The smart sci-fi movie of the year has "arrived"

Rating: 8/10 (20 December 2016)

Finally, 2016 has delivered an intelligent blockbuster in Arrival. Alien invasions have been done to death but Denis Villeneuve's fresh approach to the genre has for me rescued what has been a poor year for the heavy hitters of the industry.
Arrival has thought and imagination throughout with wonderful concepts that stay with you days after leaving the theater. It is a film about communication, fitting for the year that is in it.
Beautiful backdrops and a well manipulated score by Johann Johannsson marry well with carefully controlled special effects that help you believe what you are seeing.
The cast of this movie come together well and draw you in to their dilemma in a simple and non patronizing way.
I was engaged throughout. Expect to be emotionally stirred in the most realistic alien encounter movie since Contact.