Announcing The Winner Of The Great Debate: ELLE

Last week, we launched a new feature here at BMD called The Great Debate. Here's a little bit about that feature:

Welcome to The Great Debate, a new feature on Birth.Movies.Death. in which two writers argue the relative merits of a particularly divisive film. We'll talk upcoming new releases and occasionally a polemical rep title or two, and we'll have guest writers who feel strongly about each film pop in to make their impassioned opinions heard. 

The first title entered into The Great Debate's forum is Paul Verhoeven's powerful Elle. Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League went up against Online Film Critics Society member Candice Frederick, and they each argued their points, Tim in support of Elle and Candice on the opposing side. Read their arguments (spoilers!) here. 

After readers saw the film themselves, they weighed in with their own reviews in the comment section and voted in the poll. And Tim's defense of Elle was the overwhelming winner! If you guys haven't seen Elle yet, please get yourself to a theater (an Alamo or otherwise) immediately. This debate may have been settled, but we'd still love to hear your thoughts downstairs.

Be on the lookout for our next Great Debate, and if you have any suggestions of what film we should thrash out next time, let us know. Upcoming new releases or highly contested repertory titles are both welcome.