Aliens! (But not the kind that break your leg and do a jigsaw...)

On Wednesday night I had the opportunity to see District 9 at a local Cinemagic theater (side note: that damn Cinemagic jingle that plays before the movie is still floating around in my head... I miss the little cartoon wizard!). I'll say right off the bat that seeing this film is an experience that I'd definitely recommend. (Side note #2: thanks to John-the-kindred-lacrosse-ball-spirit for coming along and hanging out even though he'd seen it already... and for introducing me to a lovely little place called Ricetta's Brick Oven Pizzeria. Seriously. If you find yourself in southern Maine, please do yourself a favor and go here.)

I went into District 9 knowing almost nothing about it. I was aware that there were aliens involved, and that Peter Jackson played a role in the production of the film. The best way to approach this movie is to know as little as possible beforehand; it's the easiest way to get drawn into a visually stunning and, yes, intellectually and emotionally skillful piece of work. It's the smart alternative to the summer blockbuster, with blockbuster elements built in.

I won't reveal the plot points and lessen the experience for those who have not seen it. Suffice it to say, this is not your typical close encounter chronicle. It's nominally an alien movie, filmed alternately like a documentary and war movie, with a heavy layer of social commentary. The filmmakers take a bald look at the worst side of human nature, and examine the paradox of gaining a sense of humanity while losing humanity. For those who are attending to see some intense action sequences, there is much for you to appreciate as well. There's a good chance you've never seen anything like District 9 before.

District 9 certainly isn't perfect, but all the things that it does right can cause the audience to overlook or forget any contrivances or inconsistencies. It's also an impressive feature film debut for director/screenwriter Neill Blomkamp and actor Sharlto Copley. I'm looking forward to seeing what these newcomers bring us in the future.

Anyone else have thoughts on the movie? Please feel free to share!

(By the way, the obscure reference in the title of this post, for those who are unfamiliar with it, is from Red Dwarf.)