What a fantastic, wild, confusing at moments film! Cast and crew did awesome with this! What was your reaction? What did we miss? Full Reactions on Patreon: www.patreon.com/baddmedicine Mr and Mrs Flicks youtube.com/@mrandmrsflicks Backup channel Subscribe here kzclip.org/channel/UC1CLUwA27dz-94o3FR0o3xg
@Badd Medicine You guys should check out JOHN Q withe Denzel Washington also Man on Fire with Denzel as well.... THEY BOTH ARE VERY JARD WATCHES AS A PARENT
here's a fun thing: this movie actually gets better on rewatching because knowing what happens it's kind of like you've learned to think like Louise and the aliens (time is a circle) and you realize the beginning is actually the end, and you connect all the dots while you're watching the film. you also feel the emotions of the ending retroactively, making it more powerful. this movie is one of two films that had genuinely changed my life (the other being Everything Everywhere All At Once), such a powerful message even for someone who doesn't have kids and definitely helped get me through a tricky time or two.
@KC Unfortunately, the comments are always flooded with edgelord wannabes that think cheap shotting people makes them seem interesting. Your point was valid. He's mad because he has nothing to offer but projection.
One of the beautiful things about this movie to me is that she isn’t seeing the future, she’s just experiencing different parts of her life all at the same time. She’s not manipulating what happens in order to avoid a certain outcome; instead, all these experiences intertwine and inform each other. In her mind, her daughter doesn’t die in the future; she is both present, yet to be born, and already gone, and Louise just chooses to experience it all. She doesn’t choose not to tell Ian this time because he leaves; she already will tell him, already has, and knew he would leave all along. It’s incredible, and I loved rewatching it with you all.
@Lena Feline Because he doesn't. It's the language that opens time for you, if you really learn it. Ian hasn't learned it to the same degree, and I always got the sense that he never did, or he wouldn't have needed Louise to tell him what happens to Hannah.
@Music Mashup i used to agree but, im gonna be honest, i don't think she can what she experiences is pretty much the Doctor Manhattan experience-she lives every moment in time at once. She can focus on one moment, of course, but not stop experiencing it all. And when you're everywhere in time, everything is already in the past. Done and gone. Even if she tried to do something different in one moment, she's already in the future and in the past
The first time they hug she says "I forgot how good it felt to be held by you." Insanely, cool, sad, brilliant writing. Also, Denis Villeneuve is a genius, best contemporary director.
Love this movie, it means a lot to me. Personal story: about a month before this movie came out my first daughter died. I went to this on a whim just hoping for some easy sci fi adventure story, I had no idea what I was getting into, and an usher had to help me out of the theater afterwards. The message at the end was so important for me to hear, and it's impossible for me to watch without crying. Really looking forward to watching your video, you guys are a really emotionally intelligent crew, I know it's going to be nice to watch this with you.
Thank you for just being here and being a testament for glimpsing the bigger picture of what life is. I'm glad this movie helped you see some of that, and while I am sorry for your loss and would never want to experience it, that you got to experience your time with your child is a gift, and I think despite the grief you are blessed.
It’s not just that she can “see the future” it’s all happening at the same time, it’s a circle. Those moments where she “sees the future” she’s actually living those moments at that time hence the Chinese genral giving her his number and info and her knowing them in her past.
And hence why she decided to have Hannah. It wasn't just about journey vs destination or giving Hannah a chance to live what life she had. It was also because she ALREADY knew Hannah and loved her, before she was born.
Yeah, they all kept saying that she has the ability to change things, but that’s not exactly how it works. Even in the future she has to ask Hannah what day it is because she’s living just as much in the past as she does in the future and vice versa.
It’s sad once you realize that Abbott and Costello (with their language) knew and understood that one of them was going to die. It had to be done in order for Louise to finally understand. Brutal.
Anyone who learns their language will be able to perceive time as the aliens do - not just Louise. She was the first. In 3,000 years they need our help collectively, not Louise specifically. Louise is the one to bring their language to the world.
I also think it’s interesting to think about maybe Ian wasn’t mad at her like “why didn’t you tell me sooner” about the daughter but maybe he was like “why did you tell me that at all” ???? maybe rather than wishing he already knew, he actually couldn’t cope with knowing and just waiting for it to happen and he would rather have been in the dark? Could be either way and honestly I don’t know which way I’d feel either!
As they said. They put their hands on both sides and meet in the middle. That's what they did with the film. They started with the end and the beginning. Then we met in the middle. We are trained to assume continuity if shots are cut after another unless specifically pointed out as flashback/-forward. Otherwise it confuses viewers. But here they deliberately break that rule to emphasise the point of the movie. To give us a glimpse of how she percieves time now. And on top of that a great message. I loved the film when I first saw it. Usually I don't like "alien invasion" movies too much. And this film kinda shows why because it takes such a different approach and doesn't do the things I usually dislike. It also feels very realistic, like how our world would actually react to aliens showing up.
i think Ian kind of gets a bad rap because of the line "he doesn't look at me the same way anymore." it sounds like she is implying she feels he suddenly loves her less, but i think its just that he knows she is going to die and this has created a change in his demeanor he can't hide, that she has noticed, which i think should be expected. he left Louise because he can't forgive her for forcing such a loss onto him that he could have avoided, but like Louise says, he didn't leave Hannah, he still loves Hannah and is seeing her regularly and is making himself openly available to her, helping her with her homework, just like a normal father, albeit a divorced one.
One of my favorite songs ever is in this movie as well as episode 3 of The Last of Us, it’s called On the Nature of Daylight by Max Ritcher. Its use in this movie is also significant in that it was composed as a protest to the Iraq war and war in general, and here Louise’s ultimate goal is to prevent war. This is one of my top 5 movies it’s so well put together, the shots and sound design and Amy Adam’s performance are all so outstanding to me
Everytime the music gets used in media it gets to me. Partially from the beautiful composition and powerful themes in it and partially from all the moments that I remember it was used in. In the Last of Us episode 3, I reconised the composition on the first note it got played. It's amazing what music can do to something, to someone.
Can you send me a link to that song? (I don’t know how to find it,) but I loved TLoU, episode 3. I definitely would make the choice Bill made in that situation!
I love when people watch this movie... when the realization of what's really going on hits... it's something not to miss. I'm glad you guys chose this to react to, it's an incredible movie. One of my favorite sci-fi movies with aliens. This movie is 100% re-watchable... Once you know what's going on, you can go back and catch all those small details you missed because you were so confused... and honestly, this maybe is always beautiful no matter how many times you see it. And you guys were right, while there were aliens in the movie, it was not about the aliens at all... the aliens were the catalyst, they were what caused the scenario of "if you knew... would you change anything." Without them, she would not have known. She might have still somehow met Ian if it was meant to be, and they would have had the baby, and both of them would have been in the dark, but they would have still enjoyed their daughter, and loved her... and I guess that's the point, why would you change it?
Louise wasn't special, she just understood the language. The language itself is the weapon. Like the theory they were talking about earlier in the movie, learning it rewired her brain, so she perceived the world differently. Once she really understood the language she could experience the future and past at the same time. Time for her became non linear like the language. Since the language requires the writer to know everything they want to say, starting from the end and the beginning and meeting in the middle, and know how much space it takes up before it is written, they need to be able to perceive time in the same way they write in order to do that effectively. The film itself is simply trying to replicate that by giving flashes of the future during the movie even though, Louise wasn't necessarily seeing her future at that point in time. Once she understood the language, the movie is essentially how she experiences her life.
There's also a little detail on how Abbott was always the second to arrive, as if he was late. The thing is that he was not late at all; he was dreading his own death, that's why he was always the second one, like if it tooks him a lot knowing that in that room he was going to die. It's sad.
To clarify, their language, really learning it and becoming fluent, is what makes you able to experience time all at once. Implication is that Louise will start the process of teaching whoever can learn and push humanity forward toward a new era.
What broke my heart about this was that she didn’t tell him because she wanted him to be full of joy and hope and to embrace this beauty knowing she would tell him eventually their child would die and he’d leave her in anger. How could she not tell him? She wanted him to be able to have a normal and happy life until their child was about to be sick. And she’s thinking (experiencing) the end and hugging him, knowing he’ll leave her because he will see it as a betrayal. So not just the child, but also the husband l, the happiness of being with him for those years alone…
Y'all did a very good job at understanding the movie but I just wanna add some stuff that slips most people's analysis of the movie: Louise's timeline becomes non-linear when she obtains the gift. She is able to perceive her life from the past POV and from the future's POV, essentially connecting her timeline into a circle (non linear). This is also why Louise chose to name her daughter Hannah, which can be written or 'drawn' starting from either side (like a circle) Also: Louise asks at the end 'if you could see your whole life ahead of you, would you change things?' This implies that Louise's future is also non-linear because she has the OPTION of changing her future decisions. Through that fact, her past ALSO becomes non-linear because her 'future past' will change depending on what she decides to do with her non-linear future. This movie is my all time favorite.
