“Hurt Locker” feels no pain…takes home 6 Oscars

Two years ago, the independently made film “The Hurt Locker” could only muster two acting nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards committee. This weekend it won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It also made Oscar history as Kathryn Bigelow, only the fourth woman ever NOMINATED for a directing award took home the trophy for Best Director. How fitting that Barbra Streisand, herself a director, presented Bigelow the award. After opening the envelope Streisand remarked, “Well, the time has come,” before reading Bigelow’s name. “The Hurt Locker” also took home awards for Best Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing and Sound Editing.

In the acting department, Jeff Bridges was named Best Actor for his work in “Crazy Heart.” An emotional Bridges looked skyward and repeatedly thanked his late parents, Lloyd and Dorothy Bridges, for inspiring him to become an actor. Best Actress went to Sandra Bullock for “The Blind Side.” An obviously stunned Bullock became emotional as she thanked all mothers who care for children, including her own. She also continued her well received banter with fellow nominee Meryl Streep, who LOST for a record 14th time. In the supporting categories, the two favorites did not disappoint as Christoph Waltz received the Best Supporting Actress award for “Inglourious Basterds” while Mo’Nique was named Best Supporting Actress for “Precious.” “Precious” also scored a surprising victory in the Best Adapted Screenplay category, beating out the favored “Up In the Air.” James Cameron’s “Avatar,” which was noted several times during the broadcast is the highest grossing movie of all time, took home three awards for Cinematography, Visual Effects and Art Direction. For me the Cinematography award should have gone to “The Hurt Locker,” for the main reason that the film was actually shot outside, where the elements had to be adjusted just so to get the right vision. “Avatar” was practically made on a computer, so the light and elements really had no effect on how the film was photographed.

Pixar’s “UP, which was nominated for Best Picture, received the prize for Best Animated Feature as well as for Best Original Score. “El Secreto de Sus Ojos: was named Best Foreign Film. Best Original Song went to “Crazy Heart” for the tune, “The Weary Kind.”

Complete List of winners are:
Picture: The Hurt Locker
Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious
Original Screenplay: The Hurt Locker
Adapted Screenplay: Precious
Animated Film: Up
Art Direction: Avatar
Cinematography: Avatar
Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Editing: The Hurt Locker
Foreign Language Film: El Secreto de Sus Ojos
Makeup: Star Trek
Original Score: Up
Original Song: Crazy Heart
Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Sound Editing: The Hurt Locker
Visual Effects: Avatar
Documentary Feature: The Cove
Documentary Short: Music by Prudence
Animated Short: Logorama
Live Action Short: The New Tenants