SMT Weekly Flick by Paul Krismantis
Not Your Average Films
Inglourious Basterds (Rated R)
152 mins.
District 9 (Rated R)
113 mins.
So here goes; a thinking man’s alien movie and a cartoonish film about Nazis. Oh, and they are both awesome. Never thought you would see the day did you? Yeah, neither did I.
But here it is nonetheless, and for the last two weekends District 9 and Inglourious Basterds (misspelled on purpose) have been tearing up the bigscreen as two of the most entertaining, original, and well-made films of the year. First up, District 9, Peter Jackson’s (Lord of the Rings, King Kong) latest baby, even though he is just the producer this time around. Written and directed by newcomer 29-year-old Neill Bloomkamp, District keeps our minds working and attacks our nerves with awesome thrills. Jackson has now proven he can add the words “talent scout” to his otherworldly resume, for Bloomkamp has “IT”. With District 9, a star has been born.
Oh, speaking of the film, what of it? Seems about 28 years ago an intergalactic cruiser stalled over Johannesburg, South Africa, just in time to bear witness to the prime of apartheid. As one could expect from a government that harshly segregated two human races, their approach toward a different sentient species could have used more tact. Instead of helping the friendly strangers get back home, they are given a new one called District 9. Think of it as an alien slum fully equipped with alien gangs and even (gulp) interspecies prostitution (the terrible thing is, you know someone would do it, we humans can be sick). Life in District 9 is far from desirable as Bloomkamp makes obvious, so it is no surprise when we find the stranded aliens have been planning an escape for years now. They are angry, and they are desperate. Not a good combination for those standing in the way. So do they make it? Go check out the movie. It is well worth the time.
While District 9 is busy convincing us that “it could happen,” Inglourious Basterds presents an idea of World War II that is far from realistic, yet strangely gratifying. In a role reversal of the usual WWII flick this time it’s a team of our U.S. boys who are doing the bullying. The “Basterds” are a select group of soldiers who survive in France carrying the goal of retrieving 100 Nazi scalps apiece. Their leader is Aldo Raine, and he is the best character Brad Pitt has played in a while. With a over pronounced southern drawl and an odd sort of smirk plastered on his face, Lt. Raine leads his band of instigators on their own version of terrorist missions massacring the Nazi troops. That is, until the beautiful Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) comes along and gives the Basterds a chance at a truly memorable score by infiltrating Nazi leadership as a double agent.
As anyone who knows a Tarantino film should expect, this is a violent film, and that is an understatement. But it also is entertainment, pure and simple. QT fills the movie with his unique dialogue as well, and while it’s no Pulp Fiction, it reminds us of why we loved this guy’s movies in the first place. By the time the film ends we have forgotten that his last film, Death Proof, had us thinking that the man had lost his touch. Well, it’s back. Inglourious Basterds treats history as a playground, and it’s a fun one to be a part of (just make sure you don’t actually BELIEVE it). Pitt gives his best performance since 1999’s Fight Club as Aldo Raine, proving that he still has what it takes to lead a movie that is both entertaining and not mind numbing. It’s nice to know his career has come out of cruise mode, at least for a bit.
At the end of both these films many viewers may be stuck thinking, “I’m not sure what I think.” Give it time to sink in. What you have seen is two great movies that have taken you out of the usual comfort zone of your movie going experience. These are not of your predictable Hollywood ilk. Enjoy them while you can, for it may be a while before we get another such treat.
Basterds 4/5
District 9 4.5/5
