Worst Best Original Screenplay Winner
A toss-up between Little Miss Sunshine and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
After much deliberation, Eternal Sunshine because it's more pompous and aggressively awful -- it assualts the viewer.
After much deliberation, Eternal Sunshine because it's more pompous and aggressively awful -- it assualts the viewer.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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I come down to the same two as everyone else (so far), Crash or Little Miss Sunshine, and vote for Sunshine.
During the first hour of Crash, I thought there were some halfway interesting scenes (I couldn't cite them for you now, as I've mostly blotted film from memory). It was only in the second half, especially with the "Let's threaten the adorable girl's life" scene, that I turned on the film decisively. And Sabin is certainly right about the PTA ripoff -- just change frogs into snow for your magical finale.
But Sunshine was, for me, an ersatz indie from practically moment one. Arndt didn't create characters; he assigned quirks, and begged us to adore each and every one. And then, what gall, he put these "freaks" in among a cultural group on which he clearly looks down -- the Jon Benet crowd -- and tried to exalt his group by contrast. Oh, and did I mention, the movie wasn't funny?
Also, for what it matters, Crash lost to a fairly unimpressive group of other nominees (I'd probably have selected Match Point, but it's hardly vital work); Sunshine topped The Queen (as much as I'm arguing elsewhere Helen Mirren's contribution to that film has been overstated, I think the script's value has been undervalued), Pan's Labyrinth and Letters from Iwo Jima. That really sticks in the craw.
During the first hour of Crash, I thought there were some halfway interesting scenes (I couldn't cite them for you now, as I've mostly blotted film from memory). It was only in the second half, especially with the "Let's threaten the adorable girl's life" scene, that I turned on the film decisively. And Sabin is certainly right about the PTA ripoff -- just change frogs into snow for your magical finale.
But Sunshine was, for me, an ersatz indie from practically moment one. Arndt didn't create characters; he assigned quirks, and begged us to adore each and every one. And then, what gall, he put these "freaks" in among a cultural group on which he clearly looks down -- the Jon Benet crowd -- and tried to exalt his group by contrast. Oh, and did I mention, the movie wasn't funny?
Also, for what it matters, Crash lost to a fairly unimpressive group of other nominees (I'd probably have selected Match Point, but it's hardly vital work); Sunshine topped The Queen (as much as I'm arguing elsewhere Helen Mirren's contribution to that film has been overstated, I think the script's value has been undervalued), Pan's Labyrinth and Letters from Iwo Jima. That really sticks in the craw.
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Crash was appalling, but at the very least it was an attempt to be about SOMETHING, and displayed a basic structural competence (even if it did rely too heavily on cheap "gotcha!" surprises.) I could see how people would find it impressive writing, even if it's not remotely that.
But Little Miss Sunshine was just incompetent from reel one -- I can't fathom what anyone found so remarkable about such a ragged piece of writing. It's a little nothing, and this poll is probably the only case in which I would ever vote for it for anything.
But Little Miss Sunshine was just incompetent from reel one -- I can't fathom what anyone found so remarkable about such a ragged piece of writing. It's a little nothing, and this poll is probably the only case in which I would ever vote for it for anything.
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There are only two films here that qualify as bad screenwriting. There are some that may not be deserving of an Oscar but are successfully academic like the reporter-ly work of The Hurt Locker, the charming Screenwriting 101 of Juno, or the successfully cobbled biopia of Milk. Even though Almost Famous is woefully overlong and messy, it's still [for me] a beguiling and enjoyable piece of filmmaking, though as a narrative structure it's almost unforgivable.
Then there's Little Miss Sunshine and Crash.
Little Miss Sunshine is a road movie that peaks once before they get on the road and that is death for a road movie. And then it bumps off a character and switches trajectories towards antics that are neither moving nor funny. The film literally never recovers. Crash is something different. If Paul Thomas Anderson is a blatant cross between Scorsese and Altman, then Paul Haggis feels like a copy of a copy much in the same way that Michael Bay is a rip-off of Tony Scott.
I'm really at a loss with both of these. They both exemplify missed opportunities and prenatal miscalculation in ways that have been overrated severely and have no Earthy business coming near the accolades they reaped. I liked the first third of Little Miss Sunshine which is more than I can say for Crash. I had a screenwriting teacher who would not shut up about the "Magic Coat" scene and how beautiful it was, so I'll go with Crash because I use it as a litmus test for phoniness.
Then there's Little Miss Sunshine and Crash.
Little Miss Sunshine is a road movie that peaks once before they get on the road and that is death for a road movie. And then it bumps off a character and switches trajectories towards antics that are neither moving nor funny. The film literally never recovers. Crash is something different. If Paul Thomas Anderson is a blatant cross between Scorsese and Altman, then Paul Haggis feels like a copy of a copy much in the same way that Michael Bay is a rip-off of Tony Scott.
I'm really at a loss with both of these. They both exemplify missed opportunities and prenatal miscalculation in ways that have been overrated severely and have no Earthy business coming near the accolades they reaped. I liked the first third of Little Miss Sunshine which is more than I can say for Crash. I had a screenwriting teacher who would not shut up about the "Magic Coat" scene and how beautiful it was, so I'll go with Crash because I use it as a litmus test for phoniness.
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