• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Early District 9 Reviews

Trubinator said:
Why do you say that? And how on Earth is "The Thing" better than "Aliens"?
Click to expand...

Because "Aliens" isn't really that good to begin with. The plot was almost 100% ripped off from "Them!", a lot of the alien deaths are stock footage, the characters were all stereotypes (except for Ripley, and that was purely because of Weaver's talent), and the ending with the Alien Queen belongs in a video game.

"The Thing" at least accepted the story it came from, the effects were way better, the paranoia atmosphere truly did scare me, and the ending was great.
 
Another stellar review by someone who has seen it three times already

Every now and again there is a film so special, so much better than everything else, that it flummoxes you. DISTRICT 9 is that film for me right now. I've seen it three times now and it just keeps getting better. How is that?
Well, this is a movie that provokes strong reactions throughout the film. It is disturbing on multiple fronts. The aliens themselves are pretty repulsive looking, buzzing with flies - you can tell that they stink and live in squalor... but that they are in this shape, this squalor and decay... that is a shame at another level. A shame that we recognize. Not from previous films, but from the Nightly News.
Click to expand...
Be prepared to feel a gamut of emotions - but know that the most prescient feeling you'll have coming out of DISTRICT 9 is that you are THRILLED. THRILLED to see something you could not have anticipated. Something new and wonderful and truly amazing.
And when you see it again - and you will see it again, you'll hear things you didn't catch the first time, you'll see details you missed. And upon third viewing, you see even more. This is THE FILM of 2009 so far - and it will take something I can't anticipate to knock it off that pedestal. DISTRICT 9 is my favorite of the year so far.
Click to expand...
I think this is the sleeper for 2009, and is just the type of movie that could win some awards if it is original as all the reviewers keep saying.
 
Anwar said:
Trubinator said:
Why do you say that? And how on Earth is "The Thing" better than "Aliens"?
Click to expand...

Because "Aliens" isn't really that good to begin with. The plot was almost 100% ripped off from "Them!", a lot of the alien deaths are stock footage, the characters were all stereotypes (except for Ripley, and that was purely because of Weaver's talent), and the ending with the Alien Queen belongs in a video game.

"The Thing" at least accepted the story it came from, the effects were way better, the paranoia atmosphere truly did scare me, and the ending was great.
Click to expand...

Wow. I completely disagree on every point ... never thought I'd see the day when somebody disliked that film.
 
If this film is half as good as it looks, it's going to be great. The short it's based on was really an interesting watch.
 
Trubinator said:
Anwar said:
Trubinator said:
Why do you say that? And how on Earth is "The Thing" better than "Aliens"?
Click to expand...

Because "Aliens" isn't really that good to begin with. The plot was almost 100% ripped off from "Them!", a lot of the alien deaths are stock footage, the characters were all stereotypes (except for Ripley, and that was purely because of Weaver's talent), and the ending with the Alien Queen belongs in a video game.
QUOTE]

Wow. I completely disagree on every point ... never thought I'd see the day when somebody disliked that film.
Click to expand...

You've now seen the day twice.

Here's another SF fan who disliked Aliens, or at least didn't really "like" it, much less love it. It was like GI Joe in space. A great ride for action fans but not nearly as interesting to me as the original.

I liked Alien, and none of the sequels.

District 9, however, looks like something I could really like.
Click to expand...
 
The more I see of D9 the more I think I will not like it. i don't want to watch a fake documentary, I want to watch a good thriller movie with action!
 
bigdaddy said:
The more I see of D9 the more I think I will not like it. i don't want to watch a fake documentary, I want to watch a good thriller movie with action!
Click to expand...

Apparently only the first act is cinema verite/faux documentary in style; the rest of the film is supposedly a good thriller with action. Nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to this.
 
Joy said:
I'm really, really interested in seeing this. And finding out that the aliens are fully CGI, and not practical effects--well, color me surprised. ESPECIALLY finding out this thing was made for just $30mil.... WOW.

Joy
Click to expand...

That's why I can't understand how movies like the New Trek movie and Transformers FX cost so much when you have TV show like Battlestar Galactica with FX that are movie quality on a weekly basis. I know the detail on the big screen is greater but that can be handled with a few extra hours of work.
 
