2009: District 9

In retrospect, it seems like a stroke of genius: Do a film basically using the aesthetics of the Bourne pictures, but

• with aliens
• use a nerd-turned-hero, i.e., a character the kinds of people who like this kind of movie can identify with better than with a brawny hunk such as Bourne or a million other action heroes

Laugh all the way to the bank. (6)