As for Crash, not only do I not get its Best Picture win, I don't get its editing win.
Cross-cutting.
And a weak-ass year. Wasn't gonna be Cinderella Man, The Constant Gardener, or Walk the Line. Films that win that are not nominated for Best Picture that win in this category are The Matrix, The Bourne Ultimatum, and Black Hawk Down...the Most Editing. Best Picture nominees include examples of cross-cutting (Traffic, Crash, The Departed), epics (Return of the King, Aviator), and musical sequencing (Chicago, Slumdog Millionaire). What these films have in common is that they have what I'm going to refer to as a shit ton of editing. To be honest, I think that even if The Hurt Locker wasn't nominated for Best Picture (and in any other year, that may very well have been the case) it would still win for Best Film Editing.
I'm absolutely flabbergasted that Up in the Air was not nominated for Best Film Editing. Not because it's one of the best edited films of the year (outside of Hurt Locker, none of these films are), but because it's such a competently edited comedy (ah-hah) with an eye for sequences. You can't really hold the editing choices against the editors. Those are clearly Lee Daniels' ideas, and there are some nice rhythms in the film, but Precious' editing choices are pretty evil. Like, evil. How anybody could think it's one of the best edited films is absolutely beyond me. I can understand Inglourious Basterds. There is a lot of tension in those scenes. But Precious' nomination over Up in the Air makes no sense.
Edited By Sabin on 1266439355