THE BORE

General => The Superdeep Borehole => Topic started by: The Fake Shemp on August 11, 2009, 02:24:26 PM

Title: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 11, 2009, 02:24:26 PM
My friends are going to the Arclight screening tonight, so I guess I'll have personal confirmation today.  I'm always wary when AICN begins to hype something as "the best film of its kind in several decades", usually followed by Harry Knowles talking about watching a 35mm print of some movie nobody has ever heard of.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Phoenix Dark on August 11, 2009, 02:29:03 PM
Is this the friend who saved our non-Kentuckian members $10 on Harry Potter?
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 11, 2009, 02:34:04 PM
Should be better than any other scifi movie this year, except possibly Moon.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 11, 2009, 02:40:10 PM
lol transformers :lol

It'll probably be better than Transformers 2!

... That "friend" that badmouthed Harry Potter was Synthesizer Patel, Maurice.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Tauntaun on August 11, 2009, 02:43:14 PM
Should be better than any other scifi movie this year, except possibly Moon.

I forgot about that movie.  :hyper 

:bow sci-fi :bow2
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Kestastrophe on August 11, 2009, 02:45:57 PM
Going to see it this weekend with the wife, I will be satisfied if it manages to not suck.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Arbys Roast Beef Sandwich on August 11, 2009, 02:54:58 PM
Why don't we give it the same coronation as Killzone 2:

Internet sensation AND mediocre sci-fi :smug
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 11, 2009, 02:55:21 PM
 :lol
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: tiesto on August 11, 2009, 03:30:13 PM
Want to see this pretty bad, didn't realize that there was a whole internet sensation about the film, I just saw the trailer before Terminator and thought it looked interesting. Still holding out hope that AVATAR lives up to the hype.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: dammitmattt on August 11, 2009, 04:00:04 PM
I think it looks fantastic so far, and more importantly, it looks completely different than 99% of what we get out of Hollywood these days.  It will be especially welcome after this summer of mostly shitty blockbusters.  Thank God that there's so much good TV right now.  Mad Men, Battlestar Galactica, The Wire, Breaking Bad, and Friday Night Lights got me through the summer since Hollywood failed me this year.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Diunx on August 11, 2009, 05:54:42 PM
Should be better than any other scifi movie this year, except possibly Moon.

Dude AVATAR.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: muckhole on August 11, 2009, 06:00:00 PM
The teaser trailer for it really had me sold, but the full trailer just didn't quite grab me as much. Still cautiously optomistic though.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 11, 2009, 06:22:14 PM
Should be better than any other scifi movie this year, except possibly Moon.

Dude AVATAR.

I keep forgetting that it even exists, or at least that it's actually coming out this year.

James Cameron hype train FAIL.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: BlueTsunami on August 11, 2009, 06:24:22 PM
I have faith in this movie  8)

I've relegated Avatar to the possible mediocre sci-fi and internet sensation.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Joe Molotov on August 11, 2009, 07:24:30 PM
Want to see this pretty bad, didn't realize that there was a whole internet sensation about the film, I just saw the trailer before Terminator and thought it looked interesting. Still holding out hope that AVATAR lives up to the hype.

It's directed by the guy that was going to direct the Halo movie before it got cancelled, and it's based on the short film he directed that made the rounds on the internet back when his name was announced as the Halo director. I think that's where the Internet hype comes from, that and it looks pretty awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNReejO7Zu8
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: ManaByte on August 11, 2009, 07:49:51 PM
The #1 reality-based opinion of Avatar coming out of Comic Con:

LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Hell, I heard more than one person complain that the CGI in Avatar wasn't that good. That it looked too much like a Dreamworks animated movie and less like ILM running around with millions of dollars. Digital Domain fail.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: ManaByte on August 11, 2009, 07:51:52 PM
BTW the same people hyping District 9 to no end are the same people who were humping the Cloverfield hype train.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Joe Molotov on August 11, 2009, 07:53:25 PM
Sounds like a winner, then.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 11, 2009, 07:58:22 PM
The #1 reality-based opinion of Avatar coming out of Comic Con:

LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS

From "OMG CAMERON IS GOD BEST MOVIE EVER BRAIN EXPLODES" to "Holy Moses, this is some awesome stuff!", yes.

