The Hurt Locker

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Plot:
Three soldiers in a bomb squad are in Baghdad in 2004 during the war. The squad leader is Sgt William James (Jeremy Renner) who is aggressive and a little crazy. Sgt JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) is careful and by-the-book, and and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) is afraid of getting killed. [MILD SPOILERS] They defuse a network of IED's, defuse a booby-trapped car, get caught in a skirmish, defuse a body bomb, and deal with a suicide bomber in a bomb belt.

Review: Hurt Locker is constant suspenseful action -- moving from one explosive situation to another one. The aggressive and a death-defying Sgt James puts the other soldiers into stressful situations, and there is constant tension between them. The non-battle scenes are also fast-moving and interesting.

Karen Bigelow's directing is the biggest star -- every scene is gripping. The whole movie is one climax after the next.

All the acting is very good, but especially Anthony Mackie --their fear makes us all more tense.

Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Owen Eldridge

Crew: directed by Karen Bigelow; written by Mark Boal -- who was embedded with a bomb squad in Iraq

Rating: 4.0 flasks!

More: As good a war movie as Black Hawk Down.

Whatever Works

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Plot: Boris Yellnickoff (Larry David) is a retired professor living in New York City, who is exceptionally bitter, suicidal, and caught in existential angst. He meets and takes in run-away, homeless, high school girl, Melodie Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood), whom he belittles and insults. Gradually, Melodie gives Boris a purpose to live, and Boris gives Melodie a bigger vocabulary and a cosmopolitan, atheist world-view. Boris and Melodie marry and then Melodie's Mom (Patricia Clarkson) enters the movie, meets Boris, [MINOR SPOILER] changes her life-style, and decides to stay in New York.

Review: Whatever Works is philosophical statement where the characters are archetypes playing out a morality play. The writer/director, Woody Allen, uses this to give an apologetic for his life and lifestyle that included marrying his step daughter, Soon-Yi Priven. Allen is saying "Whatever Works" for me is good enough, in this bitter, meaningless world we live in.

There are very few movies of this kind, and it is hard to compare to other movies. It is like Bruno in that way. This type of material might be better treated in experimental theater. This film from a young director might be widely hailed, but the auto-biographical aspect is unmistakable.

The acting in the movie is excellent. As in other recent Allan movies, this cast gives a fine performance, and there is wonderful chemistry between the characters.

The movie is "over-written" which means the writing is so clever and interesting that I was continually reminded the real people don't talk this way. The dialog (and monologs) in this movie is (are) the best and most enjoyable part -- really good word selection. Little happens in this movie visually, it is entirely people talking.

Should you see this movie? Like Bruno, you would need a thick skin. Allen thinks the American people are "inch-worms" and "morons." However, some may find the movie's frank discussion of the post-modern issues cathartic. Hedonists and narcissists and Ayn Ryan enthusiasts may find "Whatever Works" heart-warming.


Cast: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson
Written and directed by Woody Alan

Rating: 2.5 flasks; I liked seeing it because it was so different. Since it is so different, it is hard to rate. It gets 1/2 flask bonus for taking on hard issues.

More:This was the oldest audience that I have ever seen a movie with. Woody's fans are aging.