ARRIVAL (2016) | MOVIE REACTION! | FIRST TIME WATCHING

[@pillmuncher67]

"When I discovered that it was Science Fiction I would not think that it would actually be about humanity" - All great Science Fiction is about humanity.

[@j9lorna]

Yup! Azimov, Arthur c Clarke etc, all about humanity and what if?

[@adaddinsane]

People who don't understand think Fantasy and SF are about escaping from reality. What they do is provide a non-threatening framework to *show* people reality. Neil Gaiman summarising G.K.Chesterton said: "Fairy tales are more than true - not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten."

[@Yggdrasil42]

Exactly. Sci-fi provides the freedom to explore all aspects of humanity freely.

[@woeshaling6421]

many forget it’s not the science that is at its core, but what our nature is in contrast to it

[@simonhill4021]

.....so much"

[@heathrichardson88]

My wife of 23 years died 2 months ago. This movie really has a whole new meaning to me now. Would I have done anything different? Would I have treated every moment different? Would I have gone through with it knowing that I would have this unbearable pain? This was one of mine and hers favorite movies(top 10 probably) now, it seems so much deeper.

[@MovieswithMary]

Really sorry for your loss 🤍

[@redhotchilipepperslego2529]

I have found that this movie does provide an interesting perspective on how we should strive to view time, or 'the journey' as it were. I don't know if it helps everyone with their grief, but if we had the ability to zoom out and look at life as a whole, one cohesive picture, it's really incredible. And if we had that mindset all the time, we could live for the beauty of each day.

[@ZacharyFinch]

Thank you so much for sharing this compliment. Im sorry for your loss. But if I may ask, what conclusion did you come to? Would you have done anything different? I’ve experienced heartbreak, but never a loss such as yours, so I’m curious. Perhaps it’s too soon to tell. Im just curious.

[@aweaver6895]

That is some profound shit. I send you positive energy. I hope this movie and Mary's lovely reaction brings you comfort.

[@roncollins4908]

Sorry for your loss. My wife has an advanced cancer and I know exactly what you mean. You're not alone. Thanks for sharing.

[@jamezmcc]

Can't remember who it was that said it but they described this movie as "It starts by breaking your heart and continues from there." Brilliant summary of this really great movie.

[@trhansen3244]

Terrible movie.

[@NemeanLion-]

@@trhansen3244 lol, I hope that spaceship lands on your car

[@mandalore1089]

@@trhansen3244 Why is that?

[@trhansen3244]

@@mandalore1089 Because it's stupid, the characters are boring, the acting is insipid and the story is beyond idiotic. I have more respect for Independence Day. At least they weren't pretending to be some grand intelligent SF film. And it's no surprise this is the same director as the boring, bland Dune remake. The guy has no idea how to craft a film. But they give him lots of money and it shows on the screen. I wish they had put some money in a story that made sense. And characters that at least had some chemistry. Amy Adams constantly looking sad may count as 'acting' to others. Not to me. Any real SF fan, or just fan of films, would recognize Arrival as one of the worst films ever made.

[@Jdubayou]

@@trhansen3244 god your life must be so miserable

[@psdelux]

To me personally, this is one of the most beautiful movies I have experienced. Its one of those tear jerkers I watch time and time again.

[@user-vc5rp7nf8f]

great introspective movie. easily one of the best sci-fi movies i've seen

[@AutoAlligator]

Agreed.

[@china_sickness7005]

I cried when I saw it the first time. I’ve only watched it twice because it’s so bleak. It’s a masterpiece in its own right, but not a movie I’d watch for the heck of it

[@hellomark1]

This is definitely one I love seeing reactions to.

[@MessOfThings]

I think you might also love The Girl in the Cafe

[@mikeweeks694]

Denis Villeneuve is my favorite director at this time. He just doesn't make bad movies.

[@SteveNaranjo]

Incendies was incredible. Every Villeneuve movie is worth watching.

[@Acid0989]

Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and early 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in the world during World War II.

[@hkpew]

Some of their routines can be found on KZbin, and are generally worth watching. Their most famous one, 'Who's on first?' is superficially about baseball but can probably still be enjoyed even by people who don't know anything about baseball.

[@flerbus]

@@hkpew and interesting that the routine is based on language and miscommunication, much like the movie

[@CChissel]

I really like this movie, just on the fact it plays with a universal truth. Speech and language are the gateways to conscious thought and the way you think differs from language to language. Very interesting stuff.

[@jaykawala3270]

I don't speak very many languages - but I have run across the situation where one language does not offer a word for a particular concept, while the other does. Having said that, I'm of the opinion that my thoughts do not depend on words - instead, it is my words that depend on a matching of my 'concepts' to the available vocabulary/colloquialisms while meeting the structural requirements of the language. Maybe I'm out to lunch on this though?

[@jaykawala3270]

I was curious enough to investigate further, and found one source suggested "...the evidence argues in favor of a universal groundwork for perception and thought in all human beings, while language is a filter, enhancer, or framer of perception and thought." - Antonio Benitez Burraco

[@CChissel]

@@jaykawala3270 Well, we do know that children who are deprived language in their formative years have decreased brain function, and can never fully get to the level of one who does learn language. Try to think of anything, without using any form of language to think about it. It’s very hard and you can only think of very simple and basic concepts, and not really even concepts. You can imagine things, but without language used in thought, you’re just going off the visual and possible emotion that visual invokes, but beyond that there is nothing to really think about without language. We gain the inner voice with language, without it, that inner voice is silent, and some conclude that a sign of true consciousness, though I’m not sure of that. All I do know is that inner voice we gain with language is very important,maybe the most important part of being human.