Quote
BTW the same people hyping District 9 to no end are the same people who were humping the Cloverfield hype train.

Very little about those movies seem at all similar.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 11, 2009, 08:02:27 PM
I thought Cloverfield was fun, especially for January fare.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 11, 2009, 08:06:44 PM
I thought Cloverfield was fun, especially for January fare.

Yeah, I don't get the "hate" for it. It's a monster movie set at the ground level. Some of the stuff at the beginning, like the never-ending party, was stupid, but once things got going, it was a pretty fun ride.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: CajoleJuice on August 11, 2009, 11:00:11 PM
Put me in on the side that enjoyed Cloverfield.

And yeah, I want to see this.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Human Snorenado on August 12, 2009, 12:34:38 AM
I want to see this and thought Cloverfield blew.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: brawndolicious on August 12, 2009, 02:37:26 AM
Cloverfield was just good fun, horrible ending though.  And I think Quarantine was some sort of actual sequel to it but there's not really any direct connections and now I'm worrying that there's a lot of cool stuff in there that I can't understand because of hush-hush hype psycho trilogy bullshit or something.

But I think this movie looks cool.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Mr. Gundam on August 12, 2009, 02:41:06 AM
I think Quarantine was some sort of actual sequel to it

Quarantine is an American remake of [REC], it has no relation to Cloverfield.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: brawndolicious on August 12, 2009, 02:57:03 AM
I would not have guessed that.  With both of them being thrillers shot in first-person.  I think quarantine would actually work as a sequel to cloverfield though.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 12, 2009, 10:40:06 AM
I would not have guessed that.  With both of them being thrillers shot in first-person.

Wha-?
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 12, 2009, 11:15:17 AM
I would not have guessed that.  With both of them being thrillers shot in first-person.  I think quarantine would actually work as a sequel to cloverfield though.

Seriously, dude, are you mildly distinguished mentally-challenged?
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Human Snorenado on August 12, 2009, 11:48:38 AM
I would not have guessed that.  With both of them being thrillers shot in first-person.  I think quarantine would actually work as a sequel to cloverfield though.

Seriously, dude, are you mildly distinguished mentally-challenged?

Whoa whoa whoa.  Not cool, Federman.

MILDLY?
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 12, 2009, 12:02:45 PM
But seriously, that's like saying you thought Corky Romano was the sequel to The Godfather, because they both have mobsters.

Except am nintenho's comparison is even worse!
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: fistfulofmetal on August 12, 2009, 12:06:44 PM
i still maintain that Made is a sequel to Swingers. fuck everyone who disagrees
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 12, 2009, 12:10:42 PM
I'd argue that it's at least the spiritual successor to Swingers.  But that's not a crazy allegation - they feature the same cast and crew!

Much like The Sting is a spiritual successor to Butch Cassidy.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: CajoleJuice on August 12, 2009, 01:03:46 PM
I always thought Goodfellas was the sequel to the theatrical version of Blade Runner, since they both feature narration.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 12, 2009, 01:05:22 PM
 :lol
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: brawndolicious on August 12, 2009, 01:40:29 PM
Uh..that's not really a good example.  Cloverfield had a very "conspiracy theorist" geared hype campaign, I think the first commercials didn't even mention the name of the movie because they wanted you to go into it with as little info as possible.  And then the movie barely explained what the monster is before it ended ABRUPTLY, so it made me think that there must be a sequel coming along.  About a year later we get Quarantine, same genre and the exact same gimmick that I had only seen in one other movie, and even a very shitty ending.  Plus it had that government doomsday cover-up angle sort of so it kind of felt like they were going for the exact same audience.

