I watched District 9 yesterday, and I enjoyed it a lot. Actually, I watched Moon this past weekend as well, which was also pretty great. However, I had noticed that I had previously marked both films as “not interested”. Why? Actually, because I marked most films that way, unless I’m already interested. But this also made me think about the films I’ve watched this past year, and which ones I’ve enjoyed the most.
I’ve never followed Star Trek, but I admit I enjoyed watching the film this year.
And on a similar topic, I finally finished watching Battlestar Gallactica Season 1. LOL
But why do I seem so reluctant to watch Sci-Fi? Yes, it’s the nerd tag… I guess. I think my mother puts it best — She’s not interested in aliens, in other worlds, or UFOs — I think I’ve had the notions that Sci-Fi was just escapism, and it is in some of the films, but some of my friends (some sci-fi and comic book lovers) have taught me and made me understand that Sci-Fi can be so much more. And I do love a good drama.
But in the end, people don’t really listen.
My cousin, yes… that same one that told me Love Happens was money well spent, HATED District 9. Her brief Facebook status read something like “District 9, sucks! Badly…” and it got a bunch of comments including mine asking whether to believe her or not, considering she liked Transformers 2 (So good, she said), to which she replied “aliens!? c’mon>>>> no more comments”. LOL – The fact that she thought the idea of aliens is ridiculous should have hinted that she shouldn’t have picked District 9. Actually, she told me she didn’t wanna watch Inglourious Basterds either, to which I fainted. xD
What is good sci-fi? My friend made me sit in front of my computer screen (we haven’t seen each other since we graduated) and told me I was wrong. He told me Good Sci-Fi is Good Drama, you get social commentary in the form of metaphor and you can place those stories in the real world. Good Sci-Fi is about the characters… much more than the universe created. He is the same friend who made me watch Firefly. Yes, that same sci-fi show that my sci-fi-hating mom loved to watch.
So if you’re not sure you like sci-fi, you can give Firefly a try.
Good Sci-Fi is also not about how high-end and kick-ass your special effects are. It’s not about how many explosions you can get on screen at the same time. It’s not about how cool your props look like.
As we see on Moon, it’s almost as if this sci-fi world becomes a character piece in which the main character talks to himself and re-discovers himself in the process. About his daughter, about his wife, about his work. The miniature models are far from the high-end spectrum of regular CGI effects, yet hold this charisma or perhaps it’s nostalgia.
On District 9, what could have been an alien invasion film with explosions where people save the day turns into a film where aliens live in slums among us, as big corporate heads try to find the way to use their bio-technology weapons and think they can get away with it when one of their workers begins changing. The character sort of begins a transformation worthy of Kafka, in which he starts becoming more a “monster,” but in reality human beings are the monsters. It’s sad.
The sites AfterElton.com and AfterEllen.com have released their Hot100 list this year, and out actors Neil Patrick Harris and Portia de Rossi top their respective lists. Also in those lists…
Jennifer Beals ranking in #2, Lena Headey in #3, Leisha Hailey in #4, Tina Fey in #7, Katherine Moennig in #11, Rachel Shelley in #12, Kate Winslet in #13, Ellen DeGeneres making up the Top15. Clementine Ford made it to #18, Ellen Page (21), Pink (25), Emily Blunt (34), Jodie Foster (39), Natalie Portman (41, what? behind LiLo??? Geez), Penelope Cruz (56), Mary-Louise Parker (57), Cate Blanchett (66), Anne Hathaway (83), Rachel Weisz (84), Maryl Streep (87), and Emma Watson at 99.
LOL’ That was a long not-a-list~
The dudes at AfterElton show you the proper way to show a list… from the bottom up. Starting with Emile Hirsch (88), Patrick Wilson (86), Nathan Fillion (85), Matt Damon (84), George Clooney (73), Clive Owen (72), Ryan Gosling (65), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (61), Lee Pace (60), Gael Garcia Bernal (59), James McAvoy (57), Christian Bale (56), Ewan McGregor (48), David Boreanaz (47), Justin Timberlake (42), Daniel Craig (32), Johnny Depp (29), Brad Pitt (18). And rounding up the Top10, there’s James Franco in #10, Hugh Jackman in #8, and Jake Gyllenhaal in #4.
What else is cool (though mildly surprising…) – JAPAN WINNING, not ONE BUT TWO!!! For Best Short Film Animated – which was great – but also getting FOREIGN FILM, when I so totally thought Waltz with Bashir would win. Okuribito (Departures) took back home Foreign Film~~ I totally FLIPPED.
Other cool moments… Best Actress. GOSH! Sophia Loren… Shirley MacLaine… Marion Cotillard (My Marion, OUR Marion), Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman. AND! Kate Winslet winning! Introduced by Marion! And Sophia Loren with her accent… introducing the fab+++ Meryl! I’d die for an intro of any of those two.
Actually, that was my favorite category of the night, haha. I’m glad for Best Actor… and Supporting Actress~~~ Penelope!! I have to update an old post on Oscar Studded Films~~~
And Tina Fey!! She was funny~~ as James Franco was.
I think I did pretty good on predictions (20/24) … I hope no one did better than me in the contest I entered hahaha.
Slumdog took 8, while Button took 3, Milk 2, Dark Knight 2 – the rest, if not mistaken took 1. xD
4 days (technically 3) to Independent Spirit Awards – which I already voted for. If you get i-Sat, they will be broadcasting it on Saturday at 5pm GMT-5.
Following that, ACADEMY AWARDS. BIG BIG day, probably live blog Red Carpet, and complete ceremony. Plus, Hugh Jackman will be hosting, and he’s hot and funny. That’s on Sunday 8pm GMT-5, probably red carpet will beging 3 or 2 hours before that~~~
Next week (25th)~ Backstreet Boys concert! LOL’ I am excited, after missing the one in Vancouver because embassies SUCK hairy balls. On the music front, BSB mania probably begins on Sunday night after Oscar.
6 days after that (March 3rd), anniversary #2 for this Wordpress blog.
And finally, on Sunday March 8th – Final two-hour episode of The L Word. Which reminds me… we are on what- episode 5 already?? Where’s Clementine Ford. I demand Shane and Molly scenes!
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