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

The linguistic concept this movie is presenting is called the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. It says that what our brains can conceive is determined by our language. A different language could perhaps enable us to understand new concepts, or think in a new way. The heptapods language enables a person to see all of time, past and future

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

Most linguists believe the strong form of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is false, a language can’t actually enable you to understand things you couldn’t without it. Still its a wonderful idea. And of course we haven't come across the language of an alien race yet, so who knows.

[@thubelihlezondi5822]

This movie's soundtrack... gets me every time. It never fails to tear me up.

[@SteveNaranjo]

Max Richter composed the music at the end, I can't help but to get really emotional when listening that song.

[@williambouchard4077]

Max Richter's music "On the nature of daylight" always gets to me. There is a sort of "loneliness" and "times past" that you can feel in it. It's as if the music is crying of reminiscing about something that happened a long time ago but it's not sad, it's more melancholic i'd say.

[@christinabongabong1618]

Also rip johan Johannsson

[@mawrthvallis2788]

We know when we get a cat or dog that their lives will end in 15 to 20 years, if they are lucky, but we still choose to have them. Having recently lost a much loved cat, you know the heartbreak involved. Happiness is not measured in units of time. The fact that we can always recall the joy a pet brought to us is proof of this. My wife's mantra while she fought stage 4 leukemia was 'let me live another day for tomorrow there may be a cure". 35yrs later she's still here with me. You never know what may in store for you.

[@frankbowman9493]

Good science fiction is always about Humanity. Now you know why we love this movie. Abbott and Costello were a comedy duo from 1935 to 1957. I love 💖your reaction.

[@David_C_83]

Mary getting hit straight in the feels from the start, I can understand... I consider this movie a whole experience, with a way of thinking that probably no one really thinks about. And it's an amazing display of alien life, one that isn't hostile at all, which makes you reflect on humanity and life. And the thought of would you do anything different in your life if you knew the outcome, regardless of good or bad, to live the adventure is powerful. Thank you so much for watching this, I absolutely love the movie and have watched it various times.

[@chris...9497]

It's realistic that when a national threat shows up in your air you send the military to deal with it. The Military interprets everything in degrees of threat; they are founded on that. Suspicion is their raison d'etre. But The evolution of life on Earth is one of prey/predator. Our first reflex is to determine where the power lies. Any alien visit will be based on this; we train our children in this expectation.

[@kk_33]

My work truck broke down near a movie theater and my boss offered to pay me to go see a movie while I waited for the truck to get worked on. So I went and saw this on a whim, knew nothing about it but there was nothing else I cared to see at the time. I'm glad I did, it stuck with me for days afterwards. And it was one of the few movies I've ever seen in theaters that I loved enough that I felt I needed to go back in the same week to see again. Really well made, extremely heart wrenching and a plot that makes you think about the world a little differently. Brilliant film, loved the reaction!

[@tmpreardon4200]

This is in my top 5 of all time. It is such an excellent movie.

[@XeonAlpha]

One of the things I absolutely LOVE about this movie (among many others) is the way it so beautifully illustrates the nuances of different languages, especially for someone monolingual like myself. When I took American Sign Language (ASL) in college many years ago it was a total "mind-blown" moment in understanding different languages because ASL uses a wholly different grammar than English (for example there is no past tense of signs in ASL, so instead of saying "I went somewhere" you use the signs for "I go finish; " this is also why people born deaf often struggle reading and writing in America). As a non-native English speaker I'm sure you can appreciate this.

[@VorpalBunnysRevenge]

I also took ASL as my "foreign language". Part of the class was attending social events with deaf people, and it really changes your perspective on a lot of things. Like, if the restaurant you're meeting at is having music night and there are bright, strobing lights then that makes it hard to communicate. Even if my new friends weren't deaf the loud music would have made it difficult anyway. Also, how do you tell a secret if everyone can see your hands? Thus, part of deaf culture is to be open about what's going on in your life. Not sharing when you meet is considered rude. And things like if you want to say "I ran into a tree" first you have sign for the tree, then yourself, and then you can use motion for two indicators (fingers for the tree and you) to run into each other.

[@XeonAlpha]

@@VorpalBunnysRevenge YES! I did as well. Why I always try and look away whenever I see people signing because it's considered "nosy;" (which there is a sign for LOL). I found it totally fascinating. My ASL prof. told me "Don't focus on the signs, those will come to you. Focus on the grammar,"

[@flibber123]

I think the whole point of this movie is that she DIDN'T have a choice. She came to terms with understanding that she didn't have a choice. The alien language gave her the ability to perceive time aa they do, in a non linear way. There is no past, present, and future. It's all one. That's why she can see her child before she had her child. There is no before or after. She didn't go forward in time to talk to the Chinese general, then back in time to call him. She kind of hopped back and forth between two points in her life with no time travel necessary. That's why the aliens picked her up and told her they would need humanity's help in 3 thousand years. The aliens experienced that the same as she experienced the death of her child even though that child wasn't born yet. At the end of the movie Louise realizes it all happens, like it or not. The 'happy' part of the ending is that she is at peace with that knowledge.

