Review: Scott Pilgrim - Volumes 1 - 6

Scott Pilgrim is pretty much everywhere right now with the release of the Michael Cera, Edgar Wright film of the same name. A few simple clicks and you can find a handful of helpful reviews to find out if this film is for you. This is part of the reason I don't review every film I see anymore -- it turns me into one voice in a crowd of screaming people. In the case of Scott Pilgrim, though, I feel it merits a few words. In this review I will focus solely on the graphic novel series from which the story sprung for the major motion picture.

To be clear, I read through the first five parts of the Scott Pilgrim franchise months and months ago and just finished the last volume about a month ago. Because of this, I'm going to give general impressions of the series instead of specific reviews of each volume. If anything, volume six will get the most coverage because it's the most fresh in my mind, but also because it's my favorite and the most important to the series.

Though this part may be a little redundant, Scott Pilgrim is about a young, 23 year old whom we join towards the end of his grieving period after getting his heart broken by a mysterious and giant-looming ex girlfriend. In his early twenty-ish haze of confusion and misdirection, Scott is futilely dating a 17 year old high school student in an attempt to feel some dose of comfort even though he is really only finding convenience. It is clear from the first chapter of book one that Scott is not an entirely likable character. He's a bit dumb, he's completely manic often going though the gamut of emotions on one page, he only remembers things in a self-centered manner, and it's hard to believe he cares about anyone but himself. Eventually Scott meets the literal girl of his dreams in Ramona Flowers and through a very extreme set of consequences is forced to take a look at his life and get it together.

Scott Pilgrim is a bit of a cypher of the newly twenty year old generation. He's essentially a mess of conflicting emotions, impulsive gestures, and reactions that very much align with many a person his age. It's this fact that I imagine will decide if people will be able to stomach the insanity contained within the thousand pages of adventures Scott stumbles through. I suppose I should append that note to include the art on display, especially early in the series. A weird mix of quasi-manga, pseudo new-age scrawl the art of Scott Pilgrim volumes 1 - 4 has a learning curve. Either way, the book succeeds or fails in the mind of the reader in the character of Scott Pilgrim. Personally, I found the character extremely relatable for a number of reasons. Many of Scott's attitudes and more importantly problems are nigh-identical to my own. I also find it very easy to associate with a character so steeped in geek culture while at the same time struggling with the perils of having to grow up not as a possibility, but a necessity.

It is a safe assertion to make that Scott Pilgrim is largely an allegorical work. Scott is forced to fight in hand-to-hand brawls Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends, but it is safe to assume that the fighting is an allegory for coping, for getting over oneself, and for the rigors of falling in love. The movie trailer famously quips that "everyone has baggage", it's just that Ramona's is a much larger and blunt representation of such a concept. Each fight with each successive ex boyfriend fits another snapshot in the ongoing relationship with Scott and Ramona. Matthew Patel, the first of the challengers, is fairly easily dispatched in a show of what I think is perhaps indicative of the early moments of a relationship -- which is to say pretty easily gotten over, but not without its lasting and perhaps reverberating effects. By the time Scott fights Todd Ingram, he's not only dealing with the past of his current girlfriend but he's also having to confront the proverbial mountain that is his most recent ex. It's kung-fu coming of age storytelling that under any other approach may feel well-worn, but because Scott Pilgrim laces itself heavily with flash and fanservice it finds new life and meaning; assuming the method of delivery is agreeable to the reader.

The most important aspect of the ongoing series of Scott Pilgrim books is that characters grow as the story continues. Along the way, creator Bryan Lee O'Malley is able to throw curve balls and realistic turns into his story that make it that much easier to associate with the plight of the bombastic characters. This is a prime advantage that the books have over the movie, perhaps understandably so. In the fourth book, Scott finally starts to feel he's getting his life together. He gets a job, faces some personal demons that are obstacles in his path to happiness with Ramona, and he finally gains courage enough to commit to her in a meaningful way. Still things are not as rosey as they seem, as omens of cracks in the relationship are all over from a Dark Scott to a shadowy figure enslaving Ramona in her subconscious and an increasingly bored and distracted demeanor.

In what I believe to be one of the most important moments in the entire series, Book Five showcases everything Scott has done falling apart around him. All of the good things and progress he felt he made end up meaning almost nothing, and everything from friends to job to Ramona end up (in some cases literally) fading away. To be clear, I don't think this is a brilliant turn because I find it enjoyable. I like it only because it's very akin to real life in that sometimes just when you think you're hitting your stride, one very important thing can snap and all the things you've believed you were accomplishing were merely a front for real change. It's powerful, Empire Strikes Back kind of stuff.

