Thursday, September 10, 2009

Threefer - District 9, Star Trek, 9




3 days, 2 theaters, 3 movies. A fine "welcome back" to the 1st world. No embedded travel stories in these short reviews, I promise. Reviewed in viewing order:

District 9 - Wow. Terrific film here. This is the new school stuff, with seamless CGI blended into daytime instead of night, the real world instead of a dark, post-apok alterna-verse.

Great story, well written, that does not beat you over the head. I am thinking "3 Kings" good as far as the writing goes. The lessons and points are absolutely there to be taken, but are not force fed through a narrow tube or POV down the throat.

The main character is an everyman that does not make all the right choices in any situation. His acting is top notch, and fearless.

Peter Jackson presented this, so 'nuf said about the SFX.

This one is a must see.

Star Trek - They got it right, finally. I have enjoyed moments of all the other Star Trek movies, but usually leave shaking my head. I went to this one hopeful (and at the dollar theater) but not unguarded. Everyone that told me how good it was was too young to have seen the original "back in the day".

This is a real treat for those of us that did. A bona fide feature length episode that perhaps shits on the Shat too much, but that is geek humor. Trust the audience enough to present the multiverse without too much of a didactic spew of over-explanation.

Kudos to all the fearless actors playing characters so dear to so many and getting it as right as the script allows. MVP to Karl Urban for being "the Bones".

This one might not ignite a new generation of fans, but will bring us all back in 2011 for the next installment...

9 - I am a sucker for animation, and Burton has done a lot for the genre. This film advances that, and offers a dark alternative to the laugh a minute coolness Pixar off handedly tosses us with such startling consistency.

This movie earns its PG 13 rating. I hope teens do go, and I hope the goth/emo/weird kids have enough buying power to keep this afloat long enough for the moneymen to greenlight Burton's next piece, because the younger kids will be scared out of their minds. I'm not one to a> respect the rating system or 2> believe it, but this no breasts, little gore, and animated, film pushes some sophisticated buttons.

I am still digesting this 3rd one, as it conflicts with a bunch of my base principles, but i can without hesitancy say that this is a must see for anyone who wants to see big screen risk taking.

Recommended


2 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:37 AM

    Glad you enjoyed new Trek....I liked it a lot as I'm an old guy and the introduction of the crew and the relationships was bang on...Bones was great and Scotty stole a few frames.
    missed Shatner but the tip of the hat with banging green chicks took me back to my little kid TV days.
    Green chicks don't show too good on BW TV but you know they are different.

    RGB in AB

    Good reviews from the thirsty camel arriving into the oasis of cinema

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:37 AM

    Glad you enjoyed new Trek....I liked it a lot as I'm an old guy and the introduction of the crew and the relationships was bang on...Bones was great and Scotty stole a few frames.
    missed Shatner but the tip of the hat with banging green chicks took me back to my little kid TV days.
    Green chicks don't show too good on BW TV but you know they are different.

    Good reviews from the thirsty camel arriving into the oasis of cinema

    ReplyDelete