The Hurt Locker...ironically I watched this last night and there was some banter about it today. Thought it was very good, not great. I thought it tailed off over the last 45 minutes or so, until the suicide bomber and ending scenes which I liked a lot. Despite not much character development, I thought Renner did a great job and gives you the viewer a great feel for his character despite limited screentime when there wasnt action. Ithink as a whole, it wouldve been better if they had a few more, and longer scenes, back at base in the first half to allow more of the defusing scenes to be spread later into the movie, as some scenes such as fleeing off base to find the kid's killer were just ludicrous (even for a thrill seeker like him). Wouldve allowed more character development, especially for the other 2 guys, which both felt like they could have been even more interesting characters; while at the same time cutting out some of the fat from the 2nd half. Thought Renner's BA nomination was well deserved. Ive still only seen 4 of the BP nominees from last year (THL, Avatar, Basterds, Up), so while I dont think I wouldve picked this for BP (probably go Basterds), Im not sure I have a big beef with it winning either. That said, Cameron definitely shouldve won best director over Bigelow.....8.2/10
Nothing about Hurt Locker was Best of anything in 2009. The movie is fine, but there's not one single aspect that puts it above other films from that year and that includes it taken as a whole. Every other movie nominated in Best Picture did some aspect better than Hurt Locker did.
I dont disagree. Like I said, Ive only seen 4 of the 10, but no chance in hell I end up thinking Blind Side or Precious are better, and 80-90% sure I wont think Up In The Air or An Education are better. District 9 and A Serious Man look like possibilities. And yes, I realize being better than half the BPA <> winning BPA.Forgot to mention this in my original review, but I thought THL gives Black Hawk Down a run for its money as best war movie of the 2000's, but falls short.
Being the 2nd best war movie of the decade IMO gives it a boost in my rating.
ETA: As for no single aspect of it being better, I thought THL was the most intense/suspenseful of the bunch (dont see the ones I havent seen surpassing it in this fashion). Basterds had a few scenes that would outshine it, but I didnt think start to finish it had as much intensity to it.
This is misleading b/c you are drawing from such a shallow pool of movies. Maybe we should make a list, but I could barely come up with 10 war movies of the the decade. What do we have Black Hawk Down, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, Hurt Locker, Jarhead, Enemy at the Gates, We Were Soldiers, Pianist, Brothers. Really not that telling to say it is a top war movie of this bunch - they just don't put many quality ones out lately. Of the ones I listed, I liked BHD, The Pianist, Jarhead, Letters, and Enemy at the Gates more than Hurt Locker.
There are others that have war as a background, but don't know how much of a 'war' movie they would be: Atonement, Rendition, Hotel Rwanda, Valkryie, The Messenger, Green Zone, etc...
This was a weak year for picking a winner of the bunch. Usually there are one or two that blow me away more than the 10 nominees last year.