I started getting impressed with District 9 from the moment I realised the events mirrored Apartheid. Apparently it's based on real events that occurred in District 6, Johannesburg in 1966. This was a real dystopian film, then, as it had a "learn from this" undertone.This is a film that plumbs the depths of human cruelty and greed. It's pretty disturbing at the beginning and there doesn't seem to be a hero at all. Wickus, the main character, starts off as heinous as anyone else, taking delight in the deaths of the alien children by incineration as they "pop like corn". There's a revolting government lab which looks the one Ripley discovers in Aliens 3. (I think it's Aliens 3. The one where the experiments were done to bring her and her wee alien back to life after she jumps into the lava. Come to think of it, it might be Aliens 4. By the way isn't Alien just a fantastic film?) Though I squirmed a bit at the beginning, District 9 has a great pay-off, it's clever and it looks amazing. But it's certainly not one for the faint-hearted.
I saw a couple of previews that looked interesting, and a few more that looked absolute rubbish, including The Final Destination (they're still flogging this dead horse?) and Theta-Pi (a not-so-cleverly-disguised I Know What You Did Last Summer. 2012 looked okay, but I'm a bit over epic cinematic disaster films. It's Surrogates that piqued my interest. It looks like a cross between Bladerunner and The Island. (Hands up who likes The Island? ME!)
Here's the trailer. Tomorrow I review Uglies, by Scott Westerfield. See you then!
I hadn't heard anything about District 9 (yep, sometimes I live under a rock) but it sounds fascinating. I live for 'disturbing'.
ReplyDelete(I think the scene you're referring to is in Alien Resurrection, which is 4th in the series and probably my favourite.)
You'll like District 9 then!
ReplyDeleteI liked the fourth better than the second or the third, but the first one just stole my heart. And I like to think it's not just because it had a cat, hehe. Near the end I was yelling at the screen "Ridley! The cat! Don't forget your cat!!" Poor thing gets suckered in the second one though...
I still have to see District 9. It looks really amazing. I love that Surrogate preview that movie looks like it is going to amazing as well.
ReplyDeleteAlien is a great film and one of my favorites.
I heard that this was kinda slow at the beginning and the ending made you want there to be a second one but I'll have to see it for myself. Anything with Bruce Willis usually looks good.
ReplyDeleteBruce Willis is definitely in my top ten men.
ReplyDeleteMaybe even in top 5 - along with Gerard Butler and Robert Downey Jnr. They're dreamy.
Anyway - so glad you liked D9
and *BOTH HANDS UP AND WAVING THEM AROUND WILDLY*
I looooved The Island. Funny you should mention it - I was going to do a post today with a youtube video of one of my favourite songs ever - I think it was created for that movie, but has since been used in Elizabeth-the Golden Age with Cate Blanchett and I think also Will Smith's Seven Pounds, and maybe a few others...I'll still post it!
Hmm, my older-man-love has to go to Daniel Craig and Clive Owen. And Giles from Buffy. And I always linger to watch Hugo Weaving when my boyfriend watches The Matrix for the umpteenth time. Oh and Ralph Feinnes!!
ReplyDeleteOMG, I am totally with you on Clive Owen. **sigh** I actually have to say that when I saw this preview in the theater, the fact that Bruce Willis was in it made me decide not to see the film, right then and there. Gamer, though, with Gerard Butler? That looks AWESOME. Do I sound biased? I probably am...
ReplyDeleteI actually had to Google Gerard Butler because I didn't know who he was! Feeling so out of touch right now. But so yes. Hot hottie hot.
ReplyDeleteOther than I disagree with you over the best Alien film (it's all about part 2, Aliens!!!!), I wholeheartedly agree with you on District 9. I LOVED this movie. I still think Star Trek is my fave of the summer, but D9 is a close second. It's everything I wanted from Transformers and Terminator, only infinitely better. Great action, great story, great acting (Wickers was awesome). I loved it.
ReplyDeleteI really loved seeing District 9 in the cinema. I think the possible perception of slowness at the beginning was due to the strange mix of presentation: a docu/mocumentary that blends into an action film. But I think it worked.
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