12/12/2005
Brokeback Mountain Lassoes More Awards...
I've been accused of being obsessive about Brokeback so I've decided to live up to the accusations. That said, here's a late afternoon update:
Brokeback named best film by New York Critics Circle. Ang Lee and Heath Ledger rope in directing and acting prizes. "'Brokeback' was an old-fashioned romance that also fulfilled the group’s impulse to be daring and original."
Saturday Night Live offered up two Brokeback moments on Saturday night. The first was Alec Baldwin's rather lackluster send-up called Brokeback Goldmine about two miners in love. The second was a hilarious "Weekend Update" joke supplied to Tina Fey by her dad:
"The movie Brokeback Mountain opened this week. The movie is making history as the first western ever where the good guys get it in the end."
A few blogger reviews:
Oliver at Thought Not had high expectations and they were met. He says, "It may be the best movie I've seen" and gives it two big tear ups and a full sob.
Cyd Zeigler had high expectations and they were not met. He says, he was left "disappointed and virtually emotionless." But feels better about it the morning after. Ah Cyd, sometimes cinematic sex is like that.
Blog FourFour offers a thoughtful analysis: "On one hand, subverting the masculine icon of the cowboy serves to untangle homophobia from its fuck buddy, femmephobia -- the lack of limp wrists and lisps surely will confront some people with a representation of homosexuality different than the one they are comfortably uncomfortable with. On the other, Ennis and Jack's wrestling that easily glides into foreplay might assault the senses of the straight guy who takes pride in his sissy jokes -- depending on to