the hangover

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.

Maybe Avatar isn't a lock, after all. Two curious developments over the weekend have at least cast doubt on the certainty of an Avatar win for Best Picture. First, the Screen Actors Guild gave its ensemble award to Inglourious Basterds.Then the Producers Guild gave its top award to The Hurt Locker.