Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Fun with Oscar - The Hurt Locker

"I learned early on that war forms its own culture. The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug, one I ingested for many years. It is peddled by myth makers -historians, war correspondents, filmmakers novelists and the state-all of whom endow it with qualities it often does possess: excitement, exoticism, power, chances to rise above our small stations in life, and a bizarre and fantastic universe that has a grotesque and dark beauty. It dominates culture, distorts memory, corrupts language and infects everything around it, even humor, which becomes preoccupied with the grim perversities of smut and death. Fundamental questions about the meaning, or meaninglessness, of our place on the planet are laid bare when we watch those around us sink to the lowest depths. War exposes the capacity for evil that lurks just below the surface within all of us." - Chris Hedges

Wow.  What to say about this movie?  This movie practically put me in physical pain, because when I get stressed I start (unconsciously) doing this thing where I clench my jaw and make my whole head and face hurt.  It's not fun, but I have no idea how to stop it.

That aside, when I left this movie I was like "HOLY SHIT THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES THAT HAS EVER BEEN MADE IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD AND I HOPE EVERYONE SEES IT ESPECIALLY THE REPUBLICANS." 

This is definitely one of those movies you should turn to a professional review for. I thought it was amazing and emotional and full of crazy suspense.  I was wearing a turtleneck sweater when I saw this movie (and was seeing it by myself) and totally had my turtleneck up over my chin and mouth, because that's what I do during suspenseful parts of movies.  I never cover my eyes, because I'm too cheap to miss something I PAID to see, but I could hardly stand it!  I heard myself muttering, on more than one occasion "Oh no...no!  Don't let that happen!" (don't worry, the theatre was not full and no one was sitting by me).

This movie really made me wish for an extensive, government-sponsored program that would provide comprehensive mental health services to any soldier.  I mean really...we are all quick to state "Support our Troops!" if anyone questions the validity of war, but when they get home we might throw them a parade, thank them, and then what?  Usually nothing, right?

If you haven't seen this movie, please do!  And I promise I won't say that about every nominated movie.

3 comments:

Kari said...

New to the blog -- I totally do a similar thing on mine! I love movies!

http://limegreenmoviegirl.blogspot.com

kam said...

Republicans are warmongers or such? KP, it was enough to leave it at everyone should see this movie.

Kristen said...

I don't think Republicans are warmongers, and I also think the term "Republicans", as used in this context, was more related to a subset of people (perhaps in positions of power) who are a bit quick to battle and also quick to shoot down mental health reform. I wasn't really thinking of all people who identify as republican.