Re: David vs. Goliath: THE HURT LOCKER wins big

David, I agree with you. I thought Hurt locker was the first movie about the Iraq War that was not trying too hard to be a political anti-war statement. What I got from the film was that these guys on the bomb squad are so committed to their jobs that they don't know how to feel anything else, yet they are fragile people. When you deal in absolute life and death situations it is difficult to be subtle in other areas of your life.

Avatar was cool visually and as a kid who grew up on Star Wars it was the next best thing. In fact Avatar out Star Warsed Star Wars on many levels. Avatar did everything right that Phantom Menace and Return of the Jedi got wrong. But was it a best picture? I don't think so.

A best picture has to have all of the elements of great filmmaking, and Avatar was basically a Summer blockbuster movie with explosions and gee-whiz effects compared to the other nominees. Avatar had as much chance of winning best picture as District 9 or Star Trek if nominated. Well made films but not the best films of the year.

I have to add that I thought Inglorious Basterds was Ingloriously boring. But that's another thread.

Mike Cohen