WHAT'S THE BUZZ - More Crash Backlash

I don’t want to beat a dead horse by continuing to sing the praises of Crash, but I keep hearing how undeserving of the Oscar the 2005 Best Picture Winner is. People like Eli Roth, who gave us such “masterpieces” as Cabin Fever (2002), have been voicing their objection to the film saying Crash is preachy. This is a criticism I’ve heard from others and frankly, I just don’t get it. Preachy is when someone tells you the way things should be, not when someone tells you the way things are. Paul Haggis may take some artistic liberties, but he is simply showing us what is – reflecting a sociological reality back to us.

Simply shedding light on a problem is not being preachy. Telling us how wrong the problem is or what to do about it or who is responsible for it – that’s being preachy. With Crash, there is no value judgment being made; something that one would associate with the “p” adjective. Crash is no more preachy than Brokeback Mountain, or any other socially conscious film worth its merit. Or is it suddenly the case that a preachy film is any one that highlights a controversial topic. If so, there are a lot of preachy films around. For instance I haven’t heard any complaints about 2004’s overrated Oscar winner, Million Dollar Baby being preachy – a film that clearly states how good the right to die is or even The Constant Gardener – a film that clearly states how bad American drug corporations are.

If Crash makes a statement, it is this and nothing more – racism exists, and it is a complex, widespread phenomenon that taints all cultural communities. I think some of the backlash against Haggis' Oscar winning film is due to the fact that people don’t really believe racism is as pervasive a problem as reflected in the film. And if that's the case, those people are sadly mistaken.

P.S.
On the upside of buzz, I’ve heard that Lord of the Rings: The Musical opened to less than stellar reviews recently in Toronto. Who would have thought that a lavish, multi-million dollar Broadway production about boring hobbits would be a disappointment?

THE BEST OF 2005

You've read the rest, now here's the best – the best of the top ten movies of 2005 lists that is. Of course none of this written in stone, my ten best lists are continually being updated and revised, but for now this is my best estimate of the year's most accomplished motion pictures (keeping in mind that I haven't seen such highly acclaimed films as A History of Violence, March of the Penguins, Murderball, Junebug and Proof).

01.Crash (9.0/A)
I’ve said it often enough, but it still bears repeating – Crash is the best film of 2005, hands down. Canadian filmmaker Paul Haggis uses multiple story lines linked by extraordinary coincidences to weave a disturbing, thought provoking tale of racism in America. The film’s release was met with mixed reviews and some harsh criticisms, but there’s no denying the power and controversy of Crash’s content as Haggis illuminates a problem that continues to gain momentum in the U.S. Here, much to his credit, Haggis doesn’t try to explain the problem, but simply shed light on it, revealing how truly complex and engrained it is in American culture. One of the great things about Crash is how balanced it is as Haggis doesn’t blame any one cultural group for the phenomenon (that would be too easy) – indeed, all groups represented are guilty of the same sin. A brilliant sociological commentary, Crash may read like an essay, but it is nonetheless compelling entertainment as well as the best cinematic representation I’ve seen about the racial problem in America. Apart from inspiring much debate and discussion, the best thing about Crash may be how successfully it demonstrates that the problem of racism is by no means a thing of the past, but a cancer, that is continually gaining new ground and finding new ways to undermine our culture. And forget the fact that the writing is exceptional and the cast is superb, any film responsible for getting such a good performance from Sandra Bullock deserves all the accolades it receives.

02.Munich (8.5/A-)
Spielberg’s spellbinding thriller is a powerful and compelling motion picture experience that is all at once reflective and provocative. Imbued with a remarkable sense of grace, Munich takes us through events of the past to reflect realities in the present and to foreshadow possibilities for the future. A cautionary tale in some respects, Munich takes no sides as it handles a controversial subject matter with great care, subtlety and balance.

03.Brokeback Mountain (8.0/A-)
Here, Ang Lee gets at the heart of the matter, bypassing political pitfalls to create a deeply moving love story that defies convention. His minimalist approach is the perfect complement to the inherent emotional power of the story, which is mediated superbly by the effective performances of the film’s lead actors. In Lee’s hands, Brokeback Mountain is nothing less than an emotional tour de force that leaves you with the haunting sense that love denied is justice denied.

