A smart, gritty sci-fi fable which needed to cut deeper and an action-adventure film 
that can't stay afloat
thefinalcut
Khusro Mumtaz

District 9
Dir: Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Vanessa Haywood

District 9 is a short, smart science-fiction adventure tale which is occasionally disturbing and which provokes a thought or two. Low-budget by Hollywood standards (only US$ 30M), director Neill Blomkamp (helped by producer Peter Jackson, director of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy) makes every cent count so the film doesn't suffer in comparison to bigger budget blockbusters. Set in the near future and told in semi-documentary style, the film depicts the arrival of extra-terrestrials on our planet but instead of New York (the city of choice for most aliens in Hollywood productions) or London or Tokyo the alien ship comes to a standstill over Johannesburg, South Africa. The aliens themselves have a crustacean appearance and so end up being dubbed as "prawns" by the locals and while being forced to live in cramped quarters in a shantytown dubbed "District 9". The film then chronicles the efforts of a private security firm owned by Multi-National United (MNU) Corp. hired by the government to oversee the eviction of the aliens from District 9 to another reservation out in the desert.

The similarities to any bigoted/racist society are kind of obvious and the parallels run even deeper for South Africa with its recent apartheid past. There was even a District 6 where the "coloureds" of Cape Town lived until they were forced from their homes and the language of the "prawns" includes clicking sounds just like that of the Bantu, one of South Africa's largest tribes. Trouble is that Blomkamp doesn't really go beyond the obvious. The feeling persists that despite the movie's visual stylings and the director's attention to detail Blomkamp doesn't do enough with the material, doesn't dig deep enough. The film also leaves many questions unanswered about the aliens. But perhaps we'll get more of that in the sequel (the film ends on a note just begging for a follow-up) and with the world-wide success of the movie we are now almost guaranteed a District 10.

Cut to chase: Gritty, raw and clever - smart science-fiction but could have, should have been even smarter.

Blue
Dir: Anthony D'Souza
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Zayed Khan, Lara Dutta, Katrina Kaif

Lara Dutta should sue the producers of this bomb. After all, what's the point of looking this good (and, boy, does she look good, showing off her tanned and toned physique to maximum effect) if the film's going to be so bad. Plus, Katrina Kaif, who is only supposed to be doing a cameo anyway, has more lines than her.

I don't necessarily dislike action-adventure films but even action flicks need wit, energy and flair along with the big explosions and car (in this case, motor-cycle) chases. Blue has none of these ingredients. By comparison, the first Dhoom got the mixture right (however, the less said about the sequel the better).

The plot is ridiculous and much too straightforward (the so-called "twist" at the end can be seen coming from a mile off); the acting atrocious (I don't blame Ms. Dutta because she's not actually required to do any acting here - and, yes, as regular readers may recall I am not objective at all when it comes to the former Ms. Universe) with Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt and Zayed Khan, our intrepid trio of heroes out in search of a sunken treasure off the Bahaman coast, all competing (or so it seems) to see who wins the worst actor award; the music (despite A.R. Rahman wielding the baton or Kylie Minogue in a charmless item number) isn't anything to write home about; and even the action scenes lack fizz. Some wonderful undersea photography is hardly any consolation.

Cut to chase: This underwater adventure sinks almost without a trace.

Email: Kmumtaz1@hotmail.com; Web: khusromumtaz.wordpress.com

Instep Preview
Shanaakht to kick off on November 9

It may have brought forward an identity crisis of its own when the festival came to a rather unplanned end this April, but the Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) and the festival volunteers have geared up to bring a new edition of the Shanaakht Festival next week. Scheduled to take place at the Imperial Gardens and Clifton Crossways in Karachi from November 9 - 11, the festival really does seem to be one of the more erudite events to take place in the latter half of the year.

