The Hurt Locker
2008 / 131min / DCP
DIRECTOR: KATHRYN BIGELOW
CAST: JEREMY RENNER, ANTHONY MACKIE, GUY PEARCE, RALPH FIENNES
The rare “current events” film to stay completely in the moment and free of self importance, The Hurt Locker rides the IED booby-trapped streets of Baghdad with members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal squad, led by adrenaline junkie Jeremy Renner. Engineering one white-knuckle set piece after another, Bigelow’s well-deserved Best Director and Best Picture wins were all the more satisfying for beating out Avatar.