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The Weekly Geek: A look at “District 9”

Thus far, summer 2009’s geek movies have been all over the place. We’ve had the excellent (Star Trek) to the kind of okay (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) to the truly awful (Terminator Salvation, Transformers 2). Come August 14, I’m hoping to add another to our first category: District 9.

A new trailer was just released for the serious sci-fi flick (coming via Lord of the Rings Auteur Peter Jackson, and directed by Neill Blomkamp), in which a vaguely menacing human corporation holds a mysterious Alien population captive. Here’s the kicker – all of this takes place in South Africa, adding a not-so subtle layer of social/racial commentary to the mix. While the plot details are still scarce, the many allusions to Apartheid (like the “humans only” signs littering the landscape) and the semi-documentary style all lend an air of believability and gravitas to the trailer. Deep, interesting science fiction with real-world social commentary and alien mech suits? Sign me up! Like Children of Men, it looks like something you may be able to take your “serious movie” friends to, or, at the very least, be able to avoid the usual snorts of derision. Maybe I should stop showing up to opening nights in my Starfleet uniform.

Since I went through the grand, geeky process of receiving my new computer this week (which I’ve been referring to as my “new baby”), I’ve been so busy tending to her that I almost missed out on the news that Daria is coming to DVD. Now, Dorothy Snarker covered this territory earlier in the week, but I just wanted to give my weekly geek salute. Daria was, hands-down, one of my favorite TV shows of all time, especially in high school – which, for me, coincided nicely with the show’s original run. Nothing blended dark humor with the aches and pains of adolescence so perfectly, and the late 90s soundtrack was pitch-perfect.

Now, who among us didn’t have a total crush on Jane? Especially when she almost slept with a girl in Is It Fall Yet?

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