Tag: the hurt locker

Oscar Winner THE HURT LOCKER Arrives February 22nd on 4K Ultra HD SteelBook

“The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.”

Winner of six Academy Awards (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay),The Hurt Locker arrives February 22 on 4K Ultra HD SteelBook from Lionsgate, exclusively at Best Buy.

Directed by Academy Award winner Kathryn Bigelow (2012, Best Picture, Zero Dark Thirty), the critically acclaimed film THE HURT LOCKER features Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner (2010, Best Supporting Actor, The Town), Anthony Mackie (Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Endgame, TV’s “Altered Carbon”), Brian Geraghty (The Guardian, Flight, TV’s “Chicago P.D.”), Primetime Emmy Award winner Guy Pearce (2011, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, TV’s “Mildred Pierce”), Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes (1996, Best Actor, The English Patient), and Golden Globe nominee Evangeline Lily (2007, Best Television Actress – Drama Series, TV’s “Lost”). Featuring all-new artwork by Olivia Barrett, The Hurt Locker will be available on 4K Ultra HD™ SteelBook at Best Buy for the suggested retail price of $27.99.

War is a drug. Nobody knows that better than Staff Sergeant James, head of an elite squad of soldiers tasked with disarming bombs in the heat of combat. To do this nerve-shredding job, it’s not enough to be the best: you have to thrive in a zone where the margin of error is zero, think as diabolically as a bomb-maker, and somehow survive with your body and soul intact. Powerfully realistic, action-packed, unrelenting, and intense, The Hurt Locker has been hailed by critics as “an adrenaline-soaked tour de force” (A.O. Scott, The New York Times) and “one of the great war movies” (Richard Corliss, Time).


4K ULTRA HD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Audio Commentary with Director Kathryn Bigelow and Writer Mark Boal
  • The Hurt Locker: Behind the Scenes
  • Image Gallery

CAST
Jeremy Renner                       The Avengers, Wind River, TV’s “Hawkeye”
Anthony Mackie                      Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Endgame, TV’s “Altered Carbon”
Brian Geraghty                       The Guardian, Flight, TV’s “Chicago P.D.”
Guy Pearce                             Memento, Iron Man 3, L.A. Confidential
Ralph Fiennes                        Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Schindler’s List, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Evangeline Lilly                       Ant-Man, Avengers: Endgame, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Top 21 Movies of the 21st Century……So Far!

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It’s one thing to come up with a list of the best movies in any given year, but the best movies of a century that’s just in its 16th year? We Are Movie Geeks polled a group of 30 carefully-selected (and mostly St. Louis-based) movie critics, movie bloggers, movie academics, movie promoters, and just plain old movie fans and asked for a list, in order of preference, of their Top Ten Favorite Films so far this century. Somewhere among the endless superhero blockbusters, franchise reboots, and sequels, some really great movies have come out in the last 16 years. And some of them were indeed superhero blockbusters, franchise reboots, and sequels! The 21st century has another 84 years to go, and there’s no doubt that these choices will change as the years go by, but since it’s doubtful any of those polled will be around when the century ends (unless Stephen Tronicek – born in 1999 – makes it to 101), we might as well do this now. To come up with our top 21, a super-scientific algorithm was generated….just kidding! We simply scored each movie based on its rank in any given list. If a movie was #1 on any list, it received 10 points, #2 received 9 points, and so on (a movie ranked #10 received 1 point – get it?). Of course, all of these lists are highly subjective and some favorite titles will be omitted, so prepare to argue with the selections of these 30 film buffs (and yes, we’re naming names!).

HERE ARE THE RESULTS!:

21. GLADIATOR (2000 – Ridley Scott)

20. UP (2009 – Pete Docter)

19. THE LEGO MOVIE (2014 – Phil Lord)

18. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007 – The Coen Brothers)

17. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013 – Steve McQueen)

16. THE REVENENT (2015 – Alejandro Innaritu)

15. INSIDE OUT (2015 – Pete Docter)

14. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOLESS MIND (2004 – Michel Gondry)

13. O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? (2000 – The Coen Brothers)

12. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009 – Quentin Tarantino)

11. THE AVIATOR (2004 – Martin Scorsese)

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10. SYNECEDOCHE, NEW YORK (2008 – Charlie Kaufmann)

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9. MEMENTO (2000 – Christopher Nolan)

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8. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS  (2001 – Wes Anderson)

