MovieChat Forums > Arrival (2016) Discussion > Blegh

Blegh

posted 5 years ago by cyberbob (3488)
33 replies | jump to latest

8====D~~~ O:

That's critics every time that Villeneuve puts out one of his boring turd movies

This one was no different. He had two solid movies, Prisoners and Sicario, neither of which he wrote

Enemy, Arrival, and Blade Runner 2049 were extremely boring and pretentious. Haven't seen Polytechnique, but I doubt it's much better

There are many directors like this guy, Spike Jonze, etc. who are mediocre, but get lauded as brilliant auteurs because they happen to work with great writers, actors, DPs...

But they themselves don't deserve as much of the credit as they usually get. I might be wrong. I think Dune will be the litmust test on this guy, for me. But right now, I think he's another "emperor with no clothes" director

[–] stickman38 (3439) 5 years ago

I thought it was a very good movie. People might have been expecting Independence Day and if you were, you'll be disappointed with Arrival. It's definitively a thinking man's movie. It's a different take on "alien invasion" for sure.

But this is my first Villeneuve film. So, I can't really judge him by on anything else. His direction was good in my view.

Will definitely check out Dune because I loved the original and want to see how this one stacks up to it.

[–] huwdj (4571) 5 years ago

Yeah, I love this film - just finished watching it again - and the same director for Dune definitely makes it more interesting.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 5 years ago

It's a pretentioius movie with a nonsense plot. How stupid, the aliens can see all the way into the future but decide to play charades with humans.

Come on, this has nothing to do with it not having action. It's just pseudoinellectual garbage. Films like Inception have some sort of internal logic. This shit was just riddled with plot holes

You can't even call them plot holes because it is so sparse in details that you have no real frame of reference as to what is happening. Why do they land their ships and just chill there? These are super-intelligent aliens, they should be able to learn our languages instead of having to awkwardly teach us theirs

[–] stickman38 (3439) 5 years ago

I suppose you could say every movie is pretentious. haha...

I think it seems like a more realistic approach to alien invasion. Or at the very least, not so cliche for the alien invasion category. We just assume they're going to be hostile. Well, in reality, they're probably going to be much more intelligent than we are, which means, if they can conquer space why would they be hostile towards us?

To each his own you know... but I did like it. Was it the best film ever? Hell no, but it has it's moments.

Have not seen Inception but I might check it out some day. Is it available on youtube?

[–] cyberbob (3488) 5 years ago

No, not every movie. Fast and Furious is not pretentious. Goodfellas is not pretentious

This is pretentious. It pretends to be serious and have important themes about fate and grief and shit like that. But the characters are all totally forgettable. The plot is silly, even by sci-fi standards. No, the aliens aren't hostile, but they are very cryptic and vague, which is a stupid concept for an alien species that came to Earth specifically to TEACH us something.

Being incredibly vague and ambiguous about one's intentions is good for dramatic purposes, which is what this movie desperately clings to. The question about why they're here is the only thing holding this movie together. And the answer is an incredibly stupid one if you hold it up to the light

Inception is just one example of a "complex" movies done right. There's tons more. Memento, Ex Machina, Seven, Prisoners if you insist on sucking Villenueve's dick, even more if you venture into foreign films. Probably hundreds of films that have a script that holds up under a bit of scrutiny. But Arrival is definitely not one of them

[–] stickman38 (3439) 5 years ago

I don't think people are sucking V's dick but whatever...

I understand your complaints about Arrival but at the end of the day, no film is perfect.

Seven was a pretty good movie but Brad Pitt is hard to watch in some movies. I liked him in Interview With The Vampire and Fight Club but he's a movie star, not an actor. haha...

I really didn't like Memento. Not sure why, it was decent film-making but I guess Guy Pearce is not one of my favz either. I really have to like the characters/actors to get into a movie. Ohh well, it's funny how people can watch the same movies and one doesn't care for it and the other really likes it. :)

Another film that I recently saw that makes you 'think about it' is a movie called Spring (2014). Have you seen it? It's about a guy that travels to Italy and meets an attractive woman that holds a rather dark secret. It's not on the level of complexity like what you see in Memento or Seven but it makes you think about a few things. It's free On Demand right now if you have cable. Check it out if you get a chance too and let me know what you think of it.

[–] Kowalski (79087) 5 years ago

ITS OK KIDDO...JUST ADMIT IT...YOU DIDNT GET IT,AND IT MADE YOU ANGRY.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 5 years ago

Aliens go to Earth to teach humans a language that lets them see into the future

Not super complicated, bitch

[–] Kowalski (79087) 5 years ago

THANK YOU FOR THE 3RD GRADE SYNOPSIS...I WILL CHERISH IT FOREVER.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 5 years ago

Oh yeah and her kid has cancer or some other stupid shit shoe-horned in as "character development". But GASP, her cancer kid is actually a FUTURE cancer kid. LOL movie was so trash

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I'm quite pleased that you will never understand this movie.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 4 years ago

Ahh, yes. The classic cop out. If you don't like something it must be because you just don't "get it". It can't be the movie's fault, it must be the fault of anyone who didn't like it

I understand perfectly what it was aiming to achieve, I just think it was bad anyway

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I suggest a black and white tv.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 4 years ago

