Crash (dir. Paul Haggis)

[kostgard]

Okay, I only recently saw this movie because it finally came up on my Netflix list. Now I completely understand why people were pissed that it won the Oscar. What a huge, steaming pile of crap.

I went in wanting to like it because I like a lot of the cast members, but as soon as Don Cheadle delivered that line about how all Latinos have cars up on blocks on their lawns to Jennifer Esposito and it landed with a resounding thud, I knew I was in for a suck-fest. I thought, "God, if Don Cheadle can't deliver this crap this it must REALLY be crap."

The "After School Special for Adults" description is perfect. It was almost as bad as those anti-harrassment films they make you watch at work once a year. I mean, yes, people are racists, but it would have been far more compelling and and interesting if we weren't beaten over the head with it, because that's not how racism is most of the time - it is insidious and quietly lies right beneath the surface. People don't scream out their racist thoughts like a character in a comic book reciting the text in the thought-bubble drawn above their head.

Ugh. This movie made me hate everybody, but mostly Haggis and Oprah and her "Crash moment" BS. But I could totally get behind Crash: The Musical!

[jen808]

I heard Daniel Dae Kim is in this. I might see it for him.

[marywebgirl]

Jen, he's got it in his credits at imdb, but I honestly don't remember him in it.

If you want a cute DDK scene, there's a blooper reel with the Lost season 1 DVDs from when he was beating the shit out of that guy, then he sort of pulls back and says "Oh, my tie was in the way." It's just so cute to hear him break character like that in such an intense scene.

[jynni]

It's so odd...everyone I know loves this movie, myself included.

I really don't get why it's so hated.

Personally, I thought Capote should've won the Oscar...

[Deleted]

jynni said:

It's so odd...everyone I know loves this movie, myself included.

I really don't get why it's so hated.

Personally, I thought Capote should've won the Oscar...

I agree.

Personally, I thought Good Night and Good Luck should've won the Oscar.

[Deleted]

Capote.

But whatever. You all think this movie is a smug steaming pile of worthless crap. I think it's a smug but kind of okay movie. It's flawed but it's not as horrible and completely worthless and you all think it is. I found it to be okay. Maybe not the picture of the year but good nonetheless.

I don't care about the Oscars anymore so I just can't get mad about it winning...even though I know I would have thought Capote deserved it more. And Brokeback. And Goodnight. And a couple of others.

[plush]

I liked Crash as well. I haven't seen it ever since it was released in theatres and still don't understand the backlash. Not my pick for winning at the Oscars, probably not even competing, but it's far from being a sucker imo. I don't know anyone else who hates it either but to each her own.

[lallybroch]

Crash was indeed hated in some circles before the Oscar nomination/win. Roger Ebert was a huge supporter and wrote up a vigorous defense when some other critic named it the worst movie of 2005. Be sure to check out the related articles at that link--they consist of more essays, responses, responses to responses, reader letters, etc., which show just how polarizing feelings about the movie are. Plenty of people like it, but the ones who don't really can't stand it.

[Deleted]

I'm going to give my nod to CRASH because Paul Haggis is Canadian and so am I.

[fairfox]

Plenty of people like it, but the ones who don't really can't stand it.

Add me to the list. I just saw this for the first time yesterday and have been rolling around on my living room floor groaning since then. Oh. My. God. What a piece of over-cooked, obvious, anvilicious, unrealistic, total and utter CRAP. I'm not pissed about it winning and Oscar because lots of (imo) shitty movies win Oscars but this was just breathtakingly awful. I mean, just...I almost have no words this was so bad. It verged on parody throughout, actually. It was like an SNL sketch of a bad movie about racism.

I read that Paul Haggis was carjacked in LA by a black man/men a few years ago - interesting point given the storyline involving the 2 black carjackers.

Anyway. This was the pattest of pat movies. This was Pat with a capital P.A.T. I could not possibly dislike this movie any more.

::breathes, counts to 10::