Once in a blue moon Oscars surprise me in a pleasant way, by rewarding

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

a film that I wouldn't expect them to, because it doesn't fit the usual "mold" of a Oscar best pic. "Silence of the Lambs" was such an example because good horror/suspense type films are usually ignored because it's the "wrong genre". "Annie Hall" would probably be another since any comedy is rarely recognized.

Selection of "Crash" is disappointing to me but I view it as a typical Hollywood Oscar pick. "Serious" "issues" movie. Disappointing to me (I thought Brokeback was easily the best film I saw last year) but a fairly typical Hollywood Oscar pick.

I don't have a quarrel based on "Hollywood wimped out politically" type of considerations, I just disagree with the pick based on what I see as the merits. I don't have a problem with those who like Crash as a pick, our tastes just differ...

[Mr. Blonde]

1. I would have loved for Batman Begins to have been nominated

It was the best movie I saw last year. I can't wait for the sequel.

[ronnykmarshall]

4. and what about "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes"???

It's ok to give a few awards to some vegatables for acting .... but best picture???? NOOOOOO!!!!

[ronnykmarshall]

2. Fuck the Oscars.

The Academy chicken out. Who the hell is going to remember fucking "Crash" .... shit even TWO years from now. Who remembers "The Sting" over "The Exorcist"? The Academy has shown it's true colors. It's ok to give the fags a few awards ...... but best picture???? NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! They can't have that.

Fuckers can eat shit.

[k_jerome]

5. brokeback is this years sting. the dark horse won.

not the other way around. your pick was the popular, expected winner.

[ronnykmarshall]

6. Huh?

If Brokeback was this years Sting then it would have won for best picture.

[k_jerome]

7. it was the popular favorite, just as the sting was.

just as forrest gump and titanic were. my point was that they got it right this year and picked the better film.

[ronnykmarshall]

8. Oh bullshit.

The fucking Academy has no guts. Oh it's fine to award "the gays" with a performance or two ... but best Picture?? Oh we can't have that!!

[k_jerome]

9. actually the guts is picking the better film over the...

hollywood darling/ big box office. brokeback was a good film. crash was better. simple as that.

[joshcryer]

11. Agreed.

And the news is going to be rife with talking heads wondering why Brokeback Mountian wasn't chosen. Could it simply be because it wasn't as good as Crash? No, oh no, there's a big conspiracy!

[Maven]

12. What are you talking about?

Brokeback was in limited release until only VERY recently. It only reached the top 5 box-office like ONCE. It's only because it was such a big phenomenon that, in retrospect, it seems like such a commercial success.

In actuality, Crash was the big-box-office Hollywood handjob. And it SUCKED by comparison, just as a movie. As a cultural event, it wasn't even in the same LEAGUE. NO ONE will remember it--it'll end up in the bargain DVD bin before next Christmas.

[k_jerome]

13. brokeback has done more box office than crash.

although hopefully more people will see this wonderful movie now. sour grapes won't get the statue to change hands. the hype machine didn't work this time like it has in past for such films as forrest gump and titanic. sorry.

[Maven]

17. Did you see the movie?

My guess is no. Subtlety doesn't seem to be your forte.

[k_jerome]

19. yeah. what does that have to do with the box office returns.

other than i contributed to both.

[ronnykmarshall]

34. You tell 'em Hedy.

[joshcryer]

14. What does "memorablity" have to do with it?

Brokeback Mountian is only memorable for the controversy, imo. As a love story it is a largely boring rehash of what's been done before time and time again.

[Maven]

16. When?

When has this been done time and time again? Have I missed a whole secret stash of big-screen gay love stories?

Did you even see the movie? It wasn't just the gay theme, it was the story, the unique narrative style, the music, the acting, everything.

[joshcryer]

20. Oh! It's the gay thing that's important.

Ahh, gotcha. I don't see the gay thing, I only see two individuals in a forbidden love type of situation. A situation which has played out throughout the ages. A theme many "gay movies" in fact have (god and I cannot think of them right now, but I've seen at least 4 movies with gay characters that have this theme).

