Great Movies
From: Art S.
Regarding your glib disimissal of the existence of homophobia in the Academy, I think you need to think again. Quite simply, there was strong evidence that some Academy members were not going to watch "Brokeback" because of the subject matter. There was no such evidence in relation to Crash. This disparity is sufficient to call into question the best picture result. You also need to understand that awarding Hoffman's "Capote" doesn't absolve the Academy of homophobia at all.
Homophobia can also be a failure to embrace a loving same-sex relationship (such as that of Jack and Ennis) simply because it involves a demonstration of same-sex affection. It's what I call liberal homophobia, whereby liberals tolerate gay people so long as they remain celibate (as in Hoffman's character) but not so long as they engage in physical affection (as in "Brokeback").
Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.
