Face-Off

With the initial Oscar nominations just announced it looks like this years ceremony will be a two way fight between revolutionary 3D film Avatar and gripping Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker. Ironically, the battle sees Avatar director James Cameron pitted against his ex-wife and Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow.

The battle sees blockbuster spectacular Avatar, a huge success on a global scale, versus smaller scale though no less dramatic war movie, which has been roundly praised by the critics.

Avatar looks spectacular, no question about it, but for me for a film to get the nod at the oscars it needs to have a bit more of a coherent plot, driven by narrative not spectacle, with characters I can engage in. Avatar is visually stunning, but a film needs to do a lot more than just look pretty.

The Hurt Locker is absolutely gripping from start to finish, its gritty, its sweaty, its pulsating. You are right there with the Bomb Disposal Unit as they face every obstacle. Its an important film, and a story that needed to be told, highlighting, to some extent, the life and the problems that many troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are facing on a daily basis.

I just do not see how there can be any contest. I do not think a big screen spectacular blockbuster can get by on just looking good alone. It needs to have substance, and that is where I think Avatar fails. So come Oscars night I will be firmly backing Bigelow's The Hurt Locker, it has everything you would want from a good movie, and fully deserves to sweep the board for 2010.