Tuesday, September 29, 2009

District 9- Neill BlomKamp- By Dominic Lee

District 9 is not only one of the best movies made this year, but it's production and cinematography qualities are outstanding too. It takes place on earth where we have our first wide-scale Alien sighting, and documents the reaction of humans and the government, along with the journey of one man as he interacts with the aliens, and, due to unforseen circumstances eventually becomes one himself. That being said, in a movie about alien/human interaction, director Neill BlomKamp's vision of an almost Auschwitz type setting is nothing that hasn't been seen before, but the CGI integration of the aliens, the"Prawn", is what really draws my interest. It is indeed a very technical film, one that was effectively shot in a reporter type viewpoint, as they needed not only the impoverished, way-ward third world view of the district 9, but also had to show modern and then futeristic aspects in the film in a jetsons meet the flinstones kind of way. The distinctive mis-en-scene of the movie in my opinion would have to be the shot in which the alien spaceship is seen, vast, hovering over the city, representing the mysterious and unknown, and a sense of imminent peril can be felt by the monotone voice of one narrator as he comments on the sighting.


1 comment:

J. Schneider said...

Dominic,
You have collected some worthwhile observations about this film, but in terms of making a clear statement that synthesizes them and clarifies why they're significant, you're all over the place. Before you write, get clear about what SPECIFICALLY you want to say. The assignment is not to compile a bunch of observations and then fling them at the reader! Synthesize. Develop ONE idea that is evident in several instances. Then you're ready to write...