So amazing that learning the language was the gift they intended for humanity to help them in 3000 years time and as to why she was having "flashbacks" as time isn't linear so she was subconsciously time travelling while learning the language. One of my favorite movies of all time. Thanks for reacting.
This… movie made me weep when I first saw it. It’s absolutely captivating for me. Glad ya’ll enjoyed it I love the director’s visual style and storytelling, which is seen throughout the rest of his films as well (BladeRunner 2049, Dune, just to name the big ones).
There is a great interview with Eric Heisserer, the writer of the film who adapted the short story for Villeneuve. The short story was a little different and the aliens only communicated with the humans from space. So the writer actually changed a lot of stuff to make the story more „cinematic“ while keeping the main theme of Luise, her daughter and her painful future at the center of the script. I think this is as good as an adaption can get
It hits even harder when that shot of her daughter shouting “I hate you” in the beginning was the moment she put together that her mom knew all along that she would die. I’m assuming she remembered the conversation with Louise a few years earlier about why her father left and the disease she mentioned.
@anorthosite I thought that at first too, but I think that’s the takeaway you’re supposed to have on first watch when you don’t know Louise sees time in a loop and before we see the conversation with Hannah about her father leaving years prior to her diagnosis. I don’t think there’s any right answer, but after a few rewatches and knowing what we know about the plot, that shot seemed more intentional than typical teenage angst like it’s originally presented.
I didn't get that take-away from the shot: Just that Hannah (before she got sick) had grown from small child to adolescent - with the emotional 'drama' that comes with that. :)
LOVEEEEEE this reaction, loved the theories you were throwing at each other. Love the moment you guys were discussing what was really going on, love it, love it, love it. I would be the girl saying "thank you for being smart and making me understand". I really enjoyed the collaboration, can't wait to see if you guys do it again.
The best on these Arrival reactions is imminent impact on parents. You can definitely see how the twist affected The Oak. Learning that Louise knows her whole life and knows how her daughter's life ends is brutal and it's making the movie one of the best "life purpose" movies of all time. It's not sci-fi about aliens, it's about being parent and its life journey despite it's tough sometimes. I'm tearing up every time.
I loveeee this film! I like how they told the story with subtlety. Most sci fi films are so wild and go all out, but this movie had a very simplistic approach in terms of tone, special effects, and even colors. Idk if I explained it right hahaha
This is easily one of my favorite movies ever because the of the writing and reveal of the plot, I love stories that take you for a ride and make you really think about everything. I don’t get how they think this is confusing, they literally explain everything in the movie. He doesn’t understand that the reason the movie started with the daughter dying is because its an explanation of the whole non linear language, the end is the start and the start is the end.
One of my all time favorite movies, it's so powerful both mentally and emotionally. It's definitely the kind of story you have to allow yourself to be immersed into so you can see it unfold in it's own beautiful way. Absolutely a movie you can re-watch, the details and performances are beautiful.
This is one of my top 10 movies of all time. I'm with Oak on this one, 5 out of 5 hands down, not even close. And let's not forget they created an actual language for this movie. The commitment of that alone makes this top notch. So many layers to this, and perfectly executed. Amazing movie. Im surprised no one ever mentions the curiousity of what the hell happens in 3000 years that aliens would need OUR help?! That is intriguing in and of itself. What a story. Thanks for the reaction!
I think there is an extra reasons for the confusion we viewers go through - we are meant to be confused the same way the characters are confused, we try to figure out what's going on the same way the characters are trying to figure out the language. And...like Jeremy's character brings up at one point - learning a new language can rewire your brain. Amy learns their language and it rewires her brain - it makes time non-lnear for her. And the movie kind of rewires your brain to stop seeing it as linear storytelling. The alien's language is their weapon, their tool, and their hope. If you learn it - truly learn it - you'll change, you'll have a power other humans don't have, you'll be able to manipulate others (and leave messages for yourself to make sure you do what is necessary). They kind of assimilate Amy to some extent and maybe other humans will eventually learn this as well, if they are studying the language. It's probably incredibly rare to have the compassion, empathy, and openness Amy's character has but there were probably at least 12 possible candidates around the globe.
There are a couple hints throughout the movie that tell you what's going on. Both the writing example in the beginning, talking about writing a sentence with both hands. Starting at both the beginning and the end at the same time. And, the multiple references to seeing or experiencing time as nonlinear. The story itself is also nonlinear. It also does a great job of playing on your expectations. We're so used to flashbacks that we initially assume that's what's going on. And that eureka moment when it becomes clear for you and you piece together that everything with Hannah is in the future.
I get what Mason was saying about not being able to recapture that experience of that reveal at the end, but this movie is definitely one to rewatch now that you know it. There are so many little things that will take on new meaning on a rewatch.
Yes, I've been waiting for this one!!! Little fact about the movie : the dying words of the General Shang's wife was "In war there are no winners, only widows" which I believe really ties everything together. Thank you for this reaction, it was absolutely lovely! 💛
I loooove movies that you can't "shake off". You just keep thinking about them even after hours of watching them. Arrival is just that. Great reaction as always guys😍
As a father of a little girl, Ian deciding to leave because he didn’t want to have a strong connection with a daughter he knew was going to lose and also leave because he couldnt physically be around her without thinking of her time ticking away….wow dude it just hits soo deep in the feels. That pain is so strong I could feel it PERSONALLY through the screen
I highly, highly recommend reading not just the short story by Ted Chiang that this was based on ("Story of Your Life") but other works by him- he's an incredible writer and has some really great ideas. This story is not about time travel, so there's no discrepancy about her telling him one time and then keeping it from him another time. The movie is just told out of order, in a circular fashion, as that is how the aliens see time, and taught Louise. It's a brilliant, brilliant experience.
I wished I remembered my reaction when I first saw it, but that ending still provokes the same emotions inside of me. This movie is amazing! I can't recommend it enough to people ❤
I cried after the first viewing. Everything that happened was so unobtrusive and difficult to comprehend. For me, this film is in line with the Interstellar
There is one line from “Steel Magnolias” that really hits home with me while watching this film…. “I’d rather have one minute of happiness instead of a lifetime with nothing special.” That’s exactly the choice given to Amy Adams’ character, Louise, and that quote was her answer. (Too Bad y’all wouldn’t watch that film.) If you noticed, all of these scenes with Amy and the daughter were all at sundown, the twilight of the day, representing the end. When she is with Abbott & Costello and Renner, it was always foggy/cloudy. She couldn’t think clearly as she fights with what she thinks is a past memory that she knows she did not have, and comes to understand that it is the non-linear future she sees. Then she comes to terms with the fact that she will have a child that dies. Her thoughts are more clear, even though they are still dark (late evening). It is a dark future that she chooses. This film (not movie), this film completely captured my brain. I was deeply engaged the entire time and that’s what a film should do. Take you completely out of your world and existence and send you into a world where you are totally engrossed. You have no other thoughts of, like, “did I leave the stove on?” Or “what am I going to make for dinner tomorrow night.” It’s great that they took an everyday, old trope of flashing back to your past and it influences your future, to flashing forward to your future and it influences your future. How original is that!? Mind bending! I agree with Mr. Oak. Nothing less than 5 out of 5 over here. Thanks for watching and sharing.
Really for me this movie is a total 5. No matter how many times I watch it, the ending always tears me apart because it's absolutely heartbreaking to think of myself in a situation like this. It's in my top 5 movies. The perception of time in this is incredible. Fantastic reaction from everyone.
i love this movie so much, everytime i hear the first note of the first song, "On the Nature of Daylight" by Max Richter, i get teary eyed immediately. "If you could see your whole life from start to finish, would you change things?" and entire movie based on one of the most profound questions i've ever heard
My favorite thing about this channel is that Oak is always the most skeptical about movies like Arrival and Harry Potter, and then, once he’s done with them, he is always is the most impacted, the most moved, the most permanently changed. That’s precious. When the credits roll on this one, everyone is chattering excitedly, but he sits there, somberly, quietly, really absorbing the sheer gravity and sorrow of what he just witnessed. And at the same time, as soon as this video started, I noticed that he’s the only one with like three pieces of Harry Potter memorabilia on his desk 😆. He genuinely takes something away from seeing these incredible, powerful films. And I love that so much about him.
