At final count, Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker led last night's rivalry with 6 wins, to Avatar's 3. It's ironic that a lot of pre-awards press scolded James Cameron for unveiling his tremendous film the same year that his ex-wife was fronting her little-war-film-that-could. Now the situation seems to be reversed, though I will say he was a good sport about the loss.
I'll be honest, I was sure that Avatar was going to take Best Picture, in that dreading way you know the most popular girl at school will win Homecoming Queen even though other girls deserve it more. It just seemed to have the whole package: the eye-boggling effects, a score that hooked you right back to 1997 and "My Heart Will Go On", and a simple but vast story.
Therein lies the issue, however: it was a package. It was a very commercial film. To be honest, I'm not sure about Hurt Locker, either; my vote would've gone more to a commentary piece like Up in the Air or the racially incisive District 9. Even though Avatar was James Cameron's baby since Titanic wrapped up its sweeping win, I was left feeling that the latter was the film of his that showed more heart; the class divide between lovers rang more true than inter-species attraction. Also, it's probably easier to relate to a love story set in the past, for which we have records, than one crafted in the future, for which there are so many nebulous representations. I feel as if Avatar dazzled us and definitely raked in the ticket sales, but aside from the people who have experienced post-Pandora depression, its impact didn't linger with us.
Pandora opened many viewers' eyes to the devastation we're bringing to our planet, and spawned message boards where people spoke of their desire to quit Earth altogether since we would never attain the perfection of Pandora. The story is unattainable; it eats you up inside with guilt and worry, but the idyllic alternative that Cameron has introduced doesn't seem relatable. By contrast, The Hurt Locker takes us firmly into the now -- not just emotionally, as Up in the Air does, but physically as well. The war? Check. Sacrificing yourself? Check. Going crazy because there's no hope? Check check. There's no unobtainium to be mined here; the characters are saving human lives, something we might have forgotten needs detailed care as much as a fictional catch-all mineral.
Do you think Hurt Locker deserved to win?
Join today! Ology is where thousands of people share their interests and passions with each other.
This Makes Me Happy... Post anything that makes you happy. Go!
Taylor Swift For those of us who can't get enough Swifty.
Ology Hip-Hop "I embrace y'all with napalm..."
MLB All things baseball during the summer dog days
(1)
Comments
Don't worry, we'll never be evil with your information
-or-