If you were shown both movies back-to-back and you knew nothing about them beforehand, you might guess that there was some sort of connection.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 12, 2009, 02:16:16 PM
Cloverfield - New York City gets torn up by a giant monster and people flee from it.

Quarantine - People get trapped inside an apartment that's sealed up by the government and weird monsters/zombies menace them.

Yeah, you're right, they're pretty much exactly the same.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 12, 2009, 04:09:09 PM
both movies were forgettable and rather boring, so i can see the confusion.

Cloverfield was forgettable, but most of it wasn't boring.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Solo on August 12, 2009, 04:22:31 PM
D9 has long since hit and surpassed the distinguished mentally-challenged level of hyperbolic hype that makes me hate the internet. At this point it pretty much needs to fellate me to live up to the praise.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 12, 2009, 04:32:52 PM
D9 has long since hit and surpassed the distinguished mentally-challenged level of hyperbolic hype that makes me hate the internet. At this point it pretty much needs to fellate me to live up to the praise.

You're thinking of Avatar.

Also, D9 just got it's first negative review. Any guesses as to which reviewer it was? It's our good buddy Armond White!  :lol
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Solo on August 12, 2009, 04:34:36 PM
Nope, Im thinking of D9. The only hyperbole for Avatar is coming from Jim Cameron and Scullibundo over at GAF. Otherwise, its not getting a lot of buzz. D9 on the other hand has been christened the lord and savior of sci-fi for the past few months.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: BlueTsunami on August 12, 2009, 04:36:48 PM
Its gonna rock your dick, Solo. YOUR DICK.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Robo on August 12, 2009, 04:47:21 PM
Armond White wrote up a scathing review.

http://www.nypress.com/article-20206-from-mothership-to-bullship.html

it must be AWESOME  :o  :rock
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Tauntaun on August 12, 2009, 05:03:33 PM
Nope, Im thinking of D9. The only hyperbole for Avatar is coming from Jim Cameron and Scullibundo over at GAF. Otherwise, its not getting a lot of buzz. D9 on the other hand has been christened the lord and savior of sci-fi for the past few months.

I never heard about this movie 'til recently, I accidentally stumbled on its trailer on youtube. AVATAR on the other hand is in my face wherever I go, ugh.

Really?  I don't see much for Avatar in NY.  Maybe I'm tarded.   :-*
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Joe Molotov on August 12, 2009, 05:20:16 PM
Nope, Im thinking of D9. The only hyperbole for Avatar is coming from Jim Cameron and Scullibundo over at GAF. Otherwise, its not getting a lot of buzz. D9 on the other hand has been christened the lord and savior of sci-fi for the past few months.

Well, GI Joe's still showing. Have fun!
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: twerd on August 12, 2009, 05:25:23 PM
I'll be there Friday. It's the first movie I can remember being excited for pre-release in a while.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Veidt on August 12, 2009, 05:50:50 PM
:lol
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 12, 2009, 06:42:25 PM
Some words of wisdom from Armond White:

Quote
Let’s see if the Spielberg bashers put-off by the metaphysics in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be as offended by District 9’s mangled anthropology.

Quote
District 9 represents the sloppiest and dopiest pop cinema—the kind that comes from a second-rate film culture. No surprise, this South African fantasia from director Neill Blomkamp was produced by the intellectually juvenile New Zealander Peter Jackson.

Quote
This contemporaryset dystopic, sci-fi flick never becomes fun. (Michael Bay bashers who stupidly complain about the cultural-status of the twin Autobots in Transformers 2 should park their rectitude here.)

Quote
G.I. Joe's unabashed appeal to the pop-commercial synapses also demonstrates livelier filmmaking than such utter banality as Iron Man and Star Trek and Harry Potter’s Half-Blooded Chintz.

Quote
With inconsistent and arbitrary affectation, they demean defensible movies like Transformers 2 and G.I. Joe as if to deny that what used to be called “mass culture” has, generally, lost its former standards.