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7. BOYHOOD (2014 – Richard Linklater)

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6. LORD OF THE RINGS  RETURN OF THE KING (2003 – Peter Jackson)

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5. THE DEPARTED (2006 – Martin Scorsese)

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4. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (2015 – George Miller)

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3. PAN’S LABYRINTH (2006 – Guillermo Del Toro)

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2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD  (2007 – Paul Thomas Anderson)

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1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE  (2001 – David Lynch)

Directors Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers each had two films on this list, as did writer Charlie Kaufman and Pixar director Pete Docter. Nothing from beloved directors Clint Eastwood, Ang Lee, Darren Aronofsky, Woody Allen, Cameron Crowe, Alexander Payne or David Fincher, but the all of them were well-represented on the individual lists, all of which are presented here:

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 Tom Stockman  (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE AMERICAN (Anton Corbijn)

9. BLUE JASMINE (Woody Allen)

8. GRAN TORINO (Clint Eastwood)

7. THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (Rob Zombie)

6. CITY OF GOD (Fernando Meirelles)

5. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood)

4. APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson)

3. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

2. LIFE OF PI (Ang Lee)

1. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

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Andrew Wyatt   (St. Louis Magazine, Gateway Cinephile)

10. UNDER THE SKIN (Jonathan Glazer)

9. THE TURIN HORSE (Bela Tarr)

8. OF TIME AND THE CITY (Terence Davies)

7. ZODIAC (David Fincher)

6. CERTIFIED COPY (Abbas Klarostami)

5. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

4. INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch)

3. THE MASTER (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

1. CACHE (Michael Hanake)

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Stephen Tronicek   (FilmAnalyst)

10, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

9. BIRDMAN (Alejandro Innaritu)

8. CLOUD ATLAS (Tom Twyker, The Wachowski Brothers)

7. UP (Pete Docter)

6. A SERIOUS MAN (the Coen Brothers)

5. INTO THE WILD (Sean Penn)

4. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

3. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

2. ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

1. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

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Dana Jung

10. SIN CITY (Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller)

9. THIS IS THE END (Evan Goldberg)

8. AVATAR (James Cameron)

7. DISTRICT 9 (Neill Blomkamp)

6. APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson)

5. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

4. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

3. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

2. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miler)

1. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

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Mathew DeKinder   (Suburban Journals of St. Louis)

10. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

9. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

8. MAD MAX FURY ROAD ROAD (George Miller)

7. ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes)

6. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

5. INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (Quentin Tarantino)

4. ANCHORMAN (Adam McKay)

3. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

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Jim Batts   (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

9. THE ARTIST (Michel Hazanavicius)

8. THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN (Judd Apatow)

7. CAPTAIN AMERICA THE FIRST AVENGER (Joe Johnston)

6. AMERICAN SPLENDOR (Shari Springer Berman)

5. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING  (Peter Jackson)

4. GHOST WORLD (terry Zwigoff)

3. THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird)

2. SPIDERMAN 2 (Sam Raimi)

1. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

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 Lynn Venhaus   ( Belleville News-Democrat, Webster-Kirkwood Times)

10. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

9. NEBRASKA (Alexander Payne)

8. 28 DAYS LATER… (Danny Boyle)

7. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

6. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

5. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

4. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

3. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (David Fincher)

2. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

THE REVENANT Copyright © 2016 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. THE REVENANT Motion Picture Copyright © 2016 Regency Entertainment (USA), Inc. and Monarchy Enterprises S.a.r.l. All rights reserved.Not for sale or duplication.

Kent Tentschert   (Webster-Kirkwood Times)

10. THE DESCENDANTS (Alexander Payne)

9. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

8. BIUTIFUL (Alejandro Innaritu)

7. UP (Pete Docter)

6. THE READER (Stephen Daldry)

5. NIGHTCRAWLER (Dan Gilroy)

4. INCEPTION (Christopher Nolan)

3. THE PRESTIGE (Christopher Nolan)

2. GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott)

1. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Innaritu)

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Rob Garica  (HEC-TV)

10. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

9. OVERNIGHT (Tony Montana)

8. BAMBOOZLED (Spike Lee)

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MAN (The Coen Bothers)

6. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

5. CITY OF GOD (Fernanso Meirelles)

4. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Tomas Alfredson)

3. TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar)

2. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

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Sam Smucker  

10. WINTER SLEEP (Nuri Ceylan)

9. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Kar Wai Wong)

8. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

7. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (Benh Zeitlin)

6. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR (Abdellatif Kechiche)

5. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

4. THE LOOK OF SILENCE (Joshua Oppenheimer)

3. THE PAST (Asghar Farhadi)

2. SILENT LIGHT (Carlos Reygadas)

1. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

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Robert Hunt   (The Riverfront Times)

10. AMERICAN SNIPER (Clint Eastwood)

9. PANS LABYRINTH (Guilermo del Toro)

8. THE TRIP (Michael Winterbottom)

7. SITA SINGS THE BLUES  (Nina Paley)

6. NOTRE MUSIQUE (Jean-Luc Godard)

5. 2046  (Wong Kar-Wai)

4. WHAT TIME IS IT THERE? (Ming-Liang Tsai)

3. I’M NOT THERE (Todd Haynes)

2. WENDY AND LUCY  (Kelly Reichardt)

1. CARLOS (Oliver Assayas)

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Sam Moffitt  

10. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

9. WHIP IT! (Drew Barrymore)

8. THE BABADOOK (Jennifer Kent)

7. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

6. SLITHER (James Gunn)

5. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

4. BLACK SNAKE MOAN (Craig Brewer)

3. MOON (Duncan Jones)

2. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

1. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

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Michael Haffner   (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

9. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

8. IN BRUGES (Martin McDonagh)

7. LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sophia Coppola)

6. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

5. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michael Gondry)

4. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

3. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

2. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only Mandatory Credit: Photo by c.Miramax/Everett / Rex Features ( 508110r ) 'THE AVIATOR', Leonardo Dicaprio 'THE AVIATOR' FILM STILLS - 2004

Renee Hirshfield   (Webster University, Southwestern Illinois College)

10. AMERICAN SPLENDOR  (Shari Springer Berman)

9. AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

8. TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar)

7. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

6. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

5. EX MACHINA (Alex Garland)

4. CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS (Andrew Jarecki)

3. INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan)

2. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

1. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

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Sarah Hirshfield   (Mount Holyoke College)

10. MONEYBALL (Bennett Miller)

9. ELEPHANT (Gus Van Sandt)

8. SNOWPIERCER (Bong Joon Ho)

7. A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (Ana Lily Amirpour)

6. 4 MONTHS 2 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS (Cristian Mungiu)

5. SUPER 8 (J.J. Abrams)

4. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

3. EX MACHINA (Alex Garland)

2. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

1. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (Davis Fincher)

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Kathy Kaiser   (Matinee Chat)

10. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

9. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski)

8. DJANGO UNCHAINED (Quentin Tarantino)

7. IRON MAN (John Favreau)

6. CAST AWAY (Robert Zemeckis)

5. THE IMITATION GAME (Morten Tyldum)

4. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Innaritu)

3. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

2. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

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Melissa Thompson   (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. BILLY ELLIOT (Stephen Daldry)

9. A MIGHTY WIND (Christopher Guest)

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX  (Wes Anderson)

7. HAIRSPRAY (Adam Shankman)

6. ELF (John Favreau)

5. SPIRITED AWAY (Hayao Miyazaki)

4. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski)

3. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)

2. MOULIN ROUGE! (Baz Luhrmann)

1. LADY IN THE WATER (M. Night Shyamalan)

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Pete Timmerman   (Webster University)

10. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

9. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze)

8. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

7. PUNCH DRUNK LOVE (Paul Thomas Anderson)

6. CHILDREN OF MEN (Alfonso Cuaron)

5. TROPICAL MALADY (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

4. THE ACT OF KILLING (Joshua Oppenheimer)

3. DOGTOOTH (Yorgos Lanthimos)

2. EVERYTHING WILL BE OK (Don Hertzfeldt)

2. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Wong Kar Wai)

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Michelle McCue  (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. GRAVITY (Alfonso Cuaron)

9. FANTASTIC MR. FOX  (Wes Anderson)

8. AN EDUCATION (Lone Scherfig)

7. THE LADY IN THE WATER (M. Night Shyamalan)

6. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

5. ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes)

