The Summer of 9

This summer two movies with 9 in their titles debuted. I was very excited about both of them and decided that I would watch both in the theater. While the two movies were different, they both displayed a trend in modern movie making that seems to be taking hold.

The first movie, District 9, is a sci-fi, action movie that takes place in the near future. Aliens have landed in Africa and are rounded up to keep them out of the peoples' way. The movie begins with a group of people preparing to move the aliens into a new area, farther away from human society. The main character is sprayed with a suspicious chemical that starts to convert him into a Prawn (the name used for the alien race). Without giving too much away the main character discovers that the aliens are treated terribly and that their only reaal desire is to go home. The end of the movie is what I feel really struck me. I don't want to give it away, but the movie ends with more questions being brought up then answered, and while it does have a "good" ending, it is not a happy ending.

The second movie is a Tim Burton film titled 9. This film is set in a post appocolipitacal future where robots have taken over the world, killing all life. The only thing left are 9 creations that seem to have been given the gift of a soul. The characters must fight the robots and discovered why they are so special. Once again, I don't want to give too much away from the film but, it has the same feeling at the end. The end is "good," but maybe not happy, and more questions are brought up than answered.

While there could be squeals to both these films, I think that it would denigrate them to do so. While both of these movies bring up questions, the purpose of arising these questions serves better to allow the audience to think. I like movies that make you think. I feel that if you leave a movie without having to think than the director has not done his job.