Let's Talk Movies! #21...Oscar Bait, Christmas Movies, "Bad" Movies You Loved......)

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Helen Hunt? Now that's a name I haven't heard since the series finale of Mad About You.

[PeterG]

FILM

BEST PICTURE
“Argo”
“Beasts Of The Southern Wild”
“Life Of Pi”
“Lincoln”
“Les Misérables”
“Moonrise Kingdom”
“The Sessions”
“Silver Linings Playbook”
“Skyfall”
“Zero Dark Thirty”

If Zero Dark Thirty is anything like The Hurt Locker, I hope something like Beasts of the Souther Wild of Life of Pi (or even Les Miserables) takes the top prize. The more I think about it, the more I think that Avatar should have beaten The Hurt Locker. While The Hurt Locker was good, it wasn't so much superior to many other war movies that have been made. Avatar is unlike anything that had ever come before it. And if Avatar didn't win best picture, then Precious should have. Then District 9, then An Education. And then probably Up In The Air...and then The Hurt Locker.

Do we all agree that The Hurt Locker was the sixth best picture of 2009?

[VIETgrlTerifa]

No. I thought it was reasonable for the Academy to choose The Hurt Locker. It was well-directed, and understood why it was critically-acclaimed. I personally would have chosen Inglorious Basterds, then A Serious Man, then Up in the Air over The Hurt Locker, but it wasn't a robbery by any means.

Avatar was on the lower-tier with the other Best Picture nominees for me, with the last one being that horrible movie The Blind Side which should not have been mentioned at Oscar time at all.

However, I also would have nominated Where the Wild Things Are, so I don't know if that makes people wonder about my taste in film.

[PeterG]

...I also would have nominated Where the Wild Things Are, so I don't know if that makes people wonder about my taste in film.

I loooooooved that movie!

[Vash01]

If Zero Dark Thirty is anything like The Hurt Locker, I hope something like Beasts of the Souther Wild of Life of Pi (or even Les Miserables) takes the top prize. The more I think about it, the more I think that Avatar should have beaten The Hurt Locker. While The Hurt Locker was good, it wasn't so much superior to many other war movies that have been made. Avatar is unlike anything that had ever come before it. And if Avatar didn't win best picture, then Precious should have. Then District 9, then An Education. And then probably Up In The Air...and then The Hurt Locker.

Do we all agree that The Hurt Locker was the sixth best picture of 2009?

I thought Hurt Locker was a good picture, but definitely not the best picture of 2009. That should have been Avatar. As you said, it was unlike anything ever made before it. I hated 'the education', and did not see Precious and District 9. UP in the air was good but definitely not the best picture, just like Hurt Locker. At least UP in the air had a stronger story; IMO Hurt Locker was more like a documentary, even though there was a central character that went through some emotions. I watched HL on DVD, and Avatar in IMAX, so it's possible that the impact of HL on me was considerably weaker.

[michiruwater]

My favorite pic that year was Up In The Air, actually, then Pixar's Up, then Avatar, then An Education, then District 9... and then The Hurt Locker. Not a huge fan of Precious. Actually, I think I preferred Inglourious Basterds to The Hurt Locker, too, though Christoph Waltz blew my mind so entirely I have a had time separating my love for his performance from my love for the picture itself

And A Serious Man was wonderful, too.

I was so dismayed when THL won that year.

[Vash01]

Pixar's 'UP' was a beautiful movie. I would have placed it second overall to Avatar that year. Storywise, 'UP' was the best.

[jenny12]

I thought Hurt Locker was a good picture, but definitely not the best picture of 2009. That should have been Avatar. As you said, it was unlike anything ever made before it. I hated 'the education', and did not see Precious and District 9. UP in the air was good but definitely not the best picture, just like Hurt Locker. At least UP in the air had a stronger story; IMO Hurt Locker was more like a documentary, even though there was a central character that went through some emotions. I watched HL on DVD, and Avatar in IMAX, so it's possible that the impact of HL on me was considerably weaker.

I was fine with The Hurt Locker win, but I would've been fine with a District 9 win. Avatar was impressive technically, but the storyline just boiled down to Pocahontas with a some in-your-face Iraq war references thrown in. The Hurt Locker wasn't a extraordinary film, but IMO deserving compared to its competition from that year.

[emason]

Up in the Air gets my voted for most over-rated movie of that year. I hated that movie. Thought An Education was a big disappointment. Confess to not having seen Avatar, Precious, The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, or The Blind Side and don't care what they did or didn't win.

Loved Where The Wild Things Are and A Single Man.

[Cachoo]

Pixar's 'UP' was a beautiful movie. I would have placed it second overall to Avatar that year. Storywise, 'UP' was the best.