The detail on the big screen is much, much greater for 35mm. If you're doing any work in IMAX, the jump in detail is huge. Add to that expensive location shooting that is not limited to one geographic area (for Galactica, the Vancouver area). Add to that slower shooting schedules (1-2 pages of script per day for film vs. 6-8 pages of script per day for television; 100-150 page scripts for film vs. 40-50 page scripts for television) and your film becomes more expensive. Add to that expensive film actors (headliners earn paychecks in the multi-millions for films) and much, much larger casts for most films (especially big budget summer tentpole films). Television relies on a relatively small cast of regular and recurring players (with a few day players). Much cheaper for television than film. A television score can be as little as 15 minutes, and not use a full orchestra (or any orchestra, as many shows have shifted to). A film score can be over two hours, the product of a big name (and expensive) composer, and be recorded by full and sometimes famous orchestras (like the LSO). The list goes on and on, but that's why films are so much more expensive than television episodes.
 
JacksonArcher said:
bigdaddy said:
The more I see of D9 the more I think I will not like it. i don't want to watch a fake documentary, I want to watch a good thriller movie with action!
Click to expand...

Apparently only the first act is cinema verite/faux documentary in style; the rest of the film is supposedly a good thriller with action. Nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to this.
Click to expand...

Oh good, I'm fine with parts of it being that way, but the whole thing will drive me crazy (and probably make me sick). :)
 
I don't like the idea of half and half. If they want to film certain portions of the movie in verite/documentary and mix and mash it so it flows well, that's cool. But I think anything else would make it feel uneven and like two films.
 
timelord1010 said:
That's why I can't understand how movies like the New Trek movie and Transformers FX cost so much when you have TV show like Battlestar Galactica with FX that are movie quality on a weekly basis. I know the detail on the big screen is greater but that can be handled with a few extra hours of work.
Click to expand...
They only cost that much because people charge that much and because other people pay that much for them. It's not hard to understand, it's just flat-out ridiculous how greedy some people (the ones selling the service) are and how stupid other people (the ones buying it) are.

Then they act bewildered by the prices of everything.
 
Well, I saw the short film version of this back when the Halo deal was still around and I thought it was great, so I'm pretty excited about seeing this one. Hopefully I can find the time to get to a theater
 
Trubinator said:
I don't like the idea of half and half. If they want to film certain portions of the movie in verite/documentary and mix and mash it so it flows well, that's cool. But I think anything else would make it feel uneven and like two films.
Click to expand...

A suggestion:

Why don't you wait to judge the film until you've seen it? You don't know how well it was executed or whether you'll like it if you haven't seen it. The reviews are nearly unanimous in their praise of the movie's style and narrative, so I suspect the style is effective and not uneven or disjointed.

I believe this director chose the most compelling way to tell his story - the mix of styles likely works very well in the context of the film. If it serves the content, it is its own justification. And if they are are parts of the film that are unsettling, that is more than likely a directorial decision to convey the emotion of the story.

I don't think anyone should judge a movie by previews and trailer. Give District 9 a chance, go in with an open mind and don't prejudge.
 
I am intrigued just by the concept of this movie, and the atmospheric trailers for it. They had a very realistic feel, at least to me. I plan to go see it when possible.
 
Rackon said:
Trubinator said:
I don't like the idea of half and half. If they want to film certain portions of the movie in verite/documentary and mix and mash it so it flows well, that's cool. But I think anything else would make it feel uneven and like two films.
Click to expand...

A suggestion:

Why don't you wait to judge the film until you've seen it? You don't know how well it was executed or whether you'll like it if you haven't seen it. The reviews are nearly unanimous in their praise of the movie's style and narrative, so I suspect the style is effective and not uneven or disjointed.

I believe this director chose the most compelling way to tell his story - the mix of styles likely works very well in the context of the film. If it serves the content, it is its own justification. And if they are are parts of the film that are unsettling, that is more than likely a directorial decision to convey the emotion of the story.

I don't think anyone should judge a movie by previews and trailer. Give District 9 a chance, go in with an open mind and don't prejudge.
Click to expand...

I reserve the right to be worried, especially since I already have a ticket for the film.
 
First negative review...and oh gee, look who it is: Armond White. This movie still has a 100% as far as I'm concerned. Look at this guys review history if you don't believe me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top