The Hurt Locker FTW!

[Evil Avatar]

http://evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/oscar_statue.jpg

If you missed the Oscars (http://oscar.go.com/oscar-night/winners), The Hurt Locker (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00275EGX8?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00275EGX8) beat out Avatar for both Best Picture and Best Director. It also took home the win for Best Original Screenplay. (Despite having stolen the life story of Sgt. Jeffrey Sarver.)

Did having 10 nominees for Best Picture sucker you into watching? I decided to skip it. They still didn't nominate enough 'good' films.

[Anenome]

Well, I'm glad HL won over Avatar but it's not surprising. After all, the day the Academy gives Best Picture to a scifi movie will be a cold day in hell (outside the 9th circle that is).

Still, I don't think HL is a great film by any means. Many soldiers actually in the bomb disposal profession in Iraq have either responded negatively or by laughing at it's depictions. One marine said they'd watch HL and laugh themselves silly at various scenes, such as his "8-mile" hooded run through downtown Baghdad, which is just something that would not happen, ever, apparently.

Fantasy movies have won, LOTR won, and lots and lots of war movies have won--lots (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture#History)--but never a scifi.

[Agnostic Pope]

Does getting an oscar really matter? Most of my all time favorite films never won an oscar. Fight Club, (granted the whole movie was about a guy beating himself senseless but still pretty cool) Hot Fuzz, El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth)... As to Avatar not winning well it was basically an environmentalist wetdream...IN 3D! Ugh good movies don't need a gimmick. Or even color. Nosferatu ftw.

[lockwoodx]

People still watch the oscars?

[Alexious]

People still watch the oscars?
When their significant others make them. :D

Actually, I thought it was a well done show over all. Not nearly as funny as Ricky Gervais' turn at the Golden Globes, but then it's a much-more conservative evening so the writers have to be pretty tame. I actually really enjoy the best actor/actress presentations now where each nominee gets a nice pat on the back from someone they've worked with in the past.

[Anenome]

Mario is more famous than any of the actors up there :P All the skinjobs have going for them is sex appeal :P I don't have any interest in so-called "famous" people, they don't get some aura of being super-human and most would prefer being left alone anyway. Can you imagine anything more 'kitsch' than asking for an autograph??? As if you needed to prove to people that you actually met X person. Like, who cares. The best thing you could ever do if you met a famous person would be to pretend you have no idea who they are, and ask them what their name is if you end up being introduced :P But then, I live in L.A., I've met a fair share of actors(esses). Meh. An average and ordinary person is worthy of more respect than many famous people if you were to actually get to know them.

[Tennebaum]

I haven't watched the Oscars since Shakespeare in Love beat Saving Privat Ryan for Best Picture.

I'm still happy for Christoph Waltz though.

[saulob]

Come on, Original Screenplay was for Basterds.

[sixtyfps]

Mario is more famous than any of the actors up there :P All the skinjobs have going for them is sex appeal [...] An average and ordinary person is worthy of more respect than many famous people if you were to actually get to know them.

Didn't scientists used to be the celebrities of the pre-popular media world? I'd like to see that come back if so. (Well, as long as the focus is on the creative output and not on the people's private lives.) Damn, I hate success based on sexual appeal... and I don't know what people see in the majority of those plastic-surgery abominations, either.

[Ravana]

I wholeheartedly agree with Christoph Waltz winning best supporting actor, the rest... not so much.

[Anenome]

Didn't scientists used to be the celebrities of the pre-popular media world? I'd like to see that come back if so. (Well, as long as the focus is on the creative output and not on the people's private lives.) Damn, I hate success based on sexual appeal... and I don't know what people see in the majority of those plastic-surgery abominations, either.
Briefly, perhaps. It's been artists and politicians for far too long to count. For most of Wstern history, to be an actor was the lowest possible social stratum one could fall to. Ah, the good ol' days :P

[Taiso]

I haven't watched the Oscars since Shakespeare in Love beat Saving Privat Ryan for Best Picture.

This pretty much taught me to never take the Oscars seriously.

[SwitchBlade_Jax]

I thought it was kind of funny that James Cameron ended up losing best director/movie to his ex-wife. Silently he had to be thinking, "damnit, I gave her one too many tips."

[DeadPixel]

I thought HL was a decent movie, but no way in hell worthy of this award. I think my favorite movie of 2009 was Star Trek, but of course I would never expect it to win either. Avatar shouldn't even be in the top 5 spots, it was an explosion of visual candy with a story of a 1990's coin op arcade.

