Crash.

[sadistikdreams]

Yeah, so I saw it tonight.
Good goddamn motherfuckin movie.

If you want a movie that deals racism, cops, and overall prejudice. If you wanna see Ludacris slamming on rap, Brendan Fraser acting serious(which was hilarious), Sandra Bullock freaking out everytime you see her, Don Cheadle's ass, and much more, go see this.

Who else has seen it, and what'd you think?

[thesupermikey]

ive never seen the film, but ive read the book...wow...J. G. Ballard was one messed up guy

[sadistikdreams]

It's based off a book?

[SiN]

eh, imdb says there's a 'Crash' from 2004 (which is what stadistik's referring to) ...

and the Cronenberg film from 1996, based on Ballard's book ...which I've never seen/read (but mean to), but is also what I expected this thread to be about ...

[Charlatan]

Ballard and Cronenburg are the other Crash...

This Crash is written and directed by Paul Haggis the guy the wrote Million Dollar Baby. I just read a very positive review of this in one of my local entertainment weeklies...

[sadistikdreams]

Ooooh. That's what i was thinking after i looked on amazon.

But yeah, I highly reccomend this movie.

[aswo]

Very good movie, and if your from los angeles it rivals collateral as one of the better visual presentations of the city.

[Grasshopper Green]

I just got back from this movie...wow. It was intense, riveting, gritty, and well written. I was thoroughly impressed by all the acting in the movie...Brendan Fraser was the weakest IMO and I'm a fan of his...but he still did pretty well. I highly recommend this movie, it is excellent. I'd add a spoiler, but I don't know how

Edit: ok, so I just figured out how to add a spoiler.

Spoiler: The part when the Persian man shoots the little girl was horrifying and so intense, I almost burst into tears; there are a lot of good scenes like that.

[docbungle]

Just saw this last night. I actually felt tears in my eyes on 3 separate occasions. What an unbelievably moving 2 hours this was.

Spoiler: The scene where Matt Dillon saves the woman from the burning car was just an amazing scene.

[Cynthetiq]

i had screeners to it and i passed.....

i should have taken it.. oh well.. netflix or HBO

[sadistikdreams]

Oh man, I hadn't realised that is was in such limited release when I posted this.

And I gotta say, the mexican dad is really good dad. Let me just put it at that.

[Derwood]

Just got back from it. Incredibly well written and a terrific acting ensemble. The interweaving of the various characters in each others' lives was the best I've seen on film since "Magnolia" (and probably better in "Crash").

Who knew Ludacris could act?

Probably the best I've ever seen from Matt Dillon.

[keyshawn]

I saw this last week - it was amazing. At the theater [where I work part-time] It's been getting a steady amount of people for it and bringing in a diverse audience as well. The stereotypes in it are directly thrown at you and @ the characters, and created some moments which you'd say 'oh shit' - I'm surprised hollywood actors [bullock, dillon, ludacris] actually would take a script like this. I didn't kick out a couple teens who've sneaked into it.

the only question I had about the movie was - Spoiler: Why didn't Cameron, Ludacris' comrade, tell Officer Hanson that the reason for his laughter was due to the statue of st. christopher with him ?

While I don't want to allude to too much of Ludacris' performance in the film, I wonder if and how his dialogue [in the movie] will influence his music.

[Kostya]

Don Cheadle's ass...

I am so there...

[Knucklehead]

My girl, 15 minutes into 'Crash', said she didn't like it. Half an hour later, said it was the worst film I ever dragged her to... Silent the remainder of the film.

All last week, she would only talk about the film. Motives, reversals, opinions, characters..

Then she asked, "Do you think they will make a part 2 or sequel ?"

Gotta love a film that makes you think...

[k1ng]

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

i had screeners to it and i passed.....

I did too, but I decided to pay to see it and I'm glad that I did.

Crash was a GREAT film. I cannot wait for the DVD to be released so I can listen to the commentary(ies). There were some really intense scenes (mentioned in the spoilers above) that had everyone gripping the arm of their seat. At one point a lady next to me screamed out, turned her head, and put her arms in front of her. Those of you who have seen the film will probably be able to guess which scene I'm referring to.

If I'm out with some friends who haven't seen this yet, I will pay to watch it again with them.

At the time that I wrote this, Crash was listed as #152 of the top 250 movies on IMDB. To me, if a film makes it in the top 250 list while it's still in theaters, it's a sign of quality. There is a very good chance that I will go see it.

