Yes!

A truly deserved win! And, not to brag, but I said that "The Hurt Locker" was a great film back in July. Y'know, during the summer, when I urged you to go out and see it. TOLDJA!

Okay, I'm done now. I promise I won't talk about "The Hurt Locker" again for a long time. Promise!

Congrats Kathryn!

As for the rest of last night's Academy Awards, it was mostly hit and miss. Hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin made a valiant attempt to bring some humor to the night's proceedings, but were unfortunately marred by sluggish pacing and unfunny jokes.

But, in the end, it's about the movies. And while the ceremony as a whole was so-so, seeing Kathryn and her team win for such a great movie was both exciting and moving.

A true triumph for art. I'll leave it at that.

Oscar Predictions - Box Office vs. Quality

As the 2009 awards season heats up, the Best Picture race seems foggy with a few films fighting it out to claim the big prize. Before this past Sunday’s Golden Globe ceremony, I believed Kathryn Bigelow’s war epic “The Hurt Locker” would nab the Best Picture prize at this year’s Academy Awards. Now, after James Cameron’s “Avatar” clinched both Best Director and Best Picture this past Sunday at the Golden Globes, the category has shifted into a two-horse race, “Avatar” vs. “The Hurt Locker” with Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” remaining the only possible dark horse.

As for Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air,” the comedy-drama’s buzz has diminished in the Best Picture category. Unfortunately for Reitman, the film peaked far too early as audience reactions failed to match the enthusiasm of many critics. And while “Up in the Air” received top marks from many critics, it never bested “The Hurt Locker” in terms of critical adulation. While “Up in the Air” won the top prize at the National Board of Review, it failed to clinch the Best Picture/Best Director awards with any other major awards group. The Los Angeles Film Critics, the New York Film Critics, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, and the National Society of Film Critics all awarded “The Hurt Locker” with Best Picture and Kathryn Bigelow with Best Director.

While “The Hurt Locker” has garnered the most critical acclaim, Cameron’s “Avatar” boasts a hefty box office total that could catapult the film to a Best Picture win, not unlike Cameron’s other previous juggernaut, “Titanic.” So, in a sense, the 2009 Best Picture race will pit Box Office against Quality – “Avatar” vs. “The Hurt Locker.” Many will disagree with that last statement. Many will moan that I’m a whiny elitist. But, alas, it is my opinion. While “Avatar” features some great action sequences and whiz-bang visual effects, it simply does not match Kathryn Bigelow’s expert mix of character and action in “The Hurt Locker.”

However, personal opinion aside, Best Picture is shaping up to be an exciting category at this year’s Oscars. Let’s hope the races remains suspenseful until the winner is announced at the Kodak Theater in March.

"THE HURT LOCKER" is finally available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Now is your chance to see the movie I have been raving about for months. I guarantee I will not shut up about it until every single one of you has seen it! Rent it! Netflix it! Buy it!

And if you've already seen it once, see it again! The film only improves with subsequent viewings. I recently gave the film a second viewing and it went up a few notches in my book. The problems I had with the character of Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) disappeared and the film's psychological complexities became even more clear. This one's a true winner folks!

The Top Ten Best Films of 2009 (Pt. 2 of 2)

1. “Where the Wild Things Are”




Moving, melancholic, and emotionally truthful, “Where the Wild Things Are” is the best film of 2009 and an instant classic. Capturing the highs and lows of childhood, Spike Jonze taps into an unshakable emotional truth that cannot be faked. Every frame of this film is marked with intense feeling and creative passion. Hats off to Jonze and co-screenwriter Dave Eggers for lengthening Maurice Sendak’s original story, while retaining the book’s simplicity. And while the film’s plot is simplistic, the emotions in the movie are complex, messy, and unflinchingly honest. Jonze has undoubtedly created true masterpiece. But, more importantly, he has created a film that means a lot to me. I will forever cherish this wonderful piece of personal filmmaking.






2. “The Hurt Locker”




A phenomenal mix of adrenaline-pumping action and believable, engaging characters, “The Hurt Locker,” Kathryn Bigelow’s Iraq War epic, is a triumphant directorial achievement. Bigelow, who directed cult classic “Point Break,” delivers an unbearably tense and devastatingly realistic picture, depicting the horrors of war without slapping on any explicitly stated political messages. Bigelow, working off a fantastic script by Mark Boal, merely shows the day-to-day life of three bomb tech soldiers. Orchestrating several superb action sequences, Bigelow not only rattles your nerves, but also engages your emotions through her sharp character focus. Bigelow also understands the geography of her sequences. In many supposed “war epics,” the action is so incoherent that the audience has no clue what the heck is going on. This is not the case in “The Hurt Locker.” Bigelow understands the immediacy of her action sequences and perfectly frames them to ensure the audience knows exactly what is going on. Thus, the film drips with intensity. This intense suspense, created by a seamless combination of action and character, makes “The Hurt Locker” proof of Kathryn Bigelow’s immense talent.





