Oscars 2017: 20 Predicted Best Film Nominees Ranked Worst To Best
4. Arrival
Denis Villeneuve is on a hell of a hot streak. Having made the brilliant Prisoners, Enemy and Sicario in a row, he switched genres entirely with Arrival, proving beyond a doubt why he is one of the most intriguing film-makers currently working. And if there were any questions before of his suitability to direct Blade Runner 2049, they should all have evaporated by now.
As with his genre-invigorating Sicario, Arrival takes a well worn premise - of alien invasion - and flips it completely and compellingly, putting Amy Adams into the centre of a story about communication rather than outright conquering. She is excellent, and deserves the plaudits no doubt headed her way from the Academy, and so too is Jeremy Renner as her sarcastic mathematician support.
Genre fans might have been somewhat flummoxed by the almost ponderous approach to the story, but this is high-concept, smart sci-fi as it should be done, both beautiful and thought-provoking and packing a great plot twist that isn't tacked on or unearned like so many seem to be, and which absolutely insists on a second viewing. Lucky you.