Quote
None of its stunts are especially witty—and real distinctions must be made for Transporter 3 and Torque's superior pop art—but G.I. Joe’s in the same innocuous class as the Laura Croft and Thunderbirds movies. It has the spirit of Saturday Afternoon toy commercials, even to the extent of extolling basic American values: the very realistic appreciation of militarism as a foundation for capitalist freedom that supplies delight in both G.I. Joe and Transformers 2. There’s more realpolitik here than in the now-overrated The Hurt Locker.

Quote
Sommers isn’t quite in Michael Bay’s directorial class, but he has the ability to envision a nightmare and spin it into a provocative coup the Surrealists wouldn’t dare.

Quote
This Eiffel Tower image also recalls the postmodern epigraph that closes Godard’s In Praise of Love : “I will go to my grave with more visions than man has previously ever known.” The trashy secret of G.I. Joe is its ironic capitalizing on the fact that awesome, dread-filled visions don’t necessarily destroy childhood innocence. Seeing the Eiffel Tower fall is part of loving it (which could not be said of the World Trade Center). The Brothers Grimm understood.

 :lol
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: CajoleJuice on August 12, 2009, 06:44:39 PM
I wish I could be paid to troll.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Solo on August 12, 2009, 06:45:30 PM
wow, Solo dinging something for internet hype ::)

Im all about hyping the shit out of something if Ive actually seen it and loved it. Im talking about this hype from people who havent seen anything more than a trailer before placing it above 2001 or Blade Runner or whatever.

Nope, Im thinking of D9. The only hyperbole for Avatar is coming from Jim Cameron and Scullibundo over at GAF. Otherwise, its not getting a lot of buzz. D9 on the other hand has been christened the lord and savior of sci-fi for the past few months.

Well, GI Joe's still showing. Have fun!

I saw it. And I did  :P
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 12, 2009, 06:48:18 PM
wow, Solo dinging something for internet hype ::)

Im all about hyping the shit out of something if Ive actually seen it and loved it. Im talking about this hype from people who havent seen anything more than a trailer before placing it above 2001 or Blade Runner or whatever.

Take it up with the people who are actually saying it, then.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Solo on August 12, 2009, 06:49:35 PM
wow, Solo dinging something for internet hype ::)

Im all about hyping the shit out of something if Ive actually seen it and loved it. Im talking about this hype from people who havent seen anything more than a trailer before placing it above 2001 or Blade Runner or whatever.

Take it up with the people who are actually saying it, then.

Is not the thread asking whether its an internet sensation or not? Im simply giving my 0.02.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 12, 2009, 07:34:58 PM
Just got off the phone with my buddies who saw it last night:

"It's one of the best popcorn flicks of the summer, but considering the summer, that's not saying much."

"Turns into an action film half way in."

"The main character is not likeable whatsoever."

"It's not 'this generation's' anything. People comparing it to Blade Runner need to get shot."

"Director shows promise, but this also feels like a filmmaker's first, real feature."

"Pay matinee price."
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: muckhole on August 12, 2009, 08:01:31 PM
"Turns into an action film half way in."

 :-\ This is what worried me after the second trailer.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Diunx on August 12, 2009, 08:05:33 PM

"Turns into an action film half way in."


Awesome.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 12, 2009, 08:06:34 PM
The upside is that they said they've seen only two other mainstream films that they've enjoyed more (that's kind of a back-handed compliment considering how awful this summer has been, though). It is apparently not Transformers/GI Joe awful.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 12, 2009, 08:27:37 PM
I'm going to see this tomorrow at the midnight showing, after getting up at 5:00 am, driving to Grapevine, standing in line for several hours, setting up my computer at Quakecon, spazzing out on a bunch of LAN gaming, and downing a few Bawls.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: anthonyOA on August 12, 2009, 09:38:27 PM
Just got off the phone with my buddies who saw it last night:

"It's one of the best popcorn flicks of the summer, but considering the summer, that's not saying much."