4. THE LORD OF THE RINGS FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (Peter Jackson)

3. LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sofia Coppola)

2. MOON (Duncan Jones)

1. GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott)

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Tim Venhaus  

10. THE MASTER (Paul Thomas Anderson)

9. SUPERBAD (Greg Mottola)

8. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

7. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

6. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

5. WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (David Wain)

4. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

3. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM  (Darren Aronofsky)

2. THE ROYAL TENENBAUM’S (Wes Anderson)

1. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze)

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Travis Keune   (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

9. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

8. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

7. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

6. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

5. THE WRESTLER (Darren Aronofsky)

4. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

3. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

2. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

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Cate Marquis   (We Are Movie Geeks, The Jewish Light)

10. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

9. A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

8. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

7. AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

6. THE PIANIST (Roman Polanski)

5. GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Wes Anderson)

4. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

3. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

2. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

1. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

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Matt Myers  (Allied Advertising)

10. LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS (Peter Jackson)

9. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson)

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

6. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michael Gondry)

5. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

4. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

3. AMÉLIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

2. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

1. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

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Max Foizey (ZekeFilm)

10. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

9. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU (The Coen Brothers)

8. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

7. ATONEMENT (Joe Wright)

6. UP (Pete Docter)

5. CLOSER (Mike Nichols)

4. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)

3. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

1. THE LEGO MOVIE (Phil Lord)

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Sandy Olmsted

10. THE FAIRY ( Dominique Abel)

9. THE ARTIST (Michel Hazanavicius)

8. PARANORMAN (Chris Butler)

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

6. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)

5. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ( Jonathan Dayton)

4. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

3. FRUITVALE STATION (Ryan Coogler)

2. HOCOLAT (Lasse Hallström)

1. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (Benh Zeitlin)

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Carl Middleman (KFTK – 97.1FM)

10. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)

9. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

8. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

7. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

6. CLOSER (Mike Nichols)

5. UP (Pete Docter)

4. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? (The Coen Brothers)

3. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

2. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

1. THE LEGO MOVIE (Phil Lord)

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Jim Tudor  (ZekeFilm, ScreenAnarchy)

10. BUBBA HO-TEP (Don Coscarelli)

9. HOLY MOTORS (Leos Carax)

8. ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

7. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

6. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

5. HER (Spike Jonze)

4. THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird)

3. STAR WARS EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH (George Lucas)

2. TOY STORY 3 (Lee Unkrich)

1. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

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Dane Marti

10. INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan)

9. INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch)

8. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

7. MINORITY REPORT (Steven Spielberg)

6. THE REVENANT (Alejandro  Iñárritu)

5. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD  (Andrew Dominik)

4. LINCOLN (Steven Spielberg)

3. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

2. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

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Ian McDonald  (Allied Advertising)

10.THE LIFE AQUATIC (Wes Anderson)

9. DJANGO UNCHAINED (Quentin Tarantino)

8. CABIN IN THE WOODS (Drew Goddard)

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo del Toro)

6. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Tomas Alfredson)

5. HOT FUZZ (Edgar Wright)

4. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

3. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

2. SPIDERMAN 2 (Sam Raimi)

1. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

 

 

82nd Academy Award Winners

For this WAMG writer, it was a glorious sight to behold as Kathryn Bigelow, at the 82nd Academy Awards, became the first woman in Oscar history to win the award for directing. Bigelow also went on to share the honors with fellow producers Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro as THE HURT LOCKER took home the award for Best Picture. Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock received the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress. On a personal note, I had a wonderful time being a guest of AMPAS at their various symposiums, at the Kodak Theatre, and on the Red Carpet on Oscar Day. For this freshman reporter and lifelong Oscarfan, it was the dream of a lifetime!

Here’s the full list on winners:

Best Picture

  • “The Hurt Locker” – Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, Producers

Directing

  • “The Hurt Locker” – Kathryn Bigelow

Actor in a Leading Role

Actor in a Supporting Role

Actress in a Leading Role

Actress in a Supporting Role

  • Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

  • “Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction

  • “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair

Cinematography

  • “Avatar” Mauro Fiore

Costume Design

  • “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Documentary (Feature)

  • “The Cove” Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens

Documentary (Short Subject)

  • “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett

Film Editing

  • “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis

Foreign Language Film

  • “The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)” Argentina

Makeup

  • “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow

Music (Original Score)

  • “Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

  • “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Short Film (Animated)

  • “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin

Short Film (Live Action)

  • “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing

  • “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson

Sound Mixing

  • “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett

Visual Effects

  • “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

  • “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher

Writing (Original Screenplay)

  • “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boa

Source: The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

No Oscar Show For THE HURT LOCKER Producer Chartier, Says Academy

(Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro at the 21st Annual PGA Awards)

Mere hours before voting closed to Academy members at 5 PM PT on Tuesday, March 2, came this announcement from AMPAS. As Newt said in ALIENS, “It won’t make any difference.”

