Monday, March 8, 2010

Oscars Reaction: The Hurt Locker


The anticipation for this year's Oscars, hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, was appropriate, considering one of the nominees for Best Picture is the highest grossing film of all time (Cameron's "Avatar"). In a tribute to the film, Ben Stiller even came garbed as a blue creature from the planet of Pandora, complete with an awesome tail and long braid. However, something very bad happened. Yes, something very bad indeed. And I will tell you exactly what that is and why.

Last night, "The Hurt Locker" took home the following 6 awards: Best Picture, Directing, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Writing (Original Screenplay).

All I have to say is, really? Just...really?

"The Hurt Locker" easily snagged the most Academy Awards of this year's Oscar night. In fact, it beat out 10 other films----the most nominated in the history of the Oscars----for Best Picture. I watched the movie well in advance of last night, and I also took it upon myself to view many of the other films nominated for Best Picture. There is only one response to last night's series of unfortunate awards, and that response is the blank stare. Maybe a middle finger. Maybe.

First of all, "The Hurt Locker" is basically the Obama of this year's candidates for Best Picture (I am only going to focus on this category because I can't even comprehend the other awards, yet. I just don't understand). I refer to it as our good friend Barack because of what the movie represents, not what it is. And therein lies the problem.

"The Hurt Locker" represents the first female director to win an award for best picture. It represents patriotism in a time when our country has decided to quit invading Iraq and invade Afghanistan instead----I picture the Secretary of Defense with a menu of world countries as he says, "I'll take weapons of mass destruction with a side of Taliban." But that's just me...

This movie also represents the triumph of America in its conquest to rule the world. Oh, you didn't see it? Watch the movie again. Spoiler alert: When SSG William James (Jeremy Renner) returns to war to defuse more bombs after returning home to a wife and typical housework, does the movie not scream "Risking my live for my country is waaaaaaayy better than cleaning gutters?" No? Does it not say in a very giddy voice, "War is for men; that's why I'm going back!" Again, no?

Well, that's what I got.

What this movie is, is mediocre. It isn't bad, no. But it doesn't deserve a damn Best Picture award. Not over a Coen film----an extremely good Coen film. This movie won because it sends the "right" message to Americans, not because it is a good movie. Just listen to the writer's acceptance speech----something like, "I'm a Iraqi war veteran, the war gave me a good idea for a patriotic story, and here's a very, very specific list of statistics of wounded and dead soldiers that were fighting for your freedom (metaphoric finger-point)." Now, I am totally pro-soldiers. They have pounds of balls I couldn't ever dream of...(Wait...maybe that came out wrong...)But, to me, the sweeping of Academy Awards by a mediocre, rah-rah-America movie is more convenient than earned.

In conclusion, there was no contest: "A Serious Man" should have won this year's Best Picture award, hands down.

In conclusion:
"The Hurt Locker" taking 6 Oscars
Overall rating: 0 out of 5

Na'vi Ben Stiller
Overall rating: 5 out of 5

Comment on this post; let me know what you think.

Source of information and photo: iMDB.com

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