04.Match Point (8.0/A-)
This absorbing, evocative thriller is one of Woody Allen’s best films in years. Unlike anything he’s ever made, Allen crafts a hypnotic piece of work that toys with our expectations, taking us places we don’t suspect. All the performances are first rate, but the real star of the film is its excellent screenplay that puts a twist on Shakespearean tragedy, giving a potent, thought provoking account of love, murder and luck.

05.Walk the Line (7.5/B+)
If it weren’t for Hoffman in Capote, Joaquin Phoenix would probably have been the front-runner in the Oscar race as Phoenix is simply electrifying as Johnny Cash. Forget the fact that he does his own singing; Phoenix commands the screen in a way that is truly rare – portraying the music legend with amazing charisma and veracity. Reese Witherspoon is very good, but she pales in comparison to Phoenix, who superbly mediates the true-life character’s virtues and vices, creating a screen vision of Cash that is magnetic, sympathetic and unforgettable.

06.Capote (7.5/B+)
The best performance of the year, male or otherwise, is from Philip Seymour Hoffman in this extraordinary story of Truman Capote’s efforts to pen his classic and influential fact based novel, In Cold Blood. Every second he’s on screen, Hoffman is mesmerizing as he mediates a Capote that is as unlikable as he is fascinating – a brilliant man who is willing to go to any lengths for his art, dehumanizing himself in the process. Indeed, the performance is nothing less than astonishing and it alone is enough reason for this disturbing chapter of Capote’s life to be in the top 10.

07.Good Night and Good Luck (7.5/B+)
Taking us through some of the events of the McCarthy era, George Clooney creates a poignant film that in some respects simply scratches the surface of those turbulent times, but a film that nevertheless packs an emotional wallop. Good Night and Good Luck is the true story of CBS broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow, who boldly challenged the paranoid insanity of Senator McCarthy during the Cold War. David Strathairn’s understated performance is quite effective as he paints a cinematic portrait of courage that is truly inspiring.

08.The Squid and the Whale (7.5/B+)
The key to the success of Squid and the Whale is rooted not only in the writing but also in two of the film’s lead performances, that of Jeff Daniels and Jesse Eisenberg. The writing is of course superb and the direction is right on the mark, finding a near perfect balance between comedy and tragedy, but both Daniels and Eisenberg strike just the right note in both their respective performances – so much so, that they leave us wanting to see more of their respective characters. When handled correctly, nothing is as funny as dysfunctional families and Squid and the Whale is evidence of this. Hilarious and deliciously offbeat, this is the best family comedy since The Royal Tenenbaums.

09.Jarhead (7.5/B+)
This is a movie that didn’t get the critical attention it deserved, but Jarhead is a truly unnerving look at the war mentality of the American soldier. Based on real life accounts of one soldier’s experience during Desert Storm, Jarhead is one of the most unconventional war films ever made, as the focus of the story is not the external war, but the internal one. Jake Gyllenhaal does an excellent job of taking us into the depths of that interior battle, to create a worthy cinematic expression of the psychological process necessary to adopt a mindset for killing.

10.The New World (7.5/B+)
The New World is Terrence Malick’s first film since his highly acclaimed war epic, The Thin Red Line. This latest effort is an unusual love story told in an unconventional way – the Malick way, where plot and dialogue are secondary to visuals and where symbols are the main vehicle for mediating the emotional power of the story. Personally, it’s not a style of filmmaking that I’m fond of or even comfortable with, but here Malick makes it work as he inundates the screen with images that speak volumes. And even though I’m not exactly sure what the visual symbols mean or what they’re saying, I found myself connecting with them on a gut emotional level. I also found the images rather soothing, as the entire experience of New World is more akin to a kind of relaxing, meditative, new age seminar than a movie. Despite this, at no point does the inherent power of the story get lost amidst the brilliant array of visual poetry.

