88. District 9 (2009)

by Sachin Gandhi

“To everyone’s surprise, the ship didn’t come to a stop…over Manhattan or Washington or Chicago..but instead coasted to a halt directly over the city of Johannesburg.”

These opening words quickly establish that District 9 is going to be a much different film than other Science fiction alien movies that appear at the multiplex where the spaceship only stops over an American city. The shift to South Africa lays the groundwork for a film that explores complex issues related to politics, racism and is not content with being just another Sci-fi movie that is a battle between aliens and humans.

District 9 opens in a mockumentary fashion and interviews a few people who outline the early days of the alien arrival. The spaceship arrived back in 1982 and halted over Johannesburg. We learn that for 3 months the spaceship didn’t do anything, just remained suspended over the city. There was no first contact, no bright lights or any other events depicted in other Sci-fi films. It was humans who had to fly up to the spaceship and force entry. Once inside the spaceship, humans found malnourished aliens, creatures that were lean and starving. The appearance of the aliens as physically weak in District 9 is a deviation from conventional films. In other Sci-fi films and TV Shows, aliens are always shown to be strong and in some cases beautiful even if the aliens are arriving from a planet with no resources (food/water).

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Monday Morning Diary (July 18)

by Sam Juliano

My weekly post as always is a “diary” and as such my own seven day report is one of unspeakable grief, the worst I have ever experienced in my own life.  My brother Joe’s beloved oldest son Brian, who lived several years with my father, shockingly passed away mid week at age 35 (he never woke up after complaining of chest pains) as a result of a long period of on an off drug abuse.  Many efforts were made to remedy the problem, and he was in rehabs, but in the end the abuse affected his heart.  This unspeakable tragedy leaves us all shaken to our cores.

On the other grief-stricken front I do speak to Allan everyday and almost always for long online conversations.  His attitude has improved greatly and he has been immersing himself in movie talks and all the new releases.  His treatment begins Wednesday, and I call on everyone to send on their best to a successful negotiation of the chemotherapy.

Thanks to all for the very kind words.

I honestly have nothing more to say at this time, other than to note I have been trying to divert by watching a bunch of discs Allan sent – mostly Japanese classics, and have been sharing my findings back with him – a practice that gives him some pleasure.

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