District 9 - the movie

[Toastmaker]

Hey - has anybody seen this movie yet. The trailers caught my attention but I haven't seen it yet. . . anybody got a review ?

[Willy]

There was a thread about it over at SOH in the NewsHawks. I think Lionheart saw it.

Edit: found the thread but it's an old one and no one had actually seen it.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=19984&highlight=District

[CybrSlydr]

Everything I've read about it says it's a smashing good movie.

Manages to combine some very pertinent social commentary with some very good action. Many have called it the best Sci-Fi movie of the year. A great picture.

One that I hope to see come payday next week.

[Scratch]

If it's out I'm going to see it this weekend. The trailer is one of the best I've seen in years.

[Toastmaker]

Strange, I am also seeing many reviews by common theater-goers that praise the FX but say that it is unusually boring and slow moving in terms of storyline. We'll see. . .

:beach3:

[Hans Jaeger]

The District 9 trailers look good!

On the SciFi theme, has anyone else been watching Defying Gravity? I've seen the first 4 episodes and I'm into it so far. I read somewhere that the ratings are dropping and the network may cancel... I hope not.

[Toastmaker]

Not heard of this. Where and when is it broadcast ? And, what is the storyline ?

[Hans Jaeger]

Here's some info, Toast...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defying_Gravity_(TV_series)

http://www.hulu.com/defying-gravity

[Toastmaker]

Ok, thanks, Hans -

[Odie]

Strange, I am also seeing many reviews by common theater-goers that praise the FX but say that it is unusually boring and slow moving in terms of storyline. We'll see. . .

:beach3:

Saw it on Monday. Their remarks may be due to the way they chose to tell the story. It's a docu-drama style, where the characters will be talking in present tense about past events and then the movie will drop into the event. It was a bit confusing, but once you get used to the style, it was easy to follow.

I liked the premise over-all but it did have some areas that were glossed over that might've done with some explaining (at least for me).

Action scenes were tightly done, effects were good. See it before Prime-Time prices kick-in.

Actors were largely unknown (except one) to me, and that's not a bad thing. It was good to see some outside-the-normal-Hollywood talent and the acting was good. Some of the characters were brutally cold-hearted (as to be expected) and some grew on you over the course of the film.

My son (26 years old) and I went to see it without the wife, and both of us enjoyed it despite some of the shortcomings. I know my wife and if we see a film and she doesn't like it, her first comment will be, "That was different." I've no doubt she would have found D9 different.

They did leave it open for a sequel (D10?) but I don't know how well it's doing overall to generate a sequel.

[Toastmaker]

Thanks, Odie for those details -

:beach3:

[Hans Jaeger]

You mentioned "going to see it". Are we talking the same thing? There is apparently a "Defying Gravity" movie out that has absolutely nothing to do with the TV series.

The one I'm talking about is sci-fi and it's on TV.

[AckAck]

The main problem here I think that is District 9 is a movie ("going to see it") with a subtopic about Defying Gravity (TV show). The only place I see "going to see it" is in reference to District 9. Unless I missed it somewhere else...

Brian

[Hans Jaeger]

The main problem here I think that is District 9 is a movie ("going to see it") with a subtopic about Defying Gravity (TV show). The only place I see "going to see it" is in reference to District 9. Unless I missed it somewhere else...

Ah, yes... I guess that's it.

[Toastmaker]

Ok - finally did see this movie (D9). I agree with Odie's reaction to it's style and story. It was interesting but could use a bit of explanation in some subplots. Definetly left open for a sequal, depending on box office successes probably.

Very good FX.


:beach3:

[Hans Jaeger]

I saw District 9.

Decent FX and interesting concept (aliens as captives/refugees) but that's where the positives end.

The South African English is atrocious, the screen-writing is thin, and the main character is a laughable, bumbling fool for whom you feel no empathy. Though I LOVE sci-fi I watched only about the first half of it before becoming disinterested.

This is definitely a movie that could have benefited from professional Hollywood treatment in screenplay and acting. Too bad it was so poorly done because the idea will languish many years before Hollywood does a proper job of it, if ever.

[CybrSlydr]

I saw District 9.

Decent FX and interesting concept (aliens as captives/refugees) but that's where the positives end.

The South African English is atrocious, the screen-writing is thin, and the main character is a laughable, bumbling fool for whom you feel no empathy. Though I LOVE sci-fi I watched only about the first half of it before becoming disinterested.

