The Hurt Locker

It’s hard to say I loved The Hurt Locker since it is such a disturbing and brutal movie. I will most likely never watch this film again. It's not the kind of movie you want to re-live over and over again. And, it's also not the type of film I would usually be drawn to. But, all I know is that I felt moved after seeing it…and that it affected me more than any film has in a long time. I think one of the reasons I was drawn to this film was that no matter what the subject, no matter how brutal or violent, good filmmaking is universal and stands out over all of the hype and other elements of the plot or story. The Hurt Locker is filmmaking at its finest. Never having been to war or even war-torn areas, this film is what I, as a naive civilian, imagine combat to be like. It is gritty and dismal and bleak and, at times, boring. There are men quarreling and having everyday personality issues like you and I do in the workplace. There are anger issues and missing family. There is death. Unlike some war films where the action and personalities of the soldiers and even the violence seems contrived, this film just seemed, to me at least, authentic. Revolving around soldiers in a bomb disposal unit in Iraq, the main character here is reckless and careless. But, he's good at what he does so others around him are able to mostly excuse his free and easy behavior, especially because they do not want to do what he does. He's the one who puts on the protective bomb gear and gets up close and personal with bombs. He might be a rebel, but in his dangerous job, rebellion is more of an asset at times than a liability. Like I said, I have no military experience so this feeling of authenticity is not based on anything specific…it’s just what I felt as I was watching the film—that this what be what it is really like over there. Then, on top of the intensity and drama of the film, The Hurt Locker also morphs into a thriller. As nail-biting (probably even more so) as any thriller made in Hollywood today, this war drama will not let up...even after the credits start to roll. With so many trite, predictable films being made today (some even about the war in Iraq), The Hurt Locker stands out among not only other war dramas, but among all other films.
The Hurt Locker: directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie. The Niles Public Library owns copies of this title on DVD.

STAFF PICKS: THE BEST OF 2009

Here are the Audiovisual Department's 2009 picks for the
Best Films of the Year!

(500) Days of Summer (NPLD owns on DVD)
For Tom, it was love at first sight when Summer Finn walked into the greeting card company where he worked. Soon, Tom knows that Summer is the woman with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life. Problem is, Summer might or might not feel the same.
Angels and Demons (NPLD owns on DVD)
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of the most powerful underground organization in history, the Illuminati. Langdon travels to Rome and joins forces with an Italian scientist and together they follow the 400-year-old Path of Illumination that leads to the Vatican's only chance for survival.
The Blind Side (NPLD has this DVD on order)
The true story of Michael Oher, a homeless young man who became an All-American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring Southern woman and her family.
The Hurt Locker (NPLD owns on DVD)
An intense portrayal of elite soldiers who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: disarming bombs in the heat of combat.
Inglourious Basterds (NPLD owns on DVD)
During World War II, a group of Jewish-American guerilla soldiers, become known as "The Basterds." The Basterds soon cross paths with a French-Jewish woman who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers. A plot is set in motion to kill the Nazis at the theater's movie premier, including Adolf Hitler.
Julie and Julia (NPLD owns on DVD)
Trying to find a challenge in her life, Julie Powell decides to cook her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year, and to blog about it. Julie's story combines with the real story of Julia Child becomes one of America's most influential and beloved chefs.
New York, I Love You (NPLD owns on DVD)
A collection of 10 different love stories set in one of the most beloved cities in the world, from Brooklyn to Tribeca to Central Park.
A Serious Man (NPLD owns on DVD)
On one ordinary man's quest to become a serious man, he consults three different rabbis and their answers lead him on a twisted journey of faith, family, delinquent behavior, and mortality.
The Soloist (NPLD owns on DVD)
Craving story ideas, a Los Angeles Times columnist discovers Nathaniel Ayers, a skid row schizophrenic street musician, who possesses extraordinary talent. Based on a true story.
Up! (NPLD owns on DVD)
Carl is a 78-year-old curmudgeon. He used to enjoy his life as a balloon seller when his wife was still alive. When she died, Carl regrets that they never made their dream journey to Paradise Falls in South America. When local residents try to get Carl into a retirement home, he rigs thousands of helium balloons to his house and floats away.
Up in the Air (NPLD has this DVD on order)
Ryan Bingham is a corporate downsizing expert whose avid traveling career is threatened by a new, young go-getter, just after he's met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.