‘Brokeback Mountain’ is the movie of the year
I hate to be predictable, but your friendly gay neighborhood movie-blogger thinks Brokeback Mountain is the movie of the year.
I’ve seen it five times now. The more I see it, the more I admire it. Each scene is essential, every detail attended to. Ang Lee is like an architect in how skillfully he uses formula to create something new and grand and alive. He creates a world, then immerses us in it.
The screenplay by western legend Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana improves even upon its source material. The short story by Annie Proulx feels like a rough draft when compared to the script McMurtry and Ossana have spent several years trying to produce. (In 1998, Gus Van Sant was attached to the project. Needless to say, that would’ve been a very different Brokeback Mountain.)
While the movie has generated token controversy amongst the world’s homophobes, the most peculiar and unexpected squabbling comes from straight male critics who seem to think the movie isn’t gay enough. How about you guys just let us have this one, OK?
Brokeback opens in Dayton tonight (January 12, 2005) at the Neon’s first-ever regular-engagement midnight show, following a 7:30 benefit screening.
Find showtimes for ‘Brokeback Mountain’
Acclaimed film ‘Brokeback Mountain’ arrives in Dayton [DDN]
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: Movies
Comments
By susan
January 12, 2006 9:47 PM | Link to this
i’m with you, Zack. i saw it here in Columbus on Monday night … playing at the lennox along side all the family features with no ill effect. it is a powerful depiction of raw human emotion. heartbreaking and beautiful … the depth of feeling, the sense of loss and pain and the realization of the loss beautifully portrayed by both actors. how those losses influence their identities is a statement on the human condition, regardless of orientation. it helped me understand men better, the vulnerability that resides so deep inside and our odd, sad refusal to acknowledge the complexity of what it means to be fully human.By Bryan
January 12, 2006 11:06 PM | Link to this
Saw it tonight; a good film with fantastic acting from Heath Ledger. Isn’t “gay enough”??? I had to ponder that one. But what they mean of course is that the gay male characters aren’t effeminate, which bothers them. You do the math.By Ty Tirey
January 13, 2006 6:53 AM | Link to this
It should be about two gay hollywood stars or producers instead of two cowboys. Nobody in my family plans on seeing it.By Vickie
January 13, 2006 8:05 AM | Link to this
Please, please, please. Can we someday go see quality, wonderful movies or watch funny TV shows without being bombarded with homosexuality? I was so excited about seeing this movie until I found out it’s about ‘gay cowboys’. Yeah, I know, it’s touching, tragic and all the other adjectives the reviewers are using to describe it but, it is not how most of this country thinks and feels about life, marriage, and relationships. And, no, I’m not going to see it and don’t have to see it to know it’s not for me.By Tony
January 13, 2006 8:14 AM | Link to this
I am not a real fan of westerns, so the movie has little interest to me. The one thing that I do find interesting is that the movie trailer shown on TV doesn’t really indicate that the movie revolves around a homosexual relationship. It does mention a love story, but doesn’t give you a clue that it is a love story of two cowboys. To me, that seems a bit dishonest. I say this because my father-in-law was very excited to see a new western be released. He was a little grumbly about it having a love story, but he was very happy to see someone release a “cowboy” movie. He was on his way to see it when he discovered it was a gay love story and he turned around and went home. His take is that he didn’t want to see two men in a love story. That type of story just doesn’t interest him. I feel the same way. If I was a fan of “cowboy” movies, this movie would not interest me. I am glad other people like it and hope people enjoy it, but it isn’t for me.By william blevins
January 13, 2006 9:05 AM | Link to this
This is a sick movie about sick people and should have private showings only, keep it out of the news.By Shawn
January 13, 2006 9:16 AM | Link to this
Does anyone believe this film would be receiving all the hollywood accolades and hype if it did NOT involve homosexuality and the promoting of it as normal?? Pleeease….By cathy
January 13, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this
Sigh! Homophobes frustrate me. I’m looking forward to seeing this brave film. The fact that the filmmaker chose an unstereotypical environment & characters to tell the gay love story is what makes it special and real.By Daile
January 13, 2006 3:25 PM | Link to this
Vickie shared: “Please, please, please. Can we someday go see quality, wonderful movies or watch funny TV shows without being bombarded with homosexuality?” You mean like we aren’t currently bombarded with heterosexuality? Honestly, if I run a quick mental comparison of “references” (displays of affection, sexual comments, etc.) of the two in media, homosexuality is still only about 10-15% - pretty much as it in the population. Hardly a “bombardment.”By CS
January 13, 2006 9:10 PM | Link to this
I can’t say that I will go see the movie in the theater but will eventually rent the film. I think it is great that someone finally released a movie like this. As for Vickie’s comment of : ” it is not how most of this country thinks and feels about life, marriage, and relationships”, take of the rose colored glasses dear. Things like this and worse happen everyday whether you agree with it or not. If someone finds another who they find love and soalise in who are we to judge. Yes, I have children & they are aware of these situations. We have many friends and family memebers who are quote, unquote “gay”. How are they any different from us. Have compassion for your fellow humans and their way of life. The world spends way too much time complaining and not enough living. I hope that many people watch the movie and come away with a new way of thinking.By Muriel
January 14, 2006 12:23 AM | Link to this
Dear William, “By william blevins: This is a sick movie about sick people and should have private showings only, keep it out of the news.” Homosexuality was removed from the list of psychological disorders or illnesses in the 1970s. Get with the times. The only people who are sick are the ones who perpetuate the absurd concept that there is something wrong with homosexuality.By Allison
January 15, 2006 8:23 AM | Link to this
This is in regards to everyone saying how “sick” Brokeback Mountain is and how is it promoting homosexuality. This is especially for the comment posted in the DDN (refered to as the Dayton Gayly News) on Sunday. You say it is sick and promotes homosexuality, what about all the movies involving drug use,alcoholism,rape, terrorism, teen pregnancy,murder, torture,pre marital sex, abortion, suicide and any other controversal topic? Are they promoting all those things?? Why arent you throwing such a hissy fit about any of the other movies in theaters right now. Brokeback Mountain is in the ENTAINMENT section of the DDN because it is a MOVIE, people go see movies to be entained, how entaining is it to watch the same old kind of love story. By putting “gay cowboys” as the main characters,and people causing such commotion about it, it is going to make money. Movies are made to make money not to set the social standards of our country!! If you don’t like it dont go see it, if you don’t want to read about it, turn the page. If watching two gay people in a movie is the biggest problem facing this country, HALLELUJAH!!!!By Kevin
January 16, 2006 10:04 AM | Link to this
As a gay man, I found this movie very intriguing and definitely an award winner. I see and hear about these kinds of relationships all the time. Being gay in the Reagan era was hard…very hard. This movie depicted the forbidden love of many relationships that still exist today. If society only knew how many men are in these types of relationships…they exist everywhere and dont be surprised when it happens to you. To everyone chanting gay gay gay…its not about that..this movie is love, male bonding, and typical homophobia..Brokeback does not flaunt homos at all, it isnt anything like Will and Grace or that other show on Showtime…you know the one that makes queers look like drug doing sex addicted party animals. Normal, non flaming gay men do exist and they do fall in love….hopefully society can deal with it. Enjoy the movie…I did!!!By Parris
January 24, 2006 8:05 PM | Link to this
You know…if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. What makes these people think they can just come in here and verbally gay bash. This is the problem with the midwest and south of the U.S. You homophobes have no respect for people who are different from you. DON’T GO SEE THE MOVIE!! IT”S SIMPLE! And leave us alone if you have nothing constructive to say. Oh yeah, and learn some respect.