District 9 (2009)

Outstanding sci-fi film, go see it (in theaters now).

The best sci-fi has something to say and uses elaborate worlds to say it. District 9 excels because it has something to say, and the story is solid.

The topic is racism: racial profiling, segregation based upon perceived (and of course real) differences, class distinctions and the legal mechanisms of discrimination. Pretty potent stuff, and the plot handles it perfectly.

At this point, I’d have to give a SPOILER ALERT to comment further. I’m not going to do that, but simply refer readers to the film’s trailer.

Fans may also want to watch the short film by the same director, Neill Blomkamp, which began the project: Alive in Joberg