Oscars 2006: A Perspective

You're probably reading the title and going, "Isn't this old news?" And it is. It is old news. But I now feel compelled (and better prepared) to share my feelings on the contenders. Having now seen four of the five nominees for Best Motion Picture of the Year, I have a much better perspective on why some winners deserved their trophies, and why others did not. Keep in mind, however, that I am not an expert film-critic, nor have I deluded myself into thinking that my opinion is the only one that matters.

"Here with us today is Steven Spielberg, sir I believe we have never met. Mr. Spielberg is the director of Schindler's List and Munich. Wow, Schindler's List and Munich. I think I speak for all Jews when I say, 'oh boy, I can't wait to see what happens to us next. Trilogy!"
- John Stewart, Oscars 2006

Munich was an exceptional film. Eric Bana is fantastic as Avner, the Mossad agent recruited to lead a group of men in a mission of retaliation against the Palestinians who murdered the Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. I'll admit that I have a very limited knowledge as to how factual, or fictional, this depiction really is, but as a member of the audience I was drawn right in. I watched in horror as Avner pursued his targets, all the while learning what it was to be human and what it was to know the true cost of war. Especially poignant was his conversation with a Palestinian while he pretended to be German. Here is this Israeli Mossad agent forced to be civil with a member of the opposing government. What really makes this scene is that only as an outsider is Avner able to provoke an intelligent discussion that does not simply end with the answer, "because you are Israeli/Palestinian." As a German onlooker, he is able to really question the motives and purpose of the war, saying to him "isn't it possible that this war is wrong? That what you believe to be right could simply be wrong?" (paraphrased from the film). This scene as well as Bana's portrayal of Avner's descent into madness as his mission slowly consumes him and everything he has come to know really made this film one not to be taken lightly.

"It's as if Perry and I grew up in the same house. And one day he went out the back door, and I went out the front."
- Truman Capote, Capote

Then there's Capote. The story of Truman Capote who wrote the book In Cold Blood, a book about Perry Ellis Smith and the Kansas family murders. Philip Seymour Hoffman does a fabulous turn as the intriguing Truman Capote, chronicling his investigation and research for his book. What I loved most about this film is that the audience gets to see all the different faces of Mr. Capote. He's a friend, a confidante, a liar, a traitor, a writer, a party-goer, and a human being, all in one. When we are introduced to Truman, he is a fun-loving and interesting character. As the film progresses, he becomes almost as much a monster as the subject of his book, who very pointedly undergoes a reverse sort of transformation in the eyes of the viewers. By the end of the film, I came to loathe Truman and in turn found comfort in the simple nature of Perry Smith. I empathized with Perry Smith and his surrender to his fate. More than anything, I hated the way Truman betrayed Perry. I hated that he lied to everyone around him, even when he knew those people could see through the facade. "I couldn't have done anything to save them," says Truman to Nelle Harper Lee to which she replies, "Maybe not, Truman. But the truth is, you didn't want to." However, this is the reason for which I would have chosen Philip Seymour Hoffman over Heath Ledger in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category. There is a transformation here that, although a little less subtle, is worthy of an award that is supposed to symbolize excellence (more on that later).

I have not seen Good Night, and Good Luck, though I can only imagine it must also be an excellent film if it was competing with the likes of these other films.

Saving the best for last are Brokeback Mountain and Crash. First we'll tackle the one who deserved it most but didn't get it: Brokeback Mountain.

"Tell you what, we could a had a good life together, a fuckin real good life. You wouldn't do it, Ennis, so what we got now is Brokeback Mountain. Everything built on that. It's all we got, boy, fuckin all, so I hope you know that if you don't never know the rest. Count the damn few times we been together in twenty years. Measure the fuckin short leash you keep me on, then ask me about Mexico and then tell me you'll kill me for needin it and not hardly never gettin it. You got no fuckin idea how bad it gets. I'm not you. I can't make it on a couple a high-altitude fucks once or twice a year. You're too much for me, Ennis, you son of a whoreson bitch. I wish I knew how to quit you."
- Jack Twist, Brokeback Mountain