[@davecalvin5105]

Contact (1997 I think) is another great sci-fi movie I think you'll really like.

[@jowbloe3673]

One of my favorites. Nontraditional scifi alien story.

[@adrianpilarski4860]

Absolutely agree

[@lindameermann3760]

Good independence Scifi: The Man from Earth Think You would like the movie Not the typical Scifi.

[@Glenner7]

Absolutely, Contact is a fantastic experience!

[@fabianmonge6765]

Yeah, contact is like the older sister of this movie, and a lovely reaction

[@IndySidhu88]

The General's wife’s last words are “In war there are no winners, only widows.”

[@craigvancil4410]

"In war there are no winners, only widows." The words Louise told the Chinese general.

[@misayrules8995]

I loved your take on this movie… One of the most cerebral sci fi films ever. First time I saw it I emotionally fell apart for a day and a half. I was blessed to find that one very special person to share my life with… We had 19 years together and there was much love and much pain. Since she passed I have never been the same. This movie made me ask… ‘Would I go through it all over again??’ The answer was simple… ABSOLUTELY!! I never had a love like her’s, before or after! Love Never Dies.

[@urikorsikov843]

I didn't see this movie when it was in the theaters, but I rented it as soon as it was available on Amazon. I watched it twice in a row and then bought it. The concepts it presents are incredibly profound. Throughout my life I've been abused and traumatized and I've experienced such mental and emotional torment that I didn't want to live anymore. But whenever I would start to imagine what it would be like to go back in time and save myself or even prevent myself from being born, I would be overcome by a feeling more terrifying than anything I'd lived through: the idea that any change in the past would prevent my own children from being born. I live for my children and no matter how horrific my life has been, it was all worth it if the path led to the birth of my children. I've given them them a home full of love and safety, acceptance and support. I've made sure that they have the life that I never had and as a result, I've learned what unconditional love looks like and feels like. I wouldn't change a thing. My children make me a better person. If someone had told me before they were born that I would lose them, I would still have had them because I would also know how they would save me and how their existence would make this world a better place - even if only for a little while.

[@sirjohnmara]

I think you would like "Contact" as well, a bit older 1997, but very smart film - based on a book by Carl Sagan. Denis Villeneuve is a fantastic filmmaker. Mary has seen DUNE - but to anyone that haven't seen it - watch it - it's amazing.

[@anonmuyous]

His whole filmography is top tier. From maelstrom to dune every single movie is a masterpiece.

[@DeltaAssaultGaming]

Yeah, Contact is a great movie.

[@karentargaryen7959]

@@DeltaAssaultGaming I agree, the move is good, but the book is fantastic. It's one of those books I re-read every five years.

[@houdin654jeff]

The best science fiction uses the premise of “what if?” to try and tell us something about ourselves. I often bristle when people think sci fi (and fantasy) is just escapism or wish fulfillment. While those are certainly pieces of the genre, they’re not the point. Stories like this unite people by giving us the tools to think about what we would do if faced with situations like this, and people face such situations all the time, just not with aliens and future language. Hopefully by exploring these ideas, we will be better suited to handle difficult decisions or consider the implications of our actions on others. Fiction gives us empathy for others, science fiction just does it with cooler toys.

[@ethanlivemere1162]

And one of the questions here is very interesting - would you go through that journey, knowing how it would end?

[@houdin654jeff]

@@ethanlivemere1162 it’s definitely an interesting question to ponder. I think most people, if they saw a all the highs and lows, the triumphs and heartbreaks, the joys and sorrows of a life before they lived it, would probably make different choices along the way. They’d probably be paralyzed by the possibilities and try to min/max everything in the end though... unless what happens is fate and you have no control over your future and can only see what WILL happen, not affect what COULD happen, which is a whole ‘nother sci fi can of worms.

[@conflictmagazine]

And all over such a simple mission: 3000 years in the future the aliens would need our help and showed up to unite us and remind us in the past. Denis’ best film.

[@jessicasmith1766]

Man, this movie really breaks your heart in the best way. Her choosing love even knowing from the start it was going to hurt is - Whew!

[@mark2graves-movies689]

I love this movie so much. I have watched it many times. I think the first 3 times it just gets better and better. You notice so many details and understand so many scenes better after each viewing. It's kind of rare that a movie gets more enjoyable with repeat viewings. This is such an incredible movie. I'm gushing, but it's true ❤️🔥

[@0mnicide]

That song in the beginning “On the nature of daylight” is one of the most bittersweet and beautiful melodies I’ve ever heard in a movie.

[@ticklishhoneybee]

I love that the original story (Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang) and the movie complement each other, rather than one being better than the other, or one spoiling the other. This seems to be becoming a more common thing in scifi these days (see also: The Martian, and Ready Player One) that I really want to see more of.

[@emilywilhite5807]

I’m so,excited. Twice in a row I’ve caught a video right as you release it. Last was Inception and both are some of my fave movies of all time. Get ready for a ride. This is a mental and emotional roller coaster.

