Arrival
POSTED BY: ecgordon
UPDATED: Sunday, August 27, 2017 21:42
VIEWED: 13443
PAGE 5 of 10
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
As mentioned, I have come to think of Arrival as more of a cerebral entertainment and story.
What others do you feel compare?
I'd say Inception, Oblivion.
Although Edge of Tomorrow has a bunch more action, it also has a lot of thought in it, and requires multiple viewing to revel in the full work.
Although the above films are essentially Sci-Fi, and many Sci-Fi are foundationally built upon cerebral stories, I invite mention of other films which are not of the Sci-Fi genre.
I was thinking Ex-Machina should be included here.
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Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:
Originally posted by Zeek:Select to view spoiler:
I definitely interpret the movie differently. I don't think Louise had any time abilities inherently. I interpreted it as something any human was capable of. If they immersed themselves in the alien language then they could learn to perceive time the way the aliens do.
I guess we have no evidence that anyone else accomplished what Louise did, but considering humans need this ability 3000 years in the future suggests at least some other people will need to learn to do the same thing, right?
Select to view spoiler:
I think that the aliens reached out to Louise because they knew she was open and susceptible to their form of communication and sensitive to time displacement. Which puts me in mind of which came first, her susceptibility to time displacement or her openness to language and communication. Did the aliens infuse her with it or did they draw out what was already there? This just keeps getting deeper, and I love that. The more we dig the more we uncover
SGG
I finally saw Arrival again, fair certain this was my second viewing.
I was greatly struck by the beauty of the film. The pacing reminded me of recent Eastwood works, and the softer parts of Braveheart.
Louise does say that understanding the new language allows humans to manipulate time. I had thought she had seen her daughter Hannah before the Arrival, but now I think I was mistaken. She seems to be the first to gain great ground in learning the language, so she can manipulate time better than others, but then others learn as she teaches them the language. However, this brings up a problem - some of the other 12 sites were making some headway, albeit largely based upon her work - but still, why did none of them become able to use their "weapon" like Louise could?
I noticed that when Louise and Ian arrived at the military compound, they were given a booster - and I thought that this may have been the catalyst for Louise to develop her weapon, if she had not previously experienced it. Then, after she makes great headway after removing her helmet (getting the first word, or "written" symbol, she is checked out and again given another booster shot. These 2 booster shots may have been the catalyst the story depended upon. After this, Louise makes ever faster and faster progress.
We might revisit the discussion regarding this.
Her ability, or weapon, becomes developed entirely during this interaction with the heptapods, not before.
So why did they arrive now? Did they know she would develop this? Was she merely the one who showed the most progress after they arrived, there was not some predictor that she would be the one? It was merely her ability to learn a new language, and then her immersion into it that granted her access to the weapon?
Certainly the Chinese General would not have been so provoked without their presence.
I still feel uncomfortable with the issue of Louise deciding to have the daughter who will knowingly have a terminal illness before procreating. Does this seem like having a dog, picking one out of the shelter to live with, expending it's entire life within the confines of your own life? Is this selfish of her? She is certainly not expunging the pain her daughter endures.
The world map of the sites did indicate northern hemisphere, with the exception of Australia. Even the South American site was Venezuela, still north of the equator. Does this seem racist to anybody? Should we send Obama to investigate and make regulations?
Again, I was struck by the poignancy of
Select to view spoiler:
Abbott is death process
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I also was a little confused about the assertion by Louise that what they say and what they write are not connected, they are unrelated.
I am not sure I understand this or it's implications. I understand that the written language is devoid of time, they complete a written communication with the beginning and end of the sentence intertwined, because the control of time that they have (paraphrasing what they said). And by definition, sound is restricted to time in linear format (frequency, Hertz, wavelengths are functions of linear time progression), so the manipulation of time would not lend itself to layering sounds atop one another.
I'm just not sure I understand the disassociation of sound communication and written communication.
Also, regarding the sound recording of the meeting in Louise's office when the Colonel first comes in.
This is in her memory, she is telling the story. The intentional sound levels have the blaring of the news broadcast Louise is watching, so she does not hear the entering, and then the following sound levels are greatly subdued - producing a great contrast. The Colonel's volume remains the same level, so I am not convinced it is a bad audio sampling or mixing, but may be meant to force the viewer to focus more. It may not be a signal or cue for a different perception by Louise, as I first thought. But I am still interested what others think of this, like SGG.
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Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Hey JSF, I'm basing my response primarily on your comments in the SPOILER SECTION of your response:
Here's the thought I had about the whole "use your weapon" motif within the film: I believe it had to do with the language barrier and how she was able to decipher their language; it was the reason for Louise's presence; although, at first, I did think it had to do with a weapon in the traditional sense. That right there has me more than curious about reading the short story, even more so. The film premise was that she had this gift and that the aliens knew this and went back in time to begin that process.
It is an interesting concept within the film, and I liked how they developed
it within the context of the film.
What I wonder about is, was this something within the short story or was it a
plot devise installed by the director? Reading the story would go a long way in clearing that up. Either way, it is a brilliant piece of the puzzle. The time element is key and a central focus, although we are given little in the way of evidence to allow us to deduce the outcome. Again, I thought it was
an interesting choice by the director and how he trusted the audience to "fill in the blanks." Remember, there are certain ground rules in sci-fi
and, ever since I first saw "The Day the Earth Stood Still" I was made aware
of them. Sci-fi as social commentary as to humankind's current situation and how it is not as it appears on the surface.