Book Six is aptly titled Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour. This title works for a number of reasons. The first and most obvious for me was the new and improved art. O'Malley hired on two art assistants for this volume, and I imagine it was this extra room to breathe that allowed him to really knock this book out of the park on a visual level. Everything has a solid, locked-in appearance. As opposed to the early volumes in which characters were only rough approximations of themselves from page to page, the sixth book explodes with cartoony imagery and amazingly detailed art. This is also the Finest Hour because the story pays off in a big way in almost every facet. We join Scott after a year of trying and failing to get over Ramona. He's essentially retreated into his own apartment and locked himself from the world. In his grief he makes some rash decisions about what he thinks will best get him over Ramona, and they are each as awkward and uncomfortable as they are in real life.

Eventually after a retreat and a meeting with an old friend, Scott is able to confront his 'dark side' and embrace it -- an action that not only helps him reconcile with himself, but also with everything he has been childishly running away from for five books. The events of the finale are not overwhelmingly important. The important parts revolve around Scott finally growing up and facing down the things he casually ignored. When he finally confronts Gideon Graves, Ramona's own large-looming ex, it's not for her but for Scott himself in a show of getting over his hang-ups. It feels almost like the completion of a cycle for the character. Scott grieves, Scott finds love, Scott loses love thanks to his own selfishness, Scott stumbles and falls, and finally Scott confronts the catalyst for his growth -- both Gideon (the representation of all Scott's insecurities) and Ramona. It's big, it's ridiculous, but it works.

If I had one gripe with the conclusion to this giant story, it would actually be the simplicity of the ending. While in fiction I do believe that it is best to give the audience an ending they can walk away happy with, I find that in reality sometimes the results of Book Six are impossible. I admit that while the reconciliation presented here is quite convenient, it is not without its own admitted uncertainty and hopefulness. If anything it's that feeling that even though it's nicely tied up, it may not work that saves the ending from losing me. At heart, I'm an optimist and I like to believe life can pay off in such a way.

In the end, Scott Pilgrim is all about growing up and getting over yourself; something with which I am intimately acquainted. It's presented in a hyper-active way that is very much indicative of the problems that prevent many twenty-somethings from growing up, but I think that is almost poetic considering the message of the story. Bryan Lee O'Malley's story speaks to the adolescent in all of us that's struggling to cope with the ever increasing enormity of adult life and adult relationships. I can't speak to that enormity through the eyes of someone aged past this point, but I can imagine there is something inherent in the story that we all acknowledge.

Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox

It's been a good number of weeks since I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox and it just so happens that I'm getting around to it now. Luckily for any of you unfortunate enough to stumble onto my blog from time to time, the movie may still be playing in a few theatres or it could be on its way to DVD. So that has to be some kind of boon right?

Anyways, Fantastic Mr. Fox is the story of a wily, fast-talking fox determined to live life stealing chickens and engaging in devilish mischief as any proper fox would do. Upon being cornered on a particularly dangerous raid of a local farm, Fox is told that his wife is pregnant. This revelation, along with an earnest urging to give up his life of danger, spurs Fox to retire from the scheme business and get an honest job. The film flashes forward a few years and Fox is working a day-to-day job with an altogether average home life. Of course Fox has never given up the ghost of his past life and it is none too soon that he is up to his old shenanigans once again which leads to inevitable trouble for his friends and family, and the crux of the entire film.

All in all, it would be tough to say that this movie is a fresh story all things considered. The real draw of the film lies in three significant factors. The first and most obvious is the animation style. Utilizing stop-motion and other visually quirky elements, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a very entertaining film to see. While some viewers will likely find the admittedly odd style of the film to be anywhere from off-putting to disturbing, it is safe to say that Wes Anderson stalwarts will be delighted how well this new medium accents the directors approach to movie making. This leads into the next significant draw of this movie -- Wes Anderson. It would be reasonable to assume that if one did not enjoy any of the director's previous cinematic efforts, Fantastic Mr. Fox will not change any minds. Another common mistake in assessing the merits of this film would be to immediately dismiss it as a children's movie. While I would say that a child could see this movie and not walk away with any deep psychiatric scarring liable to manifest itself in adolescence; I would say that older audiences are much more likely to cull enjoyment from the various things Anderson does in this and all of his films. Wes Anderson is quite skilled at creating a universe for each of his movies that feels grounded in reality, but just 'left-of-center'. There's an odd quirkiness inherent in a movie by this director that at once unsettles the viewer while making them that much more engaged in the incredibly detailed world presented. As always, experiences will vary from person to person.

