Oscar best picture - The Hurt Locker

akcc05

Has anyone seen it? I haven't, but when it was on the news, I couldn't help but think: "How convenient, the Americans are just trying to justify/glorify their so called war on terror"

Please tell me it's actually a good movie so I can go watch it.

redddraggon

It's pretty good, I saw it last summer.

Bought it on DVD for my Dad's B'day which is tomorrow. And I wouldn't have bought it for him if it was pants.

Can't really say it justifies/glories the "War on Terror" either,

antooony

I enjoyed it, thought it was a good film, quite tense in places. A few over the top bits but that's what you expect from this type of film but on a whole not a bad pic and those in the know say its quite realistic and gives a fairly good insight into the job of a bomb disposal unit at work, not something I would do for all the tea in China, some brave souls out there willing to do this terrifying task.

takethehighroad

I thought Avatar was better personally, but this was by no means a bad film.

It seemed a little hammy to me, as has been said before, I don't know if it deserves the Oscar to be honest.

When I heard it had won I thought it was obviously down to the subject matter, but that shoudln't out you off.

I'd recommend it, but don't expect to be blown away like I was, as you will be disappointed, it's the poorest picture to win in the last five or so years.

Sorry my English is so disjointed, my mind has been fuddled by a Strategic Management essay I'm working on at the moment :S

redddraggon

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

I'd recommend it, but don't expect to be blown away like I was, as you will be disappointed, it's the poorest picture to win in the last five or so years.

Lol you Chester students must be on Crack

It's better than Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Departed (although it's close), and Crash.

It's quite rare that the best film wins "Best Picture", and although this probably wasn't the best film of 2009, it's far better than what normally wins "Best Picture".

akcc05

Just watched the trailer, seems pretty good, probably going to be like The Kingdom, which I liked.

I can definitely see why so many high school kids signing up for joining the army though.

crown_jewel

I preferred Avatar for Best Picture. I thought it was the greater accomplishment. The Hurt Locker did a nice job I think of depicting the awful situation we Americans (and others) have put our troops in without being pro war really.

giant_man

Haven't seen Hurt Locker but thought Avatar was going to steal the show personally. Just shows how unpredictable these things are. But what won? Yet another american war film.

pastey_boy

hurt locker = a pile of steaming yank propaganda

akcc05

I thought Avatar was absolutely awesome, it was my first 3D moving picture, the glasses I had to wear was kinda uncomfortable though.

I agree with pastey_boy but you have to admit these war films are well made. There are several episodes in HBO's Band of Brothers that I love. As long as you know where you stand politically, these are just entertainment to me, and I am half American.

takethehighroad

redddraggon wrote:

It's better than Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Departed (although it's close), and Crash.

Erm hell no, hell no, really hell no, and maybe.

But hey ho, that's the way life goes

ExeterSimon

I loved the Hurt Locker..it's far from American propoganda and it certainly doesn't try to justify the war on terror.

It's certainly better than Slumdog Millionaire and Crash.

And although I enjoyed Avatar, take away the 3D and you're left with just another sci-fi action epic. Dodgy script and laughable acting included.

Although if I'm honest I'd have preferred it if District 9 had won.

Pokerface

pastey_boy wrote:

hurt locker = a pile of steaming yank propaganda

Avatar = a pile of steaming Na'vi propoganda

Pokerface

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

It's better than Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Departed (although it's close), and Crash.

Erm hell no, hell no, really hell no, and maybe.

+1,000,000

pastey_boy

ExeterSimon wrote:

I loved the Hurt Locker..it's far from American propoganda and it certainly doesn't try to justify the war on terror.

It's certainly better than Slumdog Millionaire and Crash.

And although I enjoyed Avatar, take away the 3D and you're left with just another sci-fi action epic. Dodgy script and laughable acting included.

Although if I'm honest I'd have preferred it if District 9 had won.

hmmm showing young americans as heroic just as more and more people question the war, thats propaganda in my book. it was a very ordinary film and avatar beat it in every department.

pastey_boy

and i dont mind admitting i was aroused by a 9ft tall blue alien also avatar pulled off a miracle and made sigourney weaver look half decent for once, that alone is worth 29 oscars

crown_jewel

I too liked Avatar better but I don't think the Hurt Locker was a propaganda piece. You can admire the work the soldiers are doing while believing they should come home and in fact should never have been there.

ExeterSimon

pastey_boy wrote:

ExeterSimon wrote:

I loved the Hurt Locker..it's far from American propoganda and it certainly doesn't try to justify the war on terror.

It's certainly better than Slumdog Millionaire and Crash.

And although I enjoyed Avatar, take away the 3D and you're left with just another sci-fi action epic. Dodgy script and laughable acting included.

Although if I'm honest I'd have preferred it if District 9 had won.

hmmm showing young americans as heroic just as more and more people question the war, thats propaganda in my book. it was a very ordinary film and avatar beat it in every department.

But it doesn't show them as heroic....it shows one of them addicted to the rush of war. The others aren't sure why they are there and question this at certain points throughout the film.


And comparing Avatar and the Hurt Locker is like comparing chalk and cheese.

takethehighroad

ExeterSimon wrote:

And comparing Avatar and the Hurt Locker is like comparing chalk and cheese.