3. “Inglourious Basterds”



Filled with memorable characters and set pieces, Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” a film that defies any conventional genre description, works on several different levels. Whether viewed as a Jewish revenge fantasy, or a treatise on the persuasive power of cinema, Quentin Tarantino’s self-proclaimed masterpiece is the most unique film of the year. Boosted by meticulously crafted dialogue and excellent music choices, the film boasts several memorable sequences. From Hans Landa’s interrogation of the French milkman to Shoshanna preparing for her revenge to the tune of David Bowie’s “Cat People,” hardly a scene falls flat. The film also contains several great performances. Christoph Waltz perfectly embodies Hans Landa’s devilish charisma and malicious cleverness. Melanie Laurent captures Shoshanna’s anger and vulnerability with great subtlety. And Diane Kruger amps up Bridget von Hammersmark’s movie star persona, while still capturing the humanity of the character. But, of course, none of these performances would be praise-worthy if Tarantino had not crafted such interesting, layered characters. To conclude, “Inglourious Basterds” stands out as one of 2009’s greatest films from a truly original, insanely gifted, auteur.

4. “Duplicity”


Tony Gilroy’s “Duplicity,” a quick witted spy movie, delights with clever dialogue and suspenseful set pieces. Starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen as two love-struck corporate spies, the film oozes with charm. While the film’s primary concern is the couple’s spy romance, it also cleverly pokes fun at the competitive nature of the corporate world. In the best opening credits sequence of the year, two corporate CEOs, played with cutting satire by Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson, duke it out at an airplane tarmac. But, this is just one of many great sequences in “Duplicity,” all of which feature a fantastic original score from compose James Newton Howard. Smartly edited and superbly lit, “Duplicity” zips along with comic precision and cinematic pizzazz. Pure filmic fun!







5. “A Serious Man”


An impeccably crafted morality tale, “A Serious Man,” the latest from the great American directors Joel and Ethan Coen (“Fargo,” “No Country for Old Men”), entertains its audience with its deliciously dark humor, while simultaneously confounding them with its deep, often open-ended, themes. However, it is the film’s interpretative thematic queries that make it so fascinating. The film follows Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a Jewish Physics professor, as his life spins out of control. His wife (Sari Lennick) leaves him for his patronizing colleague (Fred Melaned). His daughter is saving up money for a nose job. An unhappy physics student bribes him for a better grade. And his hillbilly neighbors are encroaching on his property line. All of these problems, ranging from trivial to tragic, make Larry question God’s presence in his life. Seeking answers to his run of bad luck, Larry just wants to know what it all means. By the end of the movie, audiences may be asking themselves the same question. This is not a bad thing. Interpretation and ambiguity, when used correctly, deepens and enriches film. The Coens always challenge their audiences with daring, original work, and “A Serious Man” is no exception.

"The Hurt Locker" Review

“The Hurt Locker,” now playing in limited release, hammers its audience with unrelenting suspense, shocks them with its amazing authenticity, and illuminates them to the day-to-day struggles of a bomb tech soldier in Iraq.

The film, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (“Point Break”), mainly follows Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) as he is transferred to a new bomb tech unit in Iraq due to the unfortunate death of the unit’s previous leader (Guy Pearce). While working to diffuse bombs, the reckless and over confident James comes into conflict with his comrades, the no-nonsense Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and the timid Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty).

“The Hurt Locker” is an action movie. There’s no doubt about that, but it’s a decidedly different type of action movie – an action movie that is rooted in character. To be honest, “The Hurt Locker” may be one of the best mixes of character drama and suspenseful action in recent years. Bigelow does not make one false step in her direction. And while Mark Boal’s script does have its problems, Bigelow maneuvers around them with dexterity and confidence. In other words, she makes the script’s small hiccups disappear and moves the film along at a near impeccable pace. The film truly is a triumph of directing.

Part of what makes Bigelow’s direction so fantastic is her keen eye for suspense. When the film starts, the audience is quickly thrust into a suspenseful action sequence. As the sequence continues, both the stakes of the situation and the realness of the characters are established. Thus, the suspense continues to build until the sequence reaches its explosive conclusion. And with each new sequence, the characters become more fleshed out and relatable – making the suspense subsequently higher each time. Also adding to the suspense is how realistically the film is shot. Bigelow has the geography of her scenes perfectly laid out. The audience knows where each character is, what they are doing, and why they are doing it. And when Bigelow and cinematographer Barry Ackroyd use hand held cameras, it is coherent, unlike most recent Hollywood action films.

Something that further separates “The Hurt Locker” from recent action films is its performances – which are uniformly solid. Jeremy Renner is outstanding as Sergeant James. He perfectly embodies the character’s unpredictability and sells the movie’s main thematic idea: “war is a drug.” James has an addiction – an addiction that frightens his comrade Owen Eldridge. The relatively unknown Brian Garaghty shines in his portrayal of Eldrige and beautifully conveys the character’s fear and awkwardness. Anthony Mackie also fares well in his performance as Sergeant Sanborn, but his character feels a tad undeveloped. When Sanborn has a fairly emotional scene near the film’s closure, it does not feel earned. Thankfully, Mackie’s acting chops save the moment from completely falling flat.

While the script has its flaws, it is still fairly well-developed. Screenwriter Mark Boal’s dialogue really sells the authenticity of the film. And by focusing on three different soldiers, Boal is able to show how different people react to war and high risk situations. It also enables him to weave a few different ideas around the film’s main thesis – the aforementioned idea that “war is a drug.” And – excluding one distracting sequence in the film’s middle – Boal does not stray from this idea or the film’s overall plot.

In conclusion, “The Hurt Locker,” directed with great skill by Kathryn Bigelow, is one of the year’s best films.

A-

Leave your thoughts in the comments below! Anyone can leave a comment. Just use the "Name/Url" option where the "URL" is optional. You can even make up a screen name if you don't want to put your real name down.