So now we know why Hollywood shouldnt make any issue? flicks: Because the Oscar will invariably go to the most obvious one of the bunch. Crash? beat out what to my mind seemed a largely superior roster of movies for the Best Picture trophy; it was easily the least nuanced and tricky of the bunch, letting viewers know precisely how they were supposed to feel every step of the way, even having characters baldly state its themes. But, hey, now that its officially 2005s Best Picture, heres something that makes me look a fool.
If you think thats bad, heres a really virulent and, to be honest, much better argued, attack on the film:
Oh, well, good on Lionsgate, the little studio that could. But this does kind of point out how the Oscar campaign can be affected by the time frame in which its conducted, how Academy voters can be put off when they hear too much about how a certain movie is a shoo-in. (In a way, though, its reassuring to know that even Hollywood can get sick of hearing about itself.) Brokeback Mountain? won virtually every major (and minor) award there was to win this year, except the one that counts, the one that puts it in the history books. This is kind of reminiscent of the year Saving Private Ryan? was considered the prohibitive favorite until it wasnt, and Shakespeare in Love,? tortoise-and-hare-like, slipped away with the Best Picture trophy.
No rule changes need be made, Id say, because quality? is hardly an objective, uh, quality, and people whose favorites fail to win Oscars are usually over it by the next morning. But there might be a lesson here for future Oscar campaigners: Dont strive for frontrunner status too early; dont be a juggernaut (be glad if other groups spread the wealth by honoring other films); and, for Gods sake, dont make a movie that both manages to commandeer the Zeitgeist and provide late-night comics with endless one-liners, because by Oscar night, people will be absolutely sick of hearing about it.
