Worst Movie of the Year?

Richard Kim, of The Nation Magazine, recently posted on the publication's blog that he felt the recent Academy Award Winner for Best Picture, Crash, was the worst film of 2005. He even went so far as to say he would have left the theatre if not forced to watch the entire movie.

For your consideration, my message to Richard Kim:

"Wow. I have also studied film and I have to say that I am surprised by your assessment of Crash. To take issue with one of your specific statements (which reveals an overall misunderstanding of the themes and the execution of story in the film), the "racist cop"--as you erroneously put it, couching something in platitudes when the presentation is in fact much broader--is anything but a "good guy" in the end. Surely you can see the larger picture here.

He is in fact, like nearly every character in the movie, round. If you've studied story craft you'll know this is the best and truest type of character: a round character reflects all of us, as no one is without moments of both selfish prejudice (in the broad sense) and genuine humanity. This is one of the strengths of Crash, that it is able to reflect humanity, its machinations and its miracles, with such effectiveness.

Clearly, Crash is far from the worst movie of the year. Or have you not gotten around to seeing Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo? I think in fact both your post's title and your disgust are manufactured. If not, they are certainly hyperbolic."

R J Woerheide
Editor in Chief