[asdfffdsa]

The Hurt Locker was pretty intense, and kept me hooked for its duration--despite its sometimes corny script (not that I would expect much different from a bunch of military brutes ... OK, yeah yeah, they're not all that shallow, but neither are all geeks a bunch of pedantic assholes. Just most are). On the other hand, while they did seem to capture the addiction to the rush of battle well enough, I couldn't help but feel they didn't stress the point as well as they could have; the film almost came off as a grander form of one of those US military promotion previews you now see in theaters. I'm almost tempted to see if there's some positive correlation between US military enlistment and the DVD release of this movie.

And I couldn't care less about the Oscars, but it still gives me satisfaction to read that Avatar didn't come out on top.

[Cutter99]

Still, I don't think HL is a great film by any means. Many soldiers actually in the bomb disposal profession in Iraq have either responded negatively or by laughing at it's depictions. One marine said they'd watch HL and laugh themselves silly at various scenes, such as his "8-mile" hooded run through downtown Baghdad, which is just something that would not happen, ever, apparently.


I think maybe you need to talk to more EOD guys. I'm a prior, myself - and I only ever had one buddy who was maniac enough to crosstrain into it, but he liked the film. Is the movie unrealistic? Absolutely. But does it do an effective job of demonstraiting the stress, the panic, the PTSD and the chaos that is sometimes part of serving overseas? Yes. It's a movie - not a documentary. Honestly, anything that continues to keep our soldiers in the minds of civilian society is a good thing. That shit is not over.

But don't take my word for it, just do a little more flipping. Never a bad thing to do a little more reading up on the troops:
(Let me sum up for you: unrealistic, but a good movie. Watch it.)
http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/07/07/23959-eod-soldiers-view-the-hurt-locker/
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-02-17-hurtlocker17_CV_N.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/05/real.hurt.locker/index.html?hpt=C1

[Hydroeric]

I consider Hurt Locker a good movie but one that I never have to see again. Much like Deer Hunter just not 3 hours too long.

[Agnostic Pope]

Didn't scientists used to be the celebrities of the pre-popular media world? I'd like to see that come back if so. (Well, as long as the focus is on the creative output and not on the people's private lives.) Damn, I hate success based on sexual appeal... and I don't know what people see in the majority of those plastic-surgery abominations, either.

Megan Fox had work done. ALOT. Do not forget.

[Johan]

I thought this was actually one of the most predictable Oscars ever.

*Best supporting actor: Check
*Best supporting actress: Check
* Best actor: Check
* Best actress: Check
* Best director: Check

The only major one I was wondering about was whether Avatar might pull in best film because of its cash haul. The others above were clear before the awards were awarded.

[Krom]

Hurt Locker would have been worthy if they didn't kill off Guy Pearce in the first 10 minutes.
The movies entire problem was that it seemed like it was going for realism but the main character was written like John Cena doing "The Marine"

[ElfShotTheFood]

Didn't scientists used to be the celebrities of the pre-popular media world? I'd like to see that come back if so. (Well, as long as the focus is on the creative output and not on the people's private lives.) Damn, I hate success based on sexual appeal... and I don't know what people see in the majority of those plastic-surgery abominations, either.

Scientists were never celebrities.

[PacerDawn]

Exactly, Krom.

I didn't like Hurt Locker because they lied to me to get me to watch the movie. They listed all these big name stars (Guy Pierce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly) and then the proceed to only give them cameo parts. I watched it for Guy Pierce, just to seem him only last the first 10 minutes of the movie and that's it.

Sorry, but I enjoyed Avatar WAY more than the Hurt Locker, rehashed plot and all.

[Agnostic Pope]

Is it just me or does Avatar scream furry?

[BalekFekete]

The one thing that eventually grated on my nerves like nails on the chalkboard was the incessant asskissing that was thrown all over Merryl Streep...and she loses! I get it. She's a highly talented actress, been nomintated more than God himself. But her chance of winning was in line with that of seeing Bin Laden walk the red carpet last night.

[Johan]

But her chance of winning was in line with that of seeing Bin Laden walk the red carpet last night.

Well, we are talking about Hollywood. There's a chance of that...a real chance. :D

[RUSKULL]

Fantasy movies have won, LOTR won, and lots and lots of war movies have won--lots (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture#History)--but never a scifi.

Didn't you say Avatar will do shit at the box office? Now Sci-Fi films will NEVER win best picture? Brilliant.

