Oscar wrap

Writing about the Oscars now, I feel as though I’m writing about Barack Obama winning the 2008 election.

The right movie won Best Picture on Sunday night.

It may not even be the “best” movie of the year, but “The Hurt Locker” captures the message Hollywood needs to send.

“The Hurt Locker” is a symbol of sheer quality and dignity in filmmaking today.

Through classical yet inventive directing, cinematography and editing, a breathtaking collaboration has been made with no bells or whistles attached.

All the conventions the legendary directors of old, established as the foundations of cinema, have all come together in an experience that is absolutely flooring.

Dating as far back as Orson Welles and “Citizen Kane,” talented people were given the keys to a studio and made masterpieces. Now, the process to get a film made, let alone get it seen, is harder than ever, despite the many technological advances that are available at filmmakers’ fingertips. “The Hurt Locker” team has achieved the dream of a lifetime by winning Best Picture, making it the lowest-grossing winner to date. It is a victory for artists everywhere.


Kathryn Bigelow is likewise the first woman to ever win Best Director. While this is a powerful encouragement for women everywhere now and in the future, her win most shows that art is blind. “The Hurt Locker” is a harsh, intense “man’s movie” with virtually no women in the entire cast . If a woman can make an awesome action movie, so be it. If a man wants to make a touching romantic comedy, do so. The final movie does not change.

As an Iraq War movie, “The Hurt Locker” is the harbinger of change and progress in our culture and in our politics. “The Hurt Locker” has a subtle anti-war message, and its in-depth look at the nature of the U.S. Military and how war is a drug is one of the most complex narratives of the year.

But it also turns the image of the American outlaw hero on its head. Jeremy Renner’s Will James is the hero we have known throughout the history of cinema, and his core is shaken. Watching this madman feel overwhelmed in the aisles of the supermarket was a heartbreaking eye-opener unlike any other in 2009. People will look back on this performance and on this character and see a redefinition of masculinity.

Despite the numerous more-than-deserving films nominated this year, “The Hurt Locker’s” permanent place in the history books gives it the opportunity to accomplish all these breakthroughs I’ve described. Imagine if one thing changed in this film’s Cinderella story to Oscar gold. Can we say the film would sustain the test of time without this concrete validation of excellence?

As for the rest of the awards given at the Oscars, I feel many of them represent the same mark of rightness. It was Jeff Bridges’ time, the eternally likeable Sandra Bullock has been more than humble in her recent awards sweep and no one could hold a candle to Christoph Waltz and Mo’Nique.

The cinematography win for “Avatar” is the first step in evolving the technology of 3D, and the win for “The Cove” might actually help end the tragic dolphin slaughter occurring in Japan.

This very glowing column might be a change of pace from my usually pessimistic attitude, but here’s something I hate: We can argue endlessly about the “best” movie of the year, and infinitely varied opinions will always get in the way.

But it doesn’t change the fact that there was a reason behind these awards, and that reason is more right than any worthless opinion out there.