[Maven]

21. Really?

Which ones? Tell me, because obviously I've missed them.

And gay love stories ARE different, if only because of the social taboos which are (obviously) still acceptable to many people. But how nice for you...you have the luxury of "not seeing it."

[joshcryer]

23. Two of them are:

Better Than Chocolate, and Soldiers Girl. Better Than Chocolate is a lot more tame as far as the "persecution" complex is concerned (the same with Fucking Amal, which I do not think belongs in the list, because it has almost no persecution of homosexuals that you could ascribe to typical highschool behavior).

Okay, I did some searching, Yossi & Jagger is another movie in this vein that I have seen. You might enjoy Lilies, also. God, there's another one that is a perfect example (and indeed shares the same sorts of themes as Brokeback Mountian) but I cannot think of it for the life of me and a search is coming up with nothing.

Generally, though, the whole "gay romance" thing is not a new theme at all. It's just a first time that gay romance got a $14 million dollar budget (most movies in this style recieving much lower budgets). And the first time it made major headlines and people decided it was a slow news day and worth actually discussing. All of these other movies are available in your local rental store, all without having to worry about controversy.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

38. You realize that Crash, despite its cast, was low budget, right?

The actors signed on for next to nothing because of the script.

[Skittles]

22. problem is, Good Night and Good Luck was better than BOTH of them

yes INDEED

[donheld]

31. Have you seen Brokeback?

[LostinVA]

26. No, Jerome is right -- it was the odds on favorite

It was a surprise for Crash to win. A big upset. I'm gay, and I have no problem with "Crash" winning, although on a personal level, I would have preferred BBM.

[LostinVA]

25. Exactly, "Crash" was the underdog

I would have liked BBM to win, but Crash was a wonderful movie. And, BBM did get the Golden Globe and everything else!

[terrya]

24. Well, at least it's not 1976...

when such films as "Network" and "Taxi Driver" were passed over for Best Picture in favor of a fucking piece of crap boxing movie. :eyes:

You know, though...you're right. I don't think "Crash" will be remembered years from now...not as well as "Brokeback Mountain" will be. Hell, I barely remember that "Million Dollar Baby" won last year....

I'm still disappointed that "Brokeback" didn't win. But I think it will be remembered as a groundbreaking film years from now. Let's hope that, maybe, the success (and it IS a success) of "Brokeback" will maybe convince the bankers and accountants who run the studios that gay/lesbian themed films do have a market...and not just in the urban centers of America.

[LostinVA]

27. Or Driving MIss Daisy!

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

37. I'm sorry Ronny, but I don't agree with you.

I don't think they chickened out at all. Brokeback was an amazing movie, but Crash was more so. In most other years, Brokeback probably WOULD have won. I don't think it was slightly because of discrimination at all. I think it was slighted because it had horrible pacing (at least 30 minutes should have been cut out of the movie.) Still, out of the last 10 years, Brokeback probably would have won on at least seven of them (it would have beaten Million Dollar Baby, Chicago, Gladiator, Shakespeare in Love, Titanic, The English Patient, and Braveheart.)

I think you need to save such harsh criticism for where it's warranted. I understand your horse didn't win, but you really need to tone it down a little.

[ronnykmarshall]

3. Fuck the Oscars.

The Academy chicken out. Who the hell is going to remember fucking "Crash" .... shit even TWO years from now. Who remembers "The Sting" over "The Exorcist"? The Academy has shown it's true colors. It's ok to give the fags a few awards ...... but best picture???? NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! They can't have that.

Fuckers can eat shit.

[joshcryer]

10. It shouldn't BE a popularity contest.

It shouldn't be which movie is "most memorable." It should be the best, most original, most compelling movie. And quite frankly Brokeback Mountian was your typical "forbidden love" fanfair, with the angst of "persecuation" that so many gay movies have (Soliders Girl, etc).

