District 9 Review
“District 9” is a gritty faux documentary that takes us to Johannesburg in South Africa to witness the momentous arrival of a towering alien spaceship. Instead of heavenly voices and benevolent, super-intelligent space brothers, us humans are greeted by a race of starving, diseased, crustacean-like creatures whose crumbling UFO has simply run out of gas. Unsure of what to do with these million or so wretched refugees, South Africa sets up District 9, an alien internment camp eerily reminiscent of the Apartheid-era slums. Apparently, they’re just too “alien” to cuddle up to.
The aforementioned screwing of yourself is no longer of any concern to me, because frankly, District 9 is a smarter and more action-packed story than what you guys probably would have tried to get them to do with a Halo flick. My guess is you would’ve pushed for a PG-13 rating to get more people in seats. Also, you would have cast Brad Pitt as Master Chief, if given the chance. Instead, Jackson and Blomkamp went straight for the jugular with a very violent R, and then made the choice of casting one of Blomkamp’s friends, a non-actor, mind you, in the lead role. I suppose you would find that to be a disaster, wouldn’t you?…read more [ScreenJunkies]
And yet here sits District 9–the best non-Pixar film of the season, squatting amid the debris like a Tiffany’s necklace in a landfill. To be sure, it remains a proud B-movie, with a concept cribbed from Alien Nation and held together by the remains of producer Peter Jackson’s aborted Halo movie. And yet it brims with breathtaking originality, putting dozens of larger pictures to shame with its wit, soulfulness and imagination. The splat factor remains quite high, fully justifying its R-rating and capped by a spectacular extended fight which leaves the viewer exhausted. To a certain extent, such earthy pleasures are fully the point of the exercise. But District 9 refuses to be bound by them, girding its drive-in credentials with humanity, depth, and an admittedly obvious but deftly executed message about just how inhuman we humans can be…read more [Mania]
Featurette: Peter Jackson’s “District 9″
The first featurette for Neill Blomkamp-directed and Peter Jackson-produced sci-fi movie “District 9,“ featuring lots of new scenes from the movie, has been released online.
Based on short film “Alive in Joburg“, “District 9″ revolves around aliens that come to the Earth. They are rounded up and shipped to live as refugees at a site in South Africa named District 9. A corporation is given the task of figuring out their weapon systems and discover that the technology requires alien DNA to work. When a human is infected with this alien DNA, all hell breaks loose and he becomes the most wanted man on the planet. And the only place for him to hide is District 9.
The film is scheduled to hit theaters on August 14th.
Two District 9 TV Spots
TriStar Pictures has unleashed two TV spots for “District 9,” the highly-anticipated sci-fi horror film, directed by Neill Blomkamp and produced by Peter Jackson.
Thirty years ago, aliens made first contact with Earth. Humans waited for the hostile attack, or the giant advances in technology. Neither came. Instead, the aliens were refugees, the last survivors of their home world. The creatures were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa’s “District 9″ as the world’s nations argued over what to do with them.
Now, patience over the alien situation has run out. Control over the aliens has been contracted out to Multi-National United (MNU), a private company uninterested in the aliens’ welfare – they will receive tremendous profits if they can make the aliens’ awesome weaponry work. So far, they have failed; activation of the weaponry requires alien DNA.
The tension between the aliens and the humans comes to a head when an MNU field operative, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), contracts a mysterious virus that begins changing his DNA. Wikus quickly becomes the most hunted man in the world, as well as the most valuable – he is the key to unlocking the secrets of alien technology. Ostracized and friendless, there is only one place left for him to hide: District 9.
“District 9″ will be in theatres on August 14th, 2009.
District 9 Trailer and Poster!
Sony Pictures has just released a new trailer and poster for the upcoming film “District 9.”
In the movie an alien race arrives on planet Earth and are rounded up and shipped to live as refugees at a site in South Africa named District 9. A corporation is given the task of figuring out their weapon systems and discover that the technology requires alien DNA to work. When a human is infected with this alien DNA, all hell breaks loose and he becomes the most wanted man on the planet. And the only place for him to hide is District 9.
