So I just rented and watched "The Hurt Locker." Great movie, very powerful, really enjoyed it, was glued to the edge of my seat and biting my nails for lots of scenes.
Having said that, to say the Hurt Locker is better and/or more deserving of movie of the year (or whatever [edit:] Avatar won at GG) is ridiculous.
I think we're getting to a point to where if you cant appreciate the story telling and drama that is Hurt Locker, or Broke Back Mountain, or Monsters Ball, (all movies which I thoroughly enjoyed), or whatever, and you do happen to enjoy the big Hollywood budget movie more because you are more entertained at the explosions and high productions value, well.... some people look down upon you for not being able to "get it," and thinks it's more high-brow or artistic or whatever to put more stock in these lesser known independent films. It's really silly, to be honest. It's almost a form of snobbery, makes me think of some beatnik looking down his nose upon me. Avatar was so much more in it that would keep me coming back and wanting it to watch it again and again. Hurt Locker was a very very good film, but after having seen it once, I don't know that I'd want to see it many more times than that.
So I stand by my original thought that Avatar deserves Movie of the Year.