I think it will catch the attention of the academy, simply because Paul Haggis, of Million Dollar Baby fame, is attached. It's his directorial debut, so that should draw some interest, as well.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1000365 ... /?show=all

It's doing well with critics that have seen it, and it's possible that somebody from the ensemble cast may snag a nomination. I think it would have been better off if it positioned itself in awards season, but it does deal with relevant social issues, and that is always a plus in the eyes of academy members.

This is a film that is very high on my anticipated list!

Had it been released in the fall, perhaps. Magnolia and Boogie Nights (ensemble pieces like Crash) both managed 3 noms each.

Considering Crash's release date, I find Oscar nominations highly unlikely.

I saw the trailer for this a month or 2 ago in theatres and only saw it once.

I was BLOWN away by the trailer. What an amazing cast. The great thing about it is that its not an ALL star A-List cast, it's like a B+ List cast but it looks like if everyone pull their weight this will be one hell of a movie (granted the writing is top notch).

I haven't looked into the plot too much and know relatively little about the film and I like to keep it that way so as to go into the film with no preconcieved ideas and expectations.

I thought it would be months and months till I would see it but to my surprise it's opening May 6th. I think if it was indeed a strong film, they should have saved it for October or November for the awards season. It reminds very much like trailers and promos for 21 grams.

I can't wait to see it.

Some acting nominations are possible, as well as screenplay. Maybe editing.

Both the director and Don Cheadle just got nominations last year in major films.

so about 3 or 4 possibilities (Bullock, Cheadle, writing, editing).


But I think all will have to reallly struggle to get a nomination.

This movie might have got some nominations if it were released in, say, October.

May is a little too early, though it might be able to get a nomination or two if it's really good.

Ebert and Roeper gave it 2 big thumbs up, with Ebert saying it will probably be on his year end top ten list.

I can't wait to see it, Crash sounds really interesting.

Wow. I thought maybe its May release date was a bad sign (perhaps in response to the film's quality), but maybe not.

I, too, think it looks great.

The trailer looks amazing. Just as Raffiki, I as blown away when I saw it for the first time. Absolutely unlike what I expected. Looks great, but I think this one will either need to do really well at the box-office to be really excellent (á la Eternal Sunshine) to be remembered when the awards are around.

I saw the trailer to this before The Interpreter, and I've also seen it on TV, as well. May 6th can't get here fast enough for me. I really have very little interest in the other May 6th films, but this one is one of my most anticipated films this year!

I'll be there opening day to see this, I hope.

Same here. I can't wait for this and Ebert's remarks just upped the ante on my anticipation.

This looks fantastic. One of my most anticipated of the year. Hopefully this film gets Bullock the awards recognition that she deserves.

I think if her performance is worthy, she will be recognized, even considering the early release date.

Interesting comment at Rolling Stone's website.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/7203722

You Know Him From: His Academy Award-nominated screenplay for Million Dollar Baby, which the fifty-two-year-old TV journeyman adapted from the boxing stories of F.X. Toole.

The Breakthrough: Crash, Haggis' directorial film debut, to be released May 6th, is already being touted for this year's awards race. Inspired by a gunpoint carjacking Haggis survived in the early Nineties, the film is a sprawling rumination on race and intolerance that, despite its indie budget, stars Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Ludacris and many others. "It was hard getting that cast, because I was an unknown," he says. "Worse, a television director."

Mr. Happy: "I like exploring pathos through lunacy," says Haggis. "Right now in America, we like to put on white hats and sum people up in an instant. My job is to subvert that."

Crash officially has a 100% now on Rotten Tomatoes as it received its 6th review. Things are looking good so far. Let's just see how it holds from here on out.

