The 82nd Academy Awards winner for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, is back in theaters.

“The Hurt Locker” now playing in select theaters across the country. This was the highest rated film at HeidiTown.com in 2009. 

Read review of “The Hurt Locker” by clicking here.

The Orange British Academy Film Awards were held Sunday, February 21, 2010.

There are lots of reason to love the Brits, and here’s just one.  HeidiTown’s highest rated film of 2009, won big last night during the 2010 Orange British Academy Film Awards (aka BAFTA). 

Both “The Hurt Locker” and “Avatar” went into the awards with eight nominations each, with “The Hurt Locker” winning six, including Best Director and Best Film.  “Avatar” walked away with two.

Interestingly, while “Avatar” has made a staggering $2 billion at the box office, “The Hurt Locker” has made about $17 million.

Another HeidiTown favorite, Carey Mulligan, won best actress for her work in “An Education.”

Time will tell if “The Hurt Locker” will bode as well in the United States. The Academy Awards are scheduled for Sunday, March 7, and former husband and wife, Cameron and Bigalow will be up against each other again. Both “Avatar” and “The Hurt Locker” have received 9 nominations, including best picture and best director.

I saw “The Hurt Locker” long before the hype. You can read my review by clicking here.

Read my review of “An Education.” ]]> http://www.heiditown.com/2010/02/22/an-american-military-movie-wins-big-at-the-british-academy-awards/feed/ 0 http://www.heiditown.com/2009/01/14/gran-torino-a-short-review/ http://www.heiditown.com/2009/01/14/gran-torino-a-short-review/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:34:09 +0000 The Mayor http://heiditown.com/?p=1368

Rated R

Heidi’s Illustrious Rating: 4.5

Word of Warning: Language, racial slurs and violence – this one’s not for the kiddos or the easily offended.

Written, directed and starring an icon of our time, Clint Eastwood, “Gran Torino is one of the best movies of 2008 (it was in limited release during December, widely released in January). Clint Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a veteran of the Korean War and retiree from Ford Motors, living in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan.

Kowalski is a hard-as-nails, work-a-day man, who is emotionally distant from his two sons and their families. His wife has recently passed away and the neighborhood they have lived in for years has changed dramatically. His neighbors now represent various cultures, much different than his own and for the cantankerous, and at times, racist, Kowalski, it is almost more than he can take.

A conflict arises between Kowalski and his Hmong neighbors (many Hmong people fled to the United States from Vietnam, Thailand and Laos immediately after the Vietnam War). However, the conflict results in Kowalski inadvertently becoming involved in the lives of the two Hmong young people, brother and sister, Tao and Sue.

When a local gang begins relentlessly harassing Tao and Sue, Kowalski cannot simply stand by and watch; this time he intentionally becomes involved.

“Gran Torino” is much funnier than I had expected, and at times it is downright sad, but overall, it is one of the best movies of 2008, and I am hoping Eastwood finally takes home a Best Actor Oscar at the Academy Award on February 22.

***Also appearing in the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

As a side note, the 80th Academy Awards aired last Sundy. It received the all-time lowest rating for an Academy Award show. Quite frankly, it was boring.  I say, get rid Jon Stewart. He was not funny. Bring back Billy Crystal or Ellen Degeneres - anyone but Jon Stewart!!! 

And as for the dresses, BORING.  I actually heard some people mooning over Cameron Diaz, but I think she looked like a shell. See pic here.  Other loved Anne Hathaway’s red number, but I thought it was awful -  it appeared to me the designer got interrupted or just gave up.  See pic here.  

My vote would be for Marion Cotillard, see pic. She looked beautifully French. If you haven’t seen La Vie En Rose, her portrayal of the legendary Edith Piaf is extraordinary and she deservedly took home Best Actress in a Leading Role.

This movie has been nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Director.

Read my review under Movie Reviews or click here: The Diving Bell & the Butterfly

I have also added a NOTE to my review of There will be Blood, so check it out.