I’ve only watched it once, and I really didn’t like it. I feel like I need to give it another shot though.
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2024 discussion threads
I didn’t know how it was going to end, at any point during the movie.
That’s a good thing
It's based on a short story called "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang. He's published only eighteen stories in his career (starting in 1990), nothing longer than a novella and mostly short stories. Despite that they've won him four Hugos, four Nebulas, and six Locus Awards. He's worth reading, is what I'm trying to say.
I put him up there with Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlein, easily.
Well that's got me interested then
I will say I read the short story and it made me love the movie even more. It rare for me to say the movie was better than they book and the books was great as well.
The short story was OK but this is one of the few cases where the movie did it better, added flavor to it that wasn’t in the book but carries the emotional hit farther.
The short stories in that book felt very “woah dude” to me, in the end I finished it but didn’t like it all that much. I’ve been downvoted for this opinion before, but oh well.
If you haven't read The Merchant and the Alchemists Gate by Ted Chiang I can't recommend it enough. Here's a PDF Link
It's lesser known than his big hits like Exhalation, but I think it's phenomenal.
I couldn’t agree more. I read them quite some time ago, and still find myself having philosophical discussions about them somewhat often today. Most are really thought provoking in a non-judgmental way.
Yeah, genuinely one of my favourite original sci-fi movies I've watched in the last decade. I did a linguistics course in high school so just really loved that side of it. It also really felt like they did a great job building the tension and making it feel like there were high stakes to her work.
It's not original, though it expands on Ted Chiang's short story "Story of Your Life".
I suppose you are going to tell everyone that Dune was based on a book the next time someone compliments the pacing and direction of that movie?
The poster art for Arrival says it's based on a story by Ted Chiang, it isn't some secret nobody knows but you.
What does being original or not have anything to do with what the original commenter wrote? MOST movies are based on previously existing stories. They were focusing on the movie. If you read the book and want to show everyone how much more you know than they do, it would be more impressive if you had said "i read the story the movie was based on, and comparatively, ". It might have even made for an interesting and productive comment.
genuinely one of my favourite original sci-fi movies I've watched in the last decade
🙄
Usually when the word "original" is used in the context of media, it means it's a new idea/concept/story, in opposition to an "'adaptation" from another media (like a movie to a videogame, or a book to a movie). This movie is an adaptation.
I'm not criticizing your opinion, as I really like the movie too (including pacing and direction). Only the terminology.
I had no idea what I was watching when I sat down in the theater. My friend had bought the ticket and I just showed up. I didn't know ANYTHING.
One of the best experiences of my life and it turned me into a Denis Villeneuve super fan.
I know that I enjoyed this movie but I don't remember it at all. Yay, I get to watch it again like it's new.
Me rewatching a movie:
"Oh yeah, I remember this part..."
"Oh yeah, I remember this part..."
This movie absolutely destroyed me emotionally for like a week. I was wholly unprepared for what this movie was really about. I was expecting an alien invasion movie and got a brickload of emotions dumped on my heart.
Same. Saw it a few months before my first child was born and it opened up something in me that I didn’t know was there. I’ve never watched a movie that made me weep until this one. Full on sobbing. Watched it again a week later, wasn’t a fluke - sobbed again.
One of favorite movies of all time. I watch it at least once a year.
What are you talking about, it only came out last year ... Uh, right?
Well according to the movie what you're saying can make perfect sense.
For anyone wondering, the music that just destroys you in the movie is by the amazing Max Richter. The song is On The Nature of Daylight.
PS: He recently released a piano arrangement of the song.
The rule is simple: if uts by Denis Villeneuve, YOU WATCH IT
I watched it for the first time last year without knowing anything about it and, as someone who loves to nerd out about anything linguistics related (am translator, for context), I cannot describe how gleeful I was that such subjects had center focus in a big blockbuster like that. Obviously the other aspects of the movie were amazing as well and the story got me very emotional by the end, but I will never shut up about how interesting and important that translation/communication aspect of the movie was.
I'd like to watch this and Annihilation again. I've only seen each of them once, both around the same time, and my memories of them are pretty fuzzy at this stage.
Still one of my favourite movies ever
Loved the movie! Such a great concept and so elegantly made. But the tagged on love story kind of took me out of it. Could almost hear the producers pushing that love story for wider audience appeal.
It happens in the short story too.
The producers got to the book too!?
No okay did not know that. So maybe my problem is with the general need to put love stories into stories. Or maybe it was written better in the book? Might have to read the book now
I'm not sure how to spoiler tag so I'll be vague, but I think it was necessary to have her opt into that romance even though she knew there was a tragic ending to it.
Oh and the short story is very good, as is Ted Chiang's entire collection. I would definitely recommend reading them to any scifi fan.
The best sound design team. I also love the ability of the visual design team to give a true feeling of scale and weight to things.
The world is shocked to discover that Terry’s Chocolate Oranges are actually seed pods for intelligent extra terrestrial life.
Same. I'm skeptical of most newer movies given all the rehashes and sequels. The presentation of the aliens had me shaking a little bit!
Amy Adams wrecked me with two movies back-to-back. Nocturnal Animals and Arrivals really did a number on me.
Really is a good view.
The aliens reminded me of the Tralfamadorians from Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five.
The thing I remember about this movie was that India got mad one of the fictional aliens from this movie decided to land in Pakistan instead of India.
The other thing I remember was that they for some reason decided to show the location on the map as "Punjab, Pakistan" which is even more generic because it's a province not a city.