[@montazmeahii6029]

I saw this movie in the theater. I remember being silent during the drive home, and being silent for a long while after I got home thinking about how it made me feel. Beautiful movie.

[@WithWizMedia]

This is one of my two favorite movies ever. The craft is not only magnificent, but the story Denis manages to tell breaks you in the end. It makes you think, but not too hard. It sends a powerful message that will always be resonant. You should watch more of his films, he’s one of the best directors working today

[@SteveNaranjo]

Villeneuve is a Master at his craft, my favorite director presently. I watched a lot of Villeneuve work and all the movies are master pieces.

[@lostintechnicolor]

That one young soldier and some of his buddies were shown listening to a paranoid, reactionary news show (we have a lot of shows like that here in America), and later he was talking to his wife who was terrified, so he and a few of his like-minded fellow soldiers set a bomb in the ship to blow them up. They didn’t intend to kill any fellow humans though. That’s why the soldier told the two main characters not to go in. They succumbed to fear and paranoia and almost screwed the whole thing up.

[@dustyblanco1546]

Was relevant upon release in 2016, and is even more relevant now. (The news)

[@SantiAgo-eg5to]

"...listening to a paranoid, reactionary news show..." Right, establishment media.

[@kasperneedspeace]

Easily in my top 5 movies of all time. The sound design, pace, acting, plot, and cinematography is superb. It is just so heartbreakingly beautiful.

[@Fallobstboy]

You reacted like me watching this movie. I actually know a couple that seperated after watching this movie in cinema. On the way home they discussed how they would decide knowing a future child would die. It turned out that behind their world of rose colored glasses (love in the first months) they had complete opposite opinions about how things should be and decided to split up.

[@jesterforhire]

I bounced off the wall when I saw that you were doing this movie. It’s in my top ten for sure. I love Amy Adams. She needs a freaking Oscar already. She’s a very underrated actress. Contact would be a terrific movie for you to do. Also Science Fiction, about humanity, and has Jodie Foster and Mathew Mc. Really terrific movie from 1996. This 51 year old from Seattle, Washington, USA is very happy to be a part of your community here. You are a very honest and authentic reactor.

[@davidkistler6749]

Since no one else has explained Fibonacci: Fibonacci was a 12th-13th century Italian mathematician. His biggest accomplishment was the introduction of Arabic numerals to Europe, but his name is best known for the Fibonacci sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13... where each number is the previous 2 numbers added together. It's got some really weird properties and unexpected real-world applications and natural occurrences, and is the type of deceptively simple thing that us math geeks obsess over. One line of thought in how to communicate with alien civilizations is that science and mathematics would be a common "language", and so trying to communicate with prime numbers or the Fibonacci sequence would make sense as an early attempt.

[@peterkoch3990]

I felt the need to jump in quickly ... You are showing an emotional strength in some impressive films (Good Will Hunting | WALL.E | Band of Brothers) which outstrips most other reaction channels. Your time is best spent on quality input, which encourages viewers like me to return and share these moments. Please don’t exhaust yourself on lesser projects, and know you are becoming an essential part of the landscape of your followers while sharing in the true qualities of film.

[@woeshaling6421]

for anyone curious which piece of music carries the movie: it’s “on the nature of daylight” by Max Richter

[@SteveNaranjo]

The soundtrack itself is by Jóhann Jóhannsson, but "on the nature of daylight" by Max Richter was added at the end of the movie.

[@eKko0]

The "would you go through it knowing how it ends" thing also is addressed in another one of my favourite films eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, it seems like a great question to base great film on

[@LISA75_]

I watched this film with my mum , we had a very big argument at the end of it , because my mum thought that louise/Amy was selfish to have the child knowing what was to come and also not telling Ian/Renner so he could make the choice of having a child, that you will never see become an adult . I said that just because the kid did not get to live a long life , the life and the love her mother felt for each other was worth it , my mum said that she would have avoid that at all cost . I got upset then because my mum lost a child to a still birth , and I asked my mum if she could erase the fact that she had lost her daughter Margaret from her past, if she could go back at tell herself what would happen, would she do that . At the end of a good cry my mum agreed that if she had , had the knowledge of what would happen to her baby before she had her that she would have tried to make things better but she wouldnt have eraced her existance .

[@bradleymay5350]

mmm.... I was going to wax poetic about how thankfully, concepts of this nature are strictly hypothetical. We can't scry the future so topics like this are simply thought experiments. But upon reflecting I realized "No... I suppose many, many people do in fact face this exact choice every day." Early on in pregnancies most developed countries test for genetic defects and diseases and while the decision to abort a pregnancy is intensely personal, it can't be denied that we are constantly doing that mental calculus about the quality of life a child would have in whatever circumstances. I personally have no strong feelings about that one way or the other, but it will make for interesting debate in the coming decades as genetic engineering technology matures. It's been posited that it may one day be deemed unethical not to screen and cure known genetic diseases (Down Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, etc) because it relegates the child to a lifetime of preventable suffering. Lol hypothetically. It may also cause unknown mutations and turn them into X-Men, but regardless it's super exciting! I love living in the future. One thing that I found neat, however, was an alteration in the screenplay. In the book Louis's daughter dies in a rock climbing accident. And because those characters live in a deterministic universe, that's just the way it goes. But the screenwriter of the film felt rebellious, like "I don't like that. You could just say 'No! You're not going rock climbing this weekend and that's final.' " And because the main character can supposedly view all of her own timeline, loopholes like 'trying to stop her death inadvertently causes it' seems implausible. But regardless, an intractable illness seems far less amenable than, say, a jet ski accident.

