District 9

[Rigel]

and BTW

Spoiler

I think the human-alien hybrid or something like that is actually the reporter who gets sprayed in the face.

That's actually stated explicitly in some of the articles I've read about it.

[Orlion]

and BTW

Spoiler

I think the human-alien hybrid or something like that is actually the reporter who gets sprayed in the face.

That's actually stated explicitly in some of the articles I've read about it.

Damn, and here I thought I had something insightful to say

[jacob Raver, sinTempter]

[Loredoctor]

I'm seeing District 9 in an hour and a half.

[Loredoctor]

The projection camera broke down. They refunded my ticket and gave me a six month pass to see a movie.

Damn.

[Orlion]

You know Lore, at first I was going to call you a lucky bastard... but then ....at least when you are able to see it...

[Worm of Despite]

Well, I saw it. I really enjoyed it, though it was entirely different from what I expected (even having seen Alive in Joburg), and I thought it could've used more action and just...something more climactic a lot sooner, as there was really only one "oh wow" scene for the crowd that night, and I felt a bit of disconnect from the whole picture in general (but it could've been the people behind me). In any case, I'd say it's a good film, possibly great, but I saw the "hooks" where I was supposed to care for characters, and the only thing that engaged me was how well it was all filmed and the whole infection/medical guinea pig sequence for our poor protagonist.

All in all, I give it 3 out of 4 Foul eggs. UP! is still my choice for 2009's best. Also: for some reason, many quite stunning women were with some of the strangest-looking men I've yet seen. They really should shoot higher. 0 out of 4 Foul eggs.

[Orlion]

Lord Foul's review of the movie is a very accurate one. I too, enjoyed it, and found the ending to be very fitting. Like Lord Foul, I was struck by how different it was from what I expected...kinda like the Village but in a better way. I was expecting this film to be a little to a bit preachy, and it was not. It's pretty much a snapshot of an incident involving District 9, and the way the documentry segments were pieced together with normal movie segments was done in an excellent manner.

It's definitely a movie you'll want to discuss a little bit, so bring friends along. I had to see it alone because a lot of my friends are plastered in North Carolina and others don't want to see it because of the 'pervasive profanity'

[Lord Mhoram]

I just saw a late showing of it. It has two seemingly contradictory elements: it has great, great action, but it's also incredibly moving and humane. Once more people have seen it here I'd like to discuss it. An excellent film, I think.

[Orlion]

Once more people have seen it here I'd like to discuss it.

As would I

[Earthfriend]

I saw it yesterday, and also really enjoyed it. District 9 is such a dense movie, it's almost hard to know where to begin - there's just so much to discuss! I highly recommend it to all and sundry, (keeping in mind that it is excessively violent).

Perhaps a new thread with a spoiler alert in the title could be posted so the post-viewing dissection can begin?

[Loredoctor]

Good idea.

[ItisWritten]

I saw it last night. I have to agree with Lord Mhoram. I'd like to add that anyone reading comments here concerning the chief characters will spoil some of the movie's impact. There are some movies in which knowing even a little about a character reduces the experience, and this is one of those. Which isn't to say there are surprising twists. It's not that kind of movie. JMO

I intend to see it again, but I don't expect that viewing to be the same.

[Brinn]

Very good movie. Loved it!

[Zarathustra]

Caution, spoilers.

I've kept myself spoiler free on this one, because I've read that the direction it goes is so surprising. After reading about this "surprising direction" a couple times, I suppose I was expecting a lot more. I thought it was depressing and ultimately boring. It started with a great premise, interesting style, good acting, top-notch CGI (almost didn't look CGI), and then just fell apart into a mediocre action film. Almost nonexistent characters. The main character was the only person in the entire film that was more than just a sketch of a character. While his plight was tragic, I thought this idea was done a lot better with The Fly.

I thought the alien-human relations were a joke. These two races can communicate with each other, but their communication doesn't go beyond trading for cat food? Seriously? The aliens don't tell the humans what the problem is with their ship, so they can work on a solution? Living in a slum is good enough for them?