The final selling point in this movie's favor is the superb voice casting. All audio recording sessions were performed in the areas they were appearing in the movie. For example a scene in a barn was audio recorded in a barn. To be honest, it's a small detail that likely will not register in your head as you watch, but upon thinking back I found it to add a nice level of texture to the proceedings. I've always been a fan of George Clooney as a comedic actor. I find his willingness to go the extra mile for a laugh commendable, and as a voice actor he's really able to go for it in a way that tickled me from start to finish. Clooney plays Fox with a manic kind of energy that propels the film and the character scene to scene and stands as perhaps one of the key lynch pins in achieving the tone of the movie. Clooney is joined by Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox who surprises with her great comedic timing and wonderful ability to play straight girl to Clooney's manic show-stealer. Playing their son is Jason Schwartzman as Ash. Schwartzman is at his best when in an Anderson film and this is no exception. Here he plays the part of misplaced and slightly depressed child forced to live in his own father's shadow to both humorous and heart-warming effect. These actors are joined by appropriate and inspired voice casting the likes of Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Wes Anderson himself, Michael Gambon, and Willem Defoe.

There's not much else to say about Fantastic Mr. Fox. Like almost all of Wes Anderson's movies it has equal parts humor, drama, and in the end heart-warmth (if such a thing exists). Without sounding like I'm knocking the film, it's a light affair. Nothing too heavy or emotionally charged, but at the same time this stands as one of those movies that I personally could watch almost any day at any time on a whim. Long story slightly less long? See this movie if you're looking for some entertainment on a level not as low as something like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (which is not by any stretch a bad film), but not as intense as something like Away We Go.

Thoughts on a Snowy Day.

Happy New Year everyone! Originally I was going to post up a 'Best Of' list for 2009 on January 1st, but life got in the way as it always does. Suffice it to say that 2009 had some very good things and some truly horrible things, but managed to end on a high note. Good? Great.

Today is January 7th, 2010. For those of you in Milwaukee, Wisconsin today you should know that it's a snowy day out. For some of us this will be a complete nuisance, and for some it will be a day of fun and enjoyment of the slowly falling flakes. Looking out my window over the city and watching the day progress, I've gotten to thinking. No deep thoughts that will produce paragraphs and paragraphs of words jumbled together to represent my thoughts, but some ideas.

A good snow day is one which the snow falls down slowly and gracefully -- when the wind isn't blowing right through you and the temperature doesn't completely freeze out any of the joy in your heart. On a day like this the usually grey and miserable scene outside is covered up and hidden. Especially in the city it's refreshing to watch the overwhelming greys of the buildings, skies, and pavements give way to a white blanket of snow. It's hard to be too gloomy on a day like today, assuming you don't have to get places on time or drive long distances.

Finally, a good snow day is a blank slate. A whitewash over the city, but more importantly a canvas to have a really fun day. Sledding, taking pictures, taking a walk... just admiring the world when it looks like this. And so I'm left thinking about what the day will yield for all of us -- for me, for you who may be reading this, for people I don't even know. These questions exist everyday existentially, but on a day where we're all being snowed on it brings us all closer together whether we realize it or not.

So what will we do today? It's a rare and temporary clean start, a visual gift, and most importantly a blank piece of paper to write a very specific story. Have fun today everyone, Happy New Year (belated), and here's to a 2010 together!

(At the risk of becoming redundant, this will be the last picture I post up on this blog in this style. This picture represents my brain on this day, and if the words featured above it make about as much sense you have my sincerest but amused apologies.)

Pellet Reviews: G.I. Joe, True Blood, and District 9

Whoa, so I'm a little behind on all of the media I've been intaking lately, but such is life my friends. Anyways, in an attempt to catch up in a manner that won't take up three posts and take me hours to write, welcome to my first edition of pellet reviews! That is to say, I'm aiming to keep these shorter than usual.

First up: G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra

Hoo boy this movie had a lot stacked up against it going in. I mean, did anyone see the trailers? One has to question whether the PR team behind this film was asleep at the wheel or purposefully trying to sell the movie as brainless. Granted, what you see in the trailer is fairly close to what you get in the film, but fortunately for the movie itself the package fairs better as a whole.