“District 9″ is based on “Alive in Joburg“, a short film produced by Neill Blomkamp, Sharlto Copley, Simon Hansen and Shanon Worley. Directed and co-written by Blomkamp, it features the likes of William Allen Young, Robert Hobbs, Jason Cope and many others.
Peter Jackson Coming To Comic-Con For “District 9″
Peter Jackson, the visionary filmmaker behind “The Lord of the Rings”, “King Kong”, and other films, will attend Comic-Con International: San Diego for the first time to support TriStar Pictures‘ District 9, which Jackson produced. The District 9 panel discussion will be in the San Diego Convention Center’s Hall H on Friday, July 24. Jackson will be on the panel with the film’s director, Neill Blomkamp, and star, Sharlto Copley.
Commenting on the announcement, Jackson said:
After all these years, I’m thrilled that I finally have the opportunity to visit San Diego for Comic-Con. I am especially excited that I am attending to support “District 9″. Neill is a tremendously talented young director and he’s made an extraordinary film, so it was important to me to come to San Diego to spread the word. I look forward to attending my first ever Comic-Con and I know that those who visit us on July 24th in Hall H will be in for quite a ride.Thirty years ago, aliens made first contact with Earth. Humans waited for the hostile attack, or the giant advances in technology. Neither came. Instead, the aliens were refugees, the last survivors of their home world. The creatures were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa’s District 9 as the world’s nations argued over what to do with them.
District 9 New Photos And Poster
Today we have new poster and two photos from “District 9” directed by Neill Blomkamp who is is best known for directing commercials and short films.
enlarge images below
The film is done documentary style and tells the story of an alien race that comes to Earth for an unknown reason. They are forced to live as refugees in South Africa.
“District 9″ is based on “Alive in Joburg,” a short film directed by Neill Blomkamp, Sharlto Copley, Simon Hansen and Shanon Worley, which was a faux-documentary film about a South African slum that was housing for an alien race living on Earth, and the various policies enacted against them, along with interviews with various “civilians” and “government officials” and how they feel on the situation.
The first trailer featured an alien talking at the end, but we didn’t know what the alien was saying or looked like.
You can watch also new trailer for the sci-fi movie with both subtitles and a better look at the alien.
Continue Reading…
District 9 Poster
Yahoo! Movies has unveiled a new poster for “District 9,” produced by Peter Jackson and directed by Neill Blomkamp.
The film is done documentary style and tells the story of an alien race that comes to Earth for an unknown reason. They are forced to live as refugees in South Africa.
Blomkamp is best known for directing commercials and short films, and Microsoft previously engaged him to shoot three commercials for the product launch of the “Halo 3” video game.
Teaser trailer for the movie was released last week. You can watch also slightly-altered new trailer for sci-fi movie “District 9.”
The movie opens August 14th, 2009.
Continue Reading…
Alternate District 9 Trailer
Last week we gave you a new teaser trailer for the upcoming Peter Jackson-produced sci-fi movie “District 9“, and now we have a slightly-altered new trailer as well.
The first trailer featured an alien talking at the end, but we didn’t know what the alien was saying or looked like. Now you’ll be able to watch the teaser trailer with both subtitles and a better look at the alien.
“District 9″ is based on “Alive in Joburg“, a short film produced by Neill Blomkamp, Sharlto Copley, Simon Hansen and Shanon Worley. Directed and co-written by Blomkamp, it features the likes of William Allen Young, Robert Hobbs, Jason Cope and many others.
Sony Pictures Entertainment will distribute this sci-fi movie across the U.S. on August 14.
“District 9″ Teaser Trailer Online
Sony / Columbia Pictures has released the first teaser trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi thriller “District 9“
Blomkamp is best known for directing commercials and short films, and Microsoft previously engaged him to shoot three commercials for the product launch of the “Halo 3” video game.
The film is done documentary style and tells the story of an alien race that comes to Earth for an unknown reason. They attempt to settle in South Africa but encounter fear, anger, and racism from the locals. Like the short it’s based on, District 9 plays as a not-so-subtle analogy for past and present human race relations and segregation.
The film is produced by Peter Jackson, stars Sharlto Copley, and David James.
“District 9″ opens on August 9.
