Religion & Law

Last summer, here at MOJ, I unburdened myself of the judgment that The Hurt Locker was, at the time (June), the best film of the year.  This afternoon, my wife Sarah and our older child Daniel (who is 20) went to see the much ballyhooed Up in the Air, with George Clooney.  A very enjoyable movie.  But The Hurt Locker remains, hands down, the best film of the year.  IMHO.  (With Precious in second place.)  There are--or should be--two sine qua nons in judging the best film--or, better, best films--of the year:  (1) content and (2) craft (which includes acting).  How can a film, qua film, be admirable, much less great, if its craft is poor ... even if its content is terrific?  Or if its content is poor ... even if its craft is terrific?  Both the craft and the content of The Hurt Locker are, in a word, superb.  I've seen The Hurt Locker twice--and I want to see it again.  If you are a cinephile, what do *you* think.  If, however, you are indifferent to film--or, worse, a cinephobe--well, condolences!

One of the truly embarassing moments in the cultural history of the American Catholic Church occurred in 1965, when the Legion of Decency (!) rated the powerful, morally compelling film The Pawnbroker "condemned".  And why "condemned"?  Because the film was the first mainstream American film to show female breasts.  OMG!  (The scene in which this happened was one of the most powerful in the film--and, for what it's worth, completely non-erotic.)