I love that we all assume the times she is seeing Hannah are flashbacks but then Louise asks Abbott and Costello who is this child! It hit me so hard and like you guys, totally blew my mind that she was meeting Ian and Hannah was their future. It was all happening at the same time, past present and future all there for her
i am SO happy that y'all reacted to this. i clicked on the vid without having watched the movie but with all the comments saying that this was an amazing film, i paused this video, went to watch it, and now i'm here to see your reaction! this movie is simply beautiful. Thanks for introducing it to me 👍🏽
This movie is still one of my favorite of aaaalll time. I still listen to the soundtrack, throws me back in time when I watched the movie for the first time. Its creepy, yes but the aspect about it I love the most is the sense of wonder, touching the unknown, nothing I ever known before, question I didnt know was there to ask. And it is the truth, isnt it? We are bound by time, there is no escaping it for us. Thanks guyss for this, and maybe your friends can come join us again in the future reactions. I'm so happy we have more people this time 💐🤸🏻♀️✨🥰 And i dont know if any of you remember, i commented about this before, but will you guys watch DARK on netflix? Its an amazing show, in german, 3 seasons, 8 episodes each. I think you'll love it 🥰
Ah I’m so glad you guys loved this one it’s one of my all time favourites, it’s all so incredibly well done and exciting and watching it even when you know what it all means it just is a whole new experience - such a cool and clever concept using the skills of a linguist to solve a potential crisis like this, I’ve never seen anything like it
The worst thing is after discovering his body of work, and being enthralled due to this soundtrack, Johannssen passed away a few years later. His loss is so hard, he wasn’t even 50, I don’t think.
I studied this movie in a film course I took a couple years ago and I was so mesmerized by it! The way it teaches us how language changes people's perception of the world and time is so mind-blowing, I remember I was confused too when I finished it but then our teacher explained to us that Louise was able to have these little visions of the future from the very beginning because of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis that says the language you speak determines how you think and see everything, since she is a linguistics professor and knows a lot of languages she has developed this ability to conceive the world and time differently therefore see the future. I'm really happy you guys watched it and appreciate it as much as I do! Keep on the great work, you guys are amazing :D
This is the best reaction I've seen on this movie. I just wished they listen to what she was saying at the beginning of the movie because it connects with the end of the movie. When they rewatch it, I hope they listen to what she is talking about. It's all about time and how we perceive time. Everything we do is wrapped around time. Is it the end or is it the beginning or is it just to exist at that moment in time. I subscribed with this movie.
The first time I watched this was for a school assignment and it blew my mind. I love how it made me think. It is so profound and confusing at the same time. Absolutely love this movie and love that you guys watched it! ❤
I highly recommend the short story by Ted Chiang! It's so well written and you will get a lot more of the science / linguistics. As well as more on Louise's decision to embrace her future. If I remember correctly - Ted said the story was inspired by a conversation with his coworker.
Oh my God! This is one of my favorite movies!!! I've seen it like 6 times, i showed it to like 3 different groups of people and it just gets better and better the more you watch it. I'm so excited to watch this right now. Oh right! I forgot to say why I love this movie so much. I'm a translator, and an interpreter! I love language.
She didn't change anything about the time line, she eventually tells Ian and they break up, which in the end is not a big deal the main thing is she had Hannah knowing she was going to lose her. Such a powerful movie.
Fuck, I remember watching this in theatres, and I was enthralled the entire time. When the movie was done, the theatre went into an applause. I turned to a random person next me, and I was like, "Man, that was great", and he wholeheartedly agreed. I then turned to the woman I was seeing at the time, to see what she thought, and she said: "Well, that was a whole lot of nothing."........ I never went out with her again lol. Director Denis Villeneuve was in his bag when he made this movie, and he continues to do great work. Easily one of my fave directors working today!
The Oak is genuinely (or has become) amazing at calling stuff in movies. From a movie he caught a few minutes of to calling the time loop craziness in this movie! So awesome! (This is an added edit): wow! Wow, wow, wow. The Oak knocked it out of the park with that analysis. I can’t say it better, so I’ll just leave it at that, but wow. Such an insightful commentary.
Love this movie. Easily on my top 5 of my favorites next to Everything Everywhere All at Once. As a language teacger myself, it's fascinating how language unfolded and used here. Really love the cinematography and direction as well. 💕
I saw this in theater when it came out. I immediately wanted to watch it again. I downloaded the story to my eReader on the way home from the cinema. It continues to be amazing.
I love this movie, love seeing reactions to it too, but a meta thing that I particularly enjoyed this time around was seeing the parallels between the confusion/ reasoning/ theorising from all 6 different reactors simultaneously mirroring the 12 different responses of the nations in the film. I really enjoyed that aspect of 6 minds working/ reacting together.
One of my all time favorite movies. Adams deserved an Oscar Nom for her performance. I've watched several woman react to this movie (often solo) on KZclip. During more than one vid, when Louise says "Ask your father; he's the scientist", the reaction is "OOOOh ! (So) She has a 'type' !" That "near-miss" always made me chuckle. But you folks came So Much Closer to getting the "full reveal", beforehand, than most people. Really enjoyed your reactions/discussion.
I always enjoy The Oak's post reaction comments and analysis. He really hits the nail on the head with this one. This movie hits so much different when you have children. I was crying like a baby at the end the first time I watched it
I love this movie and appreciate your reactions! Some thought it boring. I suppose some felt hoodwinked because they thought it was going to be an Alien movie and weren't in the mood for such heavy topics. I was absorbed right away in the issues of communication and how language shapes our perceptions. Did you realize during the movie the runtime was 1 hr 56 min? I give it a 5! It's not often we get such a complete package of acting, script and music. Thanks!
I absolutely love this movie to the point that this movie and Interstellar go back and forth between my favorite and second favorite sci-fi movies that are not star wars. the story is amazing and it really makes you think. I remember not understanding it the first time I saw it but we watched it for a film class and we talked about this movie for like a week and it became one of my favorites because of how it relates time and language, the very beginning of the movie is the literal end of the story and the "flashbacks" of the daughter and glimpses of the future. I love that it is not a huge action movie where everything is fighting and exploding but it actually takes time to talk about language and time like how in Interstellar it is love that transcends time and space. The way that the characters learn to communicate through the shapes with it being all one thing for complex ideas is amazing. I love how they break down how important it is for them to take their time to make sure that the aliens understand our language and that we understand theirs by going through nouns, verbs, adjectives etc. instead of just going and asking "what do you want?" They also emphasize the importance of being able to understand what they are saying so that there is no confusion like with weapon vs tool. The movie is all science fiction but is about the very basic human need of being able to communicate and I love it. The short story that this is based on is also a really good read as well "Story of Your Life" you can get it in a collection book with the author's other short stories and they are all really good. As always, great reaction!
It’s based on a short story “The Story of your Life” by Ted Chiang and for someone who has read the story, the movie made it perfectly clear and it’s an amazing adaptation of such an ambiguous first alien contact story.
This movie came out the same year I took a film course in high school. I was really looking forward to it because I loved Denis Villeneuve's previous films like Incendies, Prisoners and Sicario and my favourite working Director, so I was really excited about this one as sci-fi is my favourite genre. The week I went to saw it, my film course spend an entire class on the importance of editing where the main conclusion was that every shot, every angle, every sound, every music choice and every scene need to have a purpose. Watching the movie, that lesson was always lurking in the back of my head. I was trying to figure out the purpose of the "flashback" and why they were in the film narrative. Let me just say my jaw was on the floor when the twist was reveal. It made me appreciate the class even more to where I had a whole discussion about it with my teacher the next class after I saw the movie. Arrival is my third favourite Denis Villeneuve film (1st being Blade Runner 2049 and 2nd being Dune: Part 1) I glad you guys enjoyed it
The song at the end that everyone likes also plays during the "last day montage" of Bill&Frank in The Last of Us episode 3. It's "On The Nature Of Daylight" by Max Richter and has been on my spotify since I saw Arrival several years ago. Fantastic film. Heartbreaking, but beautiful. Also, ever since I saw it, Denis Villeneuve has been my favorite director. He followed up with Blade Runner 2049 and Dune. Incredible.
I fell in love with the score before I watched this film, as I sort of 'collect' soundtracks. Jóhann Jóhannsson's music is so brilliant and otherworldly. To me it sounds a bit like he took the sonic features of the alien's auditory language and rendered it as music. It's just so, so well done...
