Denis Villeneuve made his name in the science fiction genre, thanks to making several movies like Arrival. This gorgeous tale of communication, forgiveness, and understanding came through the guise of a first- drama. The movie stars Amy Adams as a linguist whose daughter died from an incurable illness when she was 12 years old. However, when 12 extraterrestrial spacecraft begin to hover over the Earth, she is one of the people brought in to help communicate with them as she has to make the toughest decision of her life.

Sci-fi fans never want waiting long it comes to new films from their favorite directors, and Villeneuve himself has made his name in the genre with movies like Arrival, Dune, and Blade Runner 2049. These all have something in common, as the movies tell smart sci-fi stories while also relying on a smart script over even the best in special effects. The best movies like Arrival take smart ideas and then place them in a fantastical situation, often telling stories that force the viewers to think about what they are seeing on the screen and what it means in the world in general.

20 Dune (2021)

Directed By Denis Velleneuve

Dune is a little different from movies like Arrival because there are a lot of very expensive special effects on display in the film. This movie has giant monsters, evil dictators, and war battles where one alien race wants to conquer all others. Despite those differences, this is still a Denis Villeneuve movie, and it shares a lot in common with movies like Arrival in that there are big ideas that might even dwarf the special effects.

Both explore themes of language, destiny, and the burden of knowledge, making it a perfect watch for fans of Denis Villeneuve’s cerebral sci-fi storytelling.

Based on Frank Herbert's novel, Villeneuve did something that David Lynch struggled to pull off almost 30 years before, as it introduced the main players for the franchise and set up even bigger movies to come. Sharing a director with Arrival means it’s clear that 2021’s Dune has a lot in common with the 2016 film. Both explore themes of language, destiny, and the burden of knowledge, making it a perfect watch for fans of Denis Villeneuve’s cerebral sci-fi storytelling.

Additionally, Amy Adams’ Louise Banks and Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides share a similar journey - both are thrust into extraordinary circumstances where their understanding of communication and perception of time set them apart. Villeneuve’s signature visual style, atmospheric sound design, and methodical pacing also mirror Arrival, creating an immersive experience. Plus, both films boast stunning cinematography by Greig Fraser, reinforcing a haunting yet awe-inspiring tone. If you loved Arrival for its deep philosophical questions and stunning visuals, Dune offers another mesmerizing, thought-provoking experience.

19 Children Of Men (2006)

Directed By Alfonso Cuáron

Children of Men, an Oscar-nominated movie from Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuáron, shares a great deal in common with movies like Arrival. The filmmaker took a science fiction setup but then added a very human touch where the sci-fi was just a way to put the humans in the world into a situation where they had to figure out how to just get by in life. The movie saw 18 years on a planet where every human seemed to become infertile, and no babies had been born.

With humanity dying out, one woman shows up pregnant, and a former activist is enlisted to get her to safety as everyone wants to get their hands on her, culminating in the Children of Men ending. Both Children of Men and Arrival explore themes of hope in the face of despair, the fragility of civilization, and how a single individual can shape the future. Clive Owen’s Theo, much like Amy Adams’ Louise, is an unlikely protagonist thrust into a world-changing event, with their journeys rooted in empathy and a longing for something lost.

The cinematography, with long, immersive takes, echoes Arrival’s deliberate pacing, creating an emotional connection to the unfolding mystery. Additionally, both movies feature melancholic yet uplifting finales that linger in the mind long after the credits roll. If Arrival resonated with you because of its emotional depth and introspective look at humanity, Children of Men delivers a similarly powerful experience.

18 Dark City (1998)

Directed By Alex Proyas

Directed by Alex Proyas, Dark City tells the story of a dystopian society and a murder investigation that leads in very unexpected directions. The movie is a strong mix of film noir and science fiction, making it very close to another Villeneuve movie in Blade Runner 2049, but it also shares a lot in common with movies like Arrival.

That is because it is a smart movie with a lot going on under the hood, especially when it comes to the protagonist John Murdoch trying to figure out what is going on around him, making him a nice character to compare to Louise in Arrival. When it comes to similarities with Arrival, Dark City also plays with perception, reality, and the nature of time itself. Both movies explore how our understanding of the world is shaped by forces beyond our control - whether it’s the mysterious aliens of Arrival or the enigmatic beings manipulating reality in Dark City.

What’s more, the protagonists in both films must piece together a mystery with a tone that delves in and out of surrealism in time with the unfolding revelations of the plot. If you enjoyed Arrival’s blend of high-concept sci-fi with intimate, emotional storytelling, Dark City provides a similarly mind-bending and visually stunning experience.