Runners Up:
11.The Matador
12.The Constant Gardener
13.Cinderella Man
14.Pride and Prejudice
15.The 40 Year Old Virgin
16.Grizzly Man
17.Syriana
18.King Kong
19.The Weather Man
20.North Country

THE RICKTER-SCALE:
10 (A+) – extraordinary, a masterpiece
9.5/9.0 (A) – exceptional, a milestone
8.5/8.0 (A-) – excellent, a classic
7.5/7.0 (B+) – very good, a near classic
6.5/6.0 (B) – good
5.5/5.0 (B-) – fair
4.5/4.0 (C+) – poor
3.5/3.0 (C) – very poor, a near disaster
2.5/2.0 (C-) – terrible, a total disaster
1.5/1.0 (D+) – torture, a catastrophe
0.5/0.0 (F) – abysmal, the end of film as an artform

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN CRASHES - A Post-Oscar Commentary

The 78th Annual Academy Awards renewed my faith in Oscar’s ability to occasionally pick the right film for best picture as Crash edged out Brokeback Mountain for the top prize. Indeed, the Academy saved the finest moment for last as Crash’s win over Brokeback Mountain was the best surprise of the evening. Nothing against Brokeback Mountain (which made my top 5) but Crash is the better film and deserved the Oscar.

But in all honesty, since both films deal with the timely and relevant issue of tolerance, and since both are great examples of superior film craftsmanship, I would’ve been happy if either won. Crash’s win was simply more exciting because it was unexpected and because the Academy so rarely gets it right. Even over the last 30 years, Oscar has had far more misses than hits. If you don’t believe me, read on.

1975: One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest – an excellent film that deserved some attention but not the win for best picture. Jaws deserved the statuette for being one of the scariest films of all time and the motion picture that forever changed Hollywood.

1976: Rocky – one of the most overrated movies ever; a sentimental, cheesy, underdog triumphs against all odds story that had me groaning rather than cheering. On the other hand, Taxi Driver is the definitive film about urban isolation and its potentially devastating consequences.

1977: Annie Hall – it may have redefined the romantic comedy, but Star Wars redefined the motion picture phenomenon itself, as George Lucas crafted the ultimate escapist event in cinema and recreated the way we experience movies.

1978: The Deer Hunter – no real complaints here. I only wish, however unlikely, that the underrated Superman: The Movie, the best comic book adaptation of all time (thus far), would have at least received a nomination for best picture.

1979: Kramer vs. Kramer – a timely, socially relevant film about divorce and the role that gender biases play in custody battles. However, Apocalypse Now is nothing less than the best war film of all time and the perfect cinematic commentary on the Vietnam experience.

1980: Ordinary People – an excellent film that deserved a nomination for best picture. However, Raging Bull is nothing less than a brilliant profile of a truly flawed and tormented human being, a masterful pugilism story that makes Rocky look like a Saturday morning cartoon.

1981: Chariots of Fire – it may have been a compelling story, but honestly, does anybody even remember this film? Whereas Raiders of the Lost Ark is the greatest action/adventure film ever, a timeless classic that will live perpetually in our collective memories.

1982: Gandhi – here we have an important film with a powerful story about one of the 20th century’s greatest figures. But the greatness of a historical figure doesn’t necessarily translate into a great motion picture experience. It’s the child-like simplicity of the E.T. story that the world connected with, as the Spielberg classic remains one of the most beloved films of all time.

1983: Terms of Endearment – being that 1983 wasn’t a strong year; I have no real complaints; although I’m sure there was a better film than Terms of Endearment. How about Never Cry Wolf – a truly engrossing and powerful story of one man coming to terms with the brutality of nature.

1984: Amadeus – here, Oscar got it right and chose the movie that will stand the test of time.

1985: Out of Africa – Out of Africa got the Oscar, but my choice would have been The Color Purple. Even though it ties with Gangs of New York for having the most Oscar nominations (11) with the least wins (0), this underrated Spielberg gem is a powerful and effective adaptation of the Pulitzer prize winning novel by Alice Walker.

1986: Platoon – Oliver Stone’s first feature was the big winner that year, and maybe rightly so, as the war drama is a powerful and disturbing look at the Vietnam experience. However, my vote would have been for one of the most enchanting period pieces ever, the funny and irresistible Merchant/Ivory classic, A Room with a View. But if I were completely honest, Aliens would have been my choice for the year’s best picture. James Cameron’s sci-fi horror classic is like the first Alien on steroids. The resulting experience is so intense, that the sequel makes my top 5 scariest movies of all time.