Ita! I am surprised at how many "children's" films made after 2000 that I love over and above more adult fare. Of course one could argue that "Up" is very adult---especially the first ten minutes. Great movie...

[emason]

Saw Rise of the Guardians (3D) today. LOVED it.

[PeterG]

So when was the last time I told y'all that you just HAD to see a certain movie. I've given some big thumbs up to a number of movies, but I think it's been almost a year since I told you you HAD to see something. Well, it's that time again.

Here's the trailer for "The Girl In The Park": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vZy_88gf3o

This trailer is kinda mis-leading because the movie isn't that dark or that thriller-ish although it does have moments of that for sure. But this is the kind of movie that I wish I had written or been a part of creating. I've tried writing some stories that would make more short films, but I haven't completed anything. This movie represents what I hope to acheive some day. It is so wonderful!!! I'm real close to adding Sigourney Weaver to my list of "I'll see her in ANY movie" actors. "The Girl In The Park" also stars Kate Bosworth, Alessandro Nivola, Keri Russell, Joanna Gleason and Elias Koteas. I want a report back from each and every one of you once you've seen this movie.

[peibeck]

I must be the only person who found "Avatar" completely over-rated. The 3-D was amazing, but I found the story so pedestrian. In fact, I'd consider it one of James Cameron's weakest movies. "Up" was by far my favorite movie that year, but I thought "Hurt Locker" was amazing too - definitely intense and a compelling central figure at the core of the story.


Meanwhile, http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,1586293.story "Amour" wins LA Film Critics award for Best Film, but "The Master" wins most awards, including director, actor and supporting actress.

[Buzz]

I must be the only person who found "Avatar" completely over-rated. The 3-D was amazing, but I found the story so pedestrian. In fact, I'd consider it one of James Cameron's weakest movies. .

No you are not. I found it predictable, formulaic, and a tad boring but very attractive to look at.

[Vash01]

I must be the only person who found "Avatar" completely over-rated. The 3-D was amazing, but I found the story so pedestrian. In fact, I'd consider it one of James Cameron's weakest movies. "Up" was by far my favorite movie that year, but I thought "Hurt Locker" was amazing too - definitely intense and a compelling central figure at the core of the story.


Meanwhile, http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,1586293.story "Amour" wins LA Film Critics award for Best Film, but "The Master" wins most awards, including director, actor and supporting actress.

I have met several people that did not like Avatar, and loved Hurt Locker. However, I liked both, and liked Avatar more than HL.

The LA critics awards are surprising. No award for Lincoln? Not even a runner up?

[peibeck]

The LA critics awards are surprising. No award for Lincoln? Not even a runner up?

The last several years, the LA Film Critics awards have not been very good predictors for Oscar glory.

[jenny12]

I must be the only person who found "Avatar" completely over-rated. The 3-D was amazing, but I found the story so pedestrian. In fact, I'd consider it one of James Cameron's weakest movies. "Up" was by far my favorite movie that year, but I thought "Hurt Locker" was amazing too - definitely intense and a compelling central figure at the core of the story..

I think a lot of people agree with you. Many critics of the film complained about the simplistic storyline which was covered up by great technical effects. I thought of that year Hurt Locker, District 9, or my personal favorite Inglorious Basterds were far more deserving films than Avatar.

[orbitz]

I don't recall anyone claiming to have paid big bucks to see Avatar in the theater was because of the great story telling. People paid for the amazing 3-D experience and on that note, Avatar delivered. Whether one hated the underlying story or not, I didn't think it reduced the overall enjoyment of the film for the majority of people; There were enough action sequences, visual stimulation and WOW 3-D moments sprinkled throughout the film for the public to feel like they got their money worth. I wasn't bored by it.

[Vash01]

I don't recall anyone claiming to have paid big bucks to see Avatar in the theater was because of the great story telling. People paid for the amazing 3-D experience and on that note, Avatar delivered. Whether one hated the underlying story or not, I didn't think it reduced the overall enjoyment of the film for the majority of people; There were enough action sequences, visual stimulation and WOW 3-D moments sprinkled throughout the film for the public to feel like they got their money worth. I wasn't bored by it.

I saw it in IMAX and loved it! I definitely got my money's worth. The visuals were creative, artistic. I did not think the story was bad/lacking either. The idea of a scientific experiment gone awry or that of earthlings looking down on anyone that is different is not new, but it was well developed and well presented. It does not mean that I don't other kinds of movies. Movies are a visual medium, first of all. I always prefer those with a strong story and less emphasis on visuals, but Avatar was done so well that I did not care too much about the lack of character development, which was the only real weakness I saw in the story. The gorgeous visuals made up for it.

[oleada]

Saw Silver Linings Playbook recently and LOVED it.

Saw it last week and loved it too. It's funny, cute and quirky. Somehow along the way I became super invested and was really rooting for the two main characters