AD Astra promises to be this year’s Arrival. Which is to say: a strong concept-driven, emotionally resonant, interstellar sci-fi from a director on the rise. The film stars Brad Pitt as Roy McBride, an astronaut driven to the very edges of our solar system by his drive to track down his long lost father, here played by Tommy Lee Jones.

Beyond the familial heart of writer-director James Gray’s story, Ad Astra offers tempting mysteries and a journey that will will uncover secrets challenging the nature of human existence and its place in the cosmos. The narrative is driven by McBride’s internal monologue but isn’t short of external threat. Certainly, this one is nothing if not hugely ambitious.

Joining Pitt, in his second major film of the year, and Jones, Oscar nominee Ruth Negga, Lord of the Rings’ Liv Tyler and Donald Sutherland co-star in cameo appearances. A contributor to the score of Arrival itself, German born Brit Max Richter has penned a suitably haunting soundtrack to the film, almost reminiscent of First Man, with Spectre and Dunkirk director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema on good form with pleasingly vast cinematography.

Critics have found unreserved praise for a mighty turn by Pitt - subtle, empathetic, engaged - from Ad Astra’s very first screening at the Venice Film Festival. Strong too are the immersive visuals and a script that delves deep into the psyche and challenges expectation at every turn.

Also out this week, The Farewell has proved to be another festival favourite and even early Oscar front runner.

Starring Crazy Rich Asians’ breakout supporter Awkwafina, The Farewell tells the story of a family who reunite for a mock celebration on learning that their matriarch grandmother has but weeks to live as a means of keeping it from her whilst sharing her final days. Writer-director Lulu Wang drew on her own experiences, as a Chinese-American, in constructing the film, which has been co-produced by Little Miss Sunshine’s Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub.

Zhao Shuzhen plays the story’s soon to depart grandmother, with Man in the High Castle star Tzi Ma as her son Haiyan. Ultimately, however, this is Awkwafina’s showcase. Known best for her comic chops, Awkwafina offers here a deftness for emotionally intelligent performing and nuance. Far from funny, The Farewell is poignant and thoroughly moving. A wonderful, entirely relatable achievement.