"Turns into an action film half way in."

"The main character is not likeable whatsoever."

"It's not 'this generation's' anything. People comparing it to Blade Runner need to get shot."

"Director shows promise, but this also feels like a filmmaker's first, real feature."

"Pay matinee price."

hmmm i was looking forward to this in a kind of "this could have been halo" way.

whatever, it's gotta be better than Signs (m.shymyalyananaahn <--- there's a silent "h" in there)
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Human Snorenado on August 16, 2009, 12:04:45 AM
So what's the verdict on this?
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Tucah on August 16, 2009, 12:08:07 AM
Just got off the phone with my buddies who saw it last night:

"It's one of the best popcorn flicks of the summer, but considering the summer, that's not saying much."

"Turns into an action film half way in."

"The main character is not likeable whatsoever."

"It's not 'this generation's' anything. People comparing it to Blade Runner need to get shot."

"Director shows promise, but this also feels like a filmmaker's first, real feature."

"Pay matinee price."

I saw this last night and completely agree with every one of these.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Dickie Dee on August 16, 2009, 12:14:54 AM
It's kinda hard to gauge reactions to this as alot of people are embracing it as a palate cleanser to what was the horrid aftertaste of TF2.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Vizzys on August 16, 2009, 12:17:01 AM
saw it today, a bit overhyped but also pretty entertaining

one minor fault though
spoiler (click to show/hide)
I think the main character escaped death way too much, like maybe 5+ times
[close]
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Joe Molotov on August 16, 2009, 01:40:28 AM
So what's the verdict on this?

Good movie.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 16, 2009, 01:51:46 AM
So what's the verdict on this?

Overhypes in certain circles [lol internet], but definitely worth watching.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: twerd on August 16, 2009, 02:58:05 AM
Just got off the phone with my buddies who saw it last night:

"It's one of the best popcorn flicks of the summer, but considering the summer, that's not saying much."

"Turns into an action film half way in."

"The main character is not likeable whatsoever."

"It's not 'this generation's' anything. People comparing it to Blade Runner need to get shot."

"Director shows promise, but this also feels like a filmmaker's first, real feature."

"Pay matinee price."

thread finished here.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
the main character isn't supposed to be especially likeable... he becomes a good character only when he turns becomes more sympathetic to the aliens (out of necessity as he is becoming more alien) suggesting that the aliens are more inherently "good" than humans.
[close]

Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: bachikarn on August 16, 2009, 03:43:06 AM
Saw it today. Thought it was pretty good. Didn't really know there was hype to it. I only found out about it a week or two ago when I saw the commercials.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: fistfulofmetal on August 16, 2009, 05:59:40 PM
Good movie. But it's obviously the guys first real movie. There's a few amateur aspects. But for a first movie it's pretty good.


edit: it really does become an action movie halfway through. and it's fantastic. easily the movies best feature.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Himu on August 16, 2009, 06:08:15 PM
People are comparing this to Blade Runner? I don't think Blade Runner's end be all but :lol
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: demi on August 16, 2009, 06:12:52 PM
http://themoviespoiler.com/Spoilers/district9.html

poop
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Kestastrophe on August 16, 2009, 06:18:44 PM
I was really digging the first 3/4 of the movie, until it turns into ET towards the end. They did a great job of setting up Wickus' (sp?) character and making you dislike him. Even though it falls apart at the end, it was still one of the more interesting films of the summer.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: fistfulofmetal on August 16, 2009, 06:23:17 PM
it's weird how i feel the exact opposite. the first part of the movie was what didn't work as much for me and it picked up and got much better as it got closer to the end.

Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: chronovore on August 16, 2009, 11:55:34 PM
I wish I could be paid to troll.

Well said.

If you can't be a movie critic though, you could still get a job as a game critic. They get paid to bash videogames pretty frequently; I recoil from reviews whenever they're more than 20% different than the results of an aggregated user review score.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Bebpo on August 17, 2009, 12:16:25 AM
it's weird how i feel the exact opposite. the first part of the movie was what didn't work as much for me and it picked up and got much better as it got closer to the end.

Yeah, the movie was a little boring as a docudrama.  It just felt really amateur with a lot of cool originality but not great directing/editing.  When it becomes an action movie at least it's consistently entertaining.  tbh, I didn't think the movie got particularly good until
spoiler (click to show/hide)
the robosuit shows up
[close]
Until then it was neat, but just ok.  Then the final 30 mins are great and overall it was worth watching but definitely a "first film".  Will be interesting to see what he does next.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: fistfulofmetal on August 17, 2009, 12:40:37 AM
and as i mention at Gaf. all the 'you're there" stuff. IE being the camera man during the beginning sections, the news reel cuts after Wikus and Christopher attacked MNU, hell even the interviews. All of them hurt the movie the most. they broke up the flow and made the movie rather disjointed.

They're clearly things there due this being the dudes first movie. He had a bunch of ideas but had trouble realizing not all of them were a good idea.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: AdmiralViscen on August 17, 2009, 11:02:17 AM
gj on spoilers
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Kestastrophe on August 17, 2009, 11:20:11 AM
Don't get me wrong, I liked the action stuff.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
I didn't like how Wikus turned into a prototypical altruistic movie hero at the end, when everything he did up to that point was self serving. Plus the cheesy turn into an alien, stalk your wife and make her garbage flowers bit.
[close]

It just fell apart at the end for me. The special effects and action bits were great, especially for a lower budget movie.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Veidt on August 17, 2009, 05:24:20 PM
First half was a lot better for me. The second half not so much. Overall good movie, but it's not the epic I had expected it to be. It's not like the first time, when I had watched the Matrix, for instance. Definitely the best "alien" flick I have ever watched though.

Main character Wikus, was a greatly detailed character. So much dimension to him, just like a normal and real human being.

Aliens acted way too human for me in some parts. But at the end. All is forgiven. Loved the ending.

Also loved the dutch/afrikaanse accent throughout the film. Made me think of Holland <3
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: twerd on August 17, 2009, 06:03:29 PM
the main character reminded me of murray from FotC. what a gorgeous man.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: EmCeeGrammar on August 17, 2009, 07:19:23 PM
Enjoyable movie, but not great. Definitely a recommendation though.  The first encounter was disturbing as if
spoiler (click to show/hide)
they were stuck in the ship starving to death. I think all the slime and shit was their defecations
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also
spoiler (click to show/hide)
I was scared for Chris's son the whole film. I was expecting him to lose his father or die himself. Very smart, honest, and loving.  The scene where they torch the egg hut highlights how risky it was to bring him into the world and how precious he was to Chris. I'm corny I know
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Overall the faults come from  convenient plot band-aids, some bad dialouge, and repetitive situations.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Good" guys apparently had the same protective force field seen in Star Wars that prevent them from bieng shot. EVEN WHEN STANDING STILL OVER AN AUTOPSY TABLE.  The head military guy can never just do a quick kill. No, its professional to have a conversation with your target giving them enough time for a diversion to develop.  Main character apparently has an aptitude for piloting alien aircraft and mechs. Etc.
[close]

Pay matinee price, indeed.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Oblivion on August 17, 2009, 09:52:24 PM
Holy shit, this movie was garbage. Lame story, completely unlikable main character, sub par dialogue, why the hell was this heralded as the best sci fi movie in the past 150 years again?
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 17, 2009, 10:02:37 PM
why the hell was this heralded as the best sci fi movie in the past 150 years again?

Stop reading GAF so much.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Oblivion on August 17, 2009, 10:06:15 PM
why the hell was this heralded as the best sci fi movie in the past 150 years again?

Stop reading GAF so much.