This is definitely a movie that could have benefited from professional Hollywood treatment in screenplay and acting. Too bad it was so poorly done because the idea will languish many years before Hollywood does a proper job of it, if ever.

Strange you say that...


District 9 is essentially an expanded version of Blomkamp's short film Alive in Joburg -- the short which got the attention of producer Peter Jackson and Blomkamp subsequently attached to the long-abandoned adaptation of Halo. Using the same documentary-style approach to the material, District 9 is incredibly grounded, making grand science fiction feel tremendously real. This is partly due to the fact that the special effects in the film are taken almost for granted. The massive alien ship hangs in the sky above the city like an afterthought, hazy and out of focus through the constantly shifting lens of the camera. The aliens – a triumph of computer animation and digital character work – feel fully a part of the universe, blurring the line between CG creations and human performers, the standout of which is Wikus himself, Sharlto Copley.

With no prior acting experience, Copley creates a wholly fascinating character. Just promoted by his father-in-law who runs MNU, Wikus wants nothing more than to get ahead, kissing ass and acting far more authoritative than his status allows. In fact, he's relatively unlikeable. He's a white-collar nobody, inconsequential to both the characters and the audience. And that Copley is able to transition Wikus into an increasingly sympathetic character as the film continues – still flawed, still evolving – is a testament to the actor's raw talent. Equally impressive is Wikus' growing bond with Christopher, demanding that Copley create a dynamic relationship with little more than thin air, a relationship without which the film simply doesn't work. We've seen this attempted before in Jackson's own films, with Gollum or King Kong, but never has it worked so well and to such emotional effect.

District 9 is a remarkable work and a truly benchmark science fiction film. Offering an expert balance of narrative, character, sub-text, action, effects and performance, Neill Blomkamp's cinematic debut is the film that fans have been waiting years (or perhaps even decades) for. There is scale here, both grand and intimate. Its heroes are distinctive; it's setting unique. Its action is spectacular and its drama is equal parts heartfelt and terrifying. Most importantly, it feels new. There is a mind at work in Blomkamp and District 9 is that rare celebration of science fiction that will undoubtedly help define the genre for years to come.

Odd that you see things so very differently.

Have you seen the movies "Solaris", "Memento", "Donnie Darko"?

[Hans Jaeger]

I plan to finish watching it some time when I have some time to waste.

That glowing account you posted of "cutting edge" sci-fi seems laughable to me, sorry. What's cutting edge to the reviewer (whoever he is) simply seems half-baked to me.

The new Star Trek - outstanding. The new Terminator - excellent.

District 9 - definitely 2nd or 3rd rate, though the basic idea was excellent.

[Hans Jaeger]

Some good info on the FX side...

http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=5248&referer=newsletter

Destined to become a "cult classic" which is a euphemism for "crap that some people really like". :D

[Hans Jaeger]

Two back-to-back comments on a glowing review that I read:


Had some good effects. Strong premise. Cardboard, two-dimensional villain. It's screenwriting 101--if you make a villain this 100% evil it is never interesting. Compelling villains resmble the hero. But this was an adolescent look at evil. Oooo, bad military; oooo evil bad guy. C'mon--what BS. The character Wez in THE ROAD WARRIOR did this character much, much better. D9's hero was woefully miscast and it was a frighteningly inconsistent performance. Do I believe for one second that this character has the stones to go into the district to carry off that mission? No, it's absurd. The actress who played his wife gave a truly awful performance. The aliens were strong and weak to suit plot-points. The telegraphed alien eye-batting was bathic. For me, District 9 was every bit the student film. And there's nothing worse than inexperience ruining a great premise. I was very disappointed. Praise for this mediocre effort is astonishingly inaccurate.



This was truly the best movie with aliens that could keep the level of the "excitement" alive all thru the whole movie, this is the best SCI-FI horror movie in 2009.

The story is a documentuary so the acting level is supposed to be uneven I think you missed the point of the whole movie.

This is a new alien concept especially the weapons and the CGI effects are the best ever since Titanic.

I just luv the view when you can watch like in a FPS game but in reality when the police storm D9 totally amazing.

And no cheezy ending like all the prevoius type of Alien SCI-FI movies and then I mean all of them ever produced :)

Couldn't be more different, huh. You can guess which camp I fall into. :)

[Snuffy]

Good thing we all have different tastes eh?

:laugh: