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Actually, you're wrong on that first part (in the spoiler tag), Mesa. Both of those sequences were based (if loosely) on actual incidents.
 
Bigelow won the DGA Award this weekend, beating Cameron, Tarantino, etc. She was the first female to earn the honor. Only 6 times in 61 years has the DGA winner not gone on to win the Best Director Oscar.

I can see Cameron getting Best Picture and Bigelow getting Best Director.
 
occulum said:
but he's not in the very first scene ....... :monkey3
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No, but if you want the most tense and involving opening scenes of the year it would certainly be this film and Inglorious Basterds; both had me white-knuckled. :horror :clap
 
OK so I finally saw this movie last night,
Great directing, cinematography, score and lots of nail-biting moments...
Interesting plot, but some very disturbing characters...

I wasn't too keen on Sgt. James being such an adrenaline junkie of sorts, and neglecting his family, and how they treated people... I understand why they did certain things, but it's still pretty sad and scary. I think the vagueness of his motives were a little frustrating to me...

Also,
I know it wasn't meant to be a political movie, but it's pretty obvious there were a few reference as to why there's a constant backlash from citizens IMO.

I thought it was clearly reflected on the kids throwing stones to the humvee... those kids will grow up with resentment towards the invasion, and the endless cycle will continue...

As I mentioned earlier, tension was great, the gritty visuals were great, but in the end, as the opening quote says: "War is a drug", a very addictive and dangerous one...
 
Kuzeh said:
OK so I finally saw this movie last night,
Great directing, cinematography, score and lots of nail-biting moments...
Interesting plot, but some very disturbing characters...

I wasn't too keen on Sgt. James being such an adrenaline junkie of sorts, and neglecting his family, and how they treated people... I understand why they did certain things, but it's still pretty sad and scary. I think the vagueness of his motives were a little frustrating to me...
Click to expand...

They weren't vague at all. They're right there in what you followed up with on the theme from the film that, for some, "War is a drug". James' character is a guy who never felt at peace with a "normal" life. He seems to love his (ex)wife and child, but he just can't manage in everyday civilian life. What drives him is combat & war and the same things that most people detest about it: the endless danger, unnecessary chances, pain, tension, stress, and loss. That stuff gets him off... much in the same way the drugs get junkies off (with often the same results... neglecting family, putting everyone at risk, etc). But you can tell that, at heart, he's a good guy and is conflicted about all of it (hence the subplot with the kid, Beckham). And the film manages to examine all of this while not making a judgement on James himself. It leaves that fully up to the viewer, and is one of the many things that makes this a brilliant movie. It's not a war film... it's a character study, and a damn good one.
 
Jeremy Renner was nominated for Best Actor, with pretty heady company in this year's nominees. Good for him.
 
IrishJedi said:
They weren't vague at all. They're right there in what you followed up with on the theme from the film that, for some, "War is a drug". James' character is a guy who never felt at peace with a "normal" life. He seems to love his (ex)wife and child, but he just can't manage in everyday civilian life. What drives him is combat & war and the same things that most people detest about it: the endless danger, unnecessary chances, pain, tension, stress, and loss. That stuff gets him off... much in the same way the drugs get junkies off (with often the same results... neglecting family, putting everyone at risk, etc). But you can tell that, at heart, he's a good guy and is conflicted about all of it (hence the subplot with the kid, Beckham). And the film manages to examine all of this while not making a judgement on James himself. It leaves that fully up to the viewer, and is one of the many things that makes this a brilliant movie. It's not a war film... it's a character study, and a damn good one.
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... and not a single "shock and awe" quote. :banana :lol
 
IrishJedi said:
They weren't vague at all. They're right there in what you followed up with on the theme from the film that, for some, "War is a drug". James' character is a guy who never felt at peace with a "normal" life. He seems to love his (ex)wife and child, but he just can't manage in everyday civilian life. What drives him is combat & war and the same things that most people detest about it: the endless danger, unnecessary chances, pain, tension, stress, and loss. That stuff gets him off... much in the same way the drugs get junkies off (with often the same results... neglecting family, putting everyone at risk, etc). But you can tell that, at heart, he's a good guy and is conflicted about all of it (hence the subplot with the kid, Beckham). And the film manages to examine all of this while not making a judgement on James himself. It leaves that fully up to the viewer, and is one of the many things that makes this a brilliant movie. It's not a war film... it's a character study, and a damn good one.
Click to expand...

