District 9 elevates SA cinema

IT took me a while to come around and watch District 9 or D9 as it has come to be known its many zealous fans. Right off the bat I am going to say that I did myself an injustice by not watching on the big screen because the movie is such a tour de force. D9 elevates South African filmmaking to a whole new level that has never been seen before and won’t be repeated any time soon. 

In a nutshell District 9 is a 2009 science fiction action/thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James. The film won the 2010 Saturn Award for Best International Film presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, and was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2010: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, and Best Editing.

Dream Girls

i finally watched Dream Girls on tv over the weekend and i must say its an entertaining work of art. when the movie first came out i refused to join the band wagon of movie goers- i mean just because the movie got several Oscar nods and stars beyonce doesn't mean its a must. right? wrong! by not watching it on the big screen back then i was being 'pop culturally ignorant'especially for an aspiring film critic.

THE GOSPEL

There was once a man who had two sons, the younger said to his father ‘father, give me my share of the property’. So the father divided his estate between his two boys. A few days later the younger son turned his whole share into cash and left for a distant land where he squandered it in debauchery and reckless living. This timeless and unforgettable parable of the prodigal son was adapted into a movie in 2005. I had another chance to watch the movie again on TV yesterday and I must say it was pleasant viewing.

The Gospel is the film that tells this age old tale with a modern twist that is refreshing, compelling and full of powerful gospel tunes. The movie is about David (Boris Kodjoe) a successful R’n B star who turned his back on his father’s church and God after tragedy. David returns home after many years to find the once vibrant church in disarray. With his childhood friend Frank (Idriss Elba) as the new church leader, who has a grand vision for the expansion of the church there is bound to be drama. David has to deal with his family issues, romance, his secular music career, the egotistical Frank along with all the church politics. Faced with all of this David is either on the road to ruin or on the road to repentance and reconciliation.

Armoured

What happens when a group of disgruntled armoured vehicle guards have to transport $ 40million dollars? A cash in transit heist carried out by the guards themselves. But throw in a dead hobo, a wounded cop plus a young guard, who has a change of heart and you, have a recipe for tension, drama and a lot of action. I think the movie does a good job of telling a gripping story from a meagre 20 mil budget. Young, black and talented Columbus Short holds his weight among seasoned acting veterans to rise as the movie’s hero. This star studded movie stars Laurence Fishburne, Matt Dillon, Jean Reno and Columbus Short.

Bloody saw 6

I have to say, I actually enjoyed this blood fest of a movie. Maybe it’s because a lot questions that fans have about this gory franchise finally get answered. In the sixth instalment of the Saw series Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood.

adult kiddies flick

Alice in Wonderland confirmed what I have always thought- that children’s movies are actually not intended for a young audience. Why do I say this? Last week I took my two nieces and nephew to watch this ‘Goth’ inspired fairytale and with moments of the movie my young nephew started to cry in fear. So after my futile attempts to calm down I eventually had to walk out of the cinema before I was murdered by an angry mob of Tim Burton fanatics….So much for an All Ages film.

Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton, written by Linda Woolverton, and starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway. It is an extension of Lewis Carroll's novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. The film uses a technique of combining live action and animation.

The Book Of Eli is Not just Another Post Apocalyptic Picture

The Book Of Eli

There has been a plethora of post apocalyptic films in recent years- I am Legend, The Road, Zombie Land, 2012, Terminator Salvation the list goes on. Perhaps it is a sign of the looming end. The latest movie to come out this gory genre is The Book of Eli starring the ever impressive Denzel Washington. The film tells the story of Eli (Washington) a seemingly normal person on a journey to deliver precious cargo, a book, across the desolate and violent waste land that was once America. We soon learn that Eli posses deadly combat and survival skills which he uses to protect himself and the book that could hold the future of the human race.

This futuristic thriller is delivered with a new-fangled flavour from the black filmmaking duo Albert and Allen Hughes who gave man birth to fine films like ‘From Hell’ and ‘Dead Presidents’. Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Michael Gambon and Ray Stevenson co-star in the violent and action packed thriller.Though The Book Of Eli is similar to most post apocalyptic stories it still manages to be refreshing and its biblical overtone will appeal to the Christian audience.