At the press conference to launch the Festival, CAP's president Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy said that true to the spirit of resilient Karachiites, they have "come up with a festival that will be bigger and better than before." Joining Sharmeen on stage were Sheema Kirmani, Amean J, Omar Bilal Akhtar of Aunty Disco Project and a representative from Stillwaters Publishing. Sheema Kirmani put the festival into perspective – particularly for critics of social events going ahead in times of war – by drawing from the examples of Lebanon and Palestine "where art and performances went ahead despite civil war and fighting - it's important to keep your sanity."

So what's on the bill? For one - all the events are free! There are a number of exhibits and talks that revisit Pakistan's history. And if political history isn't up your alley, there's plenty of stuff to take your mind off the current state of the country: a exhibit of film posters from the sixties as well as three film screenings (including the classic Waheed Murad film Armaan) and literary evening organized in collaboration with Stillwaters Publishing. The event brings together six authors including Fehmida Riaz, Mohammed Hanif and Musharraf Ali Farooqui who will be reading from works that have inspired them. And for Karachiites starved for live music: Laal will be performing after the literary evening, while Noori, Fuzon, Aunty Disco Project and Taal Karisma will close the festival with a concert. Chinoy announced that there are a number of surprise artists slated to perform and this will be a musical collaboration that will include the Oral History Project that CAP has been working on. It all sounds tremendously exciting, and in times like these when we begin to look inwards to wonder whether we can ever learn from the mistakes and successes of our past, the Shanaakht Festival comes at an all-too-apt time.

– Saba Imtiaz

Photo by Naqeeb ur Rehman

Fashion Focus
Viva la tradition
Maheen Khan, Ather Hafeez and Sabeen Ali and Rizwanullah delve deep into sub continental themes and traditions 
to produce three dramatic collections at Fashion Pakistan Week.

Saba Imtiaz
Karachi

Maheen Khan
Maheen Khan opened the second day of Fashion Pakistan Week with her feted Milan Fashion Week collection. And seeing the clothes up close and personal as opposed to the runway photographs from MFW was an experience in itself. The collection was inherently wearable as Maheen Khan took inspiration from all over Pakistan; particularly the Chitrali caps that accompanied wispy, floaty outfits. Shalwars made from yards and yards of fabric that rippled as the models walked were paired with large embroidered belts, and Maheen's signature minimalism came out in slim trousers paired with embroidered tunics. The show, according to Maheen, was styled by three of her employees and by the resounding applause alone, they - and Maheen - truly outdid the high standard they have always set.

Verdict: Very chic, very cool, very now. 

Rizwanullah
Rizwanullah's collection focused on a neglected element of Karachi's culture. Outfits from his collection - all in white - were painted mehndi on by women from Meena Bazaar, a place that was in the '80s and early '90s known as the premier destination for mehndi for Eid. Rizwanullah had a surprise up his sleeve; walking the runway for him were close friends, designer Feeha Jamshed and VJ Mahira. And if the inspiration came from Karachi culture then the collection also reflected the different ways women dress in the city - there was a girl styled with a full head cover and then there was a model in a sheer outfit with tiny shorts (who was applauded for her bravado alone!).

Verdict: Fashion's new rock star has arrived.

Ather and Sabeen
The most stunning show of the night was by Ather Ali Hafeez and Sabeen Amer Ali, who delved deep into culture in a collection titled "Monk, malang aur Khusro ke rang." The themes ranged from mazaars and malangs, mehndis and marriages, the vivid colours of rural areas and as they put it, the "romance of old Delhi and the grandeur of old Lahore." Visions of snake charmers and shrines danced around in the atmosphere, leaving one awed at how Ather and Sabeen had redefined what a 'quintessentially Pakistani collection' really was. As they walked down the ramp, the models unraveled yards of pleated fabric to reveal kurtas, cholis and lehngas in vibrant colours, bursting brighter than sunshine, paired with accessories made of fabric and gota.

Verdict: Breathtaking. Worth every bit of the standing ovation Ather and Sabeen received.