Monday, January 21, 2013

Now Playing: Zero Dark Thirty


This weekend, Jadek and I decided to try and catch up on our Oscar noms. So, on Saturday, we did a double feature. It’s not like we planned to do this, but we ended up seeing the two polar opposites of the lineup back-to-back.

First up: Zero Dark Thirty.

So, I have a soft spot for Kathryn Bigelow ever since she wrested the Academy award away from James Cameron that one time. Also: Point Break; need I say more? Maybe it’s not fair, but there you have it.

Cinematically, 0D30 was good. It had a great cast, excellent plotting and Ms. Bigelow has something that many directors (even the greats) can sometimes screw up: a knack for pacing. Clocking in at 157 minutes, this is no short movie; it’s also got a lot of waiting around, something that can get very boring. But it never does. It’s a deserved member of the Best Picture club this year, for sure.

Politically, I’m a uncomfortable with the implied pro-torture stance. Let me be clear: no one ever actually says “yay torture!” but they do say that without the detainee program, they would have no evidence. Many people are asking whether torture works or not; I think Rula Jabreal said it best (I’m paraphrasing): “the question should not be ‘does torture work?’; the question is ‘should you use torture?’” I’m not sure if that’s the kind of question Hollywood is equipped to answer.

Great film – worthy of discussion. 4 out of 5 stars.

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