There will be no new poll today. I’m cranky for various different reasons, and I don’t have a good question handy, so I’m not going to bother with it. However, I do have poll results from last week. The Worst Best Picture Travesty?
Saving Private Ryan loses to Shakespeare in Love.
I have to say I agree with this one whole heartedly. Saving Private Ryan is not my favorite movie on this list, but it’s certainly an excellent film, and the fact that it lost to Shakespeare in Love . . . SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE . . . is just the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. This makes no sense to me at all.
In a very close second place: Fargo loses to The English Patient. I can’t say I have much opinion about this one way or the other. I’ve never seen The English Patient, and I didn’t much care for Fargo on the first viewing—although I may try it again at some point and see if I warm up to it.
And in a very close third place: The Shawshank Redemption loses to Forrest Gump.
I think Forrest Gump is an okay movie—I definitely think Gary Sinise is the best part of that film—but I don’t think it deserved to win over The Shawshank Redemption or, for that matter, Pulp Fiction. (It’s not on the list because I only wanted to pick one travesty per year.) But even though I like The Shawshank Redemption more than, say, Saving Private Ryan, the fact that it lost to Forrest Gump doesn’t wound my SOUL the way that Shakespeare in Love‘s victory does.
Travesties (or supposed travesties) that were not voted upon at all:
Avatar loses to Chicago.
Traffic loses to Gladiator.
The Pianist loses to Chicago.
The Social Network loses to The King’s Speech.
I don’t have opinions on most of these, either because I haven’t seen all the films in question or because I just don’t really care much about either movie. I can say, however, that even without having seen The Hurt Locker, I’m extremely glad Avatar didn’t win. It’s not a terrible movie, but people, please. The only thing that’s special about it is the visual effects. That’s not enough to make it a Best Picture winner.
Although at least it managed to get more nominations than this movie:
Seriously. Shouldn’t a Best Pic nominee have something else going for it besides Max Von Sydow?
My Geek Blasphemy 
Might I add the BIGGEST travesty of all?!?!
Brokeback Mountain loses to Crash. CRASH!?!?! WTF was that all about?!?!
Yeah, that was on the poll too. I just didn’t mention it in the recap because it only got one vote, and I get lazy going over every movie result. Still. I don’t actually think that’s nearly as bad as Saving Private Ryan losing to Shakespeare in Love.
It’s hard to choose between two pieces of shit – how do you decide which stinks more? A lot of people – and the writers, director, producers, etc. were counting on this – hear “gay cowboys” and think “How daring! What genius!” But it’s a very bad movie.
Yeah, I voted for that one.
And I must say that Shakespeare In Love is, well… Shakespeare, by comparison to Crash.