Posted on 03/07/2010 10:25:47 PM PST by Schnucki
I’m glad The Hurt Locker triumphed over Avatar at tonight’s Oscars. Not only is Hurt Locker a far superior film – with standout performances, an intelligent and brilliantly executed script, as well as three dimensional lead characters – it is also a tremendously patriotic film which pays tribute to the courage of American troops serving in Iraq. For all these reasons I named it as one of the top 10 conservative movies of the last decade. The film won six awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow), and Best Original Screenplay.
I acknowledge that Hurt Locker has attracted a good deal of controversy and has divided opinion in the States over aspects of historical accuracy, and the debate will continue to rage. But I believe it thoroughly deserved its Oscar wins, and that the powerful message it projects about the US mission in Iraq and those who serve in the American armed forces, is an overwhelmingly positive one.
Avatar is technically brilliant with the most sophisticated special effects ever committed to celluloid. Its director James Cameron has made some of the greatest sci-fi films in history and has been a visionary and ground-breaking figure in Hollywood for over 25 years. The film deservedly picked up awards for Visual Effects and Cinematography , but was not deserving of a Best Picture win.
The acting in Avatar was mediocre, the storyline simplistic, and frankly large stretches of the movie, while visually impressive, were rather dull. In terms of sheer cinematic excitement, Avatar is not in the same league as Cameron’s earlier classics, Terminator and Aliens, and less engaging than Titanic.
But what I found most jarring about Avatar was its overtly anti-American and anti-military bias. As I wrote at the time of the film’s release in December:
Avatar “is an
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.telegraph.co.uk ...
The Hurt Locker was probably better, but I wonder what movie he watched in place of Avatar. The US military and government were not in Avatar. It was an Obama/Leftist style corporation and mercenaries. The health care system (actually run by the government in the only mention I recall) denied the veteran the surgery to fix his legs, forcing him to become a mercenary himself in order to get care. There are a lot of anti-Left themes in it. I'm sure they are not on purpose, but they are there.
District 9 was nothing but apartheid with an alien race. Hell it is even set in South Africa.
I kept hearing how great it was and disappointed to no end.
I totally agree with you. Some lib argued with me about Hurt Locker. They felt it was the most realistic movie about the military they had ever seen. I told them there was nothing realistic about it. There was no way people that looney would be allowed on a demolition duty. Crazy as that loon was, he would never have made it out of boot camp with my drill sergeant dad.
District 9 was my favorite of the year.
If your looking for accuracy in war movies your going to see lots of troops waiting around smoking, arguing, talking, eating and sleeping. Really thats how most of the time in theater is spent, waiting.
I am the "old guy" in my police academy class (like a dummy, I let my certification lapse after doing the academy 22 years ago). There are two Iraqi War vets in my class that just came back. They both loved The Hurt Locker. They said it is "Hollywood" (i.e. a lot of B.S.). But they also said that it is as good as you'll get from Hollywood in a film about the war.
Well it was great surprise the “Hurt Locker” pulled it off, congrats to it.
With all the talk about “Avatar” and a producer of “Hurt Locker” having been barred from going to the Oscars because of a bad e-mail, did not expect “Hurt Locker” to win it, but it did.
I thought it was very average too, and I’m not so sure it was all that “patriotic” or “supporting of the US military” either.
I agree. Hurt locker was the better flick.
Agreed, I thought District 9 was one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Nothing in the plot made sense and the main character was annoying as heck. I laughed at the ending. But to each his own.
Bullock the “Best Actress”? Huh? Did she go to acting school over the last few years?
Yes me too. At least it dealt with real issues, rather than Cameron's fantsy world.
Oh Gawd! Earth Day?!
Just like Scumbags Wave the Flag after helping to elect the Communist in Chief putting millions out of work and making the Country Miserable
Well “buyers remorse” has set you know.
>>I kept hearing how great it was and disappointed to no end.<<
I was expecting one movie (exactly like you say — about apartheid) and got a different movie (the personal story of the main character).
Just surprising — as I said, it unfolds rather than just happens. I understand YMMV.
The character development was lame, too. We are to believe that an EOD specialist is a loose cannon who rebels against the rules and his squad mates and does his own thing, kinda like a James Dean anti-hero. I find it unthinkable that a person like that could exist in the military.
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