If you've been to the movies lately, you've probably seen the previews for Neill Blomkamp's upcoming movie, District 9. I don't typically go to many movies in theatres, but this is one I'm definitely going to have to come out of my shell for and get a date, because we all know chicks dig sketchy insectoid aliens. I'm also going to see it because the more money that this film makes, the more likely Blomkamp and Peter Jackson, the producer of both films, will be able to get the Halo movie off the ground. What's really neat about Blomkamp directing this film is that I think he will do a really good job of portraying the culture since the film is based in his home city, Johannesburg, South Africa. As far as I know, not much has been released about the plot of the movie, but you can speculate based on the trailer and the website, D-9.com.
If you look really closely, on the MNU ALERT billboard featured(1:22) right after the scene where the guy gets sprayed in the face, there is a number for MNU! Give it a call. The realism with the viral advertisement of this movie is phenomenal.
Here are a few of the shots from the District 9 movie:


The website is really cool and also really detailed, featuring mock documentary footage that gives a great sense of realism and gives you a background to further evolve your perceptions on. From what I've gathered, the humans want to keep the aliens on Earth until they learn how to replicate the alien weapons systems, but the humans on Earth don't want them around. The "FOR HUMANS ONLY" sign just made me think of old signs from the times of segregation, and the alien symbol cracks me up every time I look at it. The picture of the statue of the alien and the human holding hands, the statue has an engraving that reads "District 9: PAVING THE WAY TO UNITY." I guess that didn't go over too well judging by the men with guns and the anarchy symbol scratched into the statue's base.
There are "interviews" on the website, with store-owners and people in the street, that show their views and speculations on the non-humans. What's really neat about the website is that there are two parts to it, one for the humans and one for the non-humans. The humans can access the human and most non-human areas while the non-humans can only access their own zones. I haven't quite figured it out yet, but there are a lot of places that I can't access since they are in the restricted zones, which I presume to be District 9. An error message pops up and asks you whether or not you are allowed to be there and if you are to enter your access code. I assume that the access code is sent to you in an e-mail once you register, but I have yet to receive mine. The registration even asks if you are registering as a human or non-human! If you try to access a spot in the human zones as a non-human on the map, you will be redirected to MNU's website where you are reminded of the rules and regulations! You can even take a look at the careers offered by MultiNational United, or MNU to humans and non-humans alike! I would not want to be a non-human dental hygienist.
Even more interesting than the MNU page, the MNU Spreads Lies page is an alien page, that can simply be translated into English at the click of a button, that has news and videos showing how MNU is actually an evil corporation that is exploiting people all around the world.
There's a part of the site called Community Watch that has a bunch of different cities on the map. When you click on each one, you are presented with a list of phone calls made from people that have seen non-human sitings, when you listen to them you really get the idea of how much the non-humans are hated. It's actually kind of sad, because that's probably the way that the world would be if something like this ever happened.
This movie looks great, and I really hope it does well just because I want Blomkamp to have more backing in the film industry. He has apparently been working on a Halo movie for awhile now, but just doesn't have the money to get it off the ground. I had downloaded the short film on my Xbox awhile ago when it was first released, and thought it looked awesome. He's a talented filmmaker and I think he would be perfect to make the badass video game epic into a blockbuster movie. I'm surprised that nobody has backed him just based on the short, considering every Halo-nerd out there would go and see it (myself included!). The more money that this movie makes, the more likely it is that someone will drop the cash for Halo the movie. The Halo movie was originally scheduled for release in 2008, but the production was cut due to financial issues in 2006. It's 2009! Come on! According to halothemovie.org, there is a rumor going around that it will release in 2010 and is being produced by Peter Jackson. Lets just hope that District 9 is all that I think it will be!