Just adding something... WHO CARES ABOUT WHO WON ANYWAY?!? We all know that the Academy can be completely off its rocker already! Just look back through the years and you will see countless films robbed. It's a stupid awards show, and it rewards films for the wrong reasons. But let us remember, NOTHING the Academy does can ever take away the strength and power of Brokeback Mountain. If anything, it will probably make it even stronger. Do you think that, just because it didn't win Best Picture in the Oscars, that people will discount the film? No, instead, people will discount the Academy. Trust me, the Academy needs this film more than the film needs the Academy. In years to come, the voters will look back and realize the mistake they've made.
So, even though I am still horribly disappointed and will have trouble sleeping tonight, I am slightly glad at this whole turn of events. Relying on wins (contingent on closed-minded voters) is a sad way to do justice to a film. The power of a film relies in the film itself.
So, Crash, good for you. I'm glad that you now have a lame-ass win under your belt.
I love your passion, however, if BBM had won best picture the lines at the theatre tomorrow would have been LONG. Now that it lost, less people will go see it and they WILL discount the film. People are led around blindly by the press and the critics. Believe me, this loss is no good for BBM.
Cora
Cora, I completely agree that BBM will lose viewers due to the loss, and I admit that it is a loss that much of the nation will miss out on a film due to this unfair loss. But I believe that due to the hype that's been surrounding the awards for a while now (and the bag of other wins), most of the people who would've had any inclination to see the film in the first place will not be too swayed by the results. And yes, this loss isn't good (I mean, it would've been incredible to have BBM forever titled as an academy award win), but then again, people forget. Give it a couple of years. In the long run, BBM will have such a strong mark on cinema that the loss really does merely point out the flaws of the academy, not the film.
I think it's always helpful to stand back and look at what really matters. Yes, I am VERY bummed about the loss, but I am bummed for slightly superficial reasons. I am bummed that it lacks a title, but then again, that's what a win is, a title. This film is already vindicated for its excellence (from other awards shows and critics groups). And it's a damn good film. And that's all that really matters.