The Hurt Locker
Well I still wait longingly and lovingly for the new FMA chapter. I know it's out there because I've seen the Camera Scans but they are harder to view than usual and so far no one has produced a readable RAW. I am not ungracious just really so in love with FMA and dying to see a clean version of the chapter.
Anyhow I watched the Oscar winner Hurt Locker last night. Was it Oscar Worthy? Well I am not really sure. It wasn't a bad movie and it was an interesting character study but I highly doubt this movie is going to stand the test of time. But then again if you look at past winners very few Oscar winners do stand the test of time so I guess it's in good company.
And really as I keep saying from the movies I've seen I think 2009 was a terribly weak year (and I guess the Oscars can't say no film deserves to win this year, although that would be amusing) so even if it's not the best I do think Hurt Locker was definitely one of the better US films I saw this year (I still need to see the foreign films that were nominated. I imagine they are better since they usually are).
On an individual level the characters did not interest me all that much. However when I looked at all the characters as a whole: as this is what this situation (the War in Iraq) can possibly do to the people/soldiers involved I found it more compelling.
Apparently the whole dismantling of bombs is not all together realistic as shown in this film but in the scheme of things I don't think that is important. Again what is important is how this type of job can possibly affect someone. And I think the film does pull this off well.
I don't usually like the whole shaky camera thing that is the new love of all action movies. But here it was used to good effect to give the film a more realistic/documentary like touch. The best editing award was also definitely deserved in my opinion. There was this one great shot of a fly on this guy's eye which especially stood out to me since it was so unnerving yet felt completely natural.
On another note I saw a lot of talk whether this film is Pro-War or Anti-War. Personally I don't think it's either. I don't think it's Pro or Anti anything really. In fact one of the complaints I see about Hurt Locker is you don't really root or care for anyone in the film. I like this about the film. Not every story needs a hero.
And I am sorry to keep bringing up Avatar (I will try to stop after this) but I read that film was more daring because it was Anti-War and Pro-Environment and Hurt Locker was too pro-American. I seriously wanted to smack someone. Personally I don't think it takes any guts to be Anti-War or Pro-Environment in Hollywood. I consider myself pretty liberal and even I think Hollywood is ridiculously liberal so those type of messages are right up Hollywood's alley.
And really who goes around saying I hate nature and the environment. *shakes head*
Anyhow I watched the Oscar winner Hurt Locker last night. Was it Oscar Worthy? Well I am not really sure. It wasn't a bad movie and it was an interesting character study but I highly doubt this movie is going to stand the test of time. But then again if you look at past winners very few Oscar winners do stand the test of time so I guess it's in good company.
And really as I keep saying from the movies I've seen I think 2009 was a terribly weak year (and I guess the Oscars can't say no film deserves to win this year, although that would be amusing) so even if it's not the best I do think Hurt Locker was definitely one of the better US films I saw this year (I still need to see the foreign films that were nominated. I imagine they are better since they usually are).
On an individual level the characters did not interest me all that much. However when I looked at all the characters as a whole: as this is what this situation (the War in Iraq) can possibly do to the people/soldiers involved I found it more compelling.
Apparently the whole dismantling of bombs is not all together realistic as shown in this film but in the scheme of things I don't think that is important. Again what is important is how this type of job can possibly affect someone. And I think the film does pull this off well.
I don't usually like the whole shaky camera thing that is the new love of all action movies. But here it was used to good effect to give the film a more realistic/documentary like touch. The best editing award was also definitely deserved in my opinion. There was this one great shot of a fly on this guy's eye which especially stood out to me since it was so unnerving yet felt completely natural.
On another note I saw a lot of talk whether this film is Pro-War or Anti-War. Personally I don't think it's either. I don't think it's Pro or Anti anything really. In fact one of the complaints I see about Hurt Locker is you don't really root or care for anyone in the film. I like this about the film. Not every story needs a hero.
And I am sorry to keep bringing up Avatar (I will try to stop after this) but I read that film was more daring because it was Anti-War and Pro-Environment and Hurt Locker was too pro-American. I seriously wanted to smack someone. Personally I don't think it takes any guts to be Anti-War or Pro-Environment in Hollywood. I consider myself pretty liberal and even I think Hollywood is ridiculously liberal so those type of messages are right up Hollywood's alley.
And really who goes around saying I hate nature and the environment. *shakes head*