GOOD GRIEF

Posted by JOpinionated at 3/7/2006 9:45 PM and is filed under Film


I am fascinated and mildly amused by the amount of grief and backlash directed my way, simply because I am not, nor have I ever been, on the Crash bandwagon. I’m being called bitter, when in fact it is disappointment.  I am entitled to be frustrated and affected by an Oscar win or loss – I invest and devote a good deal of emotion and time to the movies each year. Peruse the numerous post-Oscar articles and analysis by well-respected film critics online; in spite of the many shaking heads of disbelief at my opinion about Crash, I’m certainly not the only person who feels this strongly about the newly crowned Best Picture.

However liberal I might be, my dislike of Crash has nothing to do with the fact that I love Brokeback Mountain. I also really like Capote and Good Night, and Good Luck. In my personal opinion, these other three nominated films are superior to Crash. It disturbs me that some folks are attributing hidden Hollywood homophobia as the reason that Brokeback didn’t win Best Picture. Give me a break.

Let’s be honest, Crash is no less a controversial choice than Brokeback; the film holds up a realistic and sometimes uncomfortable mirror to the world, delving deep into racism from many angles previously unexplored and unexposed on the big screen. The simple truth is that Crash had increasing momentum due to serious word-of-mouth, fantastic marketing/Oscar campaigning and an early DVD release, propelling it to the top of many voter ballots tipped pretty far to the left, and the entertainment industry certainly wasn’t afraid of upsetting red-state.

The passionate response to Crash is widespread and impressive, and I appreciate any film that elicits so much discussion and debate.  In the long run, both films will prove integral to the growing canon of influential films illuminating important social issues.

All in all, it is a matter of personal choice; for different reasons, I share the same enthusiasm for Brokeback that most of my detractors have for Crash.

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