District 9 *no spoilers*

Started by Aragem, August 16, 2009, 09:59:55 AM

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Aragem

I saw District 9 saturday and I was blown away.  I LOVED it.  I give it 5 stars out of 5. 

I can't wait to see it again.

Sabby


The Overlord


I must admit I’m tempted to see it, just for the fact that everything they showed so far in the trailers leads me to believe it’s unconventional for the genre.

Caeli

Quote from: The Overlord on August 17, 2009, 12:29:31 AM
I must admit I’m tempted to see it, just for the fact that everything they showed so far in the trailers leads me to believe it’s unconventional for the genre.

I don't suppose you might have a couple of links to said trailers?

I've been wanting to see it, but haven't for lack of time.
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Valerian

There are a couple of trailers listed on this page, though I haven't watched them myself since I'm at work.  I did see the movie though (and reviewed it!) and I have to say it was a wonderfully refreshing change to be able to watch a good movie.  A lot of the summer releases were a little disappointing in my opinion...

But yes, it's definitely not your typical sci-fi movie.  It's very well done.  :)
"To live honorably, to harm no one, to give to each his due."
~ Ulpian, c. 530 CE

Sabby

Isn't it an alternate take on Africa or something?

Valerian

It's set in South Africa, and can easily be viewed as something of a parable for the racial problems they've had there, yes; but it isn't exactly an alternate version of Africa.  And the movie doesn't beat you over the head with that comparison, thankfully.
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ZK

It's a movie where the humans are the bad guys and the aliens are like Jews from the Nazi Internment camps.
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Karma

Quote from: The Overlord on August 17, 2009, 12:29:31 AM
I must admit I’m tempted to see it, just for the fact that everything they showed so far in the trailers leads me to believe it’s unconventional for the genre.

While it's a very effective movie, it actually does nothing unconventional. The plot is standard and the cinematography is typical post-Blair Witch/The Office/BSG shakycam/documentary. It was very good at everything it did, and I enjoyed it thoroughly, but it does exactly nothing new or unique.

Valerian

Well, I'm pretty sure there's nothing any movie can do anymore that's actually new or unique.  Heh.  It isn't a conventional sci-fi movie, in my opinion, simply because so many films that have that label nowadays are often just excuses for lots of special effects -- and one thing this movie did particularly well was to present realistic characters, aliens included, which is unfortunately uncommon in many movies these days, regardless of genre.

One thing I was surprised to discover when researching for my review was that the actors who play the main character and his wife had almost exactly zero movie acting experience prior to this, which makes their performances even more impressive, I think.
"To live honorably, to harm no one, to give to each his due."
~ Ulpian, c. 530 CE

consortium11

Quote from: Valerian on August 17, 2009, 12:51:16 PM
Well, I'm pretty sure there's nothing any movie can do anymore that's actually new or unique.  Heh.  It isn't a conventional sci-fi movie, in my opinion, simply because so many films that have that label nowadays are often just excuses for lots of special effects -- and one thing this movie did particularly well was to present realistic characters, aliens included, which is unfortunately uncommon in many movies these days, regardless of genre.

One thing I was surprised to discover when researching for my review was that the actors who play the main character and his wife had almost exactly zero movie acting experience prior to this, which makes their performances even more impressive, I think.

I'm sure they said the same thing before Blair Witch... and before Sin City (and the other primarily blue screen movies)... and before a Scanner Darkly (which was a poor film but the animation was brilliant) etc etc. There's always new and unique things that can be done... the fact we can't think of them is why we're discussing the movies rather than making them  :-)

The movie itself was enjoyable... looked great on a low budget, interesting story, at times a little heavy handed with its Aparthaid references and it seemed like they threw some of the action scenes in just to have action scenes... but I definately enjoyed it. A refreshing change.

On a related note about it being "unconventional sci-fi"... I was actually having a discussion about this over a pint a week or two ago. Is sci-fi more of a genre... or more of a setting? For example Serenity, 2001 A Space Odessy, Gattaca and say Alien can all be called "Sci-Fi" films, but they are all very different movies. Are there films that are simply a "Sci-Fi" film rather than a "Sci-Fi Western", a "Sci-Fi Thriller", a "Sci-Fi Action" or a "Sci-Fi Comedy" for example?

Karma

Well, I'm certainly using "new" and "unique" in a much looser fashion than Valerian. By that count, nothing's been new since antiquity. When I say it, I mean a unique combination of aspects that makes something truly stand alone, as opposed to actually being the only/first one to do this or that specific thing.

The Overlord

Quote from: Caeli on August 17, 2009, 03:36:40 AM
I don't suppose you might have a couple of links to said trailers?

I've been wanting to see it, but haven't for lack of time.

District 9 - Official Trailer [HD]

The Overlord

Quote from: Karma on August 17, 2009, 12:09:52 PM
While it's a very effective movie, it actually does nothing unconventional. The plot is standard and the cinematography is typical post-Blair Witch/The Office/BSG shakycam/documentary. It was very good at everything it did, and I enjoyed it thoroughly, but it does exactly nothing new or unique.