Beverly Hills, CA (March 2, 2010) The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that, should “The Hurt Locker” be announced as the recipient of the Best Picture award at Sunday’s ceremonies, only three of the picture’s producers will be present for the celebration. The fourth of the film’s credited producers, Nicolas Chartier, has been denied attendance at the 82nd Academy Awards® as a penalty for violating Academy campaigning standards.

Chartier had recently disseminated an email to certain Academy voters and other film industry figures in which he solicited votes for his own picture and disparaged one of the other contending films. Academy rules prohibit “casting a negative or derogatory light on a competing film.” The executive committee of the Academy’s Producers Branch, at a special session late Monday, ruled that the ethical lapse merited the revocation of Chartier’s invitation to the Awards.

The group stopped short of recommending that the Academy Governors rescind Chartier’s nomination. If  “The Hurt Locker” were to be selected as Best Picture, Chartier would receive his Oscar® statuette at some point subsequent to the March 7 ceremonies.

Jeremy Renner Could Be Headed to E4

No, that never gets old.

It is always great to see the rise of an actor who is making his way from the arthouse to the awards podium to bigger and brighter things.  Such is the case of Jeremy Renner, whose praises I have been singing since seeing him headline the 2002 indie flick DAHMER.  With an Academy Award nomination now under his belt, THE HURT LOCKER star is prepping his next films, and one of them could be a blockbuster.

According to a report from Reuters, Renner is in talks to take on the lead role of Universal’s adaptation of BATTLESHIP to be helmed by Peter Berg.  This bit of news comes just 10 days after it was announced BATTLESHIP would be moving its release date back from July 29th, 2011 to Memorial Day, 2012.

The film is scheduled to shoot this coming Summer, and Renner may have to make a decision.  He revealed to Reuters he has had at least five meetings with the producers of another, as yet unrevealed project which would also be shooting this coming Summer.

Says Renner about the success and the potential in the industry THE HURT LOCKER has given him:

(‘Locker’ has) allowed me to exhale and go, ‘OK, now I can really start.’  Maybe it’s a form of arrival, maybe it’s a type of beginning.

Personally, I would rather see him take on a different role than the lead in BATTLESHIP.  Yes, it would be a great opportunity for him to headline a big budget, Summer movie like that, but he is slowly sinking into a pigeonhole of playing these military types that I think he is better than.  It gladdens me to hear in this same report he has signed on to star alongside Ewan McGregor in RAVEN, an indie, period thriller to be shot before Summer hits.

Nonetheless, it is great to see Renner getting recognized for his talent.  Let’s just hope that pigeonhole doesn’t get filled any time soon.

Producer Credits For THE HURT LOCKER/THE BLIND SIDE Decided

Some rules were meant to be broken….

Press Release from AMPAS:

Beverly Hills, CA – Producer credits for 82nd Academy Awards Best Picture nominees “The Blind Side” and “The Hurt Locker” have been determined by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Producers Branch Executive Committee. Credits are as follows:

  • “The Blind Side” – Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson, producers.
  • “The Hurt Locker” – Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, producers.

Academy rules state that normally no more than three producers may be named as nominees in the Best Picture category. However, the rules allow for an additional producer to be named under extraordinary circumstances. In finding that all of the producers of “The Hurt Locker” had fully functioned as genuine producers of the film, the committee chose to exercise the “extraordinary circumstances” provision of the rules.

Producers for the other eight motion pictures nominated in the Best Picture category – “Avatar,” “District 9,” “An Education,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire,” “A Serious Man,” “Up” and “Up in the Air“ were announced on February 2 and remain unchanged.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center ®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Bigelow Triumphantly Becomes 1st Woman To Win the DGA

Shout it from the rooftops! I am pleased beyond words to announce that Director Kathryn Bigelow has become the first woman to win the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2009.  From the very start  of the evening,  DGA President Taylor Hackford proclaimed, “We have the biggest turnout in our history tonight, and I think a lot of it is anticipation.” And so it was….anticipating and anxiously hoping til the wee hours of the morning  that Kathryn Bigelow would be the first woman, among the six women previously  nominated  in the DGA’s  62 years,  to win the top prize. Last year’s recipient, Director  Danny Boyle (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE),  presented her with the night’s final award.