I mean that IMO there's a little lack of context to his motives...
And of course it's a War movie... and the effects of it on a man's psyche... kind of like Rambo...
 
Kuzeh said:
I mean that IMO there's a little lack of context to his motives...
And of course it's a War movie... and the effects of it on a man's psyche... kind of like Rambo...
Click to expand...

It doesn't need context, it just needs to show you what obviously motivates him, and it does. The viewer can come to their own conclusions about "context" through their own study of the character. That's what's refreshing. There aren't enough movies, stories, books, shows, etc like this.

It's a movie that features war, and you can call it a war movie, sure but it's not really about the war... it's a about characters first and foremost and how that environment affects them. I think it's even less political than RAMBO in that respect.
 
The ill Jedi said:
Shhh...don't say that too loud, the Avatards will go ape****. :D

Hurt Locker FTW!!! :rock
Click to expand...

The Prawns will go ape**** as well!
District 9 to win!!:banana
Seriously though, D9 was the best movie of the year. It's a pity the geriatrics of the Academy Board will probably overlook it.
Hurt Locker was good, but had a few dull moments in it. Bigelow's directing is a bit overated and it's a shame D9's Blomkamp didn't get a nomination for best director, he did a brilliant job.
 
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cedric72 said:
The Prawns will go ape**** as well!
District 9 to win!!:banana
Seriously though, D9 was the best movie of the year. It's a pity the geriatrics of the Academy Board will probably overlook it.
Hurt Locker was good, but had a few dull moments in it. Bigelow's directing is a bit overated and it's a shame D9's Blomkamp didn't get a nomination for best director, he did a brilliant job.
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I agree 100%. DISRICT 9, IMO, was the best movie of '09 and the direction was phenomenal. It's also a shame that Sharlto Copley's performance wasn't more recognized.

Poor poor Wikus.
 
Since The Hurt Locker wasn't based on real people it had to work extra hard to pull me in on an emotional level. For the most part it failed. The previews already told me that Guy Pearce was going to die and Jeremy Renner would live until at least the final scene. So there really wasn't any tension during the various disarming scenes until the end.

Solid acting and nice cinematography but not Best Picture material, IMO.
 
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The ill Jedi said:
Shhh...don't say that too loud, the Avatards will go ape****.
Click to expand...

I know it's been said before, but Avatar really is just Twilight for geeks, isn't it?

cedric72 said:
Seriously though, D9 was the best movie of the year.
Click to expand...

Aside from Wickus there wasn't much in the character department. Nor was there much drama, since the last half of the movie was just a typical runaround. I believe this should nab the FX statue but it's not going to happen.

DarthNeil said:
DISRICT 9, IMO, was the best movie of '09 and the direction was phenomenal.
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Sadly 2009 was a poor year for movies, in my opinion. The nominees are good but none of them are really great. I found the direction a bit lackluster in District 9, especially compared to something like The Hurt Locker, which saw Kathryn Bigelow wring out some terrific cinema despite a fairly pedestrian script. I don't think any of the nominees are going to be classics in the years to come.
 
Khev said:
The previews already told me that Guy Pearce was going to die and Jeremy Renner would live until at least the final scene. So there really wasn't any tension during the various disarming scenes until the end.
Click to expand...

And just how would that differ from Avatar, I felt like I could almost quote the entire film from just the two or three trailers I saw? :rolleyes:

:dunno :huh
 

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