1987: The Last Emperor – Emperor may be visually stunning, but it is also a pointless, boring, and tedious cinematic experience. Films about wasted life with exotic locations and high production values seem to really impress the critics and the Academy, but I was completely under whelmed. However, I may need to revisit Emperor, as I don’t like to say anything definitive about film until I’ve seen it at least twice. And being that 1987 wasn’t a great year for Hollywood, I don’t have a real contender for best picture. Fatal Attraction, Moonstruck and even Lethal Weapon were all really good films, but I don’t know if they qualify as best of the year material. I need to see more films from that year before I name a deserving candidate, but I still doubt it would be The Last Emperor.

1988: Rain Man – Dustin Hoffman was brilliant and he deserved the Oscar, but the film itself is overrated and did not deserve a best picture win. Of all the nominees, that honour should’ve have been given to Working Girl, one of the best and most sophisticated romantic comedies of the 80’s from the director who gave us one of the best and most sophisticated romantic comedies of all time, The Graduate. But again, if I were really honest, the extremely clever, funny and groundbreaking Who Framed Roger Rabbit would be my choice for the best film of 1988.

1989: Driving Miss Daisy – in a year that gave us such classics as When Harry Met Sally, My Left Foot, Dead Poets Society and The Little Mermaid; Driving Miss Daisy took the statuette to become the shortest best picture winner ever. Nothing against the award winning film, but my choice for best picture would’ve been the deeply moving Dead Poets Society or better yet, Disney’s masterpiece, The Little Mermaid. This underappreciated gem doesn't get the respect it deserves because it's animated, but Little Mermaid is one of the most highly acclaimed films from that year, one that single handedly resurrected the animated musical feature and launched a new golden era in animation.

1990: Dances with Wolves – Kevin Costner’s directorial debut may have been a new look at the Western genre, but GoodFellas effectively shattered our romanticized illusions about the mafia by creating one of the best, most visceral, most disturbing mob films of all time.

1991: Silence of the Lambs – Silence of the Lambs is a worthy thriller, but Beauty and the Beast is the second best animated feature ever, with one of the greatest scores in motion picture history.

1992: Unforgiven – whatever! In a year when you had The Last of the Mohicans and Strictly Ballroom, how could this attempted revival of a dead genre win best picture?

1993: Schindler’s List – here, Oscar got it absolutely right. If Schindler’s List hadn’t won, I definitely would have boycotted the Oscars forever. Spielberg’s masterpiece is so powerful and so spiritual that I’m not exaggerating when I call it God’s favourite movie.

1994: Forrest Gump – Pulp Fiction may be inventive, refreshing and thoroughly entertaining; and The Shawshank Redemption may be one of the best Capra films Capra never made, but Forrest Gump is a true milestone in the history of cinema as Tom Hanks creates one of the most likeable characters in film history and takes us on the quintessential cinematic odyssey through the turbulent events that shaped the 60’s and 70’s.

1995: Braveheart – Oscar must have been on acid in 1995. In a year when you had the brilliant Leaving Las Vegas, how could a movie with the same name as a care bare, a movie that is nothing more than a showcase for Mel Gibson’s enormous ego, receive the Academy’s crown for the year’s best picture? And even worse, how could a movie about a talking pig receive a best picture nomination over the Mike Figgis masterpiece (a film that made over a 100 critics’ top ten list; a film which boasts one of the greatest performances of all time from a male lead, Nicolas Cage).

1996: The English Patient – here Oscar tries to rectify its ludicrous voting from the year before as the best film of 1996, the beautiful and mesmerizing English Patient, received its due and won the award for best picture. Fargo may be one of the most unpredictable films of all time, but the third act is nothing less than a pointless blood bath; whereas The English Patient is pure visual poetry from beginning to end.

1997: Titanic – James Cameron’s hugely popular ocean epic may be one of Hollywood’s greatest melodramas, but L.A. Confidential is probably the best crime drama of all time. Masterfully written, acted and executed, this film, in my opinion, surpassed the overrated Chinatown.

