I love Crash. This is definitely a movie that earns all the accolades it has received over the years and was a no-brainer to win Best Picture. I could care less about those few that say it stole the Oscar. Whatever. I've lost track in how many times I've seen this one and it still has yet to lose a step with me. I think the reason why I'm drawn to this one as much as I am is because it's actually a film about something. It actually has something to say and get other people in an open dialogue about Racism and Ignorance and the effects it has on those around us. This is a movie that you can't just walk away from. Whether your a  h a r d c o r e  film buff or a casual one at that, you will definitely walk away from it thinking about what you just say.

There are so many "small" parts of Crash that make this a much bigger picture in the end. The closet rival of course would be Magnolia, where a bunch of "stand alone" stories end up coming together as one at the end. Everything from the writing (flawless) to the superb direction by Paul Haggis (brilliant) to the incredible ensemble cast of Matt Dillion, Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton, Terrance Howard, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Larenz Tate, Michael Peņa and Ryan Phillippe (all amazing) to the soundtrack make this a truly unique film that will have legs that go the distance in being relevant many years later.

This is one of the films that I always keep in the back of my mind when I'm writing my own stories and how to approach writing engaging, compelling and complex characters. Crash is more about character than plot, because for first time viewers of the film, you really don't know where the story is going so it's going to need to survive on the characters to get you there. And everyone's story has a unique take on what racism means to them and how they deal and handle the situations they find themselves in.  I highly recommend this as a Buy. Be sure to get the 2-Disc Director's Cut Edition DVD for all the bonuses.

Your review might be the only thing that might make me interested in seeing that movie.

I think I saw bits and pieces of it when I was an usher (didn't Marina Sirtis have a small part in the flick?) and it didn't do anything for me.  And I think I got this impression of it being a little too up it's own butt and self-important.  Maybe that's not how it is, I don't know, but it's in MY head as well when I do drama, I want to avoid my own dramas coming out like MY perception of the movie, if that makes any sense.

I think I will bust out Magnolia tomorrow night and revisit it and see if things have change for me regarding the movie....good or bad. But I was kinda wanting to do a mini Paul Thomas Anderson marathon though, starting with Hard Eight, Boogie Nights and then Magnolia. We shall see.

I haven't seen Magnolia either, now that I think about it.  Or Boogie Nights, though I have been wanting to see that (and I can figure one thing about that movie I know YOU like, Chip, hee hee hee).

Heather for the win!!! She is fantastic in Boogie Nights. The movie as a whole is great and definitely Paul's crowning achievement.

You'd THINK I'd have seen that movie by this point.  I am rather curious to hear your review of it.

Oh, I will have PLENTY to say about Boogie Nights for sure. There's a lot of great scenes throughout the entire movie. One other things, half the cast that's in Boogie Nights is also in Magnolia as well.