[@onpoc]

For those of you who don't know and like science fiction, the movie is based on a short story from the book "Stories of your life and others" by Ted Chiang. Totally recommended. Also (and totally unrelated to that) I just realised that the CIA guy is the president of Purdue Pharma in the Disney show Dopesick

[@SteveNaranjo]

Agree, the book is a really good reading.

[@paratus04]

For awhile there we were getting really quite decent standalone sci-fi movies every fall (2013 Gravity, 2014 Interstellar, 2015 The Martian, 2016 Arrival). Wished that would have continued

[@Hoganply]

Ever seen the French film Oxygen? Simple premise, but also makes you think for a bit afterwards.

[@Evil_Peter]

I think it did with Blade Runner 2049 in 2017.

[@paratus04]

@@Hoganply thanks for the recommendation! Just watched it. A few nitpicks since I work in the human space flight business, but putting those aside definitely a well above average sci-fi movie and we’ll acted.

[@Hoganply]

@@paratus04 Definitely. The acting was the best part imo. Melanie Laurent had arguably the best acted part in Inglourious Basterds as well.

[@bryanfox5457]

Abbot and Costello were an old comedy duo, whose most famous bit was called "Who's on first?" a joke on the nuance of language (in brief, the title refers to the person who is playing First Base on a baseball team is named 'Who', therefore when Costello asks Abbot "Who is on first?" hilarity ensues when Abbot answers "Yes!").

[@kevintipcorn6787]

Answering the question 'would you go into something knowing you would lose it' is trickier in a reality where your perception of time is no longer linear. I'd say my answer would be different at different stages in my life, and those answers would all be as a consequence of my linear perception of my existence, and how I presently perceive loss. I can't really comprehend what would happen to my thought processes if time ceased to be linear for me.

[@Slavaboo1]

I love this movie. So many science fiction movies focus on the action side of things. This movie is much more grounded in realism, it takes a question most of us have probably never even considered (how would we even begin to talk to aliens?) and fully fleshes it out and gives you an insight into how it would go. This is science fiction done very well, in my opinion. Also, the whole question of "would you still have your child if you knew they were going to die early or would you savour every moment you had with them?" is so fascinating.

[@helvete_ingres4717]

to me this movie shows women/the mother as an amoral slave to nature and its mandate of reproduction no matter what; men/the father as moral and rational and actually considering the futility of being born just to suffer and die

[@21CCommunIT]

@@helvete_ingres4717 We're *all* born to suffer and die...

[@LaaszloKiss]

A lot of people think that science fiction is about robots, spaceships, technology, time travel and such things existing just for themselves. However it's a fact that real sci-fi is about humanity and human emotions no matter where or what time in the vast universe it is set up. Arrival is a good example of how real sci-fi is supposed to work. It should always make you think about important questions of life, and sometimes it may even make you cry.

[@Ender7j]

I really like this movie but the first part was almost impossible to sit through the first time. I had gone to the theater with a friend to see the movie, knowing nothing about it…and that first scene just kicked me right in the heart. I’m glad that my wife didn’t go, I don’t think she would have been able to stay. It is the worst thing that can happen to a person…but if you can survive it, there is more light in the world. My wife and two other children are proof of that. The reason I like this movie is because I could personally identify with the burdens of the character, it made the rest of the movie so much more enthralling and I appreciate that the writers didn’t shy away from giving their characters real pain to handle.

[@redhotchilipepperslego2529]

My worst fear, the thing that keeps me up at night. Sorry for your loss, but you're right about the new perspective. It's a gift we should all have without going through tragedy.

[@lethaldose2000]

Marijke you should also watch "Contact" and "District 9", they are some of my favorite Sci-Fi movies of all time. after seeing Arrival you need to check out that one next.

[@sirjohnmara]

Yes - Contact is great!

[@josegiron7008]

we have had some pretty stunning sci fi this past decade, interstellar followed by ex machina followed by arrival followed by blade runner 2049 followed by annihilation 5 years in a row 5 of the best sci fi movies of all time, incredible

[@classiclife7204]

There's a reason why reactors avoid this: seriously high concept, particularly about the nature of communication, also, our fate, and if we can change it. It's very sad, too. You did very well.

[@evie3148]

This is one of my favourite movies. But you have to remember since Louise speaks their language time flows nonlinear, so for her, she can see her child whenever she wants her memory is very much alive and something she can experience whenever she wants.

[@user-vc5rp7nf8f]

oh i love this movie. such a mature, philosophical, realistic approach to sci-fi. the way villeneuve plays with time reminds of nolan movies

[@nbkr49b]

I remember watching this film in theaters about 1 month after my younger brother had past; I had to stay until the end credits because I couldn’t stop crying

[@kschneyer]

This film is based on the greatest science fiction story of the late 20th century, Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life." Unbelievably, the story is even better than the film. The central theme of the film/story is that, even without time travel, we all know, every one of us, that love stories always end in tragedy. Run the tape long enough, and the lovers must be parted. We all know it the moment we begin a relationship, the moment we decide to have a child -- that someday we will lose them. We know it, but we make ourselves forget. Louise does not have that luxury, because she sees all her life, from beginning to end, in one gestalt, and so she must answer Ian's question -- "Do you want to make a baby?" -- with her eyes open, knowing what will come. What impossible, unbearable courage, to say yes.

