I told someone that I couldn’t really say this out loud for fear that gay men will hit me with Manolo leather slingbacks – that so what Crash beat out Brokeback Mountain to win the best picture Oscar? While serving nicely as conspiracy fodder for the entertainment media is kind of a farce in itself, it’s the ‘how could the Academy snub a movie that’s clearly far superior to the winning flick??’ by them that’s really annoying.
While snubbed they were, Brokeback Mountain isn’t a better movie than Crash. In fact the field this year was so strong that I’m surprised the other nominees aren’t making noise about losing to Crash. Let’s count our blessings that this year was a bumper crop of brilliant movies. I mean do you remember last year’s choices? The Aviator? Sideways? Million Dollar Baby? Ugh.
But I digress.
A few days ago some Brokeback fans took out a full page ad in The Variety to thank the people behind the movie. This, I surmise, is in response to not netting the Best Picture Oscar. Which (this is where my Manolo fears materialised) seems a little dramatic for me. The ad cost Brokeback’s fans $18000 – an impressive amount raised in a matter of days. It just seems like a humongous waste of money to let people know that you think the Academy’s got it wrong. Think about what eighteen big ones can do for charity; shelters that take in gay kids who are abused at home and the likes. Just saying, ya know? Because, I think Heath Ledger, Ang Lee, Jake Gyllenhaal and all the rest don’t need an ad to tell them they’re loved.
Oh, and one last thing.. you can’t win ‘em all. Just ask Pete Carroll and USC’s football team.
maybe the ad was more to say “Hey, we’re out here. We support this kind of programming”
Sure the money could’ve gone towards a charity, which would’ve been more altruistic or whatever, but it’s wouldn’t've had the same effect, people wouldn’t've noticed as much as a huge expensive ad.
*shrugs* just my opinion.
I think a press release along with the donation to charity would have the same effect. but yea, to me 18k would have helped further the gay agenda (teehee) in better ways than an ad in variety.