District 9 (DVD)

District 9 (2009). Cert.15 This is a film that many of my friends said is a 'must see'....I read one newspaper review then decided I would not read too many other reviews as the one review I read was quite damning and did not seem to fit with my friends views. Let me start by saying it is quite a strange film in some ways in that it is at times quite compulsive viewing, and then two minutes later quite dull, at least, that is how the first 20 minutes or so of the 112 minutes struck me anyway. Is it Sci fi? Is it a thriller? Is it a moral tale? Is it an action movie?......well all of these and no particular genre at all.....let ...  Read the complete review

Directed by Neill Blomkamp, 'District 9' is a low-budget science fiction film which can be also viewed as a social commentary on apartheid. Filmed in a documentary style, the movie begins with a series of interviews informing us that in the 80's a large spacecraft appeared over Johannesburg, hovering stationary above the city as if somehow damaged. Upon inspection of the craft, two million alien beings were found inside and subsequently relocated to a camp underneath known as 'District 9'. Years later, the camp has transcended into a ghetto, and the creatures (derogatorily known as 'prawns') are rioting and dealing arms with a community of Nigerians who have ...  Read the complete review

District 9 is a new movie showing at the cinemas which was written and directed by Neill Blomkamp who is known mostly for making music videos. He was chosen to direct the film Halo but because of a studio row the film came to a halt and Blomkamp skulked of and fell into a deep depression. Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame who was producing Halo at the time must have seen some creative sparkle in Blomkamp. He encouraged the young director to go and write and direct his own film, which he did and Jackson financed it. Hence District 9 was created and released by Sony Pictures this year in August. The film starts in a documentary mode telling us about ...  Read the complete review

Director: Neill Blomkamp Screenplay: Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell Genre: Action - Drama - Sci-fi Country: USA/New Zealand Certification: 15+ Language: English/Nyanja/ Afrikaans MAIN CAST: Sharlto Copley [Wikus Van De Merwe] In 1990, an alien ship appears above Johannesburg [South Africa]. For three months it casts its shadow on the anxious residents below who are awaiting some form of communication. Deciding to take matters into their own hands, the government sends in soldiers to break into the ship, and its then that they make first contact with the alien life forms ...  Read the complete review

How I have longed for some serious sci-fi, instead of worthy Will Smith saving the world, bloody Star Trek, or Hollywood making up for lack of plot and characters with zillion dollar SFX that swamp anything else a movie might have had to offer. So here it was. The Great White Hope of sci-fi, and I was all geared up to give it every chance. It started unpromisingly with a jerky, hand-held documentary camera style and a lead character who came across as a mix of Charlie Chaplin and Adolf Hitler. However, the action was intriguing enough to suck me in and it's testimony to the strength of the plot that I didn't notice when the camerawork switched to ...  Read the complete review