Of her accolade, Bigelow said:

“This is the most incredible moment of my life. And on that note, I will disappear.”

She told members of the press that winning was “pure euphoria.” Along with its SAG nomination and  shocking PGA win last week, THE HURT LOCKER will become the lowest-grossing film to march itself to a Best Picture win. Kathryn Bigelow also becomes the front-runner and possibly the first woman to win  the  Best Director Oscar on March 7th. Oh happy days!  So much for  the glory of James “King of the World” Cameron and AVATAR.

The DGA’s  pride themselves as  traditionally being one of the industry’s most accurate barometers for who will win the Best Director Academy Award. Only six times since the DGA Awards began in 1948 has the Feature Film winner not gone on to win the corresponding Academy Award. The  Oscar Nominations  will be announced  this Tuesday morning from Los Angeles at 7:35am local time.

Marking a 22nd time, Carl Reiner returned as host for the 62nd Annual Directors Guild of America Awards and  began the evening cajoling the crowd with, “his gall bladder surgery, a denial of being incontinent & making Jon Cryer sing “Jingle Bell Rock.”

Every director was able to give a speech of thanks to the DGA for the nomination. First up was James Cameron who paid tribute to the other nominees as  “unutterably different from each other” and went on to thank the people  “down the food chain” who made movie happen, and folks at Fox who “wrote the big check.”

When it was Jason Reitman’s turn to accept his plaque and give his speech,  with a tug on the heart strings, he stated  that his father has never held a DGA nomination plaque, “And you should have!”

Upon introducing Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt says, “To pay tribute to Quentin Tarantino’s INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, I have structured this introduction into five non-linear chapters…Every once in a while, when you hit that sweet spot, you get a ‘GENIUSSSSS!'” Pause. “I never got that. Christoph did.” To which Tarantino replies, “Both my testicles were totally tingling though the whole thing.” However, being the film buff and non-DGA member that he is, Tarantino said, “I loved movies too much to be in them, I want them to be MY movies!”

The best speech of the night undoubtedly goes to first time nominee,  PRECIOUS Director Lee Daniels. On speaking  of his fellow nominees, he  jokingly said he has no “love” for Taratino because he’s, “a walking encyclopedia of cinema,” and goes on to tell Bigelow, “Your movie is as beautiful as your legs. You make me question my sexuality.”

The DGA for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary went to first time nominee  Louis Psihoyos  for THE COVE.

The surprising highlight of the evening was when CHER presented the DGA’s  Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction  to director Norman Jewison. A four time Oscar nominee, Jewison received the Irving Thalberg Award at the Academy Awards in 1999. Look for examples of his brilliance in THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. In his acceptance speech, Jewison said, “”The studio heads might have all the power, but we’ve got the glory.” Hear, hear!

Although only directors are given DGA Awards, involved assistant directors, production and stage managers receive a plaque to acknowledge their work as part of the team.

A huge  thanks tonight goes  to Steve Pond over at The Odds for TheWrap.com for  his continous DGA tweets and quotes  throughout the ceremony.

Photos Courtesy of: Sasha Stone at Awards Daily via  Getty Images

THE HURT LOCKER, UP and THE COVE Win PGA Awards

In a shocking surprise to this humdrum awards season, THE HURT LOCKER  was  voted by the producers as Best  Feature  over the behemoth and assumed winner  AVATAR.  Such a  thrilling, huge victory for Kathryn Bigelow and her team, to say the least. This, along with  Saturday’s  INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS  SAG win, now blows  the Oscar race wide open.  In the last 20 years, the winner of the PGA Award has gone on to win Best Picture 13 times. Thank the maker, we have a real Best Picture race at last.

Greg Kinnear kicked off the 21st Annual Producer Guild of America Awards on Sunday night  at the Hollywood Palladium.  For the first time,  the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures had a playing field of 10 picture nominees this year.    Other categories were the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures, the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures, and various television awards as well.