[Furious Wang]

Well, I'm glad HL won over Avatar but it's not surprising. After all, the day the Academy gives Best Picture to a scifi movie will be a cold day in hell (outside the 9th circle that is).

Still, I don't think HL is a great film by any means. Many soldiers actually in the bomb disposal profession in Iraq have either responded negatively or by laughing at it's depictions. One marine said they'd watch HL and laugh themselves silly at various scenes, such as his "8-mile" hooded run through downtown Baghdad, which is just something that would not happen, ever, apparently.

Fantasy movies have won, LOTR won, and lots and lots of war movies have won--lots (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture#History)--but never a scifi.

The whole "Soldiers in Iraq cry foul over realism in Hurt Locker" was a dirty media campaign directed by Avatar producers to try and influence votes for the best picture award. This is documented. Its a movie. It isn't 100% accurate. But it isn't an exploitation film.

[drakkarim]

didn't watch but hearing that hurt locker DID win, and knowing the reaction from those in the military about the movie (i.e.: a joke), pretty much confirms for me why i should keep on never bothering to watch these self-stroking monthly awards.

[net7runner]

Did anyone really expect Avatar to win? Hands-down it will be the most-remembered film of this year a decade from now, but it's not Academy-fodder. I'm still kind of amazed that Return of the King won (I guess the competition was pretty anemic that year; the only real threat was Mystic River).

[brandonjclark]

Is it just me or does Avatar scream furry?


You are not alone...

[brandonjclark]

Also, what a shitty year for movies that a film like Hurt Locker would win best picture.

That movie was totally just "ok".

[donkeydrop]

When Sandra "Keanu Reeves outacted me" Bullock wins anything the whole process is a farce. Jeff Bridges got a freebie just for being around a long time (Colin Firth should have won, George Clooney was better too). Nice for Christoph Waltz, but did anyone actually see Christopher Plummer in Last Station?

[Agnostic Pope]

Also, what a shitty year for movies that a film like Hurt Locker would win best picture.

That movie was totally just "ok".

Yes! My god why can't everybody see this? I know the recession is kicking everyone's ass but come on...

[Anenome]

Megan Fox had work done. ALOT. Do not forget.
The sex-reassignment surgery was pretty successful >_>

[Anenome]

Scientists were never celebrities.
Well, back when they were inventing things that revolutionized the world they were :P Copernicus, Keppler, Archimedes, the many Greek naturalists and philosophers, the long tradition of court alchemists which eventually gave way to chemistry, Robert Hooke of the Royal Society, Salk, Louis Pasteur who saved untold millions, and of course who could forget Einstein and Feynman? Darwin, Watson and Crick, Edison, Franklin--and that's just off the top of my head.

[Anenome]

Didn't you say Avatar will do shit at the box office? Now Sci-Fi films will NEVER win best picture? Brilliant.
Sure, I was concerned it would flop. We've seen that pattern so many times. But it did well, and who hasn't been surprised by just how well.

As for scifi and best picture, heh, naturally that was a bit of hyperbole. A scifi movie may eventually win it, but even then it will be a character drama set in the future where the scifi is barely an issue. Something like Gattaca perhaps. It's the same reason you don't find scifi or fantasy books in the literary canon. There's an institutional bias against genre anything, both in books and movies--which essentially means only character drama's with an important (read: political) theme become considered "serious works of art." Scifi just isn't "serious."

It's bullshit, all of it, but that bias remains--until geeks take over the earth. Certainly geek culture is on the rise, so who knows.

[cool8man]

Hurt Locker is the defining movie of the Iraq war so I'm okay with it winning. The movie was intense from beginning to end and gave the most realistic depiction of what kind of a war is actually being fought as opposed to action movie/spy thriller nonsense like The Kingdom and Body of Lies. At this point Hurt Locker is the movie that people generations will look back at to get an idea of what the war was like. I also appreciated that the film was not political like most of the other terrible Iraq war movies that have flopped critically and commercially. Casting A-list supporting actors in the film as fodder was a brilliant choice that grounded the film by creating tension that anyone could die in any of these encounters.

It's sort of laughable that Avatar was even being taken seriously for Best Picture given the fact that the story seems like that of a typical childrens Disney movie. I like Disney movies, but they are not Best Picture material. I liked Avatar the same as I would like any other summer popcorn action flick movie, but the plot which was a straight Pocahontas rip was laughably juvenile and simplistic. Anyone who took Avatar's plot seriously needs to start watching more serious films. I respect Avatar being nominated because of technical achievements, but honestly I don't think Avatar was even the runner-up. In otherwords even if Hurt Locker hadn't been nominated, Avatar still wasn't going to win.

