Sunday 13th November 2016
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Seen a couple of good reviews for this, was waiting for a proper PH review to come up. Think I may go check this out in the week.

TwigtheWonderkid

47,813 posts

172 months

Monday 14th November 2016
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So it's not about Abba then?

JapFreak786

1,776 posts

179 months

Monday 14th November 2016
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I saw this on Saturday expecting it to be quite an amazing film, but I left the cinema feeling disappointed and thought it was a waste of my time.

In my opinion, nothing really happens. My wife even fell asleep for abit during the film, something she has never done in a cinema since I have known her!

As always, watch it yourself and come to your own conclusion, maybe I just missed the point of the film or didn't understand it

Jacobyte

4,764 posts

264 months

Monday 14th November 2016
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JapFreak786 said:
... maybe I just missed the point of the film or didn't understand it
Definitely one of the above. It's worth another watch.

***SPOILERS***

The general gist of the story at face value is something like this:


An alien species that approaches time/space in a different manner to us is getting sick. Their only hope for survival is for Earth to help them, which can only be done if our planet is open, honest and communicative with itself as a single entity through one universal language. Their vessel for achieving this goal is the language and linguistics professor, into whose head they plant memories of her future so that she "remembers" what she needs to do in order to create global harmony and save both Earth and the alien species. She initially thinks they're just odd dreams, but later sees the reality of them. Unfortunately, those fortune-telling memories include some bad news (i.e. full knowledge that her future husband [who happens to be the man she is currently working with to communicate with the aliens - and falling in love with] will leave her and their future child will die of cancer), but she can't just decide to change her future and avoid the pain, as she must still live out that ill-fated one in order for the bigger picture to succeed.


And there's much more to it philosophically when you're tuned into it. I want to see it again now!

ukaskew

10,642 posts

243 months

Monday 14th November 2016
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My favourite film of the year. Been thinking about it for days and would love to watch it again, I imagine a second viewing would be very, very different.

JapFreak786

1,776 posts

179 months

Monday 14th November 2016
quotequote all
Jacobyte - I followed all of that in the film, but still think it's "meh". Interstellar was much more mind boggling to me in a good way, I enjoyed that film.

To counter act your statement while trying to be careful with that I say. According to Google the exact line in the film is "Are you dreaming in their language?" which I think is what makes Amy Adams see things the way she does. She is living her life and it is influenced by the aliens

I don't know how to do spoiler tags, IMO the above isn't a spoiler. Apologies if this sets someone off!

Piersman2

6,675 posts

221 months

Monday 14th November 2016
quotequote all
Jacobyte said:
JapFreak786 said:
... maybe I just missed the point of the film or didn't understand it
Definitely one of the above. It's worth another watch.

***SPOILERS***

The general gist of the story at face value is something like this:


An alien species that approaches time/space in a different manner to us is getting sick. Their only hope for survival is for Earth to help them, which can only be done if our planet is open, honest and communicative with itself as a single entity through one universal language. Their vessel for achieving this goal is the language and linguistics professor, into whose head they plant memories of her future so that she "remembers" what she needs to do in order to create global harmony and save both Earth and the alien species. She initially thinks they're just odd dreams, but later sees the reality of them. Unfortunately, those fortune-telling memories include some bad news (i.e. full knowledge that her future husband [who happens to be the man she is currently working with to communicate with the aliens - and falling in love with] will leave her and their future child will die of cancer), but she can't just decide to change her future and avoid the pain, as she must still live out that ill-fated one in order for the bigger picture to succeed.


And there's much more to it philosophically when you're tuned into it. I want to see it again now!
Sounds a laugh a minute! I'll pass. Thanks for the synopsis/warning though. smile

Dan_1981

17,944 posts

221 months

Monday 14th November 2016
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seeing it this weekend - looking forward to it!

Jacobyte

4,764 posts

264 months

Monday 14th November 2016
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JapFreak786 said:
still think it's "meh". Interstellar was much more mind boggling to me in a good way, I enjoyed that film.
Fair enough - then again, I did linguistics at Uni, so I was immersed straight away. But it's the gently unravelling reveal of the double bind that really got me.

Interstellar explores a greater number of concepts, but with less human/philosophical depth, and is also massively enjoyable, but obviously for different reasons.

foxsasha

1,457 posts

157 months

Monday 14th November 2016
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I saw it this afternoon. Great film, really enjoyed it.

Quickmoose

5,186 posts

145 months

Tuesday 15th November 2016
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Just got back from seeing it.
Only saw the trailer once, so didn't know much about it.
I LOVED it.
But then previous favourites of mine are Interstellar and Contact.
The story that unfolds though I found really emotional...I just connected with it, sat almost on my own in the cinema...
I can't fault it as a movie.
Sound, vision, story, acting and all the other stuff...
Apparently the book (predictably?) is better...

willisit

2,167 posts

253 months

Tuesday 15th November 2016
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One of my favourite movies of the year. A real thinker, and even more than that, emotional (and I wasn't expecting that). I'm hoping to see it again soon.

generationx

8,797 posts

127 months

Friday 18th November 2016
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Just saw this - excellent, proper cerebral sci-fi.

Interstellar? Please - what a bunch of utter arse that was.

p1stonhead

28,479 posts

189 months

Friday 18th November 2016
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Just got back from seeing it.

Loved it. Stunning and thought provoking.

when she said 'who's the little girl? I don't understand' - fking hell mind blown.

Edited by p1stonhead on Friday 18th November 23:51

happie33

289 posts

157 months

Saturday 19th November 2016
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tbh -- thought it was "ok"... didnt leave me as awe-inpsired as i had expected.

good movie - good story - good visuals.

defo worth seeing...

TheLimla

1,833 posts

216 months

Saturday 19th November 2016
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Saw this a couple of weeks ago. Good sci if flick, 7.5/10

BryanC

1,125 posts

260 months

Saturday 19th November 2016
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Thanks for inserting the spoilers guys otherwise I really wouldn't have known what was going on.
I came out of the cinema thinking ' what's that all about ' especially as I didn't tune into the numerous flash-fore/backs, and I had already got the impression that PH's gave the movie a big thumbs up.
The characters were well played however although the psychotic CIA man was a bit OTT.
Onwards and upwards - Nocturnal Animals next week.

Guffy

2,356 posts

287 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
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I thought it was very thought provoking, well acted with a tense story line, even though there's very little action as such.

There were lots of nuances in the film that could probably be enjoyed with a second viewing, however not sure i would sit through it again any time soon. Good 8/10 though.