Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Gotham Loves The Hurt Locker

Kathryn Bigelow's expertly told and thrillingly taut war drama The Hurt Locker took the top prize at the Gotham Awards tonight. Does this bode well for Oscar? No one can yet say but its loyal fanbase certainly can't hurt. Even if I didn't love the movie as much as I do, I'd be proud of it because I admire longevity when it comes to awardage and the movie has been out for months. In fact, it's now been a factor in two awards seasons (it had Indie Spirit nominations last year). Career tributes for actors Stanley Tucci and Natalie Portman, director Kathryn Bigelow and producers Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner were also part of the ceremony.


And the 6 winners were...
Best Feature The Hurt Locker
Best Documentary Food Inc.

Breakthrough Director Robert D. Siegel Big Fan
(Siegel broke out just last year as the screenwriter of The Wrestler)
<--- Breakthrough Actress Catalina Saavedra The Maid
Best Ensemble Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce, David Morse and Evangeline Lilly in The Hurt Locker
Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You You Won't Miss Me

I love the title of that last competitive prize but, snarkily, I can't help but add that the title applies to 90% of the movies that get made nowadays if you live anywhere but in a massive city.

*

8 comments:

Seeking Amy said...

I really must see the Maid, I keep hearing so many good things about it.

Knowing the Northwest though I won't ever get to see it. I don't even get to see Broken Embraces till it comes out in Portland on Christmas day. Boo.

joy said...

"The Maid" is such a rewarding film. So happy for Catalina Saavedra.

Glenn said...

The Maid is such an uncomfortable experience to sit through, and yet it feels rewarding at the same time. Saavedra's sociopath maid just makes my skin crawl.

Anonymous said...

is she our dark horse.

Catalina Saavedra!

Jeff said...

have you seen "The Maid" Nathaniel? You must! I want to see Catlina as a FB nominee.

bbats said...

Nathaniel, you can't seriously think the last station noms here affect its oscar chances, right? If so, do we have to look out for a dark horse sin nombre best pic nod? Of maybe Amreeka will run the table.

NATHANIEL R said...

bbats nothing that Gotham or INdie Spirits nom do directly affect the Oscars no. but i believe that teh psychology of voters from one awrds group to the next is not that different.

i've always had a hunch that last station would do well and after seeing it I was even more sure thta Oscar voters would like it.

the big question mark is whether Sony's decision to release it in the glut will dampen its prospects (too much happening all at once and when that happens only the strongest survive)

Information Review said...

The Hurt Locker is one of me best films of 2009. It's an honest look, without taking sides or pushing the filmmaker's agenda. One things for sure, no movie about the Iraq war even comes close to this one in terms of realism.