1998: Shakespeare in Love – it wasn’t really a great year for movies and the top two contenders for best picture reflected this. Both Shakespeare in Love and Saving Private Ryan are very good films, but not great films. Both have some serious problems, but Ryan I would say is superior to Shakespeare in Love and should’ve received the Oscar if only for the reason that the first 20 minutes of Ryan has enough drama for 10 feature films.

1999: American Beauty – I can’t really complain about American Beauty winning best picture since it would be in my top 5, however, I do wish that Three Kings, my choice for the best film of 1999 and the film that solidified George Clooney’s and Mark Wahlberg’s star status, was at the very least nominated in that category.

2000: Gladiator – many disagree with Gladiator’s win, but in a year where there wasn’t a lot of great selections, this film stood out and deserved the honour of being crowned best picture; as this Ridley Scott epic rediscovered the power and scope of a lost genre.

2001: A Beautiful Mind – again, no real complaints here, although if it was up to me, Shrek would have been named the year’s best film. Just forget for one second that it’s animated, Shrek is laced with such brilliant satirical writing that it’s the first and only animated film to receive a nomination in the best screenplay category. If the Academy hadn’t created the new category of best animated feature that year, it might well have received a deserving nomination in the best picture category.

2002: Chicago – out of the five nominees, Chicago was the best picture, but my choice for the best film of 2002 is Punch-Drunk Love, a truly brilliant and underrated motion picture that practically redefined the romantic comedy and created a new genre.

2003: The Return of the King – this is by far the best of the trilogy and so I could understand how it would get some Oscar attention, an in all honesty it probably would have been in my top ten. But best film of the year – no way! In a year when you had the powerful and haunting Monster (with a truly bar raising performance by Charlize Theron); and in a year when you had the brilliant documentary Capturing the Friedmans, the only way this third installment of the thoroughly overrated Rings trilogy should’ve won best picture is if they eliminated all other characters from the story except Gollum.

2004: Million Dollar Baby – all I can say about Million Dollar Baby winning best picture over The Aviator is that it’s a sure sign the end is near. Not to mention that my choice for the year’s best film, Kill Bill Volume 2, didn’t get recognized at all.

2005: Crash – which brings us to 2005, and here, Oscar got it right. Brokeback Mountain is a deeply moving drama about an unconventional love story, but Crash is a cinematic milestone, one that will be studied and written about for years to come.

OSCAR FEVER - 2006

In 2005, Martin Scorsese lost the best directing Oscar (yet again) to Clint Eastwood, who won his second directing Oscar for Million Dollar Baby – and that’s all you'll ever need to know about the Academy Awards. The incident was so devastating and so disturbing, that I almost swore off the Oscars forever – almost. I remain a big fan because for a true film aficionado who has little interest in spectator sports, the Academy Awards are the closest thing to the excitement of a major sporting event – the World Series of award ceremonies. And just like sports fanatics who can’t help rooting for their favourite team, even though they know the team will lose, I can’t help rooting for my favourite movies, even though I know they don’t stand a chance. But what the heck - I don't have anything else to do.

BEST PICTURE
Should Win: This is a really strong category, and I can’t remember a time in recent Oscar memory where I have no complaints about any of the nominees (I also can’t remember a time when I had seen all the nominated films before the ceremony). Having said that, there’s just no question that Crash is the best film out of the five nominees. It was released early in 2005 and it's a testament to the film’s remarkable quality and power that Oscar remembered it by the end of the year – something, which almost never happens. Sure we’ve seen this approach before, a series of characters and stories linked by a series of coincidences, but rarely have we seen it executed this well. A brilliant meditation on a very relevant topic, Crash is not only the best film out of all the nominees; it is the best film of 2005.

Will Win: Brokeback Mountain will win in this category. There might be an upset from Crash, but all arrows point to Brokeback Mountain, which swept most of the critics’ awards and is also the film with the most nominations. Not to mention that Brokeback Mountain is a haunting and compelling story of frustrated love whose emotional power cannot be denied.

Nixes: Match Point should have made it into the top five. It may be the most conventional film Woody Allen has ever made; but it is still a complete departure from his typical fair and one of the best examples of that genre from any year. Beautifully film, paced and acted, Match Point is laced with some very tense moments and capped by a powerful, thought provoking ending.

