Yeah, “sterile” sums up Villeneuve’s style quite well. “Dreary” works also.
I never understood all the praise Arrival got. I’m guessing 99% of the people who got their rocks off to the film were floored by the plot twist. Well, I went into the movie knowing the twist beforehand and got nothing out of the experience expect cold colour grading and a protagonist with all the charm and personality of a dead salmon sitting in a cooler (and I normally love Amy Adams).
His style was a perfect fit for Blade Runner 2049, though.
Oh, no, I found it beautiful and moving before the plot twist. The plot twist, honestly, felt way too implausible to me. But I loved the movie, especially before that