15 SciFi Movies To Watch If You Like Arrival

15 Sci-Fi Movies To Watch If You Like Arrival

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1 15 Sci-Fi Movies To Watch If You Like Arrival

Arrival is arguably the greatest success Denis Villeneuve has had in sci-fi. If you like that film, check out these similar sci-fi movies.

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To say that Denis Villeneuve has a thing for science fiction would be an understatement. This director obviously has a taste for the genre, directing some of the most exciting projects such as Blade Runner 2049 and the upcoming Dune.

But, arguably the greatest success Villeneuve has had in the genre was Arrival. This gorgeous tale of communication, forgiveness, and understanding came through the guise of a first contact drama. If you’re looking for more films that have as breathtaking filmmaking and acting as this SciFi drama, look no further than our picks below.

Updated July 9th, 2020 by Darby Harn: Sci-fi fans never want for much in terms of new content, and even in the last year with everything going on in the world, there have been a few films more like Arrival. Recent films and even films in the recent past offer the same intellectual but emotional vibe that film did so well. Since now it is a really good time to think about science and how it affects people, here are some more sci-fi movies like Arrival.

15 The Vast Of Night (2020)

The Vast of Night is a brand new independent film that recently debuted on Amazon. The low-budget vibe works in the film’s favor, which takes a Twilight Zone-like approach to its production.

The entire film is actually framed as an episode of a fictional anthology series called Paradox Theatre, and takes place over the course of a single evening at a high school basketball game in the 1950s. A radio DJ discovers a strange audio signal, and the rest is sci-fi gold.

14 Sunshine (2007)

This film is a little older, but it is perfect for fans of Arrival. A crew of astronauts and scientists travel to the sun with a payload intended to restart it after our star begins to fail in this fantastically simple but cosmic film by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, and so many more).

This 2007 film was overlooked in many ways, but features an incredible cast including Cillian Murphy and the future Captain America himself, Chris Evans. Well worth the time to search it out.

13 Upstream Color (2013)

Upstream Color is another overlooked movie from 2013, written, directed, produced, and starring Shane Carruth, who also made the time-travel mind-bender Primer, from 2004. Upstream Color isn’t another time-travel story, but fans of Arrival are likely to enjoy puzzling out the complex story.

In the movie, a man known only as the Thief seems to be harvesting a larva-like entity that has profound effects on the human mind when ingested. Profound effects. Who is who and what is what become major questions in the film.

12 Fast Color (2018)

Fast Color is an amazing movie from 2018 that straddles a few different genres. On one hand, it’s a superhero movie. Ruth (played brilliantly by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) possesses superpowers, causing earthquakes.

The film is also post-apocalyptic, taking place during a severe water shortage in the United States. But what it’s really about is family. Ruth returns home, where she hasn’t been in some time, to try and reconcile with her estranged mother and daughter, both of whom have their own superhuman abilities.

11 Under The Skin (2013)

Under the Skin is a gorgeously esoteric 2013 film that stars Scarlett Johansson as an alien entity that comes to earth to eat people… but it’s nowhere near that simple. Johansson’s alien skins people and impersonates them, all the while driving around Scotland to find more victims.

It sounds absurd, but it’s haunting and dark, punctuated by the eerie soundtrack. The film explores the issues of identity and loneliness, without ever really providing any easy answers. Or answers at all.

10 Ex Machina (2015)

Alex Garland’s directorial debut was a genre disruptor. The film championed at the academy awards, beating out names such as The Force Awakens and Mad Max: Fury Road in the Visual Effects category. This bare-bones masterwork explores questions not only of artificial intelligence but gender and sexuality.

Alicia Vikander’s performance as the AI Ava is captivating, completely coming through in her largely CGI rendered movements. Oscar Isaac and Domnhall Gleeson are a powerful double act as well. Perhaps the biggest draw though are the visuals from Garland, who is far more cynical and Kubrick-esque than Villeneuve.

9 Annihilation (2018)

Garland’s second feature was even trippier than Ex Machina, choosing to adapt an existing novel by writer Jeff VanderMeer. Annihilation is similar to Arrival, tackling questions of relationships and love, while also exploring agency, conservation, and the environment.

