“District 9” directed by Neill Blomkamp and Produced by Peter Jackson
Because the story was so original and because the acting was so believable and because the movie had the best special effects of anything else I’ve seen, I have to rank this as the best movie of the summer. Many of you have said that I’ve been so positive lately. Well, let me inform you that I’ve decided to mostly write about the good movies, great books and finest television shows I’ve experienced on my BLOG. I saw this documentary featuring the much maligned Jamie Kennedy on ShowTime regarding critics and how harsh they can be, and it made me realize how awful it is to degrade the stuff I don’t like. With that being said, if I don’t talk about something, that doesn’t necessarily mean I love it. It simply means that if I don’t talk about it, I probably don’t have enough good stuff to say about it to put it on my BLOG. Let me quickly list stuff I saw this summer that I barely mentioned (read into this as you wish, but know that I didn’t necessarily hate any of these flicks even if I didn’t’ love them):
- “I Love You Beth Cooper” – summer release
- “Star Trek” – summer release
- “Terminator Salvation”—summer release
- “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” – like the book, this entry was just a tiny bit drab and slightly juvenile for adult viewers
- “Fast and Furious” – DVD
- “The Unborn” — DVD
- “Obsessed” – DVD
- “Push” – DVD
- “Orphan” — I actually loved the twist in this flick enough to give it a watchable rating
- “Drag Me to Hell” — summer release
Anyway, let me get back to District 9. This is one of those creative stories that grabbed hold and jerked me around a bit. I’m still dizzy. At first, I did not like the lead actor in this flick (unknown actor Sharlto Copley). He was so intentionally annoying that I almost bolted from the theater until I realized that he had the gusto to portray the most transformational character in the history of movies. I’ll stop with that description so you can experience it for yourself. By the end of the movie Sharlto’s performance had me thinking ‘Academy Award’. I’m not exaggerating.
Also, the special effects blew away virtually all of those I’ve seen this year. How the floating space ship stays in the background of every shot will remain a total mesmerizing mystery to me (especially with a mere 30 million dollar budget)! In addition, the aliens and humans interacted with total visceral authenticity. I’m still in awe! When special effects take the backseat to terrific story-telling, I’ll typically become a diehard fan. Yet, I know this movie won’t impress all of the people in my life. Some of those people who adore action sequences with in-your-face-jaw-dropping special effects instead of a crafty, original plot might not appreciate the deep, intricate, moral story of District 9. However, I’m going out on a limb and saying that District 9 is without a doubt the best move of the summer. Go see it so we can talk. Also, enter the theater with zero expectations about how the story should unfold. Don’t let your desires for the story supersede those of the writers. Thank me later!
Jay’s Grade: A
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The Class – by Laurent Cantent – French DVD (subtitled) – starring Francois Begaudeau
Since many of my friends are teachers, I had to spend some time reviewing this flick. Sure this is a story about teaching in France, but like the district where I teach, the diversity coupled with the complexity of teaching was tantalizing. I’ve often wished my family and friends could spy on my own teaching exchanges with students at times. I have enough stories from 20 years to write my own autobiography. Like the intense nuances of “The Class”, my own recollections from my teaching experiences probably would not disappoint. Mr. Marin’s Middle School French class contained virtually very ethnicity on Earth, and the interactions were as complicated and challenging as those in the United States. The movie had me hooked when it showed teachers comparing schedules and discussing potential students during In-service activities. There was more real, meaningful, educational, material in this flick than any of the stuff I’ll be subjected to in my upcoming In-service. I was moved. I was shocked. I was transformed. What more can be asked of a flick?
Jay’s Grade: A
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I Love You Man – Directed by John Hamburg – Starring Paul Rudd & Jason Segel — DVD
I could relate to this flick so much. Over my life, most of my friends have been female just like those of the main character in this flick. However, I always had a best male friend. When my first best friend (we were friends from Kindergarten until I entered my sophomore year in high school) decided to go down a road of drugs and danger, I was left in a lurch. How would I start over and find a new best male friend? Ironically, like the character portrayed in this movie, I researched and called the person I thought would make the best candidate for my new best friend. It worked. Although the person I called was a bit reluctant and a bit freaked out at the seemingly randomness of my phone call, he eventually became my best friend. To this day, Randy is still my best friend. So imagine my reaction when a movie contained such a unique story that at some level related to my own life! Although, I went through the tribulations of the main character when I was a teenager, I still could relate to the experience even if he went through it as an adult and even if he was just trying to find a best man for his upcoming marriage. By the way, Randy was my best man! This movie worked because it was funny and totally genuine.
Jay’s Grade: A-
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August 17, 2009
1 response so far ↓
fporter // August 22, 2009 at 2:47 pm |
I agree with you Jay! This film was stunning and breathtaking! I am submitting my review for your thoughts.
District 9 Movie Review
Word of mouth has been telling me for weeks that District 9 is a good movie. When I saw the trailers for it last year, I thought it was a documentary on discrimination against a people in Africa. When I saw the end of the trailer, and it showed an alien being interrogated, I was very intrigued but still cautious because the film was being released in August. Generally, I have observed that films released in August are usually duds, that don’t stand a chance of competing against the summer action blockbusters. District 9 doesn’t fit the characteristics of a dud summer film. I really liked this movie, and I am having a hard time accepting that they only spent 30 million dollars making this film.
First of all the way the movie was filmed was unique and very creative. The entire movie is filmed basically filmed in a documentary style format, and if you ever saw the trailers, you would be surprised that the film was about stranded extraterrestrial aliens, who are no longer wanted on Earth. The film is definitely a homage to the movie and television series Alien Nation, but to me this film is so much better.
The film begins with the appearance of a huge spaceship over the skies of Johannesburg, South Africa, which is crammed with nearly 1 million malnourished insect like aliens. Humans being sympathetic, and interested in the alien tech, transport all 1 million aliens to an area in Johannesburg, which has been given the name District 9. Although the humans are initial excited about the prospect of interacting with an alien species, it soon becomes apparent that the aliens are very roach like in their behavior and the District that they are given becomes a slum and haven for crime. The humans try to avoid all contact with the aliens, and they create an apartheid like society in District 9 and oppress the aliens to keep them bottled up in the alien slums. Its no irony that the filmmakers chose South Africa as their location for this alien visitation, discrimination tale. It is too easy to draw the parallels with the plight of the black South Africans and the aliens, but it is also ironic and funny that the descendents of the apartheid in the movie are willing to discriminate against the aliens.
The story revolves around a bureaucrat name Wikus, who is given the charge of relocating the aliens, which the humans have negatively named “Prawns” to a concentration camp like area to keep the aliens separate from humanity. He is a nice guy when it comes to humans, but you can see he is not too fond of the aliens. I could easily have replaced his character with a Nazi official, and changed the story to fit his relocation of the Jews. Wikus while investigating a “Prawn” hideout is exposed to an alien liquid, and the movie shifts gears from a documentary to a fascinating action film that forces the main character to reevaluate his purpose in life and try something different. Wikus is not a nice guy, and throughout most of the film he is motivated purely for selfish reasons, but towards the end, there is redemption.
I was blown away by this film. It is very well crafted, with a very good story line. The special effects were top notch and the action although unexpected was amazing. There were some flaws in the film, such as convenient plot elements to help Wikus along the way, but they were acceptable. This is the best film I have seen all year long.
Grade: A+