TreKBBS Academy Awards #22: Best Picture, 2000

[Star Treks]

22nd in a series of polls examining the opinion of you, the TrekBBS users. Which of the original five Academy Award nominees actually should have won? Up next: Best Picture, 2000... which nominee deserved the award most? Comments encouraged.

 

[DeafPoet]

Crouching Tiger by a country mile. Although Gladiator, which won, was almost as deserving.

As a side note, these threads are awesome, Star Treks, keep 'em coming!

 

[Star Treks]

I'll share my opinion, because I actually know the movies of this year pretty well: of the nominees, I was rooting hard for Traffic and Gladiator didn't work well for me (and I am a big Ridley Scott fan). Of course, no offense intended to those who disagree - just my own take. Some would probably argue that there were other movies in 2000 more deserving of a nomination than some that were ultimately picked - Memento and O Brother come to mind.

Thanks for the encouragement, DeafPoet. I'm enjoying doing these threads. Also enjoyed your reason for editing your post.

 

[Aragorn]

I only saw two movies, but I'm not sure why Gladiator was not only nominated but won! Sure it was a fun movie -- like, for example, Ghost -- but why was it a Best Picture nominee? Like Ghost!

 

[DeafPoet]

I'll share my opinion, because I actually know the movies of this year pretty well: of the nominees, I was rooting hard for Traffic and I've always thought Gladiator was overrated (and I am a big Ridley Scott fan). Some would probably argue that there were other movies in 2000 more deserving of a nomination than some that were ultimately picked - Memento and O Brother come to mind.

I forgot about the other good movies that year. I hated, hated, hated O, Brother but Memento was a gem. Was Magnolia 2000 or was it '99? 'Cause that would be a contender.

 

[Star Treks]

I'll share my opinion, because I actually know the movies of this year pretty well: of the nominees, I was rooting hard for Traffic and I've always thought Gladiator was overrated (and I am a big Ridley Scott fan). Some would probably argue that there were other movies in 2000 more deserving of a nomination than some that were ultimately picked - Memento and O Brother come to mind.

I forgot about the other good movies that year. I hated, hated, hated O, Brother but Memento was a gem. Was Magnolia 2000 or was it '99? 'Cause that would be a contender.

Magnolia was nominated in '99 (though not for best picture). But I would have picked it over any of the 2000 nominees (or any of the '99 nominees for that matter).

Not positive, but think Requiem for a Dream was eligible this year, as well; another very fine take on drugs, far more disturbing than Traffic and probably the more enduring film as well.

 

[DeafPoet]

I'll share my opinion, because I actually know the movies of this year pretty well: of the nominees, I was rooting hard for Traffic and I've always thought Gladiator was overrated (and I am a big Ridley Scott fan). Some would probably argue that there were other movies in 2000 more deserving of a nomination than some that were ultimately picked - Memento and O Brother come to mind.

I forgot about the other good movies that year. I hated, hated, hated O, Brother but Memento was a gem. Was Magnolia 2000 or was it '99? 'Cause that would be a contender.

Magnolia was nominated in '99 (though not for best picture). But I would have picked it over any of the 2000 nominees (or any of the '99 nominees for that matter).

Not positive, but think Requiem for a Dream was eligible this year, as well; another very fine take on drugs, far more disturbing than Traffic and probably the more enduring film as well.

I agree that Requiem and Traffic aren't even in the same league but I'm not as enamored with Requiem as some seem to be. There's such a thing as too bleak. And this is coming from a guy who loves BSG and wants it to be darker

 

[Kira's Mom]

I voted for nothing. I only liked Gladiator and Erin Brockovich, and neither was worthy of Best Picture.

I really didn't care much for Crouching Tiger. It bored me.

 

[DeafPoet]

I really didn't care much for Crouching Tiger. It bored me.

But... but... it had people fighting with swords while flying through bamboo! What's not to like?!

Seriously though, I can see why it's not everyone's bag. You have to be into kung-fu movies and suspend a metric fuck-load of disbelief.

As a side thought, is this the first and only time a foreign language film has been nominated for Best Pic? I can't think of any others but I have a goldfish-style memory.

 

[T'Baio]

I voted for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but I am perfectly pleased with Traffic. It was a great film. I wish Soderbergh had won his director trophy for this instead of Brockovich. Isn't that how it went? He won director for Brokovich but film for Traffic?

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

I voted for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but I am perfectly pleased with Traffic. It was a great film. I wish Soderbergh had won his director trophy for this instead of Brockovich. Isn't that how it went? He won director for Brokovich but film for Traffic?

No, Gladiator won Best Picture and Soderbergh won Best Director for Traffic.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

For comparison, the top-rated films on IMDB eligible for Oscars in 2000 are:

Memento (8.7)
Requiem for a Dream (8.5)
Gladiator (8.3)
Snatch (8.2)
Almost Famous (8.0)
Dancer in the Dark (7.8)
O Brother, Where Art Thou (7.8)
Traffic (7.8)
You Can Count on Me (7.7)
High Fidelity (7.6)
Remember the Titans (7.5)
Wonder Boys (7.5)
American Psycho (7.4)
Best in Show (7.4)
Cast Away (7.4)
The Emperor's New Groove (7.4)
X-Men (7.4)
Chicken Run (7.3)
Chocolat (7.3)
Frequency (7.3)
Quills (7.3)
Thirteen Days (7.3)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, one of the rare foreign language films to be nominated for Best Picture, scores an 8.1.

I was fine with Gladiator winning, but Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon gets my vote. Memento and Cast Away should have been nominated, though, and Cast Away would be my pick for the film that should have won.

 

[Star Treks]

That list reminds me.

I know it rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, but I absolutely adore Dancer in the Dark... it's one of my all-time favorite films, even though it's so wrenching I've only managed to watch it all the way through twice. Every aspect of this movie was utterly stunning and near-perfect. If I gave out awards, it would have been my movie of the year.

 

[T'Baio]

Gladiator won Best Picture?

Ugh...that's horrible.

 

[Thrall]

Takes me back. This was when The Academy nominated films people actually saw.

 

[Aragorn]

I thought Wonder Boys was an awesome film. Should've been up there over Erin Brockovich.

 

[Piper]

A good year, but I've gone for Traffic over CTHD as it has more substance.

 

[CorporalClegg]

^
Nonsense.

Crouching Tiger... is one of the deeper films of the last ten years. Most people can't see past the kung fu.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Gladiator.

Crouching Tiger is a great, deep, wuxiapeng, but it's only really mindblowing if you haven't seen a lot of such flicks- cos there are a lot of better ones, and, yes, deeper ones, out there that didn't have a director who's percieved as "arty" by the likes of the Academy.

 

[J.T.B.]

As a side thought, is this the first and only time a foreign language film has been nominated for Best Pic? I can't think of any others but I have a goldfish-style memory.

There have been a few, Life Is Beautiful and Il Postino come to mind from more recent years. Grand Illusion was an early one, IIRC.

I voted for Traffic. To me, Gladiator was one of Scott's most under-whelming films.

--Justin