[@omrmajeed]

This movie is the representation of true science fiction stories. Sci-fi is less about action or fantasy, its about exploring philosophical questions through the prism of scientific possibility.

[@paulmcalaney1407]

Not only is this a movie about language and the meaning of words , its also about the language of cinema itself. Go back and look closely at the window in her lakeside house and the partition in the heptipod ship , they are intentionally commonly used aspect ratios of cinema screens ( just another subtle detail that adds to this movies brilliance). A truly beautiful , moving story told in an intelligent , thought provoking way !!! it's a masterpiece on so many levels , visually, intellectually and emotionally !!!

[@eternalposer1955]

This is what sci-fi can be. Not dumb action dressed up with cool gadgets but impactful insightful storytelling that uses the genre to explore entirely new facets of the human experience.

[@vadalia3860]

I felt that same sense of devastation at the end. It's amazing how a really neat little story with aliens was used as a framing device to ultimately ask a very difficult but human question about love and loss and life.

[@Steelburgh]

That's exactly how I feel about this movie. The alien plot is interesting but ultimately that's not what the movie is really about.

[@lexwells4763]

The generals wife dying words "In war, there are no winners, only widows." With the gift of seeing the future she knew she had to act fast to prevent War from starting. If she hadn't been there or just did as she was told, the War would have began. Millions of lives would have been lost. One of my all time favorite stories. A linguist wrote this novel and produce this story. Its one of my favorite movies. I agree with the husband, If I knew my future child would be born ill, I wouldn't have them. I think it was cruel of her to withhold this information from him.

[@bradleymay5350]

Hah word... It's a pretty damning lie of omission. The fact that the characters seemingly live in a deterministic universe raises a lot of questions though. Like, if she can theoretically view all of her own timeline (and what I wouldn't give for perfect recall and the ability to 'rewind' and watch any and all aspects of my life!) it creates curious quagmires about whether or not Louis was even an active participant in this agreement or if she was 'fated' to have the kid. Lol and to make every decision and repeat every line exactly as it's written in the eternal and unchanging Book of Fate. Conversations about deterministic universes get weird really quickly.

[@lexwells4763]

@@bradleymay5350 I too have thought of this. When I first saw this movie I thought how wonderful their "gift" was. Then upon closer consideration the movie clearly makes the case that it isn't a gift many would want. After all, she did see the death of her own child and the end of her marriage. There was a line in the movie when her child tells Louis "I hate you!" Louis clearly told her child what she knew and that is how she reacted. Knowing the future wouldn't be pleasant at all. I'm glad the movie ended the way it did. I still love this movie. I watch it, even knowing how its going to end.

[@PrimeCircuit]

She decided not to tell him, so the child would have her father in her life and that they both would have each other once she was gone. When she told him, he kept at a distance for fear of the pain and the anger he felt towards Louise for destroying what he hadn't even built yet. It is sort of a "better to have loved and lost.." situations; good relationships (even though short) always enrich the human experience. It is easy to say that one would not have a child (knowing it to fall ill) before a connection is built, but loving parents would never say about a child they lost that they wished they had never been born in the first place.

[@lexwells4763]

@@PrimeCircuit The child in the movie had a disease that medical science couldn't cure. Her child died young and probably suffered in her last years. Louise clearly believes it was "better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all" and doesn't regret her choice. However, Ian and Hannah clearly don't share that that opinion. That is why Ian left and told her she made the wrong choice and it is why Hannah told her "I hate you." From Ian and Hannah's point of view Louise acted selfishly because she had her anyway knowing Hannah would suffer and Ian would be angry knowing she knew. "She decided not to tell him, so the child would have her father in her life.." I find that scary. It reminds me of women who knowingly lie to men about them being the father of a pregnancy when they aren't. Those women believe that the lie is best for everyone because the baby will have a loving father and mother. Really? You don't see anything wrong with that? There are many people around the world finding out their Father really isn't their father because of home DNA tests to find their family tree. Both children and Fathers getting this news are devastated. The mother ends up with a horrible mess and a family, that never was, to try and hold together.

[@lucianaromulus1408]

I agree it was wrong, a couple is supposed to be a team and make big decisions together. I understand she meant well but I don't agree with how she went about it

[@3DJapan]

I like how the palindrome name relates to seeing forward and backward in time.

[@chetstevens4583]

Of all the movies I have watched with Mary, this has been one of them!

[@sntxrrr]

The best sci-fi is about humanity and what it means to be human, often by asking a question like "what if [a science idea]...". Two great movies like that are "Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind" and "Gattaca", I hope you will watch both of them some day. "Arrival" is slightly more complicated. On the surface it is about first contact with aliens, in a much more realistic way than was done before in film (although the movie "Contact" is a good second to that). But the movie actually isn't about that, it asks the question what if we had the means to see the future. It implies, but doesn't explore, that the gift would help us better ourselves because we would know the consequences of our actions. But the movie isn't about that either. It actually explores how we humans deal with grief. That grief is a part of our life but it does not have to consume us. So it is very much about what it means to be human, explored in a way only sci-fi can.

