Film reviews
Men In Black 3
It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.
Bel Ami
The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.
The Dictator
A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.
The Woman In Black
Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.
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District 9 (Film)
Rating: MA
Running Time: 112
Country: South Africa
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Cast: Nathalie Boltt, Jason Cope, Sharlto Copley, Sylvaine Strike
Distributor: Sony
Release Date: August 13, 2009
Film Worth: $14.00
FILMINK rates movies out of $20 - the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worthPlayed out as a documentary, this cerebral and clever sci-fi tale also carries a political subtext.
The first thing that you should understand about District 9 is this: the less you know about it, the better your viewing experience will be. So, if you can, ignore the viral videos, stay away from the trailers, and don't read reviews...except this one, of course.
Produced by Peter Jackson, District 9 has a broad but intriguing premise: what if aliens arrived on Earth? But instead of hovering over Manhattan or Tokyo, what if they hung over Johannesburg in South Africa? Let's take this premise a bit further. What if the aliens, for whatever reason, weren't gentle and wise humanoids? And what if they were starving, malnourished and needed care? We humans don't look after our own kind, so what would we do with poor beings from another planet?
That's the premise for District 9. The movie itself plays out initially as a mock documentary and then...well, that would be telling. Know this though: District 9 is one of the most compelling and cerebral sci-fi movies to come along for an extremely long time. The makeup effects and CGI are flawless - so flawless, in fact, that you'll soon forget about them and concentrate on the story. As for what happens in the film - well, you're in for a story that's funny, sad and subversive. Characters go on interesting journeys and the doco conceit anchors the film in some of its more wild moments.
District 9 is a brave, intelligent and exciting film. Some of its story beats fall into the "unlikely" category, but the central idea, the design, and the acting are so strong that you'll likely go with it and have a damn good time doing so.
This is one of the most witty and eloquent sci-fi movies of the last decade.
