Arrival

Director: Denis Villeneuve

2016 / 116min / DCP

Twelve spacecraft have suddenly appeared hovering in the skies over scattered locations around the Earth, prompting nervous military and government leaders to wonder what they have to hope—or fear—from these unexpected visitors. The too-rare modern sci-fi blockbuster that places as much importance on ideas and emotions as spectacle, with Amy Adams leading the cast as a linguist enlisted by the US Army to decode the alien’s language before the tense impasse leads to carnage, her fine performance augmented by Young’s careful use of color timing to give visual expression to her shifting moods.

Part of Filmcraft: Bradford Young, ASC