[@meanderingmarley3910]

Lou Abbott (tall, thin) and Bud Costello (short, not-so-thin) were a comedy team in the 40's/50's. Probably most known for their "Who's On First?" routine ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIuYp6amqLOGZ8k ).

[@PrimeCircuit]

This is one of the two movies I watched that were produced within the past 10 years. And I really loved it. Such a beautiful movie in so many ways.

[@TehFrenchy29]

It's interesting to me that you say when you heard it was science fiction you didn't expect it to be so much about humanity. There's an idea sort of floating around in writing and literature that at least all the best science fiction is always about humanity at its core; taking people and putting them into different circumstances very unalike our present, in order to break down and explore what it means to be "human". Taking away aspects of society we consider fundamental to consider possible reactions and outcomes, thrusting people into situations with a great deal more than we currently have to contend with (space travel, aliens, etc) and considering what comes of it and how humanity integrates, picking a point in our history and changing even a single small thing to then consider how the world and "present" society may be different based on the cascading differences in that alternate reality. That sort of thing.

[@CChissel]

All the science fiction books and movies I’ve read/watched have all been about humanity

[@meanderingmarley3910]

Very well put! Excellent.

[@johncourtright1632]

I agree with Metastatic Malady (M&M1) and MeanderingMarley (M&M2). Your comments were very eloquently said, Frantachy. Science fiction often reveals our basic humanity (or lack of same) in stressful, unfamiliar settings and circumstances.

[@meanderingmarley3910]

@@johncourtright1632 I guess that means I'm the goofy, peanutty one...yeah, that seems about right. 🤭

[@johncourtright1632]

@@meanderingmarley3910 Perhaps, but there's some consolation in knowing that although the guy out front (Milk Chocolate M&M in this case) may get all the media attention in the short term, he also takes the brunt of the blast when things go bad (like Abbott, formerly of Heptapod Abbott and Costello fame, in the film). Once Milk Chocolate M&M gets taken out by a sniper or radical-fringe group bomb, Peanutty M&M will be front and center, basking in the limelight. In this nutty world, it's only a matter of time. (Wait, didn't we have this conversation in the future?)

[@Patriiiiick]

Easily one of my favourite films. Can't get enough of it.

[@trhansen3244]

One of the worst films ever.

[@RoxxSerm]

@@trhansen3244 there is a special place for people like you, that go to positive comments multiple times, just to comment the same negative shit. Just stop, leave, go somewhere else please.

[@trhansen3244]

@@RoxxSerm Yeah, we must all love Arrival. Incredible film, filled with wonderful performances that are perfect, the relations are genuine, and the story makes perfect nonsense. LOL It is a total shit movie. And I cannot believe so many people buy into it. Besides the effects and cinematography (thank you, big budget!) it is an awful awful horrible piece of crap movie. And I wish I could have it erased from all memory. It's that bad!

[@RoxxSerm]

@@trhansen3244 you're allowed to have your opinion for sure but you're not asked neither welcome to spread it in a place where noone cares about it you know? Not every movie has to make perfect sense or have no plot holes. LOTR movies for examle are plenty full with them, even major ones debunking/contradicting it's own story and still among the best films ever made. So, respectfully, shut up.

[@trhansen3244]

@@RoxxSerm This place is for all opinions. Let me guess. You are a liberal. Right?

[@mltorrefranca]

I think really good science fiction isn't about how much tech and science is thrown at the reader/viewer, but how it uses science as the mirror to hold up to one's own humanity and experiences.

[@diegom6053]

Love this movie, I remember being amazed after watching it on a big screen in 2016. Good times.

[@pCadavez]

This is one of the best films of the last decade

[@chriswerth918]

One of the best Sifi movies, ever made. And - for me personally - the best Sifi of the last two decades.

[@lolmao500]

Being at school and telling the teacher to bring the tv in to watch the news reminded me of 9/11.

[@louisenglish8069]

All hail Denis Villinevue. The best science fiction director out there right now

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

it is a flash backward forward type movie. the aliens don't experience time linear like we do. she is experiencing time in a nonlinear way as the aliens do. The reason her husband left her, she knew their daughter Hannah would die before she was conceived. He couldn't handle it

[@pavelayeah1756]

when your language is so circle that you can travel in time, then you will never realy lose someone, because you bekame eternity and you can jump on every point on your existens.

[@j9lorna]

I guess it boils down to "is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at All?"

[@twoheart7813]

My fave alien human interaction movie is District 9 though it was mainly themed on human natures failings.

[@jacobschwartz6579]

Literally just rewatched this movie and went to check out some older reaction videos for it! Was not expecting to find a brand new one!

[@SteveNaranjo]

"Despite knowing the journey... and where it leads... I embrace it... and I welcome every moment of it".

[@coulombedon]

One of the all-time great science fiction films. Beautiful, poignant, cleverly written, and the linguistics and science are perfectly done.

[@bluris1711]

Was directed by Dennis Villeneuve, who most recently did Dune, and the new Blade Runner movie. After managing to do Dune, he became my favourite director.

