Your Oscar Picks

[Kasey]

Crash did not deserve to win. That movie, while some might call it hard-hitting, was shallow beyond belief. There was nothing profound about it like Brokeback Mountain. The acting in Crash was spectacular, but I don't need to watch a movie and have the themes and messages shoved down my throat the entire time. Most people can think for themselves.

Being from a racially mixed family (but not looking like it), I can guarantee that you are right, most people can and do think for themselves....that doesn't make a movie about racial tension any more "shallow" than a movie about a homosexual love affair. I was happy that for this year, there wasn't any "lightweight" movies really represented in the Best Picture category.

[Vash01]

I'm willing to bet that Crash didn't win over Brokeback Mountain by a landslide. Crash probably only received a few more votes than Brokeback Mountain, which is not exactly displaying the prejudice in Hollywood that some are implying. Lets not forget that Brokeback also receive numerous other nominations this season as well as awards. So I wouldn't call that being snubbed.

Perhaps Crash got more votes because many thought it was a better movie. After all, Brokeback Mountain is not much different than any other love stories that have been presented. The only difference is it was about two men in love instead of a woman and a man. Though Brokeback was a good movie, I thought Crash was more compelling, even if it was a bit preachy in some parts.

IMO the main point most people miss out on when it comes to the love story in BBM is that the genders are THE reason this movie exists. If it was a heterosexual relationship, there would be no story and no movie. The whole point of the movie was to show the suffering endured by the two main characters (and those related to them) because their relationship defied convention.

I did hear a radio announcer/critic say that some of the older people in Hollywood were saying (before the vote)- "I am not going to vote for BBM!" This person did not like BBM for being too slow.

It seems Hollywood is much more conventional than the critics when it comes to giving awards. To me it seems hypocritical to hold up the race issue in Crash but hold down the lifestyle/gay issue in BBM.

Vash

[equestrianguy]

This person did not like BBM for being too slow.

Vash[/QUOTE]

For me that was the whole point of the movie.. The slowness and stressfulness of it was due to the fact that this love went on for over a 30 yr period. Being in a gay relationship during this era...I mean..I can't imagine how hard that would have been.. The film was beautifully done and gave much respect to the brilliant short story...

[Johar]

Our town theater is not going to show Brokeback due to it "promoting the homosexual lifestyle" and not being "family oriented."

Hard to believe this is 2006, huh?

[mike79]

Being from a racially mixed family (but not looking like it), I can guarantee that you are right, most people can and do think for themselves....that doesn't make a movie about racial tension any more "shallow" than a movie about a homosexual love affair. I was happy that for this year, there wasn't any "lightweight" movies really represented in the Best Picture category.

I agree with you that there weren't any lightweight movies in the race this year, however, I found that Crash didn't try to delve deeply into any of the interwoven stories that it portrayed, except Terrence Murphy's role which was brilliant. For me, everything in Crash seemed to connect too well, i.e. it felt completely fabricated to me. For the first half I really enjoyed the movie, after that it seemed to just want to tie everything together in a nice package. Of course it's only my opinion, but there was a level of subtlety to BBM that I found missing in Crash. I applaud Paul Haggis for his movie, I just felt it could have been so much more.

[Vash01]

I loved the slow part of BBM. For quite some time the atmosphere was created by showing very normal, day to day occurrences. It was like I was right there, with the characters.

Vash

[Joesitz]

I found it strange that the Academy boasted so much about its liberal films throughout the year with many clips about racial struggle, and then went and picked yet another film on racial struggle - unable to acknowledge that gays are a minority.

Friends who saw Crash said it would have been a good hour drama on TV.

Joe