Being as I have not seen it, I have no idea how the whole thing is filmed. What I am saying is typically when someone puts out a story where humans and aliens come into some form of conflict, they are typically the aggressors in these over-the-top, big-budget but low-brow plots like ID4, remade War of the Worlds, and *cough* Starship Troopers.

Most don't seem to want to tackle humans in the role of the aggressors. It speaks of our inner demons and we enjoy being the 'good guys'. Also, the above mentioned idea that District 9 is set in Africa because it's a metaphor for racial inequality there seems to be the case, and that's good, because good sci-fi often has a lesson in there for us, and is a metaphor for a real-life issue that haunts us.

Quote from: consortium11 on August 17, 2009, 05:18:04 PM
I'm sure they said the same thing before Blair Witch... and before Sin City (and the other primarily blue screen movies)... and before a Scanner Darkly (which was a poor film but the animation was brilliant) etc etc. There's always new and unique things that can be done... the fact we can't think of them is why we're discussing the movies rather than making them  :-)

The movie itself was enjoyable... looked great on a low budget, interesting story, at times a little heavy handed with its Aparthaid references and it seemed like they threw some of the action scenes in just to have action scenes... but I definately enjoyed it. A refreshing change.

On a related note about it being "unconventional sci-fi"... I was actually having a discussion about this over a pint a week or two ago. Is sci-fi more of a genre... or more of a setting? For example Serenity, 2001 A Space Odessy, Gattaca and say Alien can all be called "Sci-Fi" films, but they are all very different movies. Are there films that are simply a "Sci-Fi" film rather than a "Sci-Fi Western", a "Sci-Fi Thriller", a "Sci-Fi Action" or a "Sci-Fi Comedy" for example?

Yes indeed, all the new ideas are not used up, but I do know this a more endemic feeling these days. I've been told by an art instructor that is the feeling in most of the fine arts- that it's all been done and nothing new can come of it.

Obviously as a species we strive for new and original; the next creative apex. I believe this intellectual pursuit has always been one of our strongest points.

Inspiration really is like lightning out of the blue though: No one can predict where it will strike next, we don't know what the next movement is until we see it. But I always believe in the next movement, it can come from the unlikeliest sources and times.

Karma

Quote from: The Overlord on August 17, 2009, 07:21:34 PM
Most don't seem to want to tackle humans in the role of the aggressors.

Actually, human superiority is quite a common display, even in mainline sci-fi like Star Trek and Star Wars - see the Empire's total suppression of alien species in its ranks, or the responses of several humans throughout Trek against aliens. Let's not even start on how Babylon 5 covered the subject rather completely. It's not uncommon at all.

The Overlord

Quote from: Karma on August 17, 2009, 07:26:55 PM
Actually, human superiority is quite a common display, even in mainline sci-fi like Star Trek and Star Wars - see the Empire's total suppression of alien species in its ranks, or the responses of several humans throughout Trek against aliens. Let's not even start on how Babylon 5 covered the subject rather completely. It's not uncommon at all.

It occurred in degrees. Xenophobia was an issue in Star Trek to a lesser degree, and to a greater degree in B5, but was not a deciding factor in either backstory, other than the fact humans are a major player in the galactic political organizations. The Mimbari and Vulcans are interchangeable as civilized and logical extraterrestrial partners.

and the Empire was...well, the Empire. It's probably the worst case of xenophobia but there were noted exceptions where non-humans rose to great heights of infamy in the Galactic Empire.


But for an Earth-based and modern-day drama, perhaps the next best example is Blade Runner, as the replicants were simply too complex, the plot too convoluted to declare them the unchallenged antagonists.

Dexter Wiggles

I thought the movie was slow to start, but once the action got going it was pretty good.
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j9nightelf

#17
Okay, I know that this topic has kinda gone cold but I just had to comment on this film since I have finally gotten the chance to see it.

I thought it was awesome, seriously.  Besides anything else the story was amazingly well told.

The best thing about watching this movie for me though was the fact that I am South African, it was set in my own country.  Now, I know that you might think that makes me bias, but on the contrary we South Africans usually have the mentality that if it's a locally filmed production it can't possibly as good as anything Hollywood could produce.  This film however, I think, has opened our eyes to the amazing potential we have in our own country.

I don't want to give anything away, but what made watching this movie so good from my point of view was that finally we have a film that shows people who look and sound South African, OMG, it was so weird hearing people that sound like people you know on the big screen for the first 20 minutes in, even down to the swearing *giggles*.  But also, it is a film that does touch on issues that we as a country, but I guess you could say as a race deal with, and yet, it didn't get too tied up in all that heaviness.  It didn't fall into the trap of being just a commentary on Aparthied or xenophobia, we had action for the sake of it, and that kept things interesting, that's what made the film so great to watch, because interwoven into this really amazing concept and story are some really kick ass action scenes.  And then there is the acting, Sharlto Copley seriously should get an award or something, considering that a lot of what he did at the beginning of the film was improvised. 

I don't know if there is anyone else on E from SA, I don't think so, or at least I haven't met any one, but I have to say, I am really proud of this film and what it's achieved.  If you haven't see it and you do enjoy sci-fi, go and check it out.