[@Bobahat]

This is old-school science fiction. No brainless action or laser battles. Just examining the Human condition. Arrival is basically a long episode of Star Trek.

[@Jdubayou]

Actually my favorite movie of all time. Such a beautiful film, Denis Villeneuve is an incredible director.

[@Steelburgh]

My favorite too. Incredible movie.

[@Timmayytoo]

The best science fiction often examines the human condition but unfortunately it's rare that they make it to film or television because so many people want action, not thoughtfulness.

[@seannovack3834]

For future reference, the best way to convert feet into something metric is to remember that three feet is "yard" a yard is about 91.5 centimeters. A rough conversion is to say 33 feet to every 10 meters.

[@XeonAlpha]

“In war there are no winners, only widows” General Shang’s wife’s dying words.

[@lethaldose2000]

HEy Marijke, the reason you're being surprised by Sci-Fi as a genre is that you don't realize that Sci-Fi is just a conduit to postulate on human emotions and interactions in the future. Humans react the same way to unknown environments and circumstances since the dawn of time. With fear and trepidation. Since the future is unknown, the palette for world-building is infinite when it's come to sci-fi. Then place likable characters in that environment with dramatic circumstances and we get a very compelling storyline. This is what authors like Bradbury, Asimov, Pullman, Lucas (screen author), and Orwell are able to achieve in their literary works.

[@lethaldose2000]

Arrival makes us ponder the conundrum If you knew the future and it's not all good. Would you want to change it? Sometimes we need to go through the bad days to come out and be strong to handle the future that is to come. To learn what we are truly capable of and what are the things we can handle. Men and women alike have always pondered these questions.

[@DavidBusa]

One of the best introspective sci-fi ever. Almost nobody anticipated this. And also nobody understands this movie (US especially), so that's why it's so underrated. One of my favourite. Nice reaction ;-)

[@navidhudson7065]

Nominated for eight Oscars including best picture and director, won for best sound editing. It wasn't however nominated for best actress for Amy Adams which remains one of the biggest ever Oscar snubs. It's one of her best roles and this movie I can just watch again and again for the beauty and complexity of it. Like if you could see your future, would you change anything or let it all happen as it should? Even the music is beautiful, the use of On the Nature of Daylight in the opening and closing scenes is just a cinematic masterclass on its own. Denis Villeneuve is a genius. If you want to watch another movie with Amy Adams and science fiction again, watch Man of Steel directed by Zack Snyder who did 300 and Watchmen.

[@P5YcHoKiLLa]

10:03 Abbott and Costello were a comedy duo in the old black and white movies, into colour movies. EVERYONE should know their baseball sketch, have a look for "Abbott and Costello Who's on first", it's all over KZbin. They made a series of comedy/horror movies with the classic Universal horror characters, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman and The Invisible Man

[@timothyhedrick5295]

I'm a huge science fiction fan but there is no denying there is a ton of just garbage out there. True good science fiction has depth and meaning like this, like Interstellar, and like Annihilation (which I also recommend, it is not "warish" despite the title). Abbott and Castello were two famous American comedians from the 1930s and 40s. Thelma and Louise are two female protagonists from a 1990s American movie which is pretty well know here. My mother named her two cats Thelma and Louise. Great reaction as always Mary. Another one that always makes me tear up. [SPOILER] I don't think anyone watches this movie and figures out her child isn't born yet before they are supposed to.

[@zuur303]

Villeneuve is such an incredible filmmaker. The short story by Ted Chiang Arrival is based on is also very beautiful and well worth reading.

[@Jymm]

The Hannah's death was not an ending, since time is not linear for Dr. Banks now. She and the child are part of the circle of life, in the truest sense !

[@inadreamscape]

This is a great movie. For anyone that is itching for more science fiction about language, I highly suggest the novel "Embassytown" by China Mieville.

[@bradleymay5350]

Oh, brother!! Hahah that's a very apt association. Although it's not as easy to wade through, I agree wholeheartedly

[@VuLamDang]

As a computer scientist, language has way more connection to math than most of us realise. Welcome to the exciting field of computational linguistics and natural language processing 😄

[@TerryYelmene]

dozens and cozens of films... I simply love sci-fi. But for me, there is a tier that undeniably sits... above all others. Contact - Interstellar - Arrival I see these three as the indispensable greatest of the genre.

[@garykephart]

That's the thing about good science fiction. It allows us to compare humanity to...something different. It allows us to look at ourselves and question humanity from the outside looking in. Something no other genre really can do.

[@red_freckle]

goddamn it. I've seen this movie a few times and kept my composure every time, I see someone else react to it and bawl like a baby. Probably something something time-loop and I was meant to cry today.

[@davidgagne3569]

thanks for the good reaction.. In an odd way it reminds me of Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting telling Will that Robin didn't regret marrying his wife and going through the cancer years and early death.

[@1639danmcc]

Great reaction to another Denis Villeneuve classic. I also recommend District 9...

[@Rhysman30]

Science Fiction is just a theme for any story you want to tell. Most stories are about something real with a theme to provide a layer of abstraction. The abstraction is there to provide a bit of nuance and create believable situations where the story may happen. Star Trek: Next gen is a great example. Its all about philosophy; what it means to be humans, what it means to powerful, to be weak, to lose, and to look through a mirror darkly.