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Finally got around to seeing District 9 this past weekend. It's difficult to describe how moving this movie was without giving away its story. But after the first third of the movie, which was mostly what I expected, it takes such a stark -- and ironically humanistic -- turn that caught me off guard. It's a shame that a movie like Avatar (which was just fine the first time, when it was called Dances With Wolves, and had no need to be remade in 3-D) got so much attention when District 9 was out there.

For those of us who have grown increasingly appalled at the idea of Avatar winning Best Picture -- pick your excuse: horrible dialogue, 2-D character development that is subordinate to the 3-D action, the truly discomforting idea that these big blue people are all fine and one with nature, but a white guy pretending to be one of them becomes their chosen one, or whatever he was -- there is some good news.

Pixar has never talked down to its audience, but with its recent string of films, Pixar has begun talking up to its audience. Much faith is invested in the ability of the audience to connect with a story rather than a concept. Based on the box office take, it's working.