BEST ACTOR
Should Win: This is also a really strong category. The only one I haven’t seen is Terrence Howard in Hustle and Flow, but all the other nominees definitely deserve to be there and I would not be disappointed if any of them won – particularly Ledger who is the emotional power behind Brokeback Mountain and Joaquin Phoenix who commands the screen so masterfully in Walk the Line, that all other performances in the film pale in comparison. But Philip Seymour Hoffman is the man who deserves to win the most. Here, Hoffman so completely inhabits the character of Capote that no trace of the actor is ever seen on screen.

Will Win: Philip Seymour Hoffman. He has won most of the other awards in this category and there’s just no denying the brilliance of his performance, as Hoffman does Capote better than Capote himself.

Nixes: Jeff Daniels should have been nominated for his excellent portrayal of an intellectual snob of a father, who is extremely well read in literary classics, but absolutely clueless when it comes to dealing with his own family, in the offbeat and funny The Squid and the Whale. Daniel’s performance is near comic perfection as he makes an unpleasant character so funny, that you can't help but like him. Also overlooked is Nicholas Cage in everything he did, including Lords of War, which I haven't seen.

BEST ACTRESS:
Should Win: This category is not as strong as its male counterpart and the only one I haven’t seen is Judi Dench in Mrs. Henderson Presents. But I think Reese Witherspoon deserves the award for almost holding her own with Joaquin Phoenix. In all honesty, her performance dwarfs in comparison with his, but still, she should win for the fact that she wasn’t completely overshadowed by Phoenix; and also for the unbelievable fact that she did her own singing.

Will Win: Witherspoon will win because she swept most of the awards in this category and because she’s just so darn likeable.

Nixes: Laura Linney should have been nominated for her memorable portrayal of a mother struggling to hold onto her son’s respect in the midst of a divorce. She also deserves it for having an impressive resume of excellent work for which she was never formally recognized.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Should Win: Having not seen A History of Violence, I have to go with Matt Dillon in Crash. Dillon does a great job of creating a complex character who is not as easy to dislike, or to dismiss, as one might think.

Will Win: George Clooney will win the award as a consolation prize for making Oscar history by receiving nominations in two other categories in the same year – but mainly because he’s so charming and so loved by the rest of Hollywood.

Nixes: Although I actually think his performance should be considered a lead one, had he been nominated, it probably would have been in the supporting category. Nevertheless, Jesse Eisenberg’s understated, deadpan performance in The Squid and the Whale is one of the main strengths of this little seen comic gem.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Should Win: Michelle Williams deserves the win for her powerful, sad and near flawless performance in Brokeback Mountain. Williams is so good, she personifies the pain felt by every woman who has ever been in that situation.

Will Win: This is a difficult category to predict, but I think Michelle Williams will take it for the reason mentioned above and because the Academy will want to honour at least one of the actors in its favourite movie of the year. However, if not Williams, it will be Rachel Weisz for her work in The Constant Gardener.

BEST DIRECTOR
Should Win: Paul Haggis should win. Haggis managed to do something that many have attempted, but none have accomplished – he made the quintessential film about racism in America.

Will Win: Ang Lee will win. Not only does he do a remarkable job with Brokeback Mountain, he is clearly one of the best directors around who has an amazing list of films to his credit. Not to mention that he won the Directors’ Guild Award, which is almost a sure bet that he will win the Oscar.

Nixes: Woody Allen should have been nominated for Match Point. Allen deserves recognition for making one of the top five films of the year – a superbly crafted thriller with a shocking, unforgettable ending.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Should Win: Munich should win because the screenplay does a brilliant job of mediating a powerful story that is complex, balanced, political, philosophical, contemporary, moral, meditative, relevant, and thoroughly compelling.

Will Win: Brokeback Mountain will win because…you know.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Should Win: Come on…Crash – no question. One of the great things about the screenplay is how brilliantly it manipulates your expectations, creating enough genuine twists, turns and surprises to fill 10 screenplays.

Will Win: Crash, which has the best chance of beating Brokeback Mountain for best picture, will get this as a consolation prize – but mainly because it deserves the win in this category.