I suggest you keep watching mediocre ass sci-fi movies that allow you to feel like you're REAL smart because they aren't PG-13 action movies LOL

The bar in film is so low that idiots like you see this kind of trash and actually believe you've stumbled upon intellectual art HAHA

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

You speak from experience. No need to laugh it away.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 4 years ago

I know you're attempting to write concise and witty retorts, but I'd like you to know that you're failing

Perhaps there's no greater evidence of the intellectual bankruptcy of the films that your worship than your own utter lack of intellectual power

Watch and worship better movies, bro. You clearly suck at being a movie fan. I shudder at the idea of going through your post history and witnessing the shitty movies which you naively think of as masterpieces. You should just sit down, kid

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

There are some spelling errors you should correct.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 4 years ago

Ok, I went through your posts. Your opinions are literally worth nothing. Mandalorian, Love Death and Robots, Infinite, Indiana Jones LMAO

You actually are exactly what I thought you were. A sci-fi fanboy in the very early developmental stages. Ok, keep thinking Arrival is great. Give it a few years and TRY to read some sci-fi literature and then you will realize that this was just a phase and that Arrival is as mediocre as I promise you it is

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

You've adjusted your view of "Arrival" to mediocre. It's a start. Glad to be of service.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 4 years ago

Infinite! HAHAHA

[–] stickman38 (3439) 5 years ago

Ohhhh gosh, does every movie board have people bitching on and on? Come on guys, if you liked it, fine, if you didn't that's okay too. At the end of the day, who cares?? What.... are you going to be able to magically change the movie to your liking? lol....

I recently saw a movie called One Under The Sun, another artsy-fartsy sci-fi film. In which, I was very frustrated with because it really could have been a phenomenal film. But it went in so many directions that you're just like "what the hell". Have you guys seen it? check it out, it's kind of interesting in the way it's presented but then you're just like "why"... lol.

[–] JoWilli (21630) 4 years ago

dont forget about Interstellar, mind blowing movie..

[–] dmac8 (5050) 5 years ago

I might've been with you until you invoked Inception -- of all films -- as a counterexample.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 3 years ago

I visit other film boards and I frequently see Villeneuve compared to Nolan. That's the only reason I made the comparison

And the comparison is almost always to the tune of "Villeneuve is what Nolan wishes he could be". I don't see much Villeneuve-worshipping on here, but it is a very real thing. I could post links to some of his circlejerks, but I don't want to experience them again. I only compared Villeneuve to Nolan because everybody else seems to do so. Inception is not even real sci-fi, but I hate Interstellar so I couldn't use that one as an example

Anyway, my point is that he's gained a reputation for being the "smart sci-fi" guy. I'm not actually a big fan of Nolan, but a decade ago he had the exact same reputation. There's something about sci-fi nerds that they just need a champion to rally around, and once they do it's all looking through rose-tinted glasses

I don't actually hate Villeneuve, but I do hate his cult fanbase

[–] SickSpazmoid (877) 4 years ago

I'm with you cyberbob. I watched 3 of Villeneuve's films (same you mentioned) and he fails to impress me. His movies are good, but could hardly earn more than 7/10 in my book. When I say good, I mean technically good, not in the sense of cool and enjoyable and not of some particular depth.

And yes, they are somewhat pretentious. It is just so obvious how Blade Runner is intentionally slow in some parts just for the posturing.

But you really shouldn't have mentioned Inception.

[–] CheekyMonkey (584) 5 years ago

He directed Incendies (2010), whichh was very good... It's based on a play...

He seems to be a good director when working with a good story and it helps when he has someone like Deakins as cinematographer for the visuals...

[–] johnmiller (4011) 4 years ago

I would have preferred "Departure" and just have the aliens and the whole cast leave...as quickly as possible.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 4 years ago

LMAO

[–] trevorh321 (5495) 4 years ago

Sicario was solid, but not as good as I had hoped. I liked Blade Runner 2049 more but mostly because of the striking visuals. But Arrival is pure crap. It is my pick for worst film of the 2010s. Yes, it's not hard to make a film that looks great if there is enough money. But that is it. Considering the talent, the resources involved, this film is junk.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

So it went straight over your head. No harm done there.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 4 years ago

Agreed. Glad some people here see it for what it is

[–] trevorh321 (5495) 4 years ago

Yes and I think you are right about Dune. For me, that will be the make or break film for him.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 4 years ago

Yup, and while I haven't touched on it that much in this thread, I AM a pretty devoted fan of movies and am well aware of the many artistic resources that were put into this movie. I can appreciate a movie's intentions. I can appreciate the effort that was put into making it. I totally understand WHY this turd was able to appeal to the academy

The cast is A+. Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whittaker, and Michael Stuhlbarg? That's fucking insane. Solid cinematography, solid soundtrack, mediocre-but-acceptable screenwriting. An "auteur" director on the rise. Veteran producers who are ultimately, along with the studios, the most influential players in the awards campaign race

I understand that great films are made up of many great components. This movie had a lot going for it, talentwise. But it just failed artistically where it really mattered

I will not give this movie props for some cool shots, for Amy Adams + Renner, for tentacle cuneiforms, for obligatory plot twist, for style over substance to be curt. That is what most modern "prestige" film has to offer and that is ALL that this movie has to offer