The Hurt Locker met some resistance. In discussion, Bigelow found that her cast and crew shared stereotypes of the region from American culture. "Sadly people in America and Los Angeles have these perceptions", she said. "But once you get off the plane you realise it's like Manhattan without the trees", she continued. As Iraq dominated discourse in America and across the world, Bigelow believed that filmmakers would continue to explore the conflict, making Jordan the natural place to film. According to producer Tony Mark, the blood, sweat and heat captured on-camera in the production was mirrored behind the scenes. "It's a tough, tough
This Is the Life (2008 film) ""This is the Life" vaults into the upper echelons of must-see hip-hop documentaries. It's smart, informative, and hugely important historically". "Variety" wrote, "The docu is clearly the product of real love, bubbling over with enthusiastic performances and an indelible sense of place". The "Los Angeles Times" called the film, "A rich narrative of praise, clarification, brother-and-sisterhood and the birth of cool". Director Ava DuVernay self-distributed "This is the Life" through her Forward Movement banner. The film opened theatrically in Los Angeles on March 10, 2009, and premiered on Showtime in May 2009. This Is the Life (2008 film) This is