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

15. ronnykmarshall, I understand that you're really upset, but

chill...

There are far more important things going on in our country right now to be upset about than 'Brokeback Mountain' not winning Best Picture.

In the history of the Academy there have been many, many movies that should have won Best Picture and didn't.

Try and look at this way, Brokeback Mountain is in very good company...

[LostinVA]

28. You keep on saying that "Crash" won't be remembered

Oh yes, it will.

This is certainly not a case of homophobia -- you're letting your emotions get in the way of your thoughts here. Hollywood is, however, often racist -- so to me, for that reason, it's great that "Crash" was recognized (although I wish Matt Dillon had won). This is the type of movie that is almost NEVER recognized -- both the subject matter and the technique. Brokeback was actually the safer choice in most ways.

Personally, as a gay woman, I would have liked "Brokeback" to win... but I also have no problem with "Crash." A great movie that is already being used in university classrooms around the country.

And it has won Best Picture, several times, just not at the Oscars, but at ceremonies considered MORE PRESTIGIOUS than the Oscars.

[BlueIris]

47. What you posted. nt

[donheld]

32. Let it out Ronny

We were robbed, the academy chickened out. Don't let'em tell you to chill till you're ready.

[ronnykmarshall]

33. Damn right.

I'm not going to "chill".

I'm calling for a total and complete boycott of all things Oscar.

Oscar Meyer, Oscar De La Hoya ........ that's just the start.

The Academy has defyed The Agenda and it will pay.

[RoyGBiv]

18. "Hollywood wimped out politically..."

I'm really not getting the people who are saying that. Not a single movie in the Best Picture category would please a right-winger. Hell, _Crash_ is completely in-your-face with its political tones.

[LostinVA]

29. I agree -- "Crash" is way more controversial than "BBM"

My heart was pumping throughout the whole thing -- it's part of my collection, it was so damn good... and BBM will be, too.

[mondo joe]

35. Controversial? "Racism is bad, right?" is just preaching to the choir.

CRASH was no ham handed in its handling that even GW Bush would agree with its points about race.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

39. You obviously didn't see or didn't understand the movie.

[mondo joe]

41. I understand it confirmed a lot of people's sociopolitical g-spots

which is okay in a porn-sort-of-way.

And I like porn as much as the next guy -- I just don't go for awards for it. :-)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

43. It didn't really "confirm" anything, actually.

In fact, it did a lot more tearing down than confirming.

[mondo joe]

44. It didn't tear a thing down. It was a big budget diversity training video.

Sorry to say.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

45. It wasn't big budget at all.

Though it was a big name cast, they signed on to do the film for almost nothing because of the script.

[mondo joe]

46. For a diversity training video it was.

But alas, for its bigger budget it was no more subtle, thoughtful or artistic than any other diversity training video.

[Puglover]

30. Crash was....

1. contrived.
2. unbelievable
3. as someone in another thread said, "typical Hollywood liberal claptrap" The make yourself feel good film cause YOU aren't anything like those horrible people. However not one fucking iota of nuance...

Edit to add this paragraph from a great review of "Crash" "“Crash” is saying “How horrible that we're all this way” when most of us are not only not this way but the exact opposite of this way. We may think these thoughts but we rarely enunciate them. Sure, racism still exists, but at its most potent it's usually silent. It's opaque. It makes you wonder “Is this happening because of race?” You suspect but you have no evidence. “Crash” not only gives us evidence it manipulates the evidence. "



Hollywood wimped out. They didn't want Ma and Pa Redstate to think they were Homowood. Guess what folks? They already do. Pandering to this bullshit isn't going to change that.

[indigo32]

42. Agreed

That was exactly how it struck me. Though I admit I would have liked to see Matt Dillon win an Oscar.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

36. How is Brokeback *not* a "serious" "issues" movie?

:shrug:

[AtomicKitten]

40. Ensemble films often have difficulty finding a niche.

I thought Crash was brilliant.