St. Louis Beacon - Another look at 'The Hurt Locker'

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Another look at 'The Hurt Locker'

By Harper Barnes, Beacon Contributor

Posted 6:00 am Thu., 2.11.10

Two movies lead the race for this year's Academy Awards with nine nominations apiece, including best picture and best direction. They are "Avatar," which has taken in a record $600 million at the domestic box office and is still going strong, and "The Hurt Locker," which opened last summer and was withdrawn from general release in the fall after taking in about $12 million at the box office.

The awards competition between the two movies, which will reach its finale at the Oscar ceremonies March 7, has taken on an intriguing personal touch because the director of "The Hurt Locker," Kathryn Bigelow, was once married to the director of "Avatar," James Cameron.

If you haven't seen "Avatar" yet, you can find it at multiplexes all over town. "The Hurt Locker" is already available on video, but, like "Avatar," it is well worth seeing on a big screen. This Friday, Feb. 12, "The Hurt Locker" will open an exclusive run at the Plaza Frontenac cinema. For the original Beacon review of "The Hurt Locker," click here . Among other things, the review explains the meaning and derivation of the title.

Harper Barnes is a freelance journalist and author who has long written about film. Contact Beacon features and commentary editor Donna Korando.

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Editors' Picks

Books
- The JCC is holding its used book sale Feb. 5-9 at the Jewish Community Center Staenberg Family Complex, #2 Millstone Campus Dr. $10 for Feb. 5 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) only. Free Feb. 6-8 (10 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Feb. 9 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.)
- "The Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes wins Man Booker prize: The 150-page book is a reflection of memory through the eyes of an ordinary man in his 60s. | Huffington Post
- Philip Levine will be new U.S. poet laureate: He is best known for his big-hearted, Whitmanesque poems about working-class Detroit. | New York Times
- Philip Roth awarded Man Booker International Prize for range and depth of his fiction: The decision prompted one of the three judges to resign in protest. | New York Times
Theater/Dance
- Avalon Theatre company presents "Love Letters" Feb. 16-19, featuring Erin Kelley and Larry Mabrey at 8 p.m. Feb. 16-18 and 3 p.m. Feb. 19. at 119 Crestwood Plaza. $15-$25.
- COCA Family Theatre Series presents "Twinkle Twonkle" (Tall Stories) Feb. 10-12. $14-$20. www.cocastl.org/FTS
- "One More Laugh," a comedy variety show, will be hitting the stage at Lemmons, 5800 Gravois on Tuesdays from 9-11 p.m. $1. For information, email the host, [email protected]
- "Book of Mormon" tops Tony field with 14 nominations: Another musical, "Scottsboro Boys," was nominated for 12 awards. | New York Times
Music
- The Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., is hosting a "Cdelebrate the Gospel" concert at 3 p.m. Feb. 12 with the The St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church choir. Included with admission ($4-$8 - free children 12 and under). Schoenberg Theater.
- Blues singer Etta James dies at age 73: Her assertive, earthy voice lit up such hits as "The Wallflower," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and the wedding favorite "At Last." | CNN
- Chamber Project Saint Louis presents "Very Open Rehearsal" at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt Ave. Free
- Rob Hinkal (guitar, vocals) and Heather Lloyd (guitar, vocals, djembe) bring ilyAIMY (i love you And I Miss You) to the Focal Point, 2720 Sutton, at 8 p.m. June 18. $10 at the door 314-781-4200

Neighborhoods
- The Missouri Botanical Garden's Orchid Show will run from Jan. 28 through March 25. $5 in addition to regular garden admission. 4344 Shaw Blvd.
- "Run for the Chocolate" will take place Feb. 12 starting at 8 a.m. in downtown St. Louis. To find out more about this 5K run, go to downtownstl.org.
- The Missouri Botanical Garden is hosting Around the World Wine dinners on the third Friday of the month (Jan. 20, Feb. 17, March 16) at 6:30 p.m. $58 a person, plus 18 percent tax and service. Reservations required: 314-577-0200.
- The Sam Fox School public lecture series presents Frank Barkow, architect, at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24 in Steinberg Hall Auditorium.
Visual Arts
- The Pulitzer's senior curator and curatorial staff will share their ideas about the religious, artistic and historical contexts of the works displayed in the "Reflection of the Buddha" at 2 p.m. Feb. 13. Free. 3716 Washington Blvd.
- Craft Alliance in the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand, presents Studio Design: Contemporary Furniture Feb. 10 (reception 6-8 p.m.) through April 8.
- "Harry Bertoia, Forty Years of Drawing" will run from Jan. 26 to March 17 at Gallery 210 on UMSL's North Campus. (Reception with Bertoia's daughter willgo from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 26) Check website for regular hours.
- Balazx Kicsiny's "Killing Time" will be on exhibit at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Washington University, from Jan. 27-April 16 (opening reception 7-9 p.m. Jan. 27). Kicsiny will also speak on his work at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in Steinberg Hall.
Movies/TV
- Billy Crystal back as host of Oscars: He will replace Eddie Murphy, who dropped out after producer Brett Ratner resigned as producer. | New York Times
- HBO leads the field with 104 Emmy nominations: Its remake of "Mildred Pierce" led all shows with 21 nominations. | LA Times
- "Gunsmoke" marshal James Arness dies at age 88: As Matt Dillon, he led the cast of the TV show that set the bar for Westerns and became one of the longest-running prime-time series in network TV history. | LA Times
- Oprah Winfrey ends 25-year run: TV host is not so much leaving a job as reinventing herself — again. | Christian Science Monitor

'The Road Show' improv

Brent Jones | St. Louis Beacon

This Saturday was the debut of a new show by The Improv Shop that will bring out of town improv teams to St. Louis to play for — and with — a local audience. The Road Show brought teams "Everybody Grok" and "Felt" from Chicago.

We talked to Eric Christensen, producer of the Road Show and member of local improv team "Ted Dangerous"; Katie Nunn, member of "Ted Dangerous" and improv coach; and Melanie Penn and Ranjan Khan, members of local teams "Melanj" and "Magic Ratio"; about the St. Louis improv scene and why it's important to welcome teams from other cities to perform here.

See a larger version of the slideshow

Look through the Lens

Cinema St. Louis' The Lens is a multi-contributor blog aimed primarily - but by no means exclusively - at local cinephiles. The Lens will have a specifically St. Louis perspective when relevant - and will preview Cinema St. Louis events - but because film encompasses the world, the blog will offer material on every aspect of movie culture, with no ties to a particular place.

Visit The Lens , or for a more complete introduction, read the inaugural post by Cliff Froehlich.

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