One thing I am not clear on, is how the child figured in all of this. I took that part of the film to be about our, silly humans, concept and perception of time. How we spend our time with family, friends, learning, living etc.
I got the feeling that Louise learned a valuable lesson (Louise as us, the audience) about the importance of our loved ones, in addition to, how truly valuable our time is. Arrival is, to me, a commentary about several things, including how silly we humans are when it comes to our suspicion of others that don't exactly look, act, talk and walk like us. But too, how much alike we are when we strip away those "language" barriers we construct.
You may have a point about her development of her "weapon" and that her relationship to her daughter and the time she spent with her was key in
her sharpening her skill as a linguist, thereby allowing her to be open to
the aliens form of communication. I would have to see it again to see if I see it that way as well. That may have gone completely over my head. Regardless, it's a good theory. Her daughter may have been key and the aliens arrival may have triggered that - cause and effect.
The concept of time and how the aliens interpret it was, however, as the film suggests, another element we, as the audience, must consider. They don't see it as linear, like we do, but as happening all at once and they can travel to any point just by simply willing it. A type of concentration that allows them to step into a particular place in time and make "suggestions" to their hosts. Louise perceived it in her dream-like state. Her "weapon," I conclude, is her openness to it. It is that openness as a human and a scientist that allows her to "read" their language. That theme gave me a gentle nudge as I watched this film. Perhaps her love for her daughter did help to sharpen that "openness" and made her a better scientist, a better human. They, Abbott & Costello, knew this and traveled to that point in time and space to begin the conversation with Louise, but also stimulated her future husband - who is of the same mind as Louise.
That is definitely a possibility. I will keep open to that next time I watch this film.
SGG
Have you watched again? It has been at Redbox this week.
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The genius, game-changing twist of “Arrival” should win it the Oscar for best picture
https://qz.com/915882
Adapted from the novella Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang, about a linguist who decodes an alien language, Eric Heisserer’s script was too intricate, too cerebral to interest studio executives. He shopped his screenplay around Hollywood for years before he found producers to champion the project. And only after another few years of re-working the script did it land on director Denis Villeneuve’s desk, who turned it into the Oscar-nominated film Arrival for Paramount Pictures.
This story contains spoilers and continues at https://qz.com/915882
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/folder/1uwh75oa407q8/Firefly
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Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Confused!? Well, that's why it needs to be seen more than once (I did miss some of the dialogue - especially when the colonel came to get Dr. Banks at her home in the helicopter).
Therefore, I'm going to see it again.
SGG
And it just won an Oscar for SOUND EDITING!
That scene had the loudness of the news show on her laptop, and the subdued tones of her voice, and the Colonel's. Clashing levels of sounds.
The Academy seemed to think it was genius, beating out the likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Sully, and the night's darling La La Land.
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Perhaps that scene was intentional.
SGG
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Confused!? Well, that's why it needs to be seen more than once (I did miss some of the dialogue - especially when the colonel came to get Dr. Banks at her home in the helicopter).
Therefore, I'm going to see it again.
SGG
And it just won an Oscar for SOUND EDITING!
That scene had the loudness of the news show on her laptop, and the subdued tones of her voice, and the Colonel's. Clashing levels of sounds.
The Academy seemed to think it was genius, beating out the likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Sully, and the night's darling La La Land.
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Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Confused!? Well, that's why it needs to be seen more than once (I did miss some of the dialogue - especially when the colonel came to get Dr. Banks at her home in the helicopter).
Therefore, I'm going to see it again.
SGG
And it just won an Oscar for SOUND EDITING!
That scene had the loudness of the news show on her laptop, and the subdued tones of her voice, and the Colonel's. Clashing levels of sounds.
The Academy seemed to think it was genius, beating out the likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Sully, and the night's darling La La Land.
Perhaps that scene was intentional.
SGG
Did you see it again?
I wasn't sure I would enjoy it as much once the "surprise" was known, but I found myself charmed and enchanted with repeat viewings.
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I saw it again, and this time I found some different things or I got more from it upon second viewing. More on that later.
SGG
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Confused!? Well, that's why it needs to be seen more than once (I did miss some of the dialogue - especially when the colonel came to get Dr. Banks at her home in the helicopter).
Therefore, I'm going to see it again.
SGG
And it just won an Oscar for SOUND EDITING!
That scene had the loudness of the news show on her laptop, and the subdued tones of her voice, and the Colonel's. Clashing levels of sounds.
The Academy seemed to think it was genius, beating out the likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Sully, and the night's darling La La Land.
Perhaps that scene was intentional.
SGG
Did you see it again?
I wasn't sure I would enjoy it as much once the "surprise" was known, but I found myself charmed and enchanted with repeat viewings.
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Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Confused!? Well, that's why it needs to be seen more than once (I did miss some of the dialogue - especially when the colonel came to get Dr. Banks at her home in the helicopter).
Therefore, I'm going to see it again.
SGG
And it just won an Oscar for SOUND EDITING!
That scene had the loudness of the news show on her laptop, and the subdued tones of her voice, and the Colonel's. Clashing levels of sounds.
The Academy seemed to think it was genius, beating out the likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Sully, and the night's darling La La Land.
Perhaps that scene was intentional.
SGG
Did you see it again?
I wasn't sure I would enjoy it as much once the "surprise" was known, but I found myself charmed and enchanted with repeat viewings.
I saw it again, and this time I found some different things or I got more from it upon second viewing. More on that later.
SGG
Forget later.
now now now
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