Oscar night belongs to Hurt Locker. Tough luck, Avatar, you can keep your billions. Sorry District 9 and Invictus, we still love you.

8 Mar 2010

The most commercially successful movie of all time ($2.5 billion and counting), Avatar, was not a match for a small little independent movie about the US Army explosive ordnance disposal team during the Iraqi War, which was made on a shoestring budget. There is still justice in this world.

The Hurt Locker director, and James Cameron's former wife, Kathryn Bigelow has shattered one of the last remaining glass ceilings, becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director. The Hurt Locker won six Awards, including the most important ones, for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. It also took the gold statuettes for Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing and Best Film Editing.

James Cameron was decidedly not the king of the world this time. Avatar did walk away with three Oscars, but they were mostly for mastery of film science, where they really belong, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and, of course, Best Visual Effects.

It was the night of heartache for South Africa though, with Invictus and District 9 walking away empty-handed. But just by being there, they made this country proud. Madiba, er, Morgan Freeman even proudly pulled back his cuffs to reveal his South African Bracelet for Hope. Thank you, man, we love you too.

Jeff Bridges finally won his Actor in a Leading Role award for portraying the washed-out former country star in Crazy Heart. He spent most of the time on the stage thanking his now-departed parents. (His father was Lloyd Bridges, a once-upon-another-time big Hollywood star himself.) Bridges' performance made this little movie one to watch and enjoy.

Sandra Bullock, also finally, won her Actress in a Leading Role for playing the typical tough southerner mom in The Blind Side. Her Oscar was not only sweet because she bested such acting aristocracy as Merryl Streep and Helen Mirren, but also because this past Saturday she won a Razzie, the worst performance of the year award, for All About Steve, which is some sort of a comedy. That would make her the best and the worst actress of the year - a unique achievement.

Christoph Waltz richly deserved his Best Supporting Actor award for Inglourious Basterds, while Mo'Nique won the Best Supporting Actress for the tough, painful movie, Precious.

And if you’re wondering, The Hurt Locker’s budget was $11 million (even District 9 cost $30 million to make, whilst Avatar's bill came to $240 million, before marketing). But Hurt Locker has already grossed $220 million (a 2000% return on investment), having mostly cleaned up at all the other major film award ceremonies including the Baftas and Golden Globes.

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