'Crash' Pulls Off Best-Picture Oscar

yahoo.com ^ | 3/5/06

[paudio]

The ensemble drama "Crash" pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Academy Awards history, winning best picture Sunday over the cowboy romance "Brokeback Mountain," which had been the front-runner.

"Crash," featuring a huge cast in crisscrossing story lines over a chaotic 36-hour period in Los Angeles, rode a late surge of praise that lifted it past "Brokeback Mountain," a film that had won most other key Hollywood honors.

In a year of provocative films at the Oscars, "Crash" was one of the fiercest, a portrait of simmering racial and cultural tension among blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians and Arabs.

The other best-picture nominees emerged either out of Hollywood studios or their art-house affiliates. But "Crash" was a true Oscar rarity, shot outside the system on a tiny $6.5 million budget, then acquired by independent distributor Lionsgate at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival, where the film premiered.

[OkieDoke]

The arrogance of mainstream Hollywood is absolutely breathtaking. They sell popcorn! (or used to) but about the time George Looney started his pitch I thought they were going to announce . . . a cure for cancer.
Only film I actually went to see was the latest Harry Potter, daughter wanted to see.
(I was walking my treadmill, spouse had it on--I was `stuck'.)

[Jotmo]

You're not paying attention.

I explained that scene already. It was used as a demonstration of how WRONG it is to let an injustice occur to someone simply because you think they're a racist.

Why is it bad to point that out?

[upcountryhorseman]

Those "cowboys" were actually sheepherders in the story.

[Jotmo]

I have not seen the new version of Pride and Prejudice and I'm a bit scared to see how the butchered the story. But there is NO WAY they could have topped the A&E version of a few years ago. We have it on DVD, and it's five hours long.

You should check it out.

[goldstategop]

Is that your excuse to make that three hour exercise in liberal self-promotion look good? I don't think so.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[goldstategop]

If you like the adultery part. I could never get used to the idea its alright to cheat on your spouse. Hollywood is sick to the depths of its soul.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[goldstategop]

Now that's a hoot. Liberals who want to outsmart Ann Coulter. Real brilliant.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[b9]

I'm going to rent it today. Haven't seen it, but I'm a big Matt Dillon and Terrance Howard fan.

Let me know what you think, K?

[Jotmo]

It seems to inspire much emotion here, especially among those who haven't seen it.

Let us know what you think of it.

[Borges]

It was written by the brilliant Czech dramatist Tom Stoppard who's not very Hollywood at all. As for the adultery thing it's good that someone is chiming in for a defense of coerced marriages. :-)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I watched that A&E version. I had it on VCR cassette, then passed it on to my library. It was very good. :) I've also been enjoying "Bleak House" with Gillian Anderson (Scully?) on PBS. I have "The House of Mirth" also with Gillian in my Netflix queue. It's nice to see her in period pieces. Her looks really suit it.

[Borges]

Have you ever read Bleak House? It's regarded as Dickens' best by just about everyone.

[3catsanadog]

Score one for the closet Hollywood conservatives - anything but Brokeback Mountain.

[Mamzelle]

I read on a blog that many of the "academy" just wouldn't watch BM.

[wardaddy]

I liked Crash surprisingly.

I liked all the performances except the redeemed black thug which I found implausible.

I like Terence Howard's acting but he is a whiner and fabricator in real life.

Thandie Newton has been hot to me since Nolte as ol Tom rolled around with her as Sallie.

Matt Dillon was good. Bullock too.

Don Cheadle probably stole the show....he is a scenery chewer which I like....he carried Rwanda by hisself.

I thought Crash would be another "it's a Cracker's fault movie" but it shed some pretty serious light on black on white racism as well

not that racism is an end all to me...i think it's way overhyped now in 2005 but it was nice to see the media at least be a bit even handed

plus i thought the film flowed well for an ensemble style flick

and that cakeboy flick designed from beginning to end as a social engineering project where they chose soft pedaling Ang Lee as director to help get the message out got mostly snubbed except for him......pleased me to no end.

I'm tired of queers running Hollywood...give it back to the Jews...now!..lol

[3catsanadog]

They told me that that Brokeback Mountain thing was the most significant, most innovative movie of modern times.

They are full of sheep sh!t. Trust me, were the Democrats to be in control of Congress and the Presidency, BM would've gone straight to video. Hollywood mentality these days is p!ss off Republicans, Christians, conservatives, and the red states. That's all.

[Tanniker Smith]

I haven't read it, but I watched it for Gillian Anderson and found myself enjoying the entire thing, not just her parts.

[3catsanadog]

Words fail me.

[Tanniker Smith]

It isn't significant and it isn't even a decent movie. If you want to see a significant "gay" movie that is also somewhat entertaining, rent "Philadelphia", which won awards.

If you want to watch a movie about a trans vestite (who liked girls, but also liked to dress as one), rent "Ed Wood", which should have won more than it did.

TS

[Tanniker Smith]

Sigh. You wouldn't believe how much I had to edit out of that last post of mine just to get past my school's security system, which has a low tolerance for naughty words.