17 Primer (2004)

Directed By Shane Carruth

Movies like Arrival force viewers to pay close attention, because the plots often play out like a puzzle with the story slowly coming together. When it comes to sci-fi puzzle movies, there might not be a better, more complicated film than Primer. Directed by Shane Carruth, Primer tells the story of two engineers who create a box that allows time travel, but with very specific rules in place.

However, just as movies like Arrival took aliens arriving on Earth and told a personal story about a woman and grief. Primer refused to tell a typical time travel story and instead introduced the idea of a paradox that took science and physics very seriously. Much like Arrival, Primer takes a grounded, cerebral approach to science fiction, challenging audiences to rethink their understanding of time.

While Arrival uses linguistics to explore nonlinear time, Primer does so through time travel itself, following two engineers who accidentally stumble upon a means of temporal manipulation. Both films reward those who engage deeply with their intricate storytelling, adding to their rewatch value. The way Arrival immerses viewers in complex theories of communication and determinism finds a kindred spirit in Primer’s dense, puzzle-like narrative. If you were captivated by Arrival’s slow-burn intellectual approach, Primer will keep you thinking long after the credits roll.

16 Timecrimes (2007)

Directed By Nacho Vigalondo

Much like how Primer took the idea of time travel in movies and played with it on a serious level (as Arrival would later do too), Timecrimes did a similar task when it showed how traveling through time had unintended consequences that people rarely think about. Directed by Nacho Vigalondo, Timecrimes is a Spanish-language movie that sees a man named Hector who lives in the Spanish countryside and ends up attacked by a mysterious masked man in the woods.

Just like many sci-fi movies like Arrival, this demands a viewer pay attention and then pays it off with a smart twist ending. Timecrimes is a mind-bending sci-fi film that rivals even Arrival in its surrealism, and both explore the complexities of time, fate, and cause-and-effect. Where Arrival delves into time perception through language, Timecrimes uses a thrilling and intimate time loop narrative to examine free will and inevitability.

Much like Louise Banks in Arrival, the protagonist of Timecrimes must piece together a puzzle where his actions - past, present, and future - are interconnected. The film’s minimalist yet gripping storytelling and suspenseful twists will appeal to those who enjoyed Arrival’s intricate narrative structure. For fans of cerebral sci-fi that plays with the nature of time while keeping the story deeply personal, Timecrimes is a must-watch.

15 The Vast Of Night (2020)

Directed By Andrew Patterson

The Vast of Night has a low-budget vibe that works in its favor, and it takes a Twilight Zone-like approach to its production. This is, of course, the total opposite of Arrival, but the two have more in common than first meets the eye. The entirety of The Vast of Night 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.

Like Arrival, it’s a slow-burn mystery that builds tension through conversation, sound, and an eerie sense of discovery rather than large-scale spectacle.

A radio DJ discovers a strange audio signal that could possibly be extraterrestrial in origin. This brings up an immediate comparison to movies like Arrival, another movie about deciphering alien transmissions, but remains focused on the humans figuring it all out. Also like Arrival, has a twisty ending. This atmospheric indie sci-fi gem shares Arrival’s fascination with language, communication, and first . Like Arrival, it’s a slow-burn mystery that builds tension through conversation, sound, and an eerie sense of discovery rather than large-scale spectacle.

Both films immerse the audience in the protagonist’s experience, allowing tension to rise through subtle yet powerful storytelling. The Vast of Night’s long, unbroken takes and immersive sound design create an intimate experience similar to Arrival’s focus on dialogue and atmosphere. Fans of Arrival who appreciate intelligent, dialogue-driven sci-fi that prioritizes mood and mystery will find The Vast of Night captivating.

14 Sunshine (2007)

Directed By Danny Boyle

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Sunshine

R

Thriller

Sci-Fi

Release Date

July 27, 2007

Runtime

107 minutes

Director

Danny Boyle

Writers

Alex Garland

Cast

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• 
  Cillian Murphy
• 
  Rose Byrne
• 
  Michelle Yeoh
• 
  Chris Evans

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Sunshine is perfect for fans of movies like 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). This 2007 film was overlooked in many ways, including at the Oscars, which didn't give it a single nomination. However, it featured an incredible cast including Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Rose Byrne, and Michelle Yeoh.