The issue with the weapons only working with alien DNA was kind of cool, but if the aliens had all these weapons, why didn't they use them?? They let themselves be treated like crap when they have superior fire power??? WTF?

The logic of this movie was ridiculous. Completely implausible. The most valuable biological "property" on the planet (the main character) is in a known location (where the aliens are--where there is also lots of alien weapons which this guy can use), and they only send a few choppers and a handful of men to get him?

And then the Dad alien and his son go back to their home planet to get help. I assumed that they were going to bring back an army to fight back against these technologically inferior humans. Um, what? They have 2 million aliens, a mother ship, and a shitload of awesome weapons. You don't need to go to another planet to have an army!! The Dad alien had his army here on earth!

I think Land of the Lost made more sense.

[Orlion]

I thought the alien-human relations were a joke. These two races can communicate with each other, but their communication doesn't go beyond trading for cat food? Seriously? The aliens don't tell the humans what the problem is with their ship, so they can work on a solution? Living in a slum is good enough for them?

The issue with the weapons only working with alien DNA was kind of cool, but if the aliens had all these weapons, why didn't they use them?? They let themselves be treated like crap when they have superior fire power??? WTF?

Spoiler

With the exception of one alien and the son, it was mentioned that the aliens were of the worker class. It was further implied that this meant they had low intelligence (like an alien hillbilly) and did things mostly on command. Left to their own designs, they sought out to satisfy whatever desire they happened to have (hence the trading of weapons for cat food). Do to their low intelligence, they did not know what was wrong with the ship and couldn't tell anyone. And because they were breed to follow orders, telling them, "Hey, you have to do this" was somewhat sufficint to get them to do what you wanted them to do. There is an unanswered question here, but I would like to discuss it later

The logic of this movie was ridiculous. Completely implausible. The most valuable biological "property" on the planet (the main character) is in a known location (where the aliens are--where there is also lots of alien weapons which this guy can use), and they only send a few choppers and a handful of men to get him?

Spoiler

And then the Dad alien and his son go back to their home planet to get help. I assumed that they were going to bring back an army to fight back against these technologically inferior humans. Um, what? They have 2 million aliens, a mother ship, and a shitload of awesome weapons. You don't need to go to another planet to have an army!! The Dad alien should had his army here on earth!

I think Land of the Lost made more sense.

Avatar would be able to tell us more clearly what military resources they would have. But consider the following:

Spoiler

1. They wanted to get the guy as quick as possible and as quietly as possible. Remember, they told people that the main character had had sexual intercourse with aliens and was possibly infected with a disease. Sending the entire South African army after him would have created suspisions and created panic.

2. I was almost under the impression that this was personal MNU 'security'. They may be powerful, but not enough to have an army the size you're speaking of.

3. I'm certain with the movement of the mothership that people may have wanted to have some military keep an eye on that.

4. The aliens had very limited fuel for the mothership, so they probably didn't want to use that. A lot of the alien weapons were all ready either confiscated or sold for cat food. Further more, these are worker aliens, not soldiers, and probably in poor condition compared to what they could be. They may do some damage, but I'm sure the humans would ultimately win out, and the smart alien knows this.

Having said that, I do agree that the "surprising direction" wasn't all that awe inspiring as it was made out to be... but that's not why I think the movie is great

Besides, IMO, this movie had one all-encompassing advantage over Land of the Lost: No Will Farrell.

[Rigel]

While my first reaction was close to Malik's, the more I think about it the more I disagree.

Spoiler

Re: the weapons, I was wondering that myself, but the premise after all was that these were the underclass workers. They weren't soldiers, they weren't leaders, they didn't know jack - they just took orders. Given that, how their situation developed is hardly surprising.

Christopher is, I believe the only surviving member of the higher classes. Even the yellow one who was helping him didn't have near his intelligence.

The other part that bothered me at first was that Wikus didn't seem show much initiative even when he had weapons in his hands, yet he had remarkably accurate aim. However, the initiative fits with the type of character he was - rather subdued, and not very confident in himself. As for the aim, I can only assume that the alien weapons had some kind of automated aiming system that helped there.

