bigelow's hurt locker + dax's hit & run
Tonight I watched Kathryn Bigelow’s Hurt Locker for which she won (first lady ever) the oscar for best director. And Dax Shepard’s film Hit & Run for which he won more kudos for renaissance man things.
Tour de force of cinema, really. The combo was needed as I am continuing to try and watch an accredited women-lead film per night … but I also want to get back to play and fun and enjoyment, which I have been severely missing lately.
The world is dark (and you’re so beautiful. D flat ((robin hood men in tights)). I used to take comedy classes on the reg and hang out with comedians on the reg and be forced to write comedy on the reg…and lately the world has been so serious that …all I seem to be able to do is meditate on how to be a better person and walk alone in the woods. Both of those activities can be extremely fun, I KNOW, but lately, they have been sort of a solemn march, solemn June I guess.
So tonight I watched Hurt Locker which is about the Iraq war and follows a team of soldiers disarming bombs. Ya. I watched it because I wanted to see how Kathryn Bigelow managed to communicate violence and action and thrill in such a way that garnered many many awards. I wanted to see all the cool camera work she invented and how the acting was (I’ve liked Jeremy Renner since his breakthrough role on National Lampoon’s Senior Trip, which was actually his first film ever! And a staple of blockbuster rentals). Also I like Anthony Mackie. And yes, it was a brilliant movie - there was much suspense and Kathryn managed to show many versions of war: the soldier who isn’t ready to die, the soldier who wants to follow the rules, the soldier who works with paper not guns, the soldier who has become a local, and the soldier whose favorite thing to do is disarm bombs. Now the last one, Jeremy’s character, he says at the end of the film that he thinks he only loves one thing. And that one thing, in short, is war. I don’t think he understands why he is what he is, but the film presents some ideas. My thoughts - he holds death in his hands every day, he is the key that unlocks more life, by disarming bombs, he is kind of god. And I think adrenaline is addicting. Kathryn depicted all these themes and questions in a cacophony of movement, it felt like you were in the war. Brilliant movie, and after it, I had to watch Hit & Run, to cleanse the pallet.
Hit & Run written and co-directed by Dax Shepard was CUTE. I love his style and him and him and Kristen Bell together and the movie def checked all those boxes. Yes it was mostly about cool fast cars chasing each other but it also reminded me that films ARE SO VERY DIFFERENT all the time. Golly, movies can be anything you want! I can be in a war for 2 hours and then a cute love affair in Milton CA for 1.43 min. Dax wanted to be in a movie about cars and leaving behind a past that doesn’t suit, he isn’t regretting anything but who says you can’t turn into a better version of yourself whenever you want to? Very uplifting idea. And the movie showed it gracefully. Also Bradley Cooper wore dreads and yellow glasses which I am sure he had fun messing with. Ah, 2012.
A movie night of mixed genres and themes but one collective foundation - movies take me to other worlds and it is fun. I want to make them. And I appreciate so much seeing other filmmakers make theirs so I can get ideas and inspirations for how I would want to do my own. Isn’t it awesome that we all are so different but can feel all the same things? Love, pain, anger, fear, shame, surprise….it’s lovely. Excellent movie night.
xxCH