Was that nomiated for Best Editing?

pastey_boy

chalk and cheese should have taken best picture hands down ,the twist at the end made wee come out of me

Splottboy

Hang on a minute...According to Radio 5 Live's film "expert" I'm sure he said that the Hurt Locker was released in 2008, in Spain/Europe BUT as it didn't do well was withdrawn!

It was re-released in 2009, or am I making it all up? I don't think so, honest...

So, how can a film be released, then re-released and win???

Conspiracy theory, methinks.

Lady Venom

To the OP, the Hurt Locker merely highlights the threat of IEDs and the danger faced by EOD personnel. That is all. Does not highlight this so-called 'War on Terror' in the slightest. It is actually quite a moving film and having seen both, although Avatar was great to watch, Hurt Locker out did it.

redddraggon

Pokerface wrote:

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

It's better than Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Departed (although it's close), and Crash.

Erm hell no, hell no, really hell no, and maybe.

+1,000,000

Nah, these Arty farty films are pants. A good war film or Western are the best films.

But then I did grow up watching classic westerns and war films, and not ghey cartoons like most Children.

I don't know how so many poor films get good ratings.

rick_chasey

pastey_boy wrote:

ExeterSimon wrote:

I loved the Hurt Locker..it's far from American propoganda and it certainly doesn't try to justify the war on terror.

It's certainly better than Slumdog Millionaire and Crash.

And although I enjoyed Avatar, take away the 3D and you're left with just another sci-fi action epic. Dodgy script and laughable acting included.

Although if I'm honest I'd have preferred it if District 9 had won.

hmmm showing young americans as heroic just as more and more people question the war, thats propaganda in my book. it was a very ordinary film and avatar beat it in every department.

And Avatar wasn't just as much propoganda?

Just because they're blue, and not in camoflauge....

Surely Avatar was a p!ss poor comment on the colonisation of America?

C'mon people!

Edit: For what it's worth:

Haven't seen Hurt Locker, but Avatar was, beyond the expensive effects, very mediocre.

If they'd only spent a 10th of their budget on the writing...

RichN95.

ExeterSimon wrote:

Although if I'm honest I'd have preferred it if District 9 had won.

Me too. It was never going happen though.

RichN95.

Splottboy wrote:

Hang on a minute...According to Radio 5 Live's film "expert" I'm sure he said that the Hurt Locker was released in 2008, in Spain/Europe BUT as it didn't do well was withdrawn!

It was re-released in 2009, or am I making it all up? I don't think so, honest...

So, how can a film be released, then re-released and win???

Conspiracy theory, methinks.

You're right, but it's the year it's first released in the US that counts. (Specifically it has to be shown in a public cinema in LA for a week).

Flasheart

I picked Hurt Locker up off the shelf in the local video shop a couple of months ago. I hadn't seen any trailers or had even heard of it before I saw it there.
It was okay, but not one I'd actually go out of my way and buy at full retail. Maybe a £3.00 special in HMV in a couple of years ...but that's it.

Avatar, I went and saw with my middle son a couple of weeks ago and that IS one that I would go and buy at full retail as soon as it's released.

I try not to delve too deeply into movies and try and enjoy them for what they are...flaws and all.
But hey , what do I know..I loved Waterworld too

ExeterSimon

RichN95 wrote:

ExeterSimon wrote:

Although if I'm honest I'd have preferred it if District 9 had won.

Me too. It was never going happen though.

Yeah...shame really as to me it was the best film of last year.

In fact one of the best films of the last few years.

shockedsoshocked

ExeterSimon wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

ExeterSimon wrote:

Although if I'm honest I'd have preferred it if District 9 had won.

Me too. It was never going happen though.

Yeah...shame really as to me it was the best film of last year.

In fact one of the best films of the last few years.

Fuckin' prawns.

CHRISNOIR

I thought it was a fairly average thriller. The first hour or so is brilliantly tense but by the time the brave, heroic Americans met the useless, bumbling Brits stuck in the middle of the desert (due to their inability to change a tyre; true to the law of Hollywood Post-Colonial-revenge casting they are all picked off by sniper fire while those boys from the US of A are just fine) I was reminded of the ‘Jerry Brickhammer’segments of Monkey Dust.*

*Not really SFW...

Pokerface

Avatar was probably never going to win. Sort of the "Lord of the Rings" Syndrome - relies too much on special effects, etc. Although LOTR won on the 3rd try.


Avatar was the best movie I saw last year - as an overall experience. But I saw it in 3-D IMAX. To me - it's one of those films that will change the way films are made and seen in the future. It was pure entertainment - you didn't have to think about it. Just sit back and enjoy.

Hurt Locker was OK. But I found it lacked a plot. No beginning, middle or end. Tense and funny at times. Very well art directed and shot. But I felt like something was missing. It was almost like watching a documentary. With a small tweak to the writing, I thought it could have been truly worthy of winning.

Best film I saw last year was Star Trek. Well written, tense, funny, awesome special effects and even the acting wasn't all that bad. But I'm a sci-fi geek.

And I hated District 9. Lame, lame, lame, lame, lame overhyped lameness.