To begin, G.I. Joe like Transformers before it is a chance to cash in not only on a profitable toy line, but also the dreams and fantasies of man-children everywhere. The plot is as simple as Duke (Channing Tatum) and his best pal Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) are tasked with escorting a new nanotechnology weapon to a secure location when they are ambushed by the hotter-than-usual (not counting the Alfie remake) Sienna Miller as Baroness. Wacky hijinks ensue and the elite but mysterious G.I. Joe unit swoops in to save Duke and his pal. Managing to save the nano weapon, the Joe's are impressed enough by Duke's action (Ripcord doesn't do anything but lay on the sidelines, but they recruit him too) to enlist him in their elite program. Cue the montage and before you know it, Duke and Ripcord are the best G.I. Joe operatives around, magically excelling in every training routine. It's not long before we learn the attempt on the nano-bomb was in fact a cunning ploy by the weapons designer, McCullen (Christopher Eccleston), to get his weaponry into the terrorist market. You see, he lives by the evil weapon maker code of playing both sides of a conflict. I believe the filmmakers were attempting here to comment on the state of the arms trade, but thankfully the surrounding plot and characters are so cartoonish and inane that the message never seems to penetrate the subconscious.

Anyway, before long the would-be Destro pinpoints Joe HQ using a tracking device in the nano weapon and his minions break in a decimate the unsuspecting Joe army. Before long the Joe's are on a revenge mission to retrieve the weapon before it can be used on the public, and the audience is treated to a number of fantastic set pieces which see the Eiffel Tower get destroyed, super suited soldiers running down the street dodging missiles at 80mph, and an assault on a subarctic underwater base. Somewhere in there the filmmakers attempted to shoehorn in a love story between misunderstood Baroness and Duke, and the shared loss they feel over the loss of her brother Rex (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). It's pretty tame and predictable, but it's nice that Sienna Miller gets to survive the proceedings if only for the chance she may sauce up the sequel.

G.I. Joe is a pretty mindless film, but it so embraces this idea that it actually ends up working much better than anyone may think walking into theatres. Honestly, it never tries to take itself too seriously, presenting itself at face value while not shying away from its share of eye-rolling jokes. This scenario works best in the favor or Marlon Wayans, who in most appearances only manages to annoy and distract from the rest of whatever movie he graces. Also on his side is the fact that supposed main character Duke is played by the acting equivalent of silly putty. Channing Tatum does well enough to deliver his lines without sounding like an idiot, but does little else to emote or evoke a connection with his character. This is a shame considering Duke is destined to become the charismatic leader of the G.I. Joe forces. Unfortunately, the best that can be said for this movie is that exceeds expectations, but that only amounts to a passable film. There are most certainly some cool action sequences presented here, but I felt they always just missed the peak of their potential. Luckily, the film keeps a brisk pace moving from one element to the next fast enough to keep the viewers distracted that there is hardly any substance to speak of.

Some credit must be given to Joseph Gordon-Levitt who apparently realized that this film allowed for a spectacularly over-the-top delivery so much so that when he delivers some of the hammiest lines in the film, you can't help but grin at the cheese factor. I imagine this was intentional, and it was also fun to see a villainous turn for the actor so soon after 500 Days of Summer. Credit must also go to Sienna Miller who pretty much embraces the fact she's there for eye candy. It doesn't stop her from being sufficiently both a combo of nasty and campy. It plays right until her inevitable redemption scenes which come off as forced and unnecessary. Almost-points finally go out to Dennis Quaid who hams it up in the bad way, and seems satisfied with punching in for a paycheck. See G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra as a second-string movie theatre day or if you really think you can't handle engaging your brain on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

True Blood: 'Timebomb'

I've been very bad about my True Blood reviews as of late, and I definitely missed the boat on the episode before this one. This is not to say that the show has taken any kind of dip in quality. Quite differently, True Blood has cranked itself to eleven and all of the carefully established dominoes of the season thus far are tipping.