It helps to not think too linear when watching stuff like this, instead think outside the standard, and see it in 3 dimensions. I'm glad Oak pointed out the emotional effect on Louise when she was breathing heavily in the suit and after she came out of the ship. People's actions are very much affected by the things around them, just like the soldier affected by fearmongering. Its an excellent mind expanding movie and the score is definitely fantastic. It's a 5/5
absolutely LOVE this film. Its so beautifully done. Have watched many times and still get teary-eyed every time. Second watching is even better once you understand the movie
It actually won the Academy award for best sound editing. Plus was nominated for Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, sound mixing, sound editing, Amy Adams for Best Actress.... So basically this movie was well received by the world. Lol
I knew the Oak was going to absolutely love this. Also, because the aliens have an understanding of time and can see the future, that means that Abbott ALWAYS knew that he was going to die as result of the soldiers that planted the bomb. He chose to go forward with the mission, even knowing the outcome- just like Louise.
Time being non-linear is a theme present in many other works, and the idea that if you could see what's to come, it then becomes your past. It's what people use to explain feelings of deja vu and having intense intuition. It's one of life's greatest conundrums and so well done in this movie. Amy Adams was brilliant in this and that last shot when she's hugging Ian, and you can see on her face she was going to have her loves no matter the pain to come. I wasn't as confused as I was more curious. I think letting the movie unfold vs constantly questioning is a good to be less confused in general lol. I watched this movie twice, and I watch it every so often as there are things you don't pick up initially or even after multiple viewings.
Denis Villeneuve truly is one of the best writers/directors in the industry, and his movies almost always make you think. Enemy is probably one of my favorite movies by him, and I cannot recommend that movie enough (despite it being very confusing on first watch, kind of like Arrival). Then there's Blade Runner 2049, also one of my favorite movies (though a little less of a thinker, still requires a bit more thought than your average movie) Sicario, another one of my favorite movies xD (Seriously, this dude's movies are in my top movies so many times). Probably the most "straight forward" movie, but incredibly impactful nonetheless And then there's Prisoners, yet another one of my favorite movies, with amazing performances from Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal Denis just knows how to write beautiful/impactful stories, and knows how to direct his actors in such a way that they give him their best Honestly, if you haven't seen any of the other movies I mentioned, highly recommend all of them, like all of them are 8.5/9's out of 10, if not 10 out of 10. Thanks for your reaction!
i love this movie. its so well done. ive never seen people figure things out so fast and so well. good job. this whole concept is so mind blowing. but i love that the aliens in this are not violent. this movie is so emotional and so smart. love it.
This movie is a massive gut punch as someone who just lost their husband to an untimely death: if you knew ahead of time of an untimely death, would you do it anyway? I'm with her, I would do it all again in a heartbeat
I just want to send love and good Karma to Jeremy Renner. He’s got a long road ahead of him and I wish him love and hope. I really enjoyed this film and I enjoyed y’alls reactions and commentary as always. Y’all have been killing it lately!
I figured out the flashbacks were of the future like towards the middle, or well at least earlier the most people do, to me that wasn't the shocking part. For me, the truly mind blowing concept is a language that intertwines with time. I don't know how else to explain it but putting those two things as one was a first to me and scared me a little. I watched this a while back but i was in awe to the point of tears from thinking what if this actually happened in reality, bring this kind of knowledge to humanity 🤯👏
Oh, rewatching this movie is quite rewarding. All the confusion gets replaced with adoration and love. Is free will knowing what will happen and embracing it? Does life need to happen as it does rather than without pain? It's great stuff to consider because it can give inner peace. I'd put this in my top films partly because it's all about language and love instead of violence.
This is my favorite movie of all time. It made me cry bcs of how beautiful it is. And I love the message about how comunicating is a weapon and how fragil our world is bcs is not a world with one leader. It says a lot about what I believe.
I completely forgot about this movie! Only thing I remembered was that it had a great soundtrack lol. The movie was SO so good, and I got to enjoy it again with you guys. Definitely high on the recommendation list.
One of those films where the confusion doesn't matter at all, because the emotions (especially on the subject of communication) are simply predominant. And the film simply takes you with it in waves. I only saw the film once and cried terribly at the end. With you now again. 😊 Nice film and nice reaction. Thank you Badd Medicine and MrandMrsFlicks! And thank you Denis Villeneuve; always worth a look.
Nice team up, guys! I definitely did not know wtf was going on the first time I watched this film. I normally don't like time travel, but this was very well done and I give it a pass.
A 'short story' doesn't necessarily have to be short. It usually is, but the defining points are an open beginning and an open end, meaning that we don't get information on the protagonist or the world before the story starts or after it ends. We only get to know them during the event of the story.
In the book that inspired this movie, Louise illustrated how misunderstandings happen by remembering how her daughter once told her: "I want to be honored." She asks for more context and when she learns her daughter's friend was chosen for a special role at a wedding, she understand: "Oh, you mean she is maid of honor." "Yes, that's it! Can I be made of honor?" Also IIRC, in the book Hannah does not die from cancer but because of a rock climbing accident. But since you can't change the future, a simple accident becomes as unstoppable as a genetic disease.
@The Oak, THIS was a brilliant and excellent analysis on this film and I have to say in all honesty, I had the same thought processes afterwards. Even though I don't have children myself, I still imagined how a parent must feel in this situation and for me the answer is also clear, namely that I wouldn't change anything in the same situation. You don't give up the dearest person you will ever know just because you already know that she won't live long, but you enjoy these 12 years you have with this person and rejoice every single day. It is the way of things that at the end there is death and no matter if you know now that it is 'only' 12 years or not, it changes absolutely nothing. Back to the movie, having come to this conclusion, what she can change of course is when she tells her husband. Because whether she tells him that she knows what is going to happen in the future is not in question. Otherwise, they have a relationship built on secrecy. Honesty is the only way and I even think the sooner the better, but still she can do it only after the pregnancy because even then she knows that it will happen. Otherwise, it will always remain just a possibility that will never become a reality, as Ian might end up refusing to enter into a relationship with her or break it off before they have a child together. Great reaction and exactly for this reason, story / deeper meaning(s) -> life, communication, humanity, living with each other, understanding each other etc / how the film was constructed overall, the film was also a 5.0 for me. 👍😉
One of my top 5 movies of all times, along with "Everything, Everywhere, All at once" and "Amadeus" (would you guys consider reacting to Amadeus please? I would love to hear Oak's take on it, i enjoy his analyses deeply). Great reaction as always, thank you for this!
The thing is, Louise never had a choice to change things. She wasn't seeing the future with the possibility of changing things. She was seeing exactly how her life played out. Their writing is from both the beginning and the end. Everything is already predetermined. There is a parallel between Hannah's situation (their daughter) and Abbott. Abbott knew that he would die saving Ian and Louise from the explosion all along. He had no choice in the matter.
What a fantastic, wild, confusing at moments film! Cast and crew did awesome with this! What was your reaction? What did we miss?
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Ted Chiang wrote the short story Arrival. He is a great Sci-fi short story writer.
@Badd Medicine You guys should check out JOHN Q withe Denzel Washington also Man on Fire with Denzel as well.... THEY BOTH ARE VERY JARD WATCHES AS A PARENT
The movie played out in the same circular way the Heptapods spoke.
@philip hanrahan that's why the music is so familiar to me.
Loved your reaction and one of my favourite films of all time.
The General's wife’s last words are “In war there are no winners, only widows.”
here's a fun thing: this movie actually gets better on rewatching because knowing what happens it's kind of like you've learned to think like Louise and the aliens (time is a circle) and you realize the beginning is actually the end, and you connect all the dots while you're watching the film. you also feel the emotions of the ending retroactively, making it more powerful. this movie is one of two films that had genuinely changed my life (the other being Everything Everywhere All At Once), such a powerful message even for someone who doesn't have kids and definitely helped get me through a tricky time or two.
The military at the beginning asks "how would you translate", not "how do you translate'. Correct question.
Well said !
@Dark Brandon 🇺🇸 my fav is when they turn around and want to complain about being bullied when you call them out on it.
@KC
Unfortunately, the comments are always flooded with edgelord wannabes that think cheap shotting people makes them seem interesting. Your point was valid. He's mad because he has nothing to offer but projection.
@Waiting for Godot idk man… some people just have the confidence to go on the Internet and make rude comments 🤷♀️
One of the beautiful things about this movie to me is that she isn’t seeing the future, she’s just experiencing different parts of her life all at the same time. She’s not manipulating what happens in order to avoid a certain outcome; instead, all these experiences intertwine and inform each other. In her mind, her daughter doesn’t die in the future; she is both present, yet to be born, and already gone, and Louise just chooses to experience it all. She doesn’t choose not to tell Ian this time because he leaves; she already will tell him, already has, and knew he would leave all along. It’s incredible, and I loved rewatching it with you all.