I wonder what its reception was like at the Toronto Film Festival last year.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0375679/news

The appearance at the Toronto Film Festival of a movie titled Crash, by writer-director Paul Haggis , has ruffled the feathers of the Canadian makers of another film with the same title, released in 1996. The new film, which was enthusiastically received when it debuted at the festival on Friday, has reportedly been sold to Lions Gate Films for $4 million. But today's (Wednesday) Toronto Star reports that the makers of the earlier Crash movie are upset over the title. The newspaper said that Victor Loewy , distribution chief of Alliance Atlantis, has written to the producers of Haggis's film notifying them that Alliance Atlantis owns the title and plan to take legal action. Director David Cronenberg commented, "It's self-defeating if they use the same title, and will just lead to a lot of confusion and marketing problems." In its report, the Star quoted entertainment lawyer Michael Levine as saying that "the right to titles is a very murky area." A check with the Internet Movie Database indicates that, over the years, more than a dozen films titled Crash have been produced, including one made in 1996, the same year as Cronenberg's.

I dunno.

Usually with titles I go with the "best known owns the title" type of defense. There are some like Moulin Rouge which will be remembered for both films. Million Dollar Baby definately will more be remembered for Clint's film...

But Crash (1996) and Crash (2005) are too close together and too... they shoot for the same indie, cult audience in a way. It's self defeating.

Haggis should have renamed the film in my opinion. Since I haven't seen the new Crash, all I can think about is Sandra Bullock and Don Cheadle having sex in the back seat of a crashing Ford pickup.

I just listened to Ebert and Roeper's early review

and I am speechless.

I tried to keep myslef away from knowing the plot of the film, but I couldn't help it. And while now I don't know the exact plot of the film I know exactly what it's about and their comments second by second add on to my anticipation.

If it strikes a chord with all the critics I think it will stick around for awards season, even if it would have been more successful (critically and financially) if released in say October or November. The release seems sooo completely out of place but I do want to see it so badly, I'm going nuckin futs!!!!

I did a bit of a recap of what is known about the film in the Cinemania thread. The info doesn't ruin the movie, it just ups the anticipation, as I covered what the themes of the movie are and who the characters are. I can't wait. I need to add Crash in my signature, right ahead of Batman Begins.

The reviews for this film seem to be WAY better than I anticipated.

I expected most critics to LIKE tihs movie, but not actualyl love it...which seems to be the case at this point.

I think at least one or two nominations are extremely possible, if not likely. It also depends on how well it performs at the box office.

My older brother saw it, and was really blown away too. He said that it's his favorite film of the year so far easy (he didn't love Kung Fu Hustle quiiite as much as I did ) and that if it gets seen by enough people it'll definitely do well come Oscar season. One interesting thing that he made me think of when I said it might be coming out too early was that Lion's Gate coudl release this on DVD in November/December, especially if it has great legs (which I'm almost positive it will). What with DVD being such a growing format as it is and most movies making far more on that then theaters, I really think that this could get a Best Picture nomination if all the cards fall into place. There's a reason I thought the trailer was better then Sin City and Star Wars in my trailer review.

No, its too early in the year to even be recognized once oscar season comes along and it's not like its getting an overwhelming positive response. Hell Magnolia came out in December and that only got 3 nominations ( best supporting actor, screenplay, song ) I'd hope to see Cheadle nominated for supporting, I could care less about the rest of the cast.

Realistically, the early release date hurts, but it's still not impossible for some recognition if it's really powerful and remembered come awards season.

It would also help with a pre-awards rerelease and of course, the almighty DVD.

I, too, think that its Oscar prospects have been cut short by its release date and I just don't understand the motive in this early May release amidst all the blockbuster fare.

But there are a few things that are working towards this early date....

1) It will be on DVD come awards season and much easier to access and watch
2) Having absolutely no front-runner for this year's awards (as opposed to last year's buzzed Aviator) this could take the lead for most of the time until December rolls around and if nothing as good comes along, it's pretty good from there on.
3) We haven't had a havey-weight pre-winter release nod in a while and they might want to spice things up.
Remember Gladiator (which won) and Erin Brockovich released in February!! (by the way I'm not counting Seabiscuit as a heavy-weight nom, cuz it really had no chances.)