Oscars

[Mr D Black]

What does everyone think of the films that won the major awards, Brookback', Crash, Capote, Syriana and The Constant Gardener? Are they worth watching, or are they the usual "critically acclaimed" rubbish that usually wins?

After watching the oscars my overriding thoughts were none of it was funny; the host was dreadful (bring back Billy Crystal); Dolly Parton is unbelievably thin, with a dreadful song; Jennifer Anniston is not that hot.

What are everyone else's thoughts?

[netibiza]

"Crash" was quite good, although I got very confused until the end.

"Brokeback Mountain" was beautifully filmed but not my sort of film.

Haven't seen the others.

[Trojanfarce]

I can definitely recommend Crash, absolute cracker of a film. Not seen the rest though

[Denise S.]

I thought Brokeback Mountain was a beautiful film. I cried at the end. The acting and scenery - just superb. By the way- my husband refused to go with me I went with a friend, not offensive - just a love story that lasted 20 years.

[auntiebertie]

The Constant Gardener is fantastic andhighly recommended - thought that BBMountain was a bit 'weak', and haven't seen the others

[JudgeJ]

I made it a firm rule never to watch any films that have won or which have been nominated for Oscars. I did this after watching (or more accurately, enduring) two "highly acclaimed" films - "Ghandi" and "A Passage to India". I would not know for sure, of course, but I don't think I've missed anything.

[Mr D Black]

Silence of the lambs was the only Best Picture winner I enjoyed.

[fideldyfee]

BBMountain was really good but I preferred Crash. Some really great scenes and i cried through most of it!

[Mr D Black]

With Capotem do you have to know who Trueman Capote is to enjoy the film? In the clips i've seen PSH loooks and sounds very irritating.

[CT]

Crash isn't really a typical oscar winner. It's more like Magnolia. One of the best films I saw over the summer.

[auntiebertie]

Agree with JudgeJ - "Forrest Gump" is a pile of p** that springs to mind!!!!

[eye_nose]

I've seen all the films nominated for the major awards and all are very good, with the exception of Crash, which I wouldn't have even nominated.

Best of the bunch were Brokeback Mountain, Syriana and Good Night and Good Luck.

The Constant Gardener was very good, but I found it a little too 'arty' and you don't need to know anything about Truman Capote to enjoy the film, as it's is predominantly about his involvement with a famous American murder case.

[Philtaz]

Only seen Syriana so far. Probably so frighteningly true to life as well! Good film, pace moves along nicely to the culmination.

[sp1814]

I go to the cinema quite a lot and luckily I saw all five nominated films:

1. Capote - Philip Seymour Hoffman deserved his Oscar, but I don't think the film itself was as great as his performance. It's outstanding in the same way that Monster (starring Chalize Theron) was a couple of years back (good film with a stunning lead).

2. Brokeback Mountain - blinding film. Great filming making by a true master. Also good to see a love story where the gay characters are reduced to silly stereotypes or simply perform as comic relief to the main story.

3. Munich - shocking...just shocking. Brilliantly made and well acted...but more than anything, I was shocked at it being a Spielberg film.

4. Crash - my favourite film of the year until I saw Brokeback Mountain. Makes you re-evaluate your own perceptions of racsims - and Matt Dillion was superb in it.

5. Good Night And Good Luck - beautiful film...should've got the award for Best Cinematography. It genuinely feels like a film from the 50s. Blinding...loved it.

First time that I've liked all five films. I wish Brokeback had won, but at least the awards were dished out fairly.

[sp1814]

In answer to Mr D Black - no you don't really need to know anything about Truman Capote to enjoy the film. In fact, I enjoyed aspects of the film which my partner already knew - like his mate Harper Lee, who accompanies him down to Kansas to interview the killers, was the woman who wrote 'To Kill A Mockingbird'.

Really good film...but all you'll remember is PSH. He's outstanding.

[sp1814]

D'Uh - I should've written "aren't reduced to silly stereotypes."

[livk]

agree with virtually everything SP has said, except that BB Mountain is a tad too long for me -- beautiful scenery, wonderful story but just too long. I actually thought Crash deservedly won best picture and if you only pick one fim to see out of the five, then it should be Crash, but for the first time in many many years, all 5 films are all worth watching.

[robbo82]

I'm so glad Crash won best picture. I saw it on a whim when it first came out in the States, and it was without doubt the best film I saw all year. The script, the acting and the direction were all superb. I often don't agree with the Oscar winners, but they got it spot on this year.

[clueless2]

Well, Crash and Brokeback Mountain are a tie, apparently, and although I agree with Brokeback, I think its number 1 contender should've been Constant Grardener, which is an equally beautiful film with an even more significant message.

Although Crash is a good movie, definitelly worth watching, I think it was just a tad over-hyped. The topic it explores is definitely worth exploring, but most of the messages put across are really common sense. It's rewarding to be tolerant. Duh.

Capote is an alright movie. Hoffman's performance is worthy of all the praise, but if I was dishing out Oscars I'd give it to Heath Ledger. If only.

Good Night is very good. Thoroughly enjoyed that. People keep saying that it's heavy, which I don't get because it flows very smoothly and is quite briskly-paced.

Syriana and Munich I haven't seen, but if the source I got my information from about the rest of them is to be trusted, it's looking good.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of movies that came out this year. All of them were top notch.

Other than that I generally stay away from the kind of material the Academy seems to appreciate so much (Titanic anyone?)

So, yeah, good year, great films, see all of them.