District 9.
To call it the best science-fiction film of the last decade is to damn it with faint praise. District 9, on the grounds of sheer visual and thematic density alone, easily stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the established classics of the genre like Blade Runner and 2001. Not only that, it could well be a pioneer of a new brand of filmmaking, as the story is told through a kind of visual stream of consciousness alongside a barrage of popular media. In a time where filmmaking tools are more affordable and user-friendly than every before, I'm betting that we'll see this style become increasingly prevalent.
A gorgeous, adrenaline-fueled, heartbreaking, and frequently hilarious allegory on the horrors of dehumanization, on a canvas painted by Chris Foss and buried under 30 years of dirt, sand, and blood.
Perfect.
