District 9

This is a terrific movie in many ways, BUT ALMOST SPOILED BY SHAKY CAMERA WORK. I found the camera movement to be barely tolerable, and I know my wife will not see it for the same reason, although she is a S-F movie fan as much as I am... however she is also prone to motion sickness. Too bad. Aside from that, it's amazingly fresh and well done... a real departure from the typical H'wood blockbuster. Every part in the movie is played by a new face, and the Joburg setting (not that it gets used a lot) is something different to North American audiences. The story I found worthwhile and workmanlike although there are a hundred S-F writers making a few pennies a word writing for pulp magazines that could come up with something better. (A word to the wise, Hollywood... except you are a bunch of dumb SOBs who think your audiences are even dumber...) I was particularly struck by how well the alien 'prawns' were characterized... their faces were absolutely inhuman, yet their posture and body language said a great deal about their feelings. Unlike a lot of people, I didn't really feel this movie had much to say about racism as such, but it was obvious that a lot of the background and main story was informed by the South African experience with racial politics and social oppression. There were some apparent plot holes, particularly in regards to the aliens' motivations and backstory that might be cleared up by a sequel... but might equally be spoiled if the writers didn't plan it out. All in all, a great summer movie... it you take your seasickness pills.