25 | September | 2009 | The Bar None -- High & Dry

Illegal Aliens

[Click here for a guide to Booze Revooze and the rating system used]

Ramblings: Outer Spaced

i knew this dilemma was going to come up sooner and later and i was right. What do i do when confronted with a film that i really liked but doesn’t really relate to drinking? No problem, i’m all about having my drink and drinking it too.

Final Proof: 2 Shots

Non-Drinker Rating: 3½ / 5

District 9 is a lot of fun. i’m not a huge sci-fi fan but some films surpass genres-D-9 is one of these. The perfect cocktail of talented unknown actors, solid special effects, nonstop action, political undertones, engrossing storyline…D-9 has it all. Even a philosophical similarity to Kafka, as Miss Demeanor pointed out. It may not be a ‘drinking’ film, as you’ll see later, but you could see it drunk and enjoy it. Or sober and still enjoy it. It’s just that good.

So why only a 3½ and not more? The political aspect adds a dimension to the film, sure, but it’s a little dated–and thank god for that. The apartheid angle woulda been more potent 20 years ago; even if, like i said, i’m glad we’re looking back on apartheid as ancient history and not a current event. The director has said he wanted the film to have an 80s feel to it, but that’s hard when there’s a flying saucer that’s been hanging over Johannesburg for twenty years. That said, the director made the right ballsy call filming this in Chiawelo, Soweto, on the site of a shack settlement where the South African government actually evicted black Africans.

The fake documentary style distracted me too, because i liked it too much. They set it up well in the beginning and i was getting into it but then they just decided to change in the middle of the movie and go the traditional sci-action route. Too bad, the faux documentary thing was a nice touch.

Bottom Line: you should go and see District 9. It’s destined to be a classic along the lines of Alien and Terminator and you’ll want to be able to say you saw it during the original release. Trust me.

Buzz Kills (Watch Out for Spoilers)

Sex: ½ Shot

‘Pure’ enjoyment, emphasis on pure. Although:

There’s one mention of inter-species prostitution and you get a glimpse of a hot African prostitute. i’d post a picture of her, you know me, but there are four women credited as ‘Nigerian Hooker’.
You get to see a censored pic that the ‘MNU’ photoshopped to make it look like our hero was boning an alien from behind.
The actress (Vanessa Haywood) that plays the lead character’s wife is good looking. Here are some shots:

Vanessa Haywood