The Hurt Locker
Keywords: Fear, courage, significance, war, obsession, addiction

As the war in Iraq continues, we're growing used to thought-provoking films about the conflict. But The Hurt Locker does not tackle the broad issues of the war. Instead, it zooms in on a group of men with perhaps the most dangerous task of all, defusing improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These have been the hallmark of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, set up by local fighters aiming to disrupt American and other forces. Director Kathryn Bigelow immerses us in this deadly environment, where each day could be a soldier's last. She doesn't comment on the rights or wrongs of the conflict or give us a large-scale view of its progress, but shows us the near-narcotic effect of war on this small group of soldiers.

Avatar

Keywords: Empathy, incarnation, greed, environment, colonialism

In a future where the human race has set off into space in search of new worlds to plunder, a paraplegic marine called Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is posted to the forest moon Pandora. Here the natives, the tall blue-skinned Na’vi, have long resisted the miners trying to plunder their home for the valuable mineral Unobtainium. Jake joins a team of scientists led by the tough Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) on an unusual mission. Inhabiting an artificially-grown alien body or ‘Avatar’, he must go among the Na’vi, learn their ways, and win their trust.

Under secret orders from Colonel Quaritch (Sam Lang) to manipulate the Na’vi into leaving their home, Jake is determined at first simply to get the job done. But as he immerses himself in his new life, he begins to fall in love - with his Avatar body, with the Na’vi way of life, and with chieftain’s daughter Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). As tensions escalate between invaders and natives, Jake must decide once and for all where his loyalties lie.

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Moon
Keywords: Selfhood, identity, isolation

In the near future, the energy crisis has been solved with a clean fuel called Helium 3, which is mined on the far side of the moon by Lunar Industries. Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is an astronaut working at the lunar base on a three-year contract. On his own, save for the base’s eerily intelligent computer Gerty (Kevin Spacey) and bereft of all contact with earth except for pre-recorded video messages from his employers and his wife (Dominique McElligott) and daughter, Sam is counting the days until he can go home. But something isn’t right. Haunted by hallucinations of a teenage girl (Kaya Scodelario), Sam has an accident which leads him to a terrible discovery about what is really happening on the base.

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Gran Torino

Keywords: Racism, respect, peace, revenge, friendship

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a Korean war veteran and the proud owner of a 1972 Ford Gran Torino. He shows great affection for this classic car, but little for any people. He is indifferent towards his family, openly racist towards his Hmong neighbours and offensive towards the priest (Christopher Carley) who tries to befriend him after the death of his wife.

The son of Walt’s neighbour, Thao Vang Lor (Bee Vang), is cajoled by a gang into trying to steal the Gran Torino. Walt catches him in the act and Thao’s mother insists that the boy does chores for Walt to make amends. Slowly Walt gets to know the Lors and they become more of a family to him than his blood relatives. Walt takes it upon himself to teach Thao how to stand up for himself in their dangerous neighbourhood.

Father Janovich (Carley) has promised Walt’s late wife that he will try to get Walt to confession. Walt is sceptical of religion and believes the priest to be utterly unqualified to give advice about life, death and forgiveness. The priest has a series of conversations with Walt, but it is only when Walt gets a glimpse of Janovich’s weaknesses that he begins to listen to his message.

As the film progresses, Walt’s cold heart thaws. He begins to value relationships and put others before himself. By the end of the film, Walt is committed to protecting the Lor family, even at the risk of his own life.

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District 9

Keywords: Aliens, humanity, compassion, cruelty, refugees, justice, reality, secrets, selfishness

South Africa is now home to thousands of alien refugees. Their ship was accidentally marooned over Johannesburg 28 years ago. For partly humanitarian but mainly selfish reasons, the government decided to keep them here and to segregate them in a township called District 9. The area is policed by a private corporation called Multi-National United (MNU), whose chief interest is discovering how their weapons work.

Due to public anxiety, MNU decide to move the aliens to another facility. Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), an MNU bureaucrat, is put in charge of this operation. Whilst distributing eviction notices to the aliens, he is contaminated by a chemical that begins to change his DNA. As Wikus mutates into someone who can activate alien weapons, he becomes the most wanted man in the world and is forced to seek refuge in District 9.

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Public Enemies

Keywords: Criminality, future, determination, hedonism, authority

Do you plan for your future? John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), America's first Public Enemy Number One, lived his life fast, frenetic – and short. He had a brief criminal career, just fourteen months long. He could rob a bank in 1 minute 40 seconds, as he would admit quite openly. His robberies were audacious, and for this he attracted the admiration of the public. He was a public celebrity, and he lived like one.

His accomplishments also made him an enemy of J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup), who would become the first director of the FBI. Hoover tasks Agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) with apprehending Dillinger and his gang, and assigns him to head up the field office in Chicago. Michael Mann, well-known for squaring two strong male leads against each other, engages Purvis and Dillinger in a deadly battle of wits.

Hoover urged his agents to 'take off the white gloves', to interrogate relatives as they hunted down Dillinger, to create informants at any cost. The nascent FBI risked appearing more ruthless than the criminals themselves. In contrast, Dillinger's popular appeal only grew. Who were the real public enemies?

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Wendy and Lucy

Keywords: Poverty, dignity, compassion, love, sacrifice

Wendy and Lucy is a quiet, sparse film about a woman whose life is teetering on the edge of disaster. It follows Wendy, played with heartbreaking vulnerability by Michelle Williams, as she attempts to travel north to find work in the Alaska fish canneries with nothing to her name but a car, a dog called Lucy and just enough money to complete the journey. When her car breaks down in Oregon, Wendy attempts to steal a few cans of dog food and is caught in the act. Taken into custody, she has to leave Lucy tied up outside the supermarket and on her return, having been forced to pay a $50 fine which she cannot afford, she finds that the dog has disappeared.

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Up

Keywords: Adventure, dreams, fulfilment, love, grief, friendship, self-centredness, relationships

As a boy, Carl Fredricksen (voice of Ed Asner) longed for adventure and idolised the world explorer Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer). When he met and fell in love with a fellow adventurer, Ellie (voice of Elie Docter), he made her a promise: one day they would follow in Muntz’s footsteps and travel to South America to live at Paradise Falls. They have a long and happy marriage, but Ellie dies without ever making it to her dream destination. As a widowed senior citizen with a dodgy back and dentures, Carl longs only to live an undisturbed life. Until one day when he is forced to move out of his home and into a retirement community, and decides to do something radical. He attaches thousands of helium balloons to his house, intending to fly it south.

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