The Best Sci-Fi Movie of the Century Voted by Hollywood’s Biggest Directors and Actors

Denis Villeneuve’s 2016 film Arrival has been voted the best sci-fi movie of the 21st century by a large poll of over 500 Hollywood directors and actors. The poll, compiled and published by The New York Times, ranks Arrival as the top science fiction film of the century, placing it 29th on their overall list of the “100 Best Movies of the 21st Century.”

Arrival tells the story of humanity’s first contact with mysterious aliens. The movie follows a linguist, played by Amy Adams, who is tasked with communicating with the strange, tentacled creatures called heptapods after their massive spacecraft lands on Earth.

The film focuses less on alien invasion and more on the power of communication, building to a powerful and emotional conclusion involving time and memory. It is based on a short story by Ted Chiang, and Villeneuve’s direction brings a thoughtful and moving approach to the sci-fi genre.

The movie was widely praised for its strong performances, especially from Amy Adams, who took on one of her best roles. Arrival earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

It won the Oscar for Best Sound Editing. Adams also received many award nominations for her work, highlighting the emotional depth she brought to the character. The film’s score, created by composers Ruth Barrett and Steffen Thum, added to the immersive atmosphere.

Denis Villeneuve’s lyrical alien film, based on a short story by Ted Chiang, is sci-fi at its most emotionally devastating. When a mysterious, looming extraterrestrial craft lands on Earth, a linguist played by Amy Adams, in a career-best role, is recruited to try to speak to the tentacled beings known as heptapods. Less a saga about invasion than it is about communication, “Arrival” is intoxicatingly mysterious until it wallops you with its time-turning gut punch of an ending.

New York Times

Creating the alien language for the film was a detailed process. The filmmakers worked with linguists and computer scientists to invent a believable script and sounds for the heptapods.

The language design was based on concepts from the screenwriter and was developed with input from experts in linguistics and phonetics to make it feel authentic. This effort helped the movie stand out as thoughtful and original in its depiction of alien communication.

Critics generally loved Arrival. Many praised it for being smart and emotional, with a story that makes viewers think deeply about time and connection. It was described as a unique blend of science fiction and human drama, offering a fresh take on alien movies.

The film’s strong storytelling, direction, and Amy Adams’ performance received special attention. However, some critics found parts of the dialogue awkward or compared it to other science fiction films that had mixed results. Still, the overall response was overwhelmingly positive.

Since its release, Arrival has been recognized as a standout in science fiction cinema. It was even named the third-best film of 2016 by some critics and has appeared on numerous best-of-the-year lists. The New York Times’ recent poll further cements its place as a modern classic in the genre, celebrating its emotional depth and intellectual ambition.

This recognition shows that Arrival is more than just a sci-fi movie—it’s a powerful story about understanding and connection that continues to resonate with audiences and filmmakers alike.

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