MIFF 2009: I Need that Record / The Hurt Locker

My first music-nerd film of MIFF 2009, I Need that Record questions why close to 3000 independent record stores have closed down in recent years. The answer is obviously corporate record labels and their 'bulk buy' deals with 'mega stores', but it's also apparent that corporate greed is largely responsible for consumers turning to free music downloads.

I Need that Record looks beyond the music, and explores how corporate culture is killing small businesses everywhere and in turn the effect that this is having on communities the world over. It's humorous, well edited and features a cast of underground celebrities such as Ian MacKaye and Glenn Branca.



I'm not one to watch action flicks in general, let alone war films but in an effort to branch out at the festival this year I checked out The Hurt Locker. Glad I did, it's pretty fucking awesome. A gritty and entertaining examination of how war affects its soldiers.

William James is a specialist bomb defuser with a death wish, and when he joins a new unit in Iraq the rest of his team aren't sure how to handle him. As William pushes his peers to the edge by endangering their lives time and again, we begin to realise that he's a lonely soul with his men's best interests at heart. Just like Mel Gibson in the Lethal Weapon franchise, the character of William has a deranged humour that's instantly likable.

Directed by Katheryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker has some uber tense sequences, amazing camera work - the opening explosion is worth the admission alone - and some cool cameo appearances. Highly recommended.