This week sees the tensions between the Fellowship of the Sun church and the vampire law of Texas come to a boil. Sookie's trapped in a basement with a turncoat human who's betrayed her to the Fellowship, Bill's trapped in his hotel room with his maker Lorena who has absolute power over him, and Jason's still an idiot. Meanwhile, back in Bon Temps Sam Merlotte is on the run and paranoid on account of demon-god Maryann running amok carving hearts out of people while causing everyone to have sweaty, black-eyed orgies. Tara and Eggs of course remain oblivious, and it's getting harder to ignore how ignorant they are becoming over the increasingly weird happenings around them. Also, vampire Jessica and Hoyt finally get it on for each of their first times and its very sweet until Bill barges in and surprisingly does not dismember the human.

This week pretty much had my jaw on the floor the entire episode. There were so many revelations and just plain cool moments that one would be hard-pressed to deny this may very well be the highlight of the season thus far. Godric the two millenia old vampire makes his appearance and Eric quickly finds him and Sookie. We are treated to a hilarious moment where Eric affects a bumpkin persona to try and non-violently escape from the Fellowship church, and before long all hell breaks loose. Surrounded by the Soldiers of the Sun, Eric and Sookie seem to be cornered... UNTIL all of the Texas vampire law-people bust in the front door and through some awesome vampire speed and power turn the tide of the fight in about four seconds. Bill knocks Lorena out with a 52-inch plasma screen TV and super-speeds his way to his woman, just in time for the fireworks. Steve Newlin, crazy in his desperation, holds Sookie at gun point until Jason saves the day; finally coming through and doing something not stupid. Right before the blood begins to spill, Godric appears and brings an unexpected peace to the proceedings, despite Newlin's prodding. One gets the impression that Godric is a different kind of vampire in this show, choosing to learn from his two thousand years of unlife and evolving as opposed to becoming more separated and routine. Given the fact Godric is played by a younger, shorter actor it is very fun to watch the rest of the vampire cast go sheepish around him.

The day saved, there's obviously an after-party in which Godric seems bored with the state of his unlife and the vampire snobbery, Jason apologizes to Bill and everyone about what a moron he is, and Lorena is banished by Godric. You almost, almost feel bad for her when Bill tells her he never wants to see her again. She's just a love sick murderer after all. The episode cuts out as one of Jason's pals from the Fellowship crashes the party, announces himself, and reveals a chest strapped with live explosives and what look like mini-projectile stakes. He presses the button and credits roll. Elsewhere Sam is still on the run, discovers Daphne's heartless body in a frame-up, goes to jail, and finds himself being able to trust only Andy. Tara and Eggs end up eating Daphne's heart thanks to Maryann's deceitful but delicious cooking skills, and proceed to beat each other senseless most presumably at Maryann's demonic behest. Lastly we are treated to a heart-breaking scene in which Jessica realizes she is an eternal virgin (at least physically) thanks to the timing of her vampirism, and you truly feel for her with Hoyt.

This is the kind of episode where you wonder how it all fits in an hour so satisfyingly. Revelation after revelation pays off, and no stone is left unturned (except for stupid Maryann, but it looks like we'll get some resolution next week). The story never seems to betray itself for the sake of melodrama, and instead lets the well established characters play for themselves. This is television at its escapist finest, and it's pitch-perfect. Wonderfully now that all of the disparate plot lines are all molded into a cohesive whole, it will be interesting to see what happens once the main cast and vampires return to Bon Temps and view the weirdness Maryann has laid bare. There's no real hanging what-if's, but the storyline is left wide open for some really great developments; not the least of which is the cliffhanger bombing this week.

True Blood is firing on all cylinders right now, and presuming it keeps it up with next week's installment, season two is shaping up to be a grander, greater version of the first already fantastic season. Do yourself a favor if you're not already and check out this show any way you can.

District 9

Where did this movie come from? In one night I very quickly found the third best film of the summer for myself. This is sci-fi at its very finest, telling a compelling and intriguing tale with some minor yet not blatant parallels to modern society.

The plot follows Wikus Van De Merwe (newcomer Sharlto Copely), a worker for the MNU organization tasked with evicting District 9. What's District 9? Oh, just a huge colony just outside Johannesburg, South Africa that happens to be inhabited by millions of an alien species that mysteriously showed up twenty years earlier. If it sounds intriguing, then this movie is already for you. The premise revolves around the concept that a massive mother ship appears in the skies above the city sometime in the mid 80's, and after months of inactivity, humans take it upon themselves to fly up to it and see what's inside. Instead of a creepy, malicious alien race akin to Ridley Scott's Aliens, or the kind from Independence Day we are treated to a malnourished and terrified race of bug-like aliens hopelessly lost without leaders. Doing the 'humane' (haha) thing, the world shuttles the aliens to earth and into shanty towns which become known as District 9. Flash forward twenty years and we jump into the film proper. Tensions between humans living in the Johannesburg area and the alien squatters are high, and the humans want the aliens to move.. Because it would seem the race is aimless and almost clueless even unto its own inner workings, it would seem that the only solution is to evict them from their shanty town and move them a number of miles away to a new one.

