What a directorial debut this was. Neil Blomkamp came out of nowhere with this astounding, Peter Jackson-produced sci-fi action flick, one of the few films from the genre to earn a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Rarely has the genre come up with a stronger melding of CGI-driven spectacle and social metaphor, as a race of aliens are rounded up in internment camps in South Africa in a manner impossible not to compare to the country's past apartheid. Even so, the viewer is never bashed over the head with this message, Blomkamp instead focusing on crafting a convincing faux-documentary about a horde of sinister-looking aliens who in fact just want to go home. It's a thoughtful movie and one that also unloads a ton of visceral action in its third act, while arriving at a climax of unexpected emotional weight. With its unique South African flavour, terrific visuals and provocative premise, sci-fi is seldom this ambitious and daring.