Poll

Louise Banks (Amy Adams) in Arrival:

had no choice.
9 (69.2%)
is a selfish shit.
4 (30.8%)

Total Members Voted: 13

Author Topic: Arrival  (Read 20952 times)

St. Martin the Bald

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #20 on: November 29, 2016, 03:16:49 PM »
Nope and I believe the film is vague on whether she can change to future - there's nothing to indicate that she can. Plus I believe it's completely irrelevant to the point being made.
Hey, nice marmot!

Totoro

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #21 on: December 02, 2016, 02:44:26 AM »
I thought this was pretty lame.

I don't understand the connection between her gaining the power of seeing the future with the aliens. They gave it to her, then that's it? What else did she do with this power? Fascinating concept, zero done with it.

I just didn't care at all for these characters either, so that has a lot to do with it.

Totoro

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2016, 02:49:50 AM »
Did anyone else want to hear the rest of that lecture on Portuguese?

That's one way to improve this slog.

I don't understand the rewatch talk. There is a point, a bit before they spell out what is actually going on, where you understand that her memories are in fact her future. In that moment, the entire scope of the movie becomes clear and I don't see what rewatching the movie would bring me. As long as you're able to remember the relevant scenes you can see what was really going on the whole time.


We don't agree on much but THIS THIS THIS. This is way more linear/straightforward than people are giving it credit for. And as soon as the no-sum zero line came, I put together the twist pretty quick.


Villeneuve told the story he wanted to tell and i think he made some great choices as to what Not to focus on. He strikes a balance between the best of Spielberg and the best of Malick. Those are two other directors that could've tackled this script, but they would've taken it further into their comfort zones at the expense of this better version we now have.

Spielberg would've made me care, Malick would've left me in wonder. I got neither.

saltine

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #23 on: December 02, 2016, 04:58:54 AM »

I don't understand the connection between her gaining the power of seeing the future with the aliens. They gave it to her, then that's it? What else did she do with this power? Fascinating concept, zero done with it.

Because knowing the language makes it possible for you to understand that time is not linear, she WROTE A BOOK so everyone could understand time the way she now does.

That's what she does with her power.
Texan Down Under

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #24 on: December 02, 2016, 05:12:14 AM »
I love that. There's a lot going on there at the end isn't there? Yet all laid out; nothing vague but ambiguous. What a gift to his audience.

On the point of the book; there's a good chance very few people could understand language in the way Louise does. The reprogramming might not take with many.

I heard a programme yesterday explaining space in terms of quantum mechanics. One consequence of this explanation is that time becomes disconnected from space. We cant see the grain of space because the weave is too fine and as a result we can't view time properly.

Even if the film showed no consequences; just to reconceptualise time and show us a glimpse of another image of time and space is a rounded achievement.

Thanks for reminding me of the book.
I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don't do that so much anymore. - Banksy

saltine

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #25 on: December 02, 2016, 05:19:22 AM »
I think I would have been more comfortable with Louise having a child she knew would die if that child hadn't died of a disease and hadn't had to go through chemo.  Hit by a bus, maybe.  But, thinking that the child suffered really got to me.  It made me feel Louise made a selfish decision.
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saltine

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #26 on: December 02, 2016, 05:21:04 AM »
Quote
On the point of the book; there's a good chance very few people could understand language in the way Louise does. The reprogramming might not take with many.

That would depend on how good a writer she was. ;)
Texan Down Under

DarkeningHumour

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #27 on: December 02, 2016, 05:29:53 AM »
I think I would have been more comfortable with Louise having a child she knew would die if that child hadn't died of a disease and hadn't had to go through chemo.  Hit by a bus, maybe.  But, thinking that the child suffered really got to me.  It made me feel Louise made a selfish decision.

Thank you. I mean, I am much harsher on her, but at least we can agree that not everything about that is honky dory.

About the book: understanding time in a new way is one thing. Adams gets superpowers here. That is just not possible, not matter how nifty that language is.
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Totoro

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #28 on: December 02, 2016, 05:30:05 AM »

I don't understand the connection between her gaining the power of seeing the future with the aliens. They gave it to her, then that's it? What else did she do with this power? Fascinating concept, zero done with it.

Because knowing the language makes it possible for you to understand that time is not linear, she WROTE A BOOK so everyone could understand time the way she now does.

That's what she does with her power.

And the only insight we get into how this power fundamentally changes the course of humankind is whether or not she has her daughter?

Kind of ridiculous considering that the daughter doesn't even matter that much to the overall film - it's the future of humanity itself that it concentrates its conflict on far more than any personal matters of the protagonist.

verbALs

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Re: Arrival
« Reply #29 on: December 02, 2016, 05:32:42 AM »
Quote
On the point of the book; there's a good chance very few people could understand language in the way Louise does. The reprogramming might not take with many.

That would depend on how good a writer she was. ;)

Hey! She'd already know how successful she would be wouldn't she? Bit like Groundhog Day; she could try a hundred different methods see which worked the best, then pick that one to use first time!  ;D

Ouch my head hurts now.
I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don't do that so much anymore. - Banksy