Unfortunately for Wikus who has just been promoted to head of the task force assigned to serve eviction notices to the alien squatters, District 9 has become more like a slum -- rampant with crime, arms dealing, illegal inter-species prostitution, and a well-entrenched human contingent content on exploiting everything around them for power and weapons. The opening third of the film is told in a documentary style that for me hearkened back to Cloverfield in its sense of conveying the illusion that what we're seeing is real, but with not nearly as shaky of camera work. The universe they've set up is exceedingly believable, and as we watch the early scenes as Wikus uses his know-how and expertise to evict the aliens while navigating the complexities of their culture and lifestyle, one is drawn willingly into the desolate world of shaky civil rights and complex moral lines. Apparently, the script is reminiscent of director Neill Blomkamp's time growing up in South Africa during apartheid, and its easy to see the invocations between that and the fictional eviction of District 9.

Everything is going fine for Wikus until he evicts an alien the audience knows to be up to something nefarious at best. Stumbling upon a mysterious canister which we later find out to be a fuel cell, Wikus is sprayed in the face by a mysterious black goo. From here his life more or less cascades out of his control, and the audience gets to watch a very Kafka-like transformation evocative of the Metamorphasis. Wikus slowly begins to literally come apart at the seems, treating us to disturbing visuals of finger nails being torn off, teeth falling out, and grotesque alien exo-skeleton growing beneath his skin. Not the least of his problems, Wikus' newfound transformation allows him to operate the genetically encoded, and until recently, useless alien weaponry that the MNU has amassed but been unsuccessful in actually firing. This makes Wikus a valuable military commodity and after a close call with the chopping block, he retreats and must take refuge in District 9. What follows is an interesting character study of how a man can change both literally and figuratively in such extreme conditions. Watching Copely's progression from slightly nerdy office-man to jittery, end-of-his-rope refugee is at once heart-breaking and believable. Given to extreme circumstances, Wikus must try and survive in the harsh conditions of the slum and he eventually stumbles upon the very alien whom created the fuel cell that is transforming him. Turns out that this particular alien and his son are a breed apart from the aimless, shiftless creatures populating District 9 and have taken the initiative to repair their command ship and intend on reviving the mothership. With a promise to repair Wikus if he were to help retrieve the cell, the movie transitions into one man's quest and the lengths he will go to escape his plight.

District 9 has some pretty impressive effects for a movie made for a relatively small $30 million. The aliens in the movie feel real enough to not be distracting, and emote enough believability so as to connect with the viewer in a way that involves one passed the fact they are a fancy CG effect. Once Wikus gets his hands on some of the cool alien weaponry, we are treated to some light action scenes in which some extreme violence ensues. It becomes pretty commonplace to see people literally burst like bloody water balloons in this film, and that is only the most common way random soldiers bite the dust. The important part of all of this is that even though you can kind of predict the character arc for Wikus, you never quite know the circumstances of how it will happen or where everything will end up. The movie also raises a lot of questions about basic civil liberties and it definitely left an unsure feeling in me as to which side had the moral high ground. Tensions run high in this film the entire time so that you are riveted to the screen for the duration of the running time.

By the end, you've seen Wikus' journey from naive, office nerd to hardened and bewildered refugee. The closing moments of the movie remain ambiguous, offering no solution to many of the grand problems of the situation or revelations as to the future of many of the main characters. Instead, District 9 leaves audiences with a sense of uncertainty which I am sure is intentional by the filmmaker to echo various scenarios in many parts of the world. Does war lie on the horizon for Earth? Is violence the only outcome of such a parasitic culture? Is there a peaceful solution in the end? It's the mark of good science fiction when you can walk out of the theatre without the pleasure of a tidy ending and still be satisfied with the film you've seen. District 9 may just be the sleeper hit of the summer, as it surprised me in a way none of the summer movies of this year have. Just behind Star Trek and 500 Days of Summer, District 9 deserves to be seen if only a passing interest is involved. Don't miss a chance to see a movie that is refreshing in it's new take on a familiar genre and it's ability to make you care.