88% on Rotten Tomatoes. :(
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 17, 2009, 10:10:57 PM
why the hell was this heralded as the best sci fi movie in the past 150 years again?

Stop reading GAF so much.

88% on Rotten Tomatoes. :(

Which means that more people liked it than disliked it, nothing more or less.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: WrikaWrek on August 17, 2009, 10:24:44 PM
I have mixed feelings about it. Not a fan of the shooting style, liked the aliens, the story and characters weren't that engaging though, i thought.

I wouldn't let this dude direct halo either.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Bebpo on August 17, 2009, 11:01:44 PM
I think the D9 guy could make it "look" Halo, but I don't think he could make an epic awesome sci-fi movie based on Halo.

I'd want the Band of Brothers guys to make it.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Kestastrophe on August 17, 2009, 11:14:20 PM
completely unlikable main character
that was the point
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 18, 2009, 12:23:38 AM
To a degree.  His character was supposed to be unlikeable to a point, but he never really has a fully developed arc.  He ends up doing something out of necessity instead of good writing.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: jiji on August 18, 2009, 04:35:33 AM
I liked it a lot. I went in with no knowledge and and no expectations and found something that was more honest about human flaws and selfishness than most action movies I've seen in some time. Wikus was so much of the casually, ignorantly amoral type that drives real "evil corporations" that it was chilling, and made it more effective when he started to wake up. In fact, the whole eviction sequence was chilling. The bland, naive documentary angle worked well for me. I think it's true that the action got more than a little cartoonish in the last act, but it was still satisfying to watch, and it remained intelligent all the way through. At least, there were no blatant bits of distinguished mentally-challenged to got under my skin like in 90% of action movies.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: chronovore on August 18, 2009, 05:36:18 AM
At least, there were no blatant bits of distinguished mentally-challenged to got under my skin like in 90% of action movies.

[youtube=560,345]ZW2qxFkcLM0[/youtube]
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: fistfulofmetal on August 18, 2009, 06:51:11 AM


I wouldn't let this dude direct halo either.

dunno why you would think that.
the action in D9 was pretty top notch and it's not like a Halo movie is going to be a serious drama.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: WrikaWrek on August 18, 2009, 10:16:38 AM
Because his style would make Halo look cheap.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Kestastrophe on August 18, 2009, 11:09:32 AM
To a degree.  His character was supposed to be unlikeable to a point, but he never really has a fully developed arc.  He ends up doing something out of necessity instead of good writing.
I thought he was a pretty well developed character, up until
spoiler (click to show/hide)
he turns into an alien crusader
[close]
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: WrikaWrek on August 18, 2009, 11:24:03 AM
I didn't like the dude at all. Annoying, unlikable, couldn't relate to him at all. Basically, what is an annoying secondary character in any other movie, was the main character in District 9.

I wanted him to die already.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 18, 2009, 12:58:00 PM
At least, there were no blatant bits of distinguished mentally-challenged to got under my skin like in 90% of action movies.

[youtube=560,345]ZW2qxFkcLM0[/youtube]

That totally should have been the real trailer for 2012!  :lol

Also, even knowing that it'll be an absolutely terrible movie, I want to see it for all the crazy-awesome scenes of CG destruction that seem to be liberally sprinkled throughout the movie.

Also, also:

[youtube=560,345]071KqJu7WVo[/youtube]

:rock
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: recursivelyenumerable on August 18, 2009, 01:05:55 PM
Movie actually sounds interesting, maybe I'll see it.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Kestastrophe on August 18, 2009, 01:15:08 PM
Wikus was so much of the casually, ignorantly amoral type that drives real "evil corporations" that it was chilling, and made it more effective when he started to wake up. In fact, the whole eviction sequence was chilling.
Plus he was an obviously underqualified individual that was only promoted because of his relation to the CEO's daughter. I can kind of see it as a condemnation of monarchy.

I don't think he was inherently evil either, he was more a product of societal norms imo.

