we come in peace

This weekend, District 9 opened at No. 1 with an impressive gross revenue of $37 million. The opening is even more successful when you consider that the film was budgeted at a mere $30 million. So in addition to receiving extremely positive reviews, it's already a financial success for TriStar. A big congratulations is in order for 29 year-old South African director Neill Blomkamp, as well as producer Peter Jackson. Reviews and box office performance almost guarantee a sequel, and it sounds like this is a film that actually deserves a follow-up. I haven't made it to the theater yet (manfriend was out of town over the weekend, and probably would've broken up with me if I'd seen it without him), but have been following the marketing campaign religiously for months. Can't wait to see this movie, which some critics are already calling the best science-fiction movie of the generation.

"District 9 proves that there's intelligent alien life in the movie universe this summer." -Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

"This baby has the stuff to end the movie summer on a note of dazzle and distinction." -Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"District 9 is the most exciting science fiction movie to come along in ages; definitely the most thrilling of the summer; and quite possibly the best film I've seen all year." -Sara Vilkomerson, The New York Observer

"This might go down as the year that science-fiction cinema, despite the deafening crash and clangor of sparring robots, began to rediscover its brains, heart and soul." -Cary Darling, Dallas Morning News

"District 9 has the aesthetic trappings of science fiction but it's really more of a character drama, an examination of how a man responds when he's forced to confront his identity during extraordinary circumstances." - Christy Lemire, Associated Press

New York Times movie critic A.O. Scott calls the movie smart and swift, and the special effects tight and inventive.

District 9 is current running at 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.