'Arrival,' 'Almost Christmas,' and 'Shut In' Among Weekend's New Films

— -- Starring Amy Adams, Forest Whitaker and Jeremy Renner

Rated PG-13

Five out of five stars

"Arrival" is a sci-fi film like no other.

That makes writing this review a challenge like no other because, in my opinion, the less you know about this film the better. Even if I did present you with most of the details, it’s so wonderfully directed by Denis Villeneuve, so evocatively filmed by cinematographer Bradford Young, and so deftly written and adapted by Eric Heisserer, spoiling it with important plot details wouldn’t detract from this masterpiece.

Based on the short story “Story of Your Life,” by Ted Chiang, "Arrival" begins with Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) narrating the story of her daughter, and ... It. Will. Destroy. You. I’ll just leave that right there and move on.

When 12 unusually shaped identical alien ships arrive and park themselves in different countries around the globe, Banks -- a university linguist and professor -- is visited by Col. Weber (Forest Whitaker), who wants her to decode the aliens’ language with the help of physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner).

The military has already established contact with the interplanetary visitors but gives Banks and Donnelly little warning about what they’re getting themselves into -- which is, literally, the belly of an alien ship. Again, I’ll skip the details of what they see and experience, because I want you to experience it for yourself.

The way the ship and aliens are pictured is mostly original. It feels as though this really is what it might be like if we were visited by extraterrestrials. Everything about them -- including the way they look and communicate -- might be something we’ve simply never before thought of, let alone can comprehend.

Banks is tasked with finding out why the aliens are here. The 11 other countries playing host to the aliens are trying to do the same thing. Of course, the world is on edge, and even though the aliens’ arrival gives humanity a good reason to forget about our differences, boundaries, nationalist pride and self-interest still reign supreme.

The international coalition’s efforts to find out and share information is tenuous at best, due to security fears and national self-interests. As the movie draws to its conclusion, Villeneuve puts the audience in an emotional vise and slowly squeezes us, until it becomes nearly becomes unbearable.

Who doesn’t love a good movie plot twist? "Arrival" doesn’t just have a good one -- it has a full-blown F5 tornado of a twist.

"Arrival" is other-level storytelling magic that’ll have sci-fi fans stimulated and excited for generations. Like all great films, there’s a strong theme and message to which fans will turn again and again, particularly when experiencing profound loss.

"Arrival" is sci-fi with soul, and with all due credit to the filmmakers, that soul is Adams’ Dr. Banks. Her work here should once again make Adams part of the conversation for another well-deserved Oscar nomination.

Also in theaters this weekend:

* "Almost Christmas": Danny Glover plays a retired automotive engineer who invites his dysfunctional family home for the holidays a year after losing his wife. However, getting his grown children to survive together under the same roof for five days will take a Christmas miracle. Gabrielle Union, Omar Epps and Mo'Nique also star. Rated PG-13.

* "Shut In": This thriller stars Naomi Watts as Mary, a child psychologist who lives an isolated existence in rural New England following the death of her husband in a horrific car accident. The tragedy also leaves her 18-year-old stepson, Stephen -- played by Charlie Heaton -- bedridden and catatonic. When one of Mary's young patients, played by Jason Tremblay, goes missing and is presumed dead, she becomes convinced she and Stephen are being haunted by the boy's ghost. Rated PG-13.