Once again, this is a far darker take on the genre than even Ex Machina or Arrival. Annihilation is a psychedelic journey into a nightmarish landscape, inhabited by mutant creatures and slowly deteriorating sanity. Natalie Portman gives an incredible performance in the lead role and is put through the absolute wringer.

8 Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Denis Villeneuve achieved the impossible with this direct sequel to 1984’s Blade Runner. The original film redefined the genre, and to many seemed untouchable. Yet somehow, Villeneuve crafted a surprising, loyal, and outstanding sequel.

Visually the film stands on its own, yet at the same time, feels in line with the original. Everything feels bigger in scope, dour and dreary, and ultimately hopeful. Villeneuve’s ability to project scope and emotion through this genre is shown off perfectly in this film.

7 Inception (2010)

Inception was one of the most popular science fiction films of the past decade. The hard rules established by Christopher Nolan were able to add an understandable construct to this world of dreams. The sheer stakes involved were unlike anything before, giving weight to a subject matter that feels so ethereal.

Visually speaking, the film is stunning, utilizing unreal visual effects both practical and CGI. The score from Hans Zimmer is explosive and emotional, and the entire thing is a somber roller coaster through the mind of Nolan.

6 Ad Astra (2019)

If Arrival is a story of the wonders of possible life outside our galaxy, Ad Astra is the exact opposite. Struck with the overwhelming lack of extraterrestrial life, what is the human mind left with? While it still handles these big questions about the universe, it also is far more concerned with more interpersonal and existential questions of trauma, toxic behavior, and relationships.

Are we just byproducts of poor parenting, doomed from the start? Or, can we disrupt the cycle and start fresh? It’s questions like these that are only boosted by the career-best performance from Brad Pitt and the unreal set pieces and action sequences. It’s contemplative and heavy, but never pretentious.

5 Her (2013)

Her (starring Joaquin Phoenix) is on the far end of this emotional spectrum of science fiction films. The AI element is far less important than the actual relationship involved. This is a romantic drama about love, trauma, and the possessiveness that comes with it only happens to be a science fiction movie.

If anything, the science fiction elements are more just heightened versions of today’s technology, and the isolation that it creates. It’s a gorgeous film that embraces it’s science fiction roots, but because of it’s relevant emotional themes, it feels just as close to us today.

4 Interstellar (2014)

Arrival’s unexpected time travel turn is a direct link to this space travel drama from Christopher Nolan. In both films, the protagonist has to suffer through the death of their child through time-bending means, but here, it is through one’s younger self-traveling to the future.

The film is often an echo of more abstract features like Kubrick’s 2002: A Space Odyssey. But, the emotional core works fully. Both Interstellar and Arrival are about reinstituting the hopeful vision of the future that our current cynical society has lost.

3 Moon (2009)

Moon is a fantastic one-off science fiction drama with tons of twists and turns. This, as you might have guessed, this moon-based film tackles elements of agency, with the twist concerning a shocking cloning element.

If you’re looking for a fantastic central performance in a science fiction film, look no further than this. Sam Rockwell absolutely kills it in this movie, giving a funny and heartfelt performance for the books. The plus side? He’s also not playing a racist for once! In all honesty, though, the film is an excellent sci-fi drama with excellently tense sequences.

2 Looper (2012)

Rian Johnson is a master at deconstructing a genre. So to see him do so with this sci-fi noir was a gamechanger. The film is the first in a long time to offer an excellent performance from Bruce Willis, who really captures the tortured soul of older Joe.

The film is a tangible near future, feeling just distant enough for the escapism, but close enough to make an impact. Once again, it tackles a lot of the similar themes of breaking traumatic cycles as Arrival does. But, where Arrival’s are on a much larger scale, Looper embraces a more micro lens.

1 District 9 (2009)

Arrival’s vision of first contact is far more traditional than Neil Blomkamp’s District 9, but there is also a chance his is even more realistic. Standing as a direct parallel to the horrors of South African Apartheid, District 9 uses its alien storyline to address the crushing systematic issues of xenophobia.

But, this film is far and away more exciting than the contemplative nature of Arrival. Chock full of explosive action sequences and humor, District 9 offers a science fiction action film that still isn’t afraid to dip its toes in the more political arguments behind its story.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/sci-fi-movies-to-watch-if-you-like-arrival/

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