Wow. Summit Entertainment’s “The Hurt Locker” took down Goliath to win the PGA award tonight. I’m at a total loss. The film has asserted itself, rather dramatically, as a film to contend with, one that won’t be stampeded by the “Avatar” express. And I am, quite frankly, ecstatic at the notion.
Actor Jeff Bridges presented the award to producers Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicholas Chartier and Greg Shapiro. We wanted a horse race. We got one. Wow.
Pixar’s “Up,” also nominated in the field of 10 Best Picture contenders, won the animated feature award, the highest grossing film of the category. Louie Psihoyos’s “The Cove,” meanwhile, won the documentary prize.
Mo’Nique presented the Stanley Kramer Award to “Precious” director Lee Daniels, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen presented the David O. Selznick Award to Pixar honcho John Lasseter and Will Smith presented the Milestone Award to Sony’s Amy Pascal and Michael Lynton.
On to the DGAs next weekend, which will likely go in Kathryn Bigelow’s favor, too. Watch out.
When two guilds have already named certain people they plan to honor in 2010 — unlike the Academy, they don’t feel the need to relegate honorary award recipients to a separate ceremony in November — you know the season is upon us.