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tom_rudnick
Reviews
District 9 (2009)
Extraordinary
In my 60+ years of going to the theater (I grew up in New York)and the movies, every so often I am completely moved to awe! On Broadway it was Sweeney Todd, Grapes of Wrath, Sunday In The Park With George and M Butterfly. For movies it was Sullivan's Travels, City Lights, Bicycle Thief, The Best Years of Our Lives, Close Encounters of The Third Kind to name a few.
For an artist to create a work that not only entertains but also reflects man at his best and at his worst. To show a world as it is so so we might take the time to reflect an make us think about our small part in it is no small task.
Neill Blomkamp has created what may be the most unique sci-fi movie of all time. In Spielberg's Close Encounters we saw man at his best. Trying to fathom and understand the mysteries of the universe and to embrace and to learn from aliens. District 9 starts showing mankind at his best and quickly reverting to there usual mistrust, hatred of "things" that are different and exploiting the aliens for their own gain.
Yes there is a hero in this extraordinary work of art. And in rooting for him shows our understanding of what this movie is trying to accomplish.
So This Is New York (1948)
A wonderful movie
I first saw So This Is New York in my teens on the Million Dollar Movie hosted by Ted Steel on WOR TV New York in the early 50's. I loved this film. At that time the Million Dollar Movie would show the same movie every night for a week. I watched every night! It is a wonderful satire on several levels; including marrying for money, small town folk going to the "big city", ham actors, show business, gamblers and infidelity war profiteering. The cast was wonderful. The writing is top notch with some great lines that sound even better because of the wonderful Henry Morgan. He was the perfect actor to play the part of the beleaguered husband. I hope this comes out on DVD.