Was there any significance to the cat food? 
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: The Fake Shemp on August 18, 2009, 01:15:15 PM
I can't wait for Zombieland.  Could we have two awesome, kitschy horror flicks in one year?!
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 18, 2009, 02:08:26 PM
Was there any significance to the cat food? 

Here you go:

Quote
The idea of the prawns being obsessed with cat food came from two inspirations. In impoverished areas of Johannesburg, Neill Blomkamp would see people selling cheese poofs and other snack foods out of large 3-foot tall bags and wanted the aliens to have a similar cheap food. The decision to make them cat food came from one of the producers who used canned cat food to bait hooks when fishing for prawns in Vancouver.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Phoenix Dark on August 18, 2009, 03:29:07 PM
so basically The Bore sez: it's good but omg people wuz overrating it!

Hm, just admit it's good and get on with it :punch
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: chronovore on August 18, 2009, 09:45:36 PM
That totally should have been the real trailer for 2012!  :lol

Also, even knowing that it'll be an absolutely terrible movie, I want to see it for all the crazy-awesome scenes of CG destruction that seem to be liberally sprinkled throughout the movie.

Also, also:

[youtube=560,345]071KqJu7WVo[/youtube]

:rock

As far as I'm concerned, that IS the official trailer for any Roland Emmerich movie. He brings added resonance to the term "disaster movie."

I'm looking forward to Zombieland, too. I'm worried it will suck, but I think that's just a defense measure for my poor, beleaguered expectations.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 18, 2009, 10:00:39 PM
WHOLE CITY DISASTER!!!
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Don Flamenco on August 18, 2009, 10:14:23 PM
Got asked to go see this tonight, but fuck it, too tired and not that interested.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: CajoleJuice on August 19, 2009, 12:55:26 AM
I went to go see The Hurt Locker tonight instead.

Go me :rock
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: BobFromPikeCreek on August 19, 2009, 03:22:09 AM
It was pretty good. The way it was shot and the special effects were awesome I thought. My only complaints are that the main character was annoying, and that some things didn't make a lot of sense. You'd think the aliens, with their ridiculous weapon technology, would be able to bargain their way into better arrangements than some shitty ghetto.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Solo on August 19, 2009, 08:38:04 PM
I thought it was pretty awesome. The sheer fact that Blomkamp did more with $30M than most of these guys are doing with $100-200M is enough to warrant praise. Everything about the movie (including the effects) feels so authentic.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: fistfulofmetal on August 19, 2009, 08:41:22 PM
It was pretty good. The way it was shot and the special effects were awesome I thought. My only complaints are that the main character was annoying, and that some things didn't make a lot of sense. You'd think the aliens, with their ridiculous weapon technology, would be able to bargain their way into better arrangements than some shitty ghetto.

they weren't organized. and they were addicted to cat food.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: chronovore on August 19, 2009, 10:09:38 PM
An entrepreneur should have brought a "catfood for weapons" exchange program to the table.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Great Rumbler on August 19, 2009, 10:12:09 PM
An entrepreneur should have brought a "catfood for weapons" exchange program to the table.

That's what the Nigerian guy did.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Cormacaroni on August 19, 2009, 10:55:07 PM
i don't know about you, but it's beginning to sound like these aliens are some sort of cunning allegory. sci-fi can be subtle that way.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Tauntaun on August 19, 2009, 11:30:30 PM
movie was awesome, seeing again this weekend cause the wife hasn't seen it yet.  :rock
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Phoenix Dark on August 20, 2009, 08:26:51 PM
Ah so thursday evenings are for beezy, fridays are for the wife  :o
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Tauntaun on August 21, 2009, 12:12:18 PM
I got beezy on call, I say jump, he say how high you dig?  Just tryin to kick it with a dude, not fall in love or anything.
Title: Re: District 9: Internet sensation or mediocre sci-fi?
Post by: Phoenix Dark on August 21, 2009, 12:36:58 PM
 :rofl