Let me straighten something out. I don't always take pride in my self-appointed role as parade-rainer, party-pooper, overbearing cynic, or whatever you want to call it. And I was perfectly content to just let the Oscars slip by unnoticed. But it couldn't be that simple, could it? They had to give "Best Picture" to Crash, the only nominee that I actually saw, and the only one that made me roll my eyes in disgust for almost the entire length of the film.
Here's my one-sentence summary of Crash:
EVERYBODY CAN BE RACIST AND RACISM IS BAD. (repeat 600 times)
You know how some things are like sugar, in that a little bit of it is great, but too much is terrible? Well Crash is like Brussels sprouts. You eat it because you have a vague notion that it will be good for you, but it tastes disgusting. Then you decide you've had enough Brussels sprouts, but you're not allowed to stop, because they tie you to your chair and force-feed them to you. Then Paul Haggis comes in and starts beating you over the head with a bat, and with every blow he yells, "RACISM IS BAD! RACISM IS BAD!" and the whole time you STILL HAVE TO KEEP EATING BRUSSELS SPROUTS!
Sorry, my metaphor got a little confused there.
Anyway, what I wanted to say is that Crash is a message film (which isn't bad in and of itself) with a message that's simplistic, fairly obvious, and not particularly insightful, and which presents itself (over and over and over) with dialogue and plot twists that aren't even remotely connected to anything that has ever happened in real life. If somebody made a movie about racism that explored the subtle ways in which it actually affects our lives (or anybody's life), I'd be all for it, but Crash just about redefines the concept of something being "contrived."I found it insulting and patronizing.
Or, as Scott Foundas from LA Weekly put it (scroll about 1/4 of the way down the page), it's "the best movie of the year for people who like to say, 'A lot of my best friends are black.'"
Don't ask me who should have won instead. I don't know. Crash was the only one I saw, so when it won I had to spout out my take on it.
1 comment:
I feel what that guy said completely about it being the movie for people who say 'a lot of my best friends are black.' That is on point. However, I feel bad that I can't sit back and enjoy a cheesy movie like this because people are walking around saying that Crash is art at it's best... art with a wonderful earthshattering message... everyone should see Crash ... it is art that will save the world.
This is all a fallacy. Crash is a cheesy feel good movie that is being mistaken for some sort of artful masterpiece. Terrible. I hate being a complete pretentious bastard about it, but where was ... anything that made it innovative or groundbreaking or just plain mindblowing that it should deserve what is supposed to be such a prestigious award. I saw all the best picture nominees. Maybe they weren't the best films released last year, but all of them were better than Crash. But whatever, I just don't understand how these Oscar people could possibly get it so wrong. Or how people in general can get it so wrong....
Sorry, as always, my thoughts are stream of consciousness and jumbled.
On an unrelated note! MOGWAI with the r5 show, can you believe it? may 11th. get your tickets before all the kids that are cooler than us snatch them up!
hahaha
bye bye/stay velvet
-Laurennnnnnn
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