My favorite part, though? The very last scene of (a completely transformed Wikus?) an alien handcrafting a rose from scrap metal.

Overall, an impressive film. I'm rather positive I'll go see it again.

[Lord Mhoram]

Malik,

The aliens don't tell the humans what the problem is with their ship, so they can work on a solution? Living in a slum is good enough for them?

The latter question is really the issue, isn't it? I think the idea is that despite humans' ability to communicate with the aliens, they have absolutely no desire to work for their benefit. What happens in the film that makes you think the humans were in any way willing to help?

The issue with the weapons only working with alien DNA was kind of cool, but if the aliens had all these weapons, why didn't they use them?? They let themselves be treated like crap when they have superior fire power??? WTF?

My understanding was that the aliens landed on earth in a severely weakened state, and that when the humans infiltrated the mothership and put the aliens on the ground, they also stole their weapons. The point about the type of aliens left on earth is a good one, too.

The most valuable biological "property" on the planet (the main character) is in a known location (where the aliens are--where there is also lots of alien weapons which this guy can use), and they only send a few choppers and a handful of men to get him?

Spoiler

I dunno. For one thing, there was a concerted PR effort to paint the main character as a mere sexual deviant and outlaw, so sending the entire MNU army into District 9 would have looked pretty suspicious. And the stuff they did send after him...well, you saw the ending fight sequence. It was pretty hardcore shit.

And then the Dad alien and his son go back to their home planet to get help. I assumed that they were going to bring back an army to fight back against these technologically inferior humans. Um, what? They have 2 million aliens, a mother ship, and a shitload of awesome weapons. You don't need to go to another planet to have an army!! The Dad alien had his army here on earth!

Spoiler

Christopher Johnson didn't say he and his fellow aliens were necessarily going to come back to attack earth. That wasn't even necessarily an implication. I suspect that he went home to confer with his home planet as to how to rescue their compatriots. Though I was also confused as to why he left everybody but his son.

[Rigel]

Having said that, I do agree that the "surprising direction" wasn't all that awe inspiring as it was made out to be... but that's not why I think the movie is great

I'm sorry, what surprising direction was that?

Besides, IMO, this movie had one all-encompassing advantage over Land of the Lost: No Will Farrell.

Hey, Will Farrell can be a great actor! Stranger than Fiction is one of my favorite movies!

[Worm of Despite]

The issue with the weapons only working with alien DNA was kind of cool, but if the aliens had all these weapons, why didn't they use them?? They let themselves be treated like crap when they have superior fire power??? WTF?

Well, 2 million aliens vs. 6 billion humans, nuclear bombs, etc. Wouldn't have weighed in their favor, even with the robot suit-thing at the end. Also, two things: they don't seem to like to interact with humans, judging from the hard time they gave Wikus about relocating; secondly, being drones (as the movie implied), they seem used to taking a lot of crap and pretty much being ignorant about their condition. They just wander about, eat, and only one or two, really, even had any plan to get off the planet. Their outlook is definitely different from your (or human) logic.

I saw it again...definitely enjoyed it even more, especially with the smaller crowd. It made me wonder how much this film will make in the box office, since I think most "guys/bros" aren't going to get this film ("dur, it didn't have enough action man!"). That said, even though I wasn't totally emotionally involved in it on 2nd viewing, the brilliance of the way it was filmed (right down to the cameras mounted on guns), its overall ideas (infection, corporate amoralism) and alien-mythology/details were executed without restraint and quite inspiring.

The action did remind me of one thing, though: I'm tried of shaky-cam. I want to get emotionally involved in a scene but I can't tell what the hell is going on. To some extent this happened in Fellowship of the Ring (cave troll battle), and to some extent it gives a sense of abrupt force/terseness/tension but but your best bet is to use good editing and good choreography. Sparing use. Same goes for slow-mo (Zack Snyder, are you reading? Nah, you're probably too dumb to use the Internet).