AWARD SEASON BEGINS

The Critics' Choice Awards, broadcasted last night (1/15), got it right; The Hurt Locker was the movie of the year. It was released before I started "Truly Madly Deeply" but it is, without a doubt, Best Picture. It was originally released in Italy in October, 2008, almost a year before it hit theaters here. It won the Signis Grand Prize at The Venice Film festival. I dragged my husband into the city during the summer to see it. Both of us left the theater speechless. The movie centers around 3 men who work on a highly specialized military team known as Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialists. Their job description:

"The Army's preeminent tactical and technical explosives experts. They are Warriors who are properly trained, equipped, and integrated to attack, defeat, and exploit unexploded ordnance (UXO), improvised explosive devices (IED), chemical, biological, and nuclear ordnance and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). EOD Warriors are the culmination of the best tactical and technical training the Army and civilian academia can provide. They are prepared to perform missions in support of Army units worldwide, across all operational environments. EOD Specialists perform duties locating, identifying, rendering safe and disposing of foreign and domestic conventional, biological, chemical, or nuclear ordnance and IEDs; WMDs and large vehicle bombs".

Sound interesting? How about stressful? It's not for everybody. The movie brings you as close to this experience as humanly possible and although painful to watch, it is an aspect of war we have not seen. The heart of this film centers around Staff Sergeant William James, played by an absolutely brilliant, Jeremy Renner. James is an unrepentant adrenaline junkie who knows what he is and never puts his team in harms way. The obvious question of course; who else is going to do this type of work? With every mission you run the risk of being blown apart. It's playing On Demand and is available on DVD. Don't miss it.

The Winners of The Critics' Choice Awards:
Best Picture: 'The Hurt Locker'
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, 'Crazy Heart'
Best Actress: (tie) Sandra Bullock, 'The Blind Side,' and Meryl Streep, 'Julia And Julia'
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, 'Inglourious Basterds'
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'nique, 'Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire'
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, 'The Hurt Locker'
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, 'Inglourious Basterds'
Best Adapted Screenplay: 'Up In The Air,' Ivan Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Best Acting Ensemble: 'Inglourious Basterds'
Best Animated Feature: 'Up'
Best Young Actor/Actress: Saoirse Ronan, 'The Lovely Bones'
Best Action Movie: 'Avatar'
Best Comedy Movie: 'The Hangover'
Best Foreign Language Film: 'Los Abrazos Rotos'
Best Documentary: 'The Cove'
Best Song: ''The Weary Kind' from 'Crazy Heart'
Best Score: Michael Giacchino, 'Up'
Best Picture Made For Television: 'Grey Gardens'
Best Cinematography: 'Avatar'
Best Editing: 'Avatar'
Best Visual Effects: 'Avatar'
Best Sound: 'Avatar'
Best Costume Design: 'The Young Victoria'
Best Makeup: 'District 9'