[warrrreagl]

My wife and I enjoyed it enough to want to go back again. However, this time, we don't want to sit surrounded by homies, gang-bangers, crazy Chinese, honkies, or black folks.

Seriously, though, we saw Sandra Bullock on Jay Leno the other night, and she was nearly incomprehensible when trying to describe this movie. It was almost as if she didn't get the point of her own movie.

[aberkok]

I just have to bump this because I just watched the movie and I was fuming for pretty much the whole thing, and not because I hate racism, but because of how poorly the story was put together. I'm lumping this in with the other two movies I despise...and I know I'm going to take a lot of flak for this: Dancer in the Dark and Requiem for a Dream.

All of these films have one key element in common which make me really mad. That is emotional manipulation by the writers. It seems that to aid in the characters' downfall, the writer (or writers) had to implement a excessive series of coincidences. The results of these coincidences being either a character has something horrible happen to them, or that they have some kind of revelation. I don't doubt that these things happen in real life...just not so many times in quick succession. I swear there must have been at least a dozen such coincidences in Crash. SPOILER AHEAD: Spoiler: One of the above posters asked why Don Cheadle's character's brother (the nicer of the two carjackers) didn't tell Ryan Phillipe about the statue of St.Christopher in his pocket....well if he did, then he wouldn't have been shot, would he? If he was smart enough to know that he was in a place where "not a lot of brothers get picked up," then would he know not to reach into his pocket after being picked up hitchhiking? What else...the blank ammo bought by the Persians.....by the end of the film it starts getting really dumb....the Persian girl works at the hospital where Cheadle's brother's body is....the Health Office lady (who argues with Matt Dillon) gets her car rear-ended...the list goes on...

Fine. It's only a movie, but it makes me angry when people equate getting emotional with the quality of a film. When you react to a film like this you are not reacting to the message of the film, you are reacting to the cheap emotional manipulation wrought by the filmmaker.

I liked Magnolia, though. It didn't take a high moral ground and right from the start, it lets you know it's nothing but a surreal film (which is supposed to have funny moments). It doesn't take itself as seriously as the "terrible three."

Don Cheadle pwns, though...bring on Miles Davis!!

[j8ear]

I was also quite moved by this film.

Anybody else really like the Tony Danza cameo...his interaction with Terrence Howard in the rehearsal scene.

That was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time.

-bear

[aberkok]

Originally Posted by j8ear

Anybody else really like the Tony Danza cameo...his interaction with Terrence Howard in the rehearsal scene.

Yes! I really liked that too. Who would have thought that Tony could be so...chilling.

[hambone]

This was fantastic. I never even heard about it till my sister told me I had to see it. Good all around.

[tommyboy]

I love any movie that makes you think for a week after.......highly recomend this film

[Roark]

When i first started watching it I thought it was kinda silly and depressing but by the end I really liked the movie it really made you think.. that part with the little girl and Persian brought me to tears the way it was shot and everything else you couldn't help but feel.

[cellophanedeity]

I thought the movie was well done, even if predictable and way too melodramatic.

It was interesting the way that they pulled everything together, even if it was not convincing. I figure that movies don't necissarily need to be convincing as long as there's meaning.

I appreciate the way that the movie highlights the way we treat other people. I hope that some people will try to change the way they treat people after the movies highlight of systemic racism and sexism.

Oh, and Abercock, I grouped it with Requiem for a Dream too. (though I think the worst movie for sensationalizing was The Butterfly Effect

[Ganggreen]

I have to agree with the majority, any movie that makes you sit down and talk about it after its over is a damn good one. This film forces self examination, which is either why people hate it or love it. I loved it. Prediction-will win "best screenplay" Oscar.

[trickyy]

i don't go to theaters much but i finally got to see this. i agree with the general sentiment toward the movie. and i'm glad the screenwriter stopped doing bad tv shows. also, the sound design was excellent until the last 2 cheesy songs. for a second, i thought i heard aimee mann. and i wish they hadn't shown "that word" on the side of the red box (captain obvious scores a writing credit).

collateral had better shots of the city at large (which i prefer), but i guess this movie had some good street level shots of los angeles (and a better story).

finally, the other crash movie is pretty darn weird but perhaps some of you would be intrigued.

[Aurakles]

Speaking of this film, when is Hollywood going to realize just how good of an actor Terrence Howard can be? (Seriously, Jamie Foxx has nothing on this man.) Just watch him in Hustle & Flow; the subject matter might not be for everyone, but the man sure put on a performance to be remembered. He was also good in Crash, but he was a star in Hustle & Flow. Anyway, sorry for the semi-thread-jack.