@Lena Feline Because he doesn't. It's the language that opens time for you, if you really learn it. Ian hasn't learned it to the same degree, and I always got the sense that he never did, or he wouldn't have needed Louise to tell him what happens to Hannah.
@Fernando C But then why does she asks Ian whether he would change his life or not if he knew his life from start to finish?
@Music Mashup i used to agree but, im gonna be honest, i don't think she can
what she experiences is pretty much the Doctor Manhattan experience-she lives every moment in time at once. She can focus on one moment, of course, but not stop experiencing it all. And when you're everywhere in time, everything is already in the past. Done and gone. Even if she tried to do something different in one moment, she's already in the future and in the past
This is well put!
Edit: let me correct that, this is *REALLY* well put!
but she could change it
The first time they hug she says "I forgot how good it felt to be held by you." Insanely, cool, sad, brilliant writing. Also, Denis Villeneuve is a genius, best contemporary director.
Love this movie, it means a lot to me. Personal story: about a month before this movie came out my first daughter died. I went to this on a whim just hoping for some easy sci fi adventure story, I had no idea what I was getting into, and an usher had to help me out of the theater afterwards. The message at the end was so important for me to hear, and it's impossible for me to watch without crying. Really looking forward to watching your video, you guys are a really emotionally intelligent crew, I know it's going to be nice to watch this with you.
I just teared up reading this 😢💖 My heart goes out to you. I'm glad this film provided some light and comfort.
@Denise SEVIER-FRIES I never know what to say to someone that has lost someone but I'm gonna use this from now on
So so sorry for your loss. May your happiest memories of your daughter lighten your darkest days.🌹
Thank you for just being here and being a testament for glimpsing the bigger picture of what life is. I'm glad this movie helped you see some of that, and while I am sorry for your loss and would never want to experience it, that you got to experience your time with your child is a gift, and I think despite the grief you are blessed.
So sorry about your loss🙏 virtual hugs!
It’s not just that she can “see the future” it’s all happening at the same time, it’s a circle. Those moments where she “sees the future” she’s actually living those moments at that time hence the Chinese genral giving her his number and info and her knowing them in her past.
@Bob B Louise didn't decide to have Hannah despite knowing what would happen to her. She'd already had Hannah. It had already happened.
And hence why she decided to have Hannah. It wasn't just about journey vs destination or giving Hannah a chance to live what life she had. It was also because she ALREADY knew Hannah and loved her, before she was born.
Exactly, as Ian explained that the heptapods see time as non-linear.
Yeah, they all kept saying that she has the ability to change things, but that’s not exactly how it works. Even in the future she has to ask Hannah what day it is because she’s living just as much in the past as she does in the future and vice versa.
It’s sad once you realize that Abbott and Costello (with their language) knew and understood that one of them was going to die.
It had to be done in order for Louise to finally understand. Brutal.
The very first lines of the movie basically tell you the reveal. "Memory is a strange thing. We are so bound by time, by its order." Love that
Anyone who learns their language will be able to perceive time as the aliens do - not just Louise. She was the first. In 3,000 years they need our help collectively, not Louise specifically. Louise is the one to bring their language to the world.
I also think it’s interesting to think about maybe Ian wasn’t mad at her like “why didn’t you tell me sooner” about the daughter but maybe he was like “why did you tell me that at all” ???? maybe rather than wishing he already knew, he actually couldn’t cope with knowing and just waiting for it to happen and he would rather have been in the dark? Could be either way and honestly I don’t know which way I’d feel either!
@Ginge Tomassi That is exactly the reason, it is made explicit in the original book "Stories of my life" by Ted Chiang.
I always read it as him being mad that she went through with having a child knowing that they would lose her.
Well I could see how cruel that is from his perspective, she knowingly brought him into that painful scenario without giving him a choice.
As they said. They put their hands on both sides and meet in the middle. That's what they did with the film. They started with the end and the beginning. Then we met in the middle.
We are trained to assume continuity if shots are cut after another unless specifically pointed out as flashback/-forward. Otherwise it confuses viewers. But here they deliberately break that rule to emphasise the point of the movie. To give us a glimpse of how she percieves time now. And on top of that a great message.
I loved the film when I first saw it. Usually I don't like "alien invasion" movies too much. And this film kinda shows why because it takes such a different approach and doesn't do the things I usually dislike. It also feels very realistic, like how our world would actually react to aliens showing up.
Holy- I'm gonna have to quote you on that "meet in the middle" when explaining the fascination I have with this movie to other people
i think Ian kind of gets a bad rap because of the line "he doesn't look at me the same way anymore." it sounds like she is implying she feels he suddenly loves her less, but i think its just that he knows she is going to die and this has created a change in his demeanor he can't hide, that she has noticed, which i think should be expected. he left Louise because he can't forgive her for forcing such a loss onto him that he could have avoided, but like Louise says, he didn't leave Hannah, he still loves Hannah and is seeing her regularly and is making himself openly available to her, helping her with her homework, just like a normal father, albeit a divorced one.
One of my favorite songs ever is in this movie as well as episode 3 of The Last of Us, it’s called On the Nature of Daylight by Max Ritcher. Its use in this movie is also significant in that it was composed as a protest to the Iraq war and war in general, and here Louise’s ultimate goal is to prevent war. This is one of my top 5 movies it’s so well put together, the shots and sound design and Amy Adam’s performance are all so outstanding to me
Tbh, that song is overused at this point... I was really disappointed they used it in TLOU 3rd episode
Everytime the music gets used in media it gets to me. Partially from the beautiful composition and powerful themes in it and partially from all the moments that I remember it was used in. In the Last of Us episode 3, I reconised the composition on the first note it got played. It's amazing what music can do to something, to someone.
Came in here to say the same thing 😊
kzclip.org/video/rVN1B-tUpgs/бейне.html
Can you send me a link to that song? (I don’t know how to find it,) but I loved TLoU, episode 3. I definitely would make the choice Bill made in that situation!
I love when people watch this movie... when the realization of what's really going on hits... it's something not to miss. I'm glad you guys chose this to react to, it's an incredible movie. One of my favorite sci-fi movies with aliens. This movie is 100% re-watchable... Once you know what's going on, you can go back and catch all those small details you missed because you were so confused... and honestly, this maybe is always beautiful no matter how many times you see it. And you guys were right, while there were aliens in the movie, it was not about the aliens at all... the aliens were the catalyst, they were what caused the scenario of "if you knew... would you change anything." Without them, she would not have known. She might have still somehow met Ian if it was meant to be, and they would have had the baby, and both of them would have been in the dark, but they would have still enjoyed their daughter, and loved her... and I guess that's the point, why would you change it?
Louise wasn't special, she just understood the language. The language itself is the weapon. Like the theory they were talking about earlier in the movie, learning it rewired her brain, so she perceived the world differently. Once she really understood the language she could experience the future and past at the same time. Time for her became non linear like the language. Since the language requires the writer to know everything they want to say, starting from the end and the beginning and meeting in the middle, and know how much space it takes up before it is written, they need to be able to perceive time in the same way they write in order to do that effectively. The film itself is simply trying to replicate that by giving flashes of the future during the movie even though, Louise wasn't necessarily seeing her future at that point in time. Once she understood the language, the movie is essentially how she experiences her life.
There's also a little detail on how Abbott was always the second to arrive, as if he was late. The thing is that he was not late at all; he was dreading his own death, that's why he was always the second one, like if it tooks him a lot knowing that in that room he was going to die. It's sad.
To clarify, their language, really learning it and becoming fluent, is what makes you able to experience time all at once. Implication is that Louise will start the process of teaching whoever can learn and push humanity forward toward a new era.
What broke my heart about this was that she didn’t tell him because she wanted him to be full of joy and hope and to embrace this beauty knowing she would tell him eventually their child would die and he’d leave her in anger. How could she not tell him? She wanted him to be able to have a normal and happy life until their child was about to be sick. And she’s thinking (experiencing) the end and hugging him, knowing he’ll leave her because he will see it as a betrayal. So not just the child, but also the husband l, the happiness of being with him for those years alone…
I know, it's so selfish!
Y'all did a very good job at understanding the movie but I just wanna add some stuff that slips most people's analysis of the movie: Louise's timeline becomes non-linear when she obtains the gift. She is able to perceive her life from the past POV and from the future's POV, essentially connecting her timeline into a circle (non linear). This is also why Louise chose to name her daughter Hannah, which can be written or 'drawn' starting from either side (like a circle)
Also: Louise asks at the end 'if you could see your whole life ahead of you, would you change things?' This implies that Louise's future is also non-linear because she has the OPTION of changing her future decisions. Through that fact, her past ALSO becomes non-linear because her 'future past' will change depending on what she decides to do with her non-linear future.