Annie Proulx's tale of two cowboys who fall in love is a moving and heart-wrenching one. It leaves you feeling numb inside, there simply is no other way of describing the emotions this film evokes. The most important fact to note, however, is that it is not a story about "gay" cowboys, but rather a story about two people who fall in love and despite all their best efforts are separated by means of brute force. It is the spitting image of intolerance in our society, that others feel the need to intervene in what concerns them the least. I'm tempted to compare this to gay marriage, but we'll save that topic for another day when it can be properly addressed. Though Brokeback Mountain won three of the awards for which it was nominated, the biggest one of all was stolen from it. The reason I believe this is because Brokeback Mountain is the essence of excellence when it comes to films. This is evidenced by the exceptional (I'm running out of superlatives, can't you tell?) cinematography, the wonderfully crafted musical score, and the simple yet complex acting skills of the actors and actresses. Gustavo Santaolalla's beautiful score is heavily underlined by the theme which has three parts, each of which builds in intensity as the film progresses. The main theme, "The Wings" really grabs you by the collar and hits hardest at the core. Images showing the flat prairies, and the mountainous ranges that house Brokeback Mountain itself are perfectly captured by Rodrigo Prieto in his cinematography. Alberta was undoubtedly the best location for filming, and Mr. Prieto does a fabulous job of capturing its essence. And finally, the lead actors and actresses have all crafted superb characters that really project their emotions with true feeling. The cast leaves nothing to be desired in their portrayals of Ennis, Jack, Alma, and Lureen. All-in-all, this is a film that cannot be ignored simply because the material is "uncomfortable." It ought to have been the poster-child for quality film-making.

Which brings us to Crash. Or as Mrs. Proulx so aptly called it, "Trash." I'll admit that this was a relatively good movie. And note that I'm willing to call this simply a movie and not a film. It does not carry the distinguished eloquence of a film. Recounting the lives of various characters who, by means of physical crashes, interact with each other and learn the consequences of racism. Director, Paul Haggis, intended this movie to be a commentary on the pervasiveness of and rampant racism in our society. From a white woman crossing the street to avoid a younger black man, to a store clerk calling a Persian man "Osama." The truth of the matter is that there is no subtlety to Haggis' message. It seems that everytime an opportunity for a racist remark came up, he had the actors spew out blatantly racist lines. Now take that perspective and spin it on its head. Does anyone really act this way? Do we really say everything that we think? Society, rather than voicing its every thought, now teaches us to think before we speak. Yes, racism is present in our society, and yes it is a problem that must be dealt with, but this is clearly not a groundbreaking way to do so. If we wanted a message on how not to be racist, then this would be an ideal commercial or televised statement. But it does not take the audience and teach them something about racism. If anything, it shows them what society is not like and how we already don't behave ourselves. I have argued this point with others, and their replies are that our knowledge is limited by life in Canada. Have any of us lived in Los Angeles and borne witness to such obvious racism? Not really. I've visited L.A., and I can safely say that not all white women crossed the street to avoid black men. People did not publicly fear Chinese drivers, saying "oh my god, she might hit my car with hers!" It simply does not happen that way. But perhaps the characters portrayed in Crash are of a limited scope? Again, this is untrue. Haggis attempts to show that racism is present in all levels of society, from the rich upper class, to the hard-working middle-man. So why then is Crash considered a movie worth the golden statuette? Because it's a safe topic, and because the voters sympathize more with a movie that is close to home. Why vote for a film that actually succeeds in breaking barriers when they can vote for a movie that is more akin to a "home team?" That's why Crash won Best Motion Picture of the Year.

To end my dreadfully long perspective on the Oscar films, I would like to comment briefly on some of the other winners. La Marche de L'empereur for Best Documentary, Features is a wonderful film on the long trek made by Emperor Penguins during mating season, fully revealing their arduous and often incredible way of living. Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year is also more deserving of its Oscar over Tim Burton's Corpse Bride since it presents to us something that isn't simply The Nightmare Before Christmas with the dead instead of Halloween characters. The award that really bothers me, though, is Reese Witherspoon's victory over Felicity Huffman in Best Actress in a Lead Role. Though I haven't seen Walk The Line, I believe Transamerica would have been an infinitely harder role to play. As Bree, Felicity Huffman learned to be a woman playing a man wanting to be a woman (and eventually becoming a woman). I don't know about you, but that strikes me as really damned challenging. And she succeeds too. I won't go into why I think Transamerica wasn't nominated, because it falls along the same lines as to why Brokeback Mountain didn't win.

"My body may be a work-in-progress, but there is nothing wrong with my soul."
- Sabrina "Bree" Osbourne, Transamerica

And that concludes my perspective on the 2006 Oscars and it's nominees & winners. Thank you for getting this far, this is probably -- no wait, it is the longest entry so far.