With 8 Oscar nominations, ‘Arrival’ a rare sci-fi best picture contender

MANILA, Philippines — Nabbing a best picture nomination last January 23, Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival” joined the short list of science-fiction films that have been nominated for the film industry’s top prize.

According to Variety, prior to the Academy’s expansion of the category in 2009, sci-fi nominees were a rarity. The only two that come to mind are “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” in 1982 and “Star Wars” in 1979.

With eight nominations, “Arrival” earned the second-highest number of nominations, clinching nods for director, adapted screenplay, cinematography, sound editing, sound mixing, production design, and editing — in addition to best picture.

Since 2009, movies such as “District 9,” “Avatar,” “Inception,” and “Her” have picked up best picture nominations. “Gravity” and “The Martian” have joined the fray as well, but purists might not consider their baked-in-reality premises strictly sci-fi.

The Academy’s best picture expansion has been a boon for a genre that was largely ignored by the organization prior to the 21st century.

In “Arrival,” when mysterious spacecrafts touched down across the globe, an elite team - lead by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) - are brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers – and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly, humanity.

Also starring in the film are Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker. It was based on the acclaimed short story by Ted Chiang titled, “Story of Your Life.”

“Arrival,” distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International, opened last Wednesday.