This movie is my all time favorite.
So amazing that learning the language was the gift they intended for humanity to help them in 3000 years time and as to why she was having "flashbacks" as time isn't linear so she was subconsciously time travelling while learning the language. One of my favorite movies of all time. Thanks for reacting.
This… movie made me weep when I first saw it. It’s absolutely captivating for me. Glad ya’ll enjoyed it
I love the director’s visual style and storytelling, which is seen throughout the rest of his films as well (BladeRunner 2049, Dune, just to name the big ones).
It makes me weep every time I see it. I have tears in my eyes right now.
There is a great interview with Eric Heisserer, the writer of the film who adapted the short story for Villeneuve. The short story was a little different and the aliens only communicated with the humans from space. So the writer actually changed a lot of stuff to make the story more „cinematic“ while keeping the main theme of Luise, her daughter and her painful future at the center of the script. I think this is as good as an adaption can get
It hits even harder when that shot of her daughter shouting “I hate you” in the beginning was the moment she put together that her mom knew all along that she would die. I’m assuming she remembered the conversation with Louise a few years earlier about why her father left and the disease she mentioned.
@anorthosite I thought that at first too, but I think that’s the takeaway you’re supposed to have on first watch when you don’t know Louise sees time in a loop and before we see the conversation with Hannah about her father leaving years prior to her diagnosis. I don’t think there’s any right answer, but after a few rewatches and knowing what we know about the plot, that shot seemed more intentional than typical teenage angst like it’s originally presented.
I didn't get that take-away from the shot: Just that Hannah (before she got sick) had grown from small child to adolescent - with the emotional 'drama' that comes with that. :)
LOVEEEEEE this reaction, loved the theories you were throwing at each other. Love the moment you guys were discussing what was really going on, love it, love it, love it. I would be the girl saying "thank you for being smart and making me understand". I really enjoyed the collaboration, can't wait to see if you guys do it again.
@Badd Medicine it really is. Still watching the review, I liked the way Diamond did a recap of the movie, amazing review.
Glad you enjoyed! This movie was wild!
I ADORE this film and LOVE your guests. If you haven’t done Contact, with Jodie Foster, you MUST! Seattle is sending you love. 💜
Cheers from Wisco! We can add that to the list. Glad you enjoyed! And thanks for watching with us.
Loved your reaction and one of my favourite films of all time.
The General's wife’s last words are “In war there are no winners, only widows.”
The best on these Arrival reactions is imminent impact on parents. You can definitely see how the twist affected The Oak. Learning that Louise knows her whole life and knows how her daughter's life ends is brutal and it's making the movie one of the best "life purpose" movies of all time. It's not sci-fi about aliens, it's about being parent and its life journey despite it's tough sometimes. I'm tearing up every time.
I loveeee this film! I like how they told the story with subtlety. Most sci fi films are so wild and go all out, but this movie had a very simplistic approach in terms of tone, special effects, and even colors.
Idk if I explained it right hahaha
This is easily one of my favorite movies ever because the of the writing and reveal of the plot, I love stories that take you for a ride and make you really think about everything. I don’t get how they think this is confusing, they literally explain everything in the movie. He doesn’t understand that the reason the movie started with the daughter dying is because its an explanation of the whole non linear language, the end is the start and the start is the end.
One of my all time favorite movies, it's so powerful both mentally and emotionally. It's definitely the kind of story you have to allow yourself to be immersed into so you can see it unfold in it's own beautiful way. Absolutely a movie you can re-watch, the details and performances are beautiful.
This is one of my top 10 movies of all time. I'm with Oak on this one, 5 out of 5 hands down, not even close. And let's not forget they created an actual language for this movie. The commitment of that alone makes this top notch. So many layers to this, and perfectly executed. Amazing movie. Im surprised no one ever mentions the curiousity of what the hell happens in 3000 years that aliens would need OUR help?! That is intriguing in and of itself. What a story. Thanks for the reaction!
I think there is an extra reasons for the confusion we viewers go through - we are meant to be confused the same way the characters are confused, we try to figure out what's going on the same way the characters are trying to figure out the language. And...like Jeremy's character brings up at one point - learning a new language can rewire your brain. Amy learns their language and it rewires her brain - it makes time non-lnear for her. And the movie kind of rewires your brain to stop seeing it as linear storytelling.
The alien's language is their weapon, their tool, and their hope. If you learn it - truly learn it - you'll change, you'll have a power other humans don't have, you'll be able to manipulate others (and leave messages for yourself to make sure you do what is necessary). They kind of assimilate Amy to some extent and maybe other humans will eventually learn this as well, if they are studying the language. It's probably incredibly rare to have the compassion, empathy, and openness Amy's character has but there were probably at least 12 possible candidates around the globe.
There are a couple hints throughout the movie that tell you what's going on. Both the writing example in the beginning, talking about writing a sentence with both hands. Starting at both the beginning and the end at the same time.
And, the multiple references to seeing or experiencing time as nonlinear. The story itself is also nonlinear. It also does a great job of playing on your expectations. We're so used to flashbacks that we initially assume that's what's going on. And that eureka moment when it becomes clear for you and you piece together that everything with Hannah is in the future.
I get what Mason was saying about not being able to recapture that experience of that reveal at the end, but this movie is definitely one to rewatch now that you know it. There are so many little things that will take on new meaning on a rewatch.
Yes, I've been waiting for this one!!!
Little fact about the movie : the dying words of the General Shang's wife was "In war there are no winners, only widows" which I believe really ties everything together. Thank you for this reaction, it was absolutely lovely! 💛
I loooove movies that you can't "shake off". You just keep thinking about them even after hours of watching them. Arrival is just that. Great reaction as always guys😍
We talked about that off camera. Those kind of films are great when they do that. Impactful and leaves their mark.
As a father of a little girl, Ian deciding to leave because he didn’t want to have a strong connection with a daughter he knew was going to lose and also leave because he couldnt physically be around her without thinking of her time ticking away….wow dude it just hits soo deep in the feels. That pain is so strong I could feel it PERSONALLY through the screen
Also because he didn't want to be with a woman who was so selfish and self-absorbed.
I highly, highly recommend reading not just the short story by Ted Chiang that this was based on ("Story of Your Life") but other works by him- he's an incredible writer and has some really great ideas. This story is not about time travel, so there's no discrepancy about her telling him one time and then keeping it from him another time. The movie is just told out of order, in a circular fashion, as that is how the aliens see time, and taught Louise. It's a brilliant, brilliant experience.
I wished I remembered my reaction when I first saw it, but that ending still provokes the same emotions inside of me. This movie is amazing! I can't recommend it enough to people ❤
I cried after the first viewing. Everything that happened was so unobtrusive and difficult to comprehend. For me, this film is in line with the Interstellar
Both are top 5 all time for me.
There is one line from “Steel Magnolias” that really hits home with me while watching this film….
“I’d rather have one minute of happiness instead of a lifetime with nothing special.”
That’s exactly the choice given to Amy Adams’ character, Louise, and that quote was her answer. (Too Bad y’all wouldn’t watch that film.)
If you noticed, all of these scenes with Amy and the daughter were all at sundown, the twilight of the day, representing the end.
When she is with Abbott & Costello and Renner, it was always foggy/cloudy. She couldn’t think clearly as she fights with what she thinks is a past memory that she knows she did not have, and comes to understand that it is the non-linear future she sees. Then she comes to terms with the fact that she will have a child that dies. Her thoughts are more clear, even though they are still dark (late evening). It is a dark future that she chooses.
This film (not movie), this film completely captured my brain. I was deeply engaged the entire time and that’s what a film should do. Take you completely out of your world and existence and send you into a world where you are totally engrossed. You have no other thoughts of, like, “did I leave the stove on?” Or “what am I going to make for dinner tomorrow night.” It’s great that they took an everyday, old trope of flashing back to your past and it influences your future, to flashing forward to your future and it influences your future.
How original is that!? Mind bending! I agree with Mr. Oak. Nothing less than 5 out of 5 over here. Thanks for watching and sharing.
Really for me this movie is a total 5. No matter how many times I watch it, the ending always tears me apart because it's absolutely heartbreaking to think of myself in a situation like this. It's in my top 5 movies. The perception of time in this is incredible. Fantastic reaction from everyone.
i love this movie so much, everytime i hear the first note of the first song, "On the Nature of Daylight" by Max Richter, i get teary eyed immediately.
"If you could see your whole life from start to finish, would you change things?" and entire movie based on one of the most profound questions i've ever heard
Everything you all were guessing at the begging was correct. But it just didn’t happen yet. This movie is like a magic trick.
