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Did I even watch five movies in the past year?
Saving up for Police Academy 7, I guess....
I thought some of the acting in Crash was impressive, as was the overall look of the film (though I thought The Constant Gardener was more impressively stylized, a visually beautiful film to watch), but I don't think it was the best film made all year. I haven't even seen all of the Best Picture nominees and think that there were better films. It was moving, yes, but not in a way that I haven't seen before - and it really didn't have any kind of satisfying plot (not in the happy-ending kind of way, but rather in the "oh, there's actually a story here instead of a montage about how life sucks" kind of way).
I'm looking forward to seeing Walk the Line now that it's on DVD. I read Johnny Cash's autobiography a few years ago and loved it.
Did I even watch five movies in the past year?
Saving up for Police Academy 7, I guess....
I saw three of the nominated films (Capote, Crash and Munich) and out of those I would've given it to Capote, but I guess that wasn't enough of an "issue movie" to have any real chance. That film was actually filmed up here in Winnipeg so that would have made it extra cool for it to have won, but at least PSH got the well deserved Best Actor nod.
Crash stole many elements from Robert Altman. Kinda Ironic since Altman received an honorary Oscar.
well, not really steal. If certain elements and techniques work really well in film, then they are used by others (or stolen as you say). And why not? Robert Altman didn't patent that kind of filmmaking and I don't think he'd want to. He created a new genre and if he were still alive (is he?) he'd probably be flattered.
I do enjoy films/TV shows that employ this technique. Interweaving story lines of characters who don't know each other and the unlikely coincidences between them- if done well- can make a great movie. Actually, if we are going to use the word 'steal', I would say Crash stole more from Magnolia. (I'll bet Manny loved that one). Even Lost uses the Altman technique. Also, I haven't seen Closer ( it looked really stupid) but I've heard that also borrows a lot from Altman.
I've never seen Magnolia.
However, I do know Aimee Mann did good work with the soundtrack!
First of all, it wasn't all American's who made Brokeback mountainI scanned thru the threads and though I saw lots of comments on the Oscars, I haven't seen any on the best picture award. There is a ridiculous amount of carping in the European press (especially British) that Crash is a terrible movie and it only won because we (Americans) are so phobic and so attached to our beloved cowboy movies to award a film that dares depict them as gay.
Seriously,it was Americans who made the f*cking film, nominated it for a ton of awards, and it was the favorite to win....so the accusation is such bull . Damn those Euros piss me off.
Anyway, I thought Crash was an outstanding film. Some people complain that it is way too exaggerated, but it is not meant as a literal film....I mean, obviously we do have racism in America as do all societies. But it is, in the words of the film makers made to be viewed more as a modern day parable, not as a realistic depiction of what happens on any given day in LA. For me, it was shocking, thrilling, brutal, funny, ironic and heartwrenching.
I loved Crash. And that was absolutely the BEST ensemble acting I've ever seen. Terrence Howard was absolutely brilliant (still can't believe he wasn't nominated in the best actor category).
So, to sum it up, I think Crash was the best film.
Any thoughts?the director was Taiwanese, the soundtrack composer was Argentinian, the leading man was Australian. I saw both Brokeback and Crash and I have to tell you, Brokeback is ten times the movie Crash is (Terrence Howard and all). You can't tell me you still believe the Oscars aren't political
and secondly Jelly, Terrence Howard WAS nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, he just didn't win. He was nominated for "Hustle & Flow"
One of the biggest things for me to get over is that even if I view Crash in the best possible light, I don't see it as best picture worthy.
Last year, when I saw Million Dollar Baby and Hotel Rawanda, I had lasting impressions. It took me awhile to get up at the movies from MDB. The Avaitor and Sideways were also incredible movies.
Crash just isn't in that leauge for me.
Exactly!
Ok, you're full of about that. Anyone who knows the Academy knows that the reason Brokeback lost has nothing to do with any supposed phobia. Hollywood is quite possibly the gayest place in America.
I understand that you have a concept of America where we all walk around afraid of catching the gay bug and toting our guns in our back pockets but you're just a wee bit off base.
BTW, you guys should look up the text of Clooneys acceptance speach for whatever he won early in the night. It was about how the Academy has been ahead of most of America in breaking down discrimination barriers.
I didn't mean it was ONLY in America, just that America does have a lot of it, and its not only my concept Manny.
yeah, he was right about that
Off topic:
I passed by a DVD shop today and "Sixteen Candles" was on sale as I looked at the cover I thought to myself "Oh, look ChumpDumper"
This forum is way to addictive
Damn..I got over MDB the second it was over. It was very cliche to me.
Now Hotel Rawanda I agee with.
Hotel Rwanda is my favorite movie made in the past ten years. It's criminal that it didn't win more awards, but I think its popularity will grow over time, like Shawshank.
great point.
I saw Crash and liked it even though I was sure I wouldn't like it and knew that it was going to be mindnumbingly predictable. To me that's the hallmark of a great movie.
I'm not sure if I will ever see Brokeback Mountain. To me, it's way too contrived in order to advance an agenda. If it was based on a true story, I'd probably go see it.
Capote, on the other hand, is a movie I intend to see.
To Manumania: It's been a while since I've been on this board, and I'm having trouble with the quote icon, so I have to use the quotation symbol to indicate your comments.
"First of all, it wasn't all American's who made Brokeback mountain
With all due respect...DUH! But it is still an American film (PRODUCED by Americans, WRITTEN BY AMERICANS (both the original short story and screenplay) with a cast a crew that is primarily American. BTW, I was rooting for Ang Lee to win Best Director and am thrilled for him. Heath Ledger was overrated and his accent/voice was off IMO.
"You can't tell me you still believe the Oscars aren't political"
Never said that.
" Brokeback won because there is still TOO much prejudice going on in America for a "gay" western to take home best picture, and thats the truth. You don't believe me, check out the "gay adoption" and "gay marriage" threads in this forum and you'll get a glimpse of what I'm talking about."
Pure utter BULL for reasons already stated. If that were true it would have NEVER been cast by a major studio, with major stars, nominated for an Oscar, and then all but considered the winner until Jack Nickleson said Crash and shocked everyone in the room.
" You don't believe me, check out the "gay adoption" and "gay marriage" threads in this forum and you'll get a glimpse of what I'm talking about."
I don't need to. I live here. I am American. I know Americans, I travel around quite a bit, and therefore have a far more accurate view than what one can glean from a message board based in one of the most conservative states in the U.S. As a whole, we are a country of extreme liberals, extreme conservatives, moderates and everything in between. But the people who make Academy award decisions are most definitely the libs.
And regarding the gay adoption and marriage thing, please tell me how long gay marriage and adoption has been legal in Argentina...or any Latin American country? Both are currently legal in at least a few states. Gay adoption has been legal for quite some time in many states (it might even be legal in the whole country...I'm not sure).
"and secondly Jelly, Terrence Howard WAS nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, he just didn't win. He was nominated for "Hustle & Flow""
I know this. I said he should have been nominated for best actor for his performance in Crash.
I'm totally with you on Crash. I thought it was going to be heavy handed and preachy, and I think it managed to stop just short of it. It basically took everything that people think during a given day and made the characters say it. I've spoken to a lot of people of a number of races who don't consider themselves racist, but had to admit that many things that were said were things that cross their minds more often then they'd like to admit. It's rare that a film tries to tackle a complex issue without jamming morality down your throat. There were some cliches to it but even they were done well. I have no problem with Crash getting an Oscar.
I would have been fine with Brokeback except that it seemed like the studio wanted to have it both ways. At times they'd try to push it like it wasn't a gay crusade film, and that it was just a love story about two people who just happened to be men. And then they'd hype it as "groundbreaking" and "controversial". It seemed like they thought they could use the gay angle as a gimic to get people talking about the movie, but then realized it backfired and the gay angle was all that people were talking about.
Crash was a great movie.
I think Crash was a great movie. Just getting actors like Matt Dillon, Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Terrence Howard, Ludacris, Larenz Tate, Brendan Fraser, Jennifer Esposito, Tony Danza, Ryan Phillippe, and so on to come together and do the job they did in itself is amazing. They didn't show too much of each of these actors to get tired of them like the way they did in Ocean's Eleven. These two movies are way different, but you have to admit that when a movie carries so many big names that it is hard to take it serious.
Crash was great and deserved to win.
I haven't seen Crash, so I can't judge whether it deserved Best Picture or not, but I was rooting for Brokeback Mountain to win, primarily because of Heath Ledger's perf, which imo is going to go down as one of the classics in American film. (I knew he didn't stand a chance of winning against Philip Seymour Hoffman.) I don't think phobia was the sole reason Brokeback lost, but I do think it played a part. But hey, BBM has good company: Goodfellas, Citizen Kane, Raging Bull, Streetcar Named Desire. All lost the race for Best Picture and all have stood the test of time pretty well. I'm hoping the same thing happens this time.
I liked parts of Magnolia - the acting was really good.
Actually, anyone who likes Phillip Seymour Hoffman should see Magnolia if they haven't already.
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