Give reasons for why Crash won

* It was the only "non-boring" movie to be nominated.
* It was the only nominee that emotional feely throughout rather than cold repression.
* People actually love this movie whereas the other nominees are more "respected"
* Most voters are friends with at least one person that worked in the movie.
* The voting process was secret ballot so no shame in voting for personal choice.

Pretty much. Also, one could consider the BP race being much like a presidential race, where they simply vote for one of the Top 2 contenders (In this case, Crash and BBM), and those that were annoyed/creeped out by BBM voted for Crash.

I have to disagree. I found some of the other films nominated far more enjoyable!

In fact I found 'crash' pretty dull.

These two are actually very important reasons and I agree with them.

I'd also add that people did not feel bad voting for it since racism is just as much of an issue as homophobia. Personally (and I know, I know that most will disagree with me), I thought that racism as an issue was handled better in Crash than homophobia was in BBM.

BBM wasn't suppose to be dealing with homophobia... its a love story. Granted it had to have a bit of that in the story coz its an issue homosexual people have to deal with... but thats not the reason behind making the film.

I hate that it has to be about an issue. but I agree that people would have voted crash because of it subject matter.

I think that many of those who voted for BBM voted for it because of the subject matter as well.

Maybe crash qwon because of the nominated films, it was the best one.

No. There is no "best". Quality is relative.

Crash's win was the biggest upset since SPR's loss, probably even bigger than that. It reminded me of Polanski getting Best Director and Brody getting Best Actor. There are explanations, though, as to why Crash won. The fact that probably 98% of black Academy members voted for it might be one thing, but the fact is also that the movie was actually beloved, whether some people like it or not. See its positioning at IMDB.

It was the most accesible film, the less subtle and the biggest emotional powerhouse of the 5 BP nominees. The other were too small, or bleak, or subdued to take it.

And Ebert and Oprah were behind it. It wouldn´t have had better support even if Lady Di had come back from the dead and started campaining for it!

Make it political all you want, but of the five nominated films, it was the best.

Best according to who? I mean the AMPAS thought it was the best (which is all that matters in this debate), some of KJ thought it was the best, Ebert and Roeper...

But then you have the equally large amount of people who didn't think it was hot at all. Not to mention it's RT rating.

So yeah, the best is relative.

scrapin the barrel.

Crash deserves its win.
Brokeback Mt deserved it marginally more though.

What he said..


(or even Martin Luther King... )

Even if the academy voted it best picture by a 51% vote, then that is teh best picture of the year. I am ecstatic about this. Of all the times I think my favourite has been robbed (Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, JAWS, E.T. FOTR ) this is finally a year when I can say a film that I liked best won.

So wait, is it AMPAS now the owner of the only valid opinion in movies out there?

Does that mean "A beautiful mind" was the best movie of 2001?

* Shoots himself *

i believe he meant best picture ... according to the oscars.

Loyal wasn´t disputing that... It´s clear that the movie was the best for AMPAS, isn´t it? That´s why it won. Unless ol´ Jack was joking, and this is all a big practical joke tryint to drive forums users to suicide and put an end to world overpopulation. Or something.

I'm surprised that no one has said this, but Crash takes place in LA! Familiarity breeds liking...

. Alot of people in hollywood dont wanna see a movie about homosexuals win thus Crash was the second choice on the list based on buzz and hype

If anyone thinks im wrong when I say alot of people on the academy who got screeners for brokeback probably didnt even pop it in to watch it, then well ummm you're wrong.

This might sound bad, but...

Members voted against Brokeback Mountain because it was gay.

Members voted for Crash because of the racism.

Gay and Homophobia are much lesser evolved issues than Racism. These days, being morally against racism is 100% thought of as the right thing to do. By far the majority of American are on that side, if you ask ANYBODY on the street about Racism, they'll say it's wrong. Protecting gay rights though? Not so much. Gay is still used commonly as insults, and it's the country's most joked about topic. Every SNL episode, every comedy movie. People generally laugh at gay people. It's sad, but true. While Brokeback breached a lot of borders, there was still a lot more people that didn't go to it because it was gay. So when some academy members were voting, there was probably some thoughts like: "Racism is bad! ARRRRRR! I must vote for Crash" vs "Brokeback...Gay people...Um...It's important...but...Racism is bad! Must vote for Crash!" Homophobia isn't a topic that the average American will jump into long debates about defending yet, it just hasn't reached that comfortable level. I mean honestly, for straight males here, do you have arguments while shooting hoops about how gay people are mistreated? No. I'll admit that talking about that subject in public is extremely awkward for me too. When I went to school after seeing Brokeback Mountain, I didn't tell everyone that I saw it.

And also, you know, they just really liked the movie.

Well this is one of the few instances of an L.A. set film doing well. Magnolia didn't score this many Oscars. So did Mulholland Drive.

Killuminati is right, Crash's racism/redemption themes are a much safer choice than overt homosexuality. And the most likely hesitation of members to watch Brokeback screeners.

And of course every Academy member and their dogs are in the movie Crash.

Crash seems to be one of those films people either love or hate. (Note: I have not seen it yet).

I know this is meaningless when Oscar votes, but I think it is interesting to see where it fits in on the ol' RT score:

Good Night and Good Luck (94%)
Capote (91%)
Brokeback Mountain (86%)
Munich (78%)
Crash (77%)

If the top 5 non-documentary mainstream films had been nominated, the Oscars would have been between:

Wallace and Gromit (95%)
The Squid and the Whale (95%)
Good Night and Good Luck (94%)
Capote (91%)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (89%)

Maybe Crash also won because the producers or whoever, sent out 130,000 DVD's to all around Hollywood along with gifts (I swear that seems like a high number, but that's what I heard on TV, and I believe everything I hear). It may not be a question of the best film winning, but whose producers wanted it more.

It is entirely possible, given the effect Harvey Weinstein had on campaigning, anyone who paid attention could have lerned a few things.

In the end any time you give out an award part of it its popularity/political, in voting rarely does th ebest win because best is such a subjective question.

This conspriacy stuff is ridiculous.