You make some good points. To be honest, I am prob one of the few people on here that saw Brokeback Mouintain and actually thought it was a pretty good film. I think he right on about the manufactured hype about the movie esp on the left. I thought Crash was disappointing in alot of ways. I think the writer does have a point about the old days. The NR had quite a good article on how after 9/11 it seemed that it really disminished the race issue because we are all Americans now. In my view it certainty took the nasty "edge" off of it though. It does seems like it receded some but your right in your post though. I guess I cant see another LA Riot situation happening like that again in our current climate. or for the forseeable future.
I remember the days when viewers of the Oscar show actually cared about which song won "Best Song". When a tune like "Windmills of Your Mind" would stay in your mind for ages, uplifting you. When you could sit and watch without embarrassment the clips from the various movies. (The Altman montage had some quip about urinating, I found that embarrassing. I switched the channel.)
The effects of 9/11 lasted for all of one month in NYC.
Whites continue to avoid living among blacks, and many still cross the street when a group of black youth walk by. Blacks still see white people as "the enemy" in many cases, no matter how they try to supress their feelings in the work place. And class has nothing to do with it. Upper middle class blacks have moved into West Orange New Jersey in recent years, while whites have moved out.
Of course, the race issue is not as intense as it once was in this country, but it is still there, and has gotten more complex due to the influx of Latinos, Muslims, Asians, etc., many of whom are more open of their hatred of blacks, btw, than whites are. The main difference is that middle class and above folks may not SAY anything racist, but they still have images/stereotypes in the back of their mind when they encounter other races or drive through an "ethnic" neighborhood.
Speaking as one who has lived most of his life in multiethnic New York, to say nothing of stints in Chicago and Miami, I can tell you that the folks who believe that "racism is a thing of the past and we are all colorblind" tend to live in (largely white) suburban communities. Those of us in places like LA, New York, Chicago, etc. however, encounter racial realities everyday.
I have to ask, what makes someone want to even see Brokeback Mountain knowing what the subject matter is? I'm serious.. we all know what the topic was.. so what was the attraction to it for you? Curiosity?
The man running the Oscars said he realized not many people had seen many of the movies that were nominated. Which is why he did all the "clips" of old movies because everyone could relate to them. Talk about a movie industry that is out of touch with the public!
Personally, we won't be seeing Syriana, Munich, or Brokeback Mountain. We won't support movies that glorify terrorists or try to "humanize" them. (Tell that to the victims of Munich or Sept 11th who had to jump from buildings.. tell the little school girls just a few months ago in Afghanistan who were forced to watch their teacher be beheaded because he DARED to teach little girls school! Which btw, was just as Syriana was being nominated! Tell all the people they've beheaded how they are human too!) No, I don't think putting a face on a terrorist and making them seem like us is responsible at all. They aren't like us. They aren't even close! They are cold and evil!
The same holds true for a movie that tries to show homosexuality as a "normal" way of life. It isn't!
If it were there wouldn't be a disease process that the homosexual community is constantly in battle with in order to have sexual relations and even STAY ALIVE! HIV/AIDS!
The same goes for sexually active promiscuous people. People who have multiple partners are at high risk and often get STD's. I have a medical background and have worked in this area. Condoms don't solve all STD problems.
God intended for man and woman to be monogomous/married. Isn't it strange how when they are, there is NO disease?
When we turn away from Him things just don't work the way they should. There is no getting away from it. Someday, mankind will figure it out.
This life is but the blink of an eye compared to eternity. Blink your eye once and think about it!
Yet some play Russian roulette with life. I feel sorry for those who have thought there was nothing more than this life to contend with. Eternity is forever...
Anyway.. Hollywood has truly out done themselves this time. I was curious if anyone on FR would try to defend any of the movies that were out there this year.
I don't have to see any of the movies to know if they are good or bad. The subject matter is already off limits. Sin is sin. Wrong is wrong....