Arrival (2016): A smart, thoughtful, realistic science fiction film. One of the best movies of 2016!

Arrival revolves around a linguistics professor who is recruited by the military to interpret symbols being given by extraterrestrials, to communicate, and to determine their purpose for arriving on various Earth locations. 

There are a lot of great things about this movie. The acting, storytelling, soundtrack, messages and themes are all handled very well. Amy Adams plays Louise Banks (the professor) in a terrific performance and provides a lot of depth to her character as a person who is going through a very tragic situation. Other cast members like Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker were good in their roles, but the film primarily focuses on Amy Adams. 

The story and atmosphere were also very captivating as the scientists try to communicate + learn the alien language while military from different countries act on their own agenda. This ultimately leads to an unexpected and emotional conclusion that changes the entire perspective of the film. Arrival requires the audience to think and reflect on the potential situation of a close encounter and the science behind a foreign language. Lastly, it has a great message about love and taking chances in life for the sake of one's gratification despite the certainty of something unfortunate rather than not taking them at all.
This movie is not your typical sci-fi alien invasion movie (ex. Independence Day) but it's a film that can prompt discussion about science topics and themes that audiences of all ages can reflect on.
My rating: 5/5 stars