"Arrival" to Return to Theaters This Weekend With Bonus Footage

Scene from Arrival

Now that the Oscar nominations are out, it's time for everyone to catch up on the titles that they've missed. In most cases, this includes many of the films that are still in theaters or are in the interim of making it to home video. If you're one of those who wishes to catch up on director Denis Villeneuve's Arrival, which earned eight nominations including Best Picture, you're in luck. This weekend marks the typical rerelease of an Oscar front runner. The only difference this time is that those patient enough to make it through the end credits will get a little something extra special.

As it stands, Arrival is one of the few runaway hits of the awards season from both a critical and financial standpoint. The film has, as of this date, grossed over $174 million internationally. It has been considered one of the best sci-fi films of the decade, including praise for its highbrow and timely commentary on intergalactic communication as a metaphor for international relationships. It's considered a sci-fi film for adults who wish to feel challenged by its complex story and deep emotional core. While many are disappointed (such as myself) that Amy Adams didn't get the Best Actress nomination, the good news is that you can witness the film on the big screen again this weekend.

I highly recommend seeing it on the big screen, as Villeneuve's direction is awe-inspiring and giant. Every last detail overwhelms the viewer. It's also one of the more creative Best Picture nominees of the year, which makes it likely to only push up its box office as time goes on. For now, the good news is that it's going to be playing in theaters this weekend. For those wondering "How did they do that?," well there may be some answers coming your way once the studio logos and stinger music plays through. 

According to a press release, this is what you should expect:

The re-release will include exclusive bonus footage featuring thought-provoking commentary and a behind-the-scenes look from Director Denis Villeneuve, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and other cast and filmmakers.  The bonus features, which can only be seen in theatres, shed insight on the filmmaking process and creative vision behind the story.  

For general audiences, this may not sound impressive. However, if you're a film geek it may be enough to entice you to give the film another shot. While my experience with big screen bonus features is limited (I saw a Fathom Event where The Exorcist featured an additional documentary segment), it is a lot more fun to watch than confounding Marvel Movie Easter eggs for the next three films. I don't know what to expect, but hopefully it will be a worthwhile addition, even in its brevity. The studio also claims that it won't be available anywhere else - though never say never in a digital world.

So if you were planning on seeing Arrival this weekend, then there's plenty of good news for you. Not only do you get a great Oscar nominated movie, but you also get a little extra look into the making of the movie; and at no extra cost. It may not be much, but hopefully it will reward those who waited to see the sci-fi hit with valuable information. If nothing else, you get one of the best films of the year, which isn't all that bad of a deal.