Alex Garland wrote the script for the movie, as well as other movies like Arrival, including Ex Machina and Annihilation. When it comes to smart sci-fi, it doesn't get much better. As a quieter, less conflict-oriented genre movie like Arrival, Sunshine blends hard sci-fi with a deeply emotional core, exploring themes of sacrifice, fate, and the fragility of humanity.

While Sunshine focuses on a mission to reignite the dying Sun rather than aliens, both films create an immersive experience through stunning cinematography, an evocative score, and a sense of awe in the face of the unknown. Arrival’s themes of existential dread and human resilience echo Arrival’s exploration of mortality and destiny. Additionally, both movies share a sense of inevitability, where characters must come to with choices that alter the course of history. If Arrival’s combination of stunning visuals and philosophical depth resonated with you, Sunshine offers a similarly breathtaking and contemplative journey.

13 Upstream Color (2013)

Directed By Shane Carruth

Upstream Color

Drama

Documentary

Sci-Fi

Release Date

April 5, 2013

Runtime

96 minutes

Director

Shane Carruth

Cast

• 
  Amy Seimetz
• 
  Shane Carruth
• 
  Andrew Sensenig
• 
  Thiago Martins

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While unwittingly going through a series of bizarre experiences, a woman meets a man, perhaps her soul mate, who seems to have gone through similar things.

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Upstream Color is an 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 movies like 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 becomes a major question in the film. If you were drawn to Arrival’s hypnotic storytelling and emotional depth, Upstream Color is an equally enigmatic and poetic experience. Like Arrival, it is a movie that requires the viewer to actively engage with its themes rather than offering straightforward exposition.

Both explore human connection through nontraditional narratives, using dreamlike visuals and evocative sound design to communicate complex ideas. While Arrival uses language as its focal point, Upstream Color deals with identity, control, and shared consciousness, weaving a puzzle-like structure that slowly reveals its meaning. If you loved Arrival for its ability to blur the line between science fiction and deep human emotion, Upstream Color will leave you mesmerized.

12 Fast Color (2018)

Directed By Julia Hart

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Fast Color

PG-13

Thriller

Science Fiction

Release Date

March 29, 2019

Runtime

102 minutes

Director

Julia Hart

Cast

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• 
  Gugu Mbatha-Raw

  Ruth
• 
  Saniyya Sidney

  Lila
• 
  Lorraine Toussaint

  Bo
• 
  David Strathairn

  Ellis

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Writers

Jordan Horowitz

Producers

Alison Semenza, Jennifer Monroe, Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon

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Fast Color is a 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.

It shares themes with movies like Arrival by having family drama play out larger than the fantastical ideas. Like Arrival, Fast Color is a deeply emotional sci-fi film that prioritizes character over spectacle. It also centers on a strong female protagonist with unique abilities that change her perception of the world. While Arrival’s Louise Banks gains a new understanding of time through alien language, Fast Color’s Ruth has powers tied to a hidden legacy within her family.

Both movies focus on self-discovery and acceptance, using science fiction as a means to explore personal transformation. Additionally, both films emphasize the importance of motherhood - Fast Color through its multigenerational story and Arrival through its nonlinear narrative about love and loss. If you enjoyed Arrival’s intimate, thought-provoking approach to sci-fi, Fast Color offers a similar blend of emotional depth and mystery.

11 Under The Skin (2013)

Directed By Jonathan Glazer

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Sci-Fi

Thriller

Drama

Horror

7/10

21

7.7/10

Release Date

April 4, 2014

Runtime

108 minutes

Director

Jonathan Glazer

Cast

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  Dougie McConnell
• 
  Lynsey Taylor Mackay

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Under the Skin is a gorgeously esoteric 2013 film that stars Scarlett Johansson as an alien entity that comes to Earth to eat people. However, the movie is 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.

Under the Skin explores the issues of identity and loneliness, without ever really providing any easy answers. Directed by Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin has a lot going on under the hood like movies like Arrival, and this is about a lot more than just a killer alien, as it is more about living the human experience. Both Arrival and Under the Skin use quiet, introspective storytelling and striking visuals to create an eerie sense of discovery.

Where Arrival sees an expert trying to understand an alien presence, Under the Skin reverses this by following an alien observing humanity. Both movies challenge the audience to empathize with beings who perceive the world in fundamentally different ways. Additionally, Under the Skin features an unsettling, otherworldly score that echoes Arrival’s immersive sound design. Fans of Arrival who appreciate thought-provoking, slow-burn sci-fi with hypnotic visuals will find Under the Skin to be an unforgettable experience.