Of all the movies nominated that I've seen Hurt Locker is the only one I've watched twice so far. I was really impressed by the intensity of the film and was blown away when I found out that a woman had directed it. I will definitely be anticipating future films from Bigelow.

I was also happy to see Sandra Bullock win for Blind Side because she portrayed a character that Hollywood does not usually celebrate, in a movie that does not fit in with Hollywood's portrayal of America, and Bullock just seems much different than all the other celebrities who are so full of themselves.

[BlackHatKid]

I was happy for Hurt Locker for Best Picture and Director, but I will really do wish MOON would have been nominated for Best Picture (and won) as well as Sam Rockwell for Best Actor, but I just can't count on the Academy anymore apparently.

[Johan]

Anyone who took Avatar's plot seriously needs to start watching more serious films.

They're out there! (http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html)

And I do mean 'out there' too. ;)

[Chaynsaw]

The whole "Soldiers in Iraq cry foul over realism in Hurt Locker" was a dirty media campaign directed by Avatar producers to try and influence votes for the best picture award. This is documented. Its a movie. It isn't 100% accurate. But it isn't an exploitation film.

Using any rubric of measurement, I would be surprised if the Hurt Locker was 30% accurate. I came up with that number based on the fact that there does happen to be a country called Iraq, it does have sand, and there does happen to be an organization called the United States Army fighting an insurgency there.

And for your assertion that soldiers have been somehow manipulated by richer, more powerful people... how dare you! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!

Going back to THL, you shouldn't be so bummed that it won over what was likely Sci-Fi's first, best chance to gain Oscar gold. THL is sufficiently imaginative to where if you made the case for it being based in an alternate universe, I probably wouldn't argue with you.

[clok1966]

I thought it was kind of funny that James Cameron ended up losing best director/movie to his ex-wife. Silently he had to be thinking, "damnit, I gave her one too many tips."


I'm sure he cries himself to sleep everynight on his bed made of $1000 bills. While I have no doubt he would love to have had an Oscar for Avatar, I think he is a man who knows where the real winning is. If you look at the Contracts and Money for Avatar, he put up some of his own cash (but a very small chunk) but get a huge chunk of profits. he just made the Biggest grossing movie of all time, and it dont hurt he has the 2nd biggest grossing movei of all time too.

He can pretty much do whatever he wants from here out, and that is a WIN in my book.

Strangely enough I jhavent seen Avatar, the last 45 minutes of Titanic where the only good ones. But True Lies, and the first 2 terminators movies where pretty dang good.

[Evil Avatar]

I'm sure he cries himself to sleep everynight on his bed made of $1000 bills. While I have no doubt he would love to have had an Oscar for Avatar, I think he is a man who knows where the real winning is.

You might think so, but I read a couple of places that you could see that he was pissed off that he didn't win when the awards were announced.

[donkeydrop]

Well, losing to a woman who's only previous success was twenty years ago with a bro-mance combining the acting talents of Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze; who has lost studios well into nine figures in the period since. Yeah, I can see that pissing him off.

[Kweli]

*confused*

Why does Hurt Locker have to have a 100% realistic portrayal of bomb disarming? I remember reading it was a Drama/Suspense.... not a god damn DOCUMENTARY

Even our video games that claim to be "simulators" have multiple realistic objects removed in order to make the game fun....

Its a movie, not a documentary.. and even some documentaries arent 100% real

[Johan]

Ouch. The truth hurts. (http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/09/howard-stern-makes-controversial-remarks-about-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe/?hpt=T2)

[Agnostic Pope]

Dude it is Howard Stern. The attention whore of the century. HEY LOOK AT ME I AM FUNNY LOOKING! FUCK YOU! MY PENIS IS SMALL! MY SON WAS FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET! LOL! (sadly he has said all of this in the air) Who cares if he is saying what we are all saying about that funny ass movie? I disagree with him however on her not getting another movie/role. He forgot about these points

1. She is fucking huge BUT she is black ; therefore:
2. Tyler Perry sitcoms and movies have many chicks like her.
3. Ricky Lake made it? :D

He IS picking on an easy target though. lol Blindside 2.

[Agnostic Pope]

er not saying but thinking...no edit buttons.

[Anenome]

Just think about all the poor male souls that got dragged to "Precious" during its theater run... *shudder* I think I'd excuse myself to hit the bathroom and get lost in another movie's room, then camp out there and wait for the rescue team to find me.