Winner of the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures –  THE HURT LOCKER,  Producers: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicholas Chartier and Greg Shapiro

Winner of the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures –  UP, Producer: Jonas Rivera

The winner of the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures –  The COVE, Producers: Paula DuPre Pesmen, Fisher Stevens

In a TOY STORY reunion of sorts, Tim Allen and Tom Hanks presented the PGA Selznick Award to John Lasseter. Dr. Horrible and Neil Patrick Harris presented the Vanguard Award to Joss Whedon. Mo’Nique presented The Stanley Kramer Award to PRECIOUS producers Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel Magness and Gary Magness. Will Smith presented The PGA Milestone Award to Sony’s Amy Pascal and Michael Lynton.

Source: Producers Guild of America

The 15th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards

The 15th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards were  handed out at the Hollywood Palladium  to honor the finest achievements in 2009 filmmaking. THE HURT LOCKER  won Best Picture and Kathryn Bigelow made history by becoming the first woman to take home the Best Director award  for her amazing work on THE HURT LOCKER.  I loved her acceptance speech! Afterwards, here’s what Bigelow had to say to Tom O’Neil over at The Gold Derby when he asked her what it felt like to beat her ex-husband, director James Cameron, twice:

As much as they claimed on Friday night  that  the Critics Choice awards are  the first stop on the “road to the Oscars,” the BFCA’s don’t carry much weight and they really need to stop acting like they’re somehow relevant to the Academy Awards….it was never more  evident than with another Best Actress kooky  tie two years in a row. However the lip lock  planted on Streep  by Bullock was hilarious.

I will say that Mo’Nique  gave an  extremely eloquent and gracious acceptance speech after her Best Supporting Actress win. This will help her immensely with ingratiating herself to  the fickle Oscar voters.  

 

The list of the winners:

  • Best Picture: THE HURT LOCKER
  • Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, THE HURT LOCKER
  • Best Original Screenplay: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
  • Best Adapted Screenplay: UP  IN  THE AIR
  • Best Acting Ensemble: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
  • Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, CRAZY HEART
  • Best Actress: (tie) Meryl Streep,  JULIE  & JULIA  and Sandra Bullock, THE BLIND SIDE
  • Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
  • Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, PRECIOUS
  • Best Young Actress: Saoirse Ronan, THE LOVELY BONES
  • Best Documentary: THE COVE
  • Best Foreign Language Film: BROKEN EMBRACES
  • Best Animated Movie: UP
  • Best Comedy Movie: THE HANGOVER
  • Best Score: UP
  • Best Song: The Weary Kind
  • Best Costume Design: THE YOUNG VICTORIA
  • Best Make-Up: DISTRICT 9
  • Best Action Movie: AVATAR
  • Best Cinematography: AVATAR
  • Best Visual Effects: AVATAR
  • Best Art Direction: AVATAR
  • Best Editing: AVATAR
  • Best Sound: AVATAR

Kevin Bacon was awarded the honorary,  third annual Joel Siegel Award for his charitable work with his SixDegrees.org web site. Meryl Streep presented Bacon with the award.

Source: bfca.org

Ben Affleck talks Jeremy Renner

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One of my favorite acting performances of the year outside of Sam Rockwell would hands down go to Jeremy Renner. Ben Affleck recently wrote an article for Variety about his performances in THE HURT LOCKER. Check it out below:

Jeremy pulls you in so that you identify with that person. His performance is the result of a tremendous work ethic and commitment. It’s very hard to fake. That part could easily have gone the way of archetype or even worse a kind of cliche of the crazy renegade guy who breaks the rules. Instead Jeremy’s character is probably the most honestly drawn of everyone in the movie. You’re paying the most attention to him because he’s so accurately rendered. And he makes you watch him because you want to see what he’s going to do next. I don’t know what it’s like to have that job. I don’t know what kind of life those guys live. But I get the sense from watching Jeremy that he got it right. You really got an idea of the reality of life in that branch of service — what it would be like to do that kind of job. You don’t feel for a second that Jeremy’s not the person he’s playing. And that compete immersion into the character is what pulls us all into that suit and makes us all feel like we’re trying to diffuse that bomb with him. And that’s what makes that movie so incredibly tense. By the end of it I could barely stand up because my back had seized up. We’re lucky. With Jeremy we’re seeing the beginnings of a body of work from an actor who’s obviously really gifted.

So if any of you that have a say in the Oscar voting are reading this, Jeremy Renner deserves a nomination so get on that.