I recently watched the new first contact movie "Arrival," and had a much different take away from that movie than most. "Arrival" cemented Denis Villeneuve as the most consistent and impressive director I’ve seen in the past 10 years. He has released four movies since 2013, and each one is better than the last. He has easily become the most interesting figure in the film industry. Each one of his movies is radically different than the last. He knows how to direct tension better than anyone I’ve seen in recent memory. I believe it’s a travesty he is not getting the recognition and credit he deserves, and I’m going to discuss my three favorite movies of his.
I’ll start with Villeneuve's first standout film: The 2013 psychological thriller "Prisoners." "Prisoners" stars Hugh Jackman as a father whose daughter mysteriously disappears one day. The movie follows the vigilante justice Jackman's character takes to find his daughter. The biggest takeaway from this movie is the way Villeneuve is able to control tension in scenes where it would normally be uncontrolled. He does this through deliberate shot staging and his choice of music, which gives the suburban Pittsburgh area a genuine creepiness. This movie is excellent, and sets the tone perfectly for his next film, "Sicario."
"Sicario," released in 2015, stars Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro. It is absolutely incredible. Villeneuve is able to control the tension of the movie by following CIA agent Kate Macer (Blunt) as she is dropped into missions and raids in and around Juarez, Mexico with a group of special agents she does not know as they work on the grey line of the law. When a director can turn a scene of a character sitting in a car near the border into the most tense scene I’ve seen in recent memory, credit must be given.
After watching "Sicario" for the first time, I knew right away I needed to rush out to see the newest, and arguably best movie so far,
"Arrival." This movie is nominated for nine Academy Awards, and it deserves every single one of them. This movie is the only first contact movie I've seen that has absolutely no city destruction or massive action set-pieces, yet remains the most thought provoking and engaging movie about aliens I’ve seen. The movie is gorgeous to look at, with a super unique alien ship, great performances, an incredible script, and hauntingly beautiful music. This is the thinking man's first contact movie and my personal favorite from the director.
All three of these movies are radically different in tone, look and feel. Yet, each one of them carries the same incredible camera, acting and sound work. Denis Villeneuve is the best director working right now, and I for one will be rushing out to see all his new movies on opening weekend.