My favorite thing about this channel is that Oak is always the most skeptical about movies like Arrival and Harry Potter, and then, once he’s done with them, he is always is the most impacted, the most moved, the most permanently changed. That’s precious.
When the credits roll on this one, everyone is chattering excitedly, but he sits there, somberly, quietly, really absorbing the sheer gravity and sorrow of what he just witnessed.
And at the same time, as soon as this video started, I noticed that he’s the only one with like three pieces of Harry Potter memorabilia on his desk 😆.
He genuinely takes something away from seeing these incredible, powerful films.
And I love that so much about him.
I love that we all assume the times she is seeing Hannah are flashbacks but then Louise asks Abbott and Costello who is this child! It hit me so hard and like you guys, totally blew my mind that she was meeting Ian and Hannah was their future. It was all happening at the same time, past present and future all there for her
i am SO happy that y'all reacted to this. i clicked on the vid without having watched the movie but with all the comments saying that this was an amazing film, i paused this video, went to watch it, and now i'm here to see your reaction! this movie is simply beautiful. Thanks for introducing it to me 👍🏽
This movie is still one of my favorite of aaaalll time. I still listen to the soundtrack, throws me back in time when I watched the movie for the first time. Its creepy, yes but the aspect about it I love the most is the sense of wonder, touching the unknown, nothing I ever known before, question I didnt know was there to ask. And it is the truth, isnt it? We are bound by time, there is no escaping it for us.
Thanks guyss for this, and maybe your friends can come join us again in the future reactions. I'm so happy we have more people this time 💐🤸🏻♀️✨🥰
And i dont know if any of you remember, i commented about this before, but will you guys watch DARK on netflix? Its an amazing show, in german, 3 seasons, 8 episodes each. I think you'll love it 🥰
Keep in mind the alien knew he was going to die but still went through with it.
Ah I’m so glad you guys loved this one it’s one of my all time favourites, it’s all so incredibly well done and exciting and watching it even when you know what it all means it just is a whole new experience - such a cool and clever concept using the skills of a linguist to solve a potential crisis like this, I’ve never seen anything like it
The Oak absolutely nailed this reaction and his final thoughts! Thanks to everyone for this!
Original score is by Johan Johansson but the opening and closing track is by Max Richter called 'On the Nature of Daylight.'
@Crowquill Gal yeah he was great composer, Arrival and Sicario OST are some of the best made.
The worst thing is after discovering his body of work, and being enthralled due to this soundtrack, Johannssen passed away a few years later. His loss is so hard, he wasn’t even 50, I don’t think.
I studied this movie in a film course I took a couple years ago and I was so mesmerized by it! The way it teaches us how language changes people's perception of the world and time is so mind-blowing, I remember I was confused too when I finished it but then our teacher explained to us that Louise was able to have these little visions of the future from the very beginning because of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis that says the language you speak determines how you think and see everything, since she is a linguistics professor and knows a lot of languages she has developed this ability to conceive the world and time differently therefore see the future. I'm really happy you guys watched it and appreciate it as much as I do! Keep on the great work, you guys are amazing :D
It's a good hypothesis, but alas, not true. They discuss this in the behind the scenes of the DVD
This is the best reaction I've seen on this movie. I just wished they listen to what she was saying at the beginning of the movie because it connects with the end of the movie. When they rewatch it, I hope they listen to what she is talking about. It's all about time and how we perceive time. Everything we do is wrapped around time. Is it the end or is it the beginning or is it just to exist at that moment in time. I subscribed with this movie.
The first time I watched this was for a school assignment and it blew my mind. I love how it made me think. It is so profound and confusing at the same time. Absolutely love this movie and love that you guys watched it! ❤
I'm glad you guys liked the movie. You guys should definetly check out Gravity (2013) next!
I highly recommend the short story by Ted Chiang! It's so well written and you will get a lot more of the science / linguistics. As well as more on Louise's decision to embrace her future. If I remember correctly - Ted said the story was inspired by a conversation with his coworker.
Oh my God! This is one of my favorite movies!!! I've seen it like 6 times, i showed it to like 3 different groups of people and it just gets better and better the more you watch it.
I'm so excited to watch this right now.
Oh right! I forgot to say why I love this movie so much.
I'm a translator, and an interpreter! I love language.
She didn't change anything about the time line, she eventually tells Ian and they break up, which in the end is not a big deal the main thing is she had Hannah knowing she was going to lose her. Such a powerful movie.
Fuck, I remember watching this in theatres, and I was enthralled the entire time. When the movie was done, the theatre went into an applause. I turned to a random person next me, and I was like, "Man, that was great", and he wholeheartedly agreed. I then turned to the woman I was seeing at the time, to see what she thought, and she said: "Well, that was a whole lot of nothing."........ I never went out with her again lol. Director Denis Villeneuve was in his bag when he made this movie, and he continues to do great work. Easily one of my fave directors working today!
The Oak is genuinely (or has become) amazing at calling stuff in movies. From a movie he caught a few minutes of to calling the time loop craziness in this movie! So awesome!
(This is an added edit): wow! Wow, wow, wow. The Oak knocked it out of the park with that analysis. I can’t say it better, so I’ll just leave it at that, but wow. Such an insightful commentary.
Love this movie. Easily on my top 5 of my favorites next to Everything Everywhere All at Once. As a language teacger myself, it's fascinating how language unfolded and used here. Really love the cinematography and direction as well. 💕
I saw this in theater when it came out. I immediately wanted to watch it again. I downloaded the story to my eReader on the way home from the cinema. It continues to be amazing.
I love this movie, love seeing reactions to it too, but a meta thing that I particularly enjoyed this time around was seeing the parallels between the confusion/ reasoning/ theorising from all 6 different reactors simultaneously mirroring the 12 different responses of the nations in the film. I really enjoyed that aspect of 6 minds working/ reacting together.
One of my all time favorite movies. Adams deserved an Oscar Nom for her performance.
I've watched several woman react to this movie (often solo) on KZclip.
During more than one vid, when Louise says "Ask your father; he's the scientist", the reaction is "OOOOh ! (So) She has a 'type' !"
That "near-miss" always made me chuckle.
But you folks came So Much Closer to getting the "full reveal", beforehand, than most people. Really enjoyed your reactions/discussion.
I always enjoy The Oak's post reaction comments and analysis. He really hits the nail on the head with this one. This movie hits so much different when you have children. I was crying like a baby at the end the first time I watched it
I love this movie and appreciate your reactions! Some thought it boring. I suppose some felt hoodwinked because they thought it was going to be an Alien movie and weren't in the mood for such heavy topics. I was absorbed right away in the issues of communication and how language shapes our perceptions. Did you realize during the movie the runtime was 1 hr 56 min? I give it a 5! It's not often we get such a complete package of acting, script and music. Thanks!
I absolutely love this movie to the point that this movie and Interstellar go back and forth between my favorite and second favorite sci-fi movies that are not star wars. the story is amazing and it really makes you think. I remember not understanding it the first time I saw it but we watched it for a film class and we talked about this movie for like a week and it became one of my favorites because of how it relates time and language, the very beginning of the movie is the literal end of the story and the "flashbacks" of the daughter and glimpses of the future. I love that it is not a huge action movie where everything is fighting and exploding but it actually takes time to talk about language and time like how in Interstellar it is love that transcends time and space. The way that the characters learn to communicate through the shapes with it being all one thing for complex ideas is amazing. I love how they break down how important it is for them to take their time to make sure that the aliens understand our language and that we understand theirs by going through nouns, verbs, adjectives etc. instead of just going and asking "what do you want?" They also emphasize the importance of being able to understand what they are saying so that there is no confusion like with weapon vs tool. The movie is all science fiction but is about the very basic human need of being able to communicate and I love it. The short story that this is based on is also a really good read as well "Story of Your Life" you can get it in a collection book with the author's other short stories and they are all really good. As always, great reaction!
It’s based on a short story “The Story of your Life” by Ted Chiang and for someone who has read the story, the movie made it perfectly clear and it’s an amazing adaptation of such an ambiguous first alien contact story.
This movie came out the same year I took a film course in high school. I was really looking forward to it because I loved Denis Villeneuve's previous films like Incendies, Prisoners and Sicario and my favourite working Director, so I was really excited about this one as sci-fi is my favourite genre. The week I went to saw it, my film course spend an entire class on the importance of editing where the main conclusion was that every shot, every angle, every sound, every music choice and every scene need to have a purpose. Watching the movie, that lesson was always lurking in the back of my head. I was trying to figure out the purpose of the "flashback" and why they were in the film narrative. Let me just say my jaw was on the floor when the twist was reveal. It made me appreciate the class even more to where I had a whole discussion about it with my teacher the next class after I saw the movie. Arrival is my third favourite Denis Villeneuve film (1st being Blade Runner 2049 and 2nd being Dune: Part 1) I glad you guys enjoyed it
The song at the end that everyone likes also plays during the "last day montage" of Bill&Frank in The Last of Us episode 3. It's "On The Nature Of Daylight" by Max Richter and has been on my spotify since I saw Arrival several years ago. Fantastic film. Heartbreaking, but beautiful.
Also, ever since I saw it, Denis Villeneuve has been my favorite director. He followed up with Blade Runner 2049 and Dune. Incredible.
I fell in love with the score before I watched this film, as I sort of 'collect' soundtracks. Jóhann Jóhannsson's music is so brilliant and otherworldly. To me it sounds a bit like he took the sonic features of the alien's auditory language and rendered it as music. It's just so, so well done...
It helps to not think too linear when watching stuff like this, instead think outside the standard, and see it in 3 dimensions. I'm glad Oak pointed out the emotional effect on Louise when she was breathing heavily in the suit and after she came out of the ship. People's actions are very much affected by the things around them, just like the soldier affected by fearmongering.
Its an excellent mind expanding movie and the score is definitely fantastic.
It's a 5/5
absolutely LOVE this film. Its so beautifully done. Have watched many times and still get teary-eyed every time. Second watching is even better once you understand the movie
It actually won the Academy award for best sound editing. Plus was nominated for Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, sound mixing, sound editing, Amy Adams for Best Actress.... So basically this movie was well received by the world. Lol
I knew the Oak was going to absolutely love this.
Also, because the aliens have an understanding of time and can see the future, that means that Abbott ALWAYS knew that he was going to die as result of the soldiers that planted the bomb. He chose to go forward with the mission, even knowing the outcome- just like Louise.
Time being non-linear is a theme present in many other works, and the idea that if you could see what's to come, it then becomes your past. It's what people use to explain feelings of deja vu and having intense intuition. It's one of life's greatest conundrums and so well done in this movie. Amy Adams was brilliant in this and that last shot when she's hugging Ian, and you can see on her face she was going to have her loves no matter the pain to come. I wasn't as confused as I was more curious. I think letting the movie unfold vs constantly questioning is a good to be less confused in general lol. I watched this movie twice, and I watch it every so often as there are things you don't pick up initially or even after multiple viewings.
Yeah, Louise was all about herself. Selfish.
Denis Villeneuve truly is one of the best writers/directors in the industry, and his movies almost always make you think. Enemy is probably one of my favorite movies by him, and I cannot recommend that movie enough (despite it being very confusing on first watch, kind of like Arrival).
Then there's Blade Runner 2049, also one of my favorite movies (though a little less of a thinker, still requires a bit more thought than your average movie)
Sicario, another one of my favorite movies xD (Seriously, this dude's movies are in my top movies so many times). Probably the most "straight forward" movie, but incredibly impactful nonetheless
And then there's Prisoners, yet another one of my favorite movies, with amazing performances from Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal
Denis just knows how to write beautiful/impactful stories, and knows how to direct his actors in such a way that they give him their best
Honestly, if you haven't seen any of the other movies I mentioned, highly recommend all of them, like all of them are 8.5/9's out of 10, if not 10 out of 10.
Thanks for your reaction!
i love this movie. its so well done. ive never seen people figure things out so fast and so well. good job. this whole concept is so mind blowing. but i love that the aliens in this are not violent. this movie is so emotional and so smart. love it.
Massive credit to Jóhann Jóhannsson for the incredible soundtrack. Rest In Peace. He really was one of the best.
" War doesn't make winners, only widows". The general's wife last words.
This movie is a massive gut punch as someone who just lost their husband to an untimely death: if you knew ahead of time of an untimely death, would you do it anyway? I'm with her, I would do it all again in a heartbeat
I just want to send love and good Karma to Jeremy Renner. He’s got a long road ahead of him and I wish him love and hope. I really enjoyed this film and I enjoyed y’alls reactions and commentary as always. Y’all have been killing it lately!
Such a deeply moving film. Denis Villeneuve is a phenomenally gifted director.
I figured out the flashbacks were of the future like towards the middle, or well at least earlier the most people do, to me that wasn't the shocking part. For me, the truly mind blowing concept is a language that intertwines with time. I don't know how else to explain it but putting those two things as one was a first to me and scared me a little. I watched this a while back but i was in awe to the point of tears from thinking what if this actually happened in reality, bring this kind of knowledge to humanity 🤯👏
This was such a fun concept, when I originally read it. Kinda disappointed it isn't a longer series.
Oh, rewatching this movie is quite rewarding. All the confusion gets replaced with adoration and love. Is free will knowing what will happen and embracing it? Does life need to happen as it does rather than without pain? It's great stuff to consider because it can give inner peace. I'd put this in my top films partly because it's all about language and love instead of violence.
This is my favorite movie of all time. It made me cry bcs of how beautiful it is. And I love the message about how comunicating is a weapon and how fragil our world is bcs is not a world with one leader. It says a lot about what I believe.
I completely forgot about this movie! Only thing I remembered was that it had a great soundtrack lol. The movie was SO so good, and I got to enjoy it again with you guys. Definitely high on the recommendation list.
Love crossover reactions, need more of them!
Arrival was such a good movie, wish I got to see it w/ someone like minded the first time.
One of those films where the confusion doesn't matter at all, because the emotions (especially on the subject of communication) are simply predominant. And the film simply takes you with it in waves. I only saw the film once and cried terribly at the end. With you now again. 😊 Nice film and nice reaction. Thank you Badd Medicine and MrandMrsFlicks! And thank you Denis Villeneuve; always worth a look.
It's actually a great 2nd watch, because you know flashbacks are from the future it puts a bit of a different spin on things :)
I absolutely love this movie, probably one of, if not, my favorite Sci-fi movies of all time. Such a good story.
Nice team up, guys! I definitely did not know wtf was going on the first time I watched this film. I normally don't like time travel, but this was very well done and I give it a pass.
A 'short story' doesn't necessarily have to be short. It usually is, but the defining points are an open beginning and an open end, meaning that we don't get information on the protagonist or the world before the story starts or after it ends. We only get to know them during the event of the story.
In the book that inspired this movie, Louise illustrated how misunderstandings happen by remembering how her daughter once told her: "I want to be honored." She asks for more context and when she learns her daughter's friend was chosen for a special role at a wedding, she understand: "Oh, you mean she is maid of honor." "Yes, that's it! Can I be made of honor?"
Also IIRC, in the book Hannah does not die from cancer but because of a rock climbing accident. But since you can't change the future, a simple accident becomes as unstoppable as a genetic disease.
@The Oak, THIS was a brilliant and excellent analysis on this film and I have to say in all honesty, I had the same thought processes afterwards. Even though I don't have children myself, I still imagined how a parent must feel in this situation and for me the answer is also clear, namely that I wouldn't change anything in the same situation.
You don't give up the dearest person you will ever know just because you already know that she won't live long, but you enjoy these 12 years you have with this person and rejoice every single day. It is the way of things that at the end there is death and no matter if you know now that it is 'only' 12 years or not, it changes absolutely nothing.
Back to the movie, having come to this conclusion, what she can change of course is when she tells her husband. Because whether she tells him that she knows what is going to happen in the future is not in question. Otherwise, they have a relationship built on secrecy. Honesty is the only way and I even think the sooner the better, but still she can do it only after the pregnancy because even then she knows that it will happen. Otherwise, it will always remain just a possibility that will never become a reality, as Ian might end up refusing to enter into a relationship with her or break it off before they have a child together.
Great reaction and exactly for this reason, story / deeper meaning(s) -> life, communication, humanity, living with each other, understanding each other etc / how the film was constructed overall, the film was also a 5.0 for me. 👍😉
One of my top 5 movies of all times, along with "Everything, Everywhere, All at once" and "Amadeus" (would you guys consider reacting to Amadeus please? I would love to hear Oak's take on it, i enjoy his analyses deeply). Great reaction as always, thank you for this!
Amadeus from the 80's?! LOVE THAT FILM!!!
The thing is, Louise never had a choice to change things. She wasn't seeing the future with the possibility of changing things. She was seeing exactly how her life played out. Their writing is from both the beginning and the end. Everything is already predetermined.
There is a parallel between Hannah's situation (their daughter) and Abbott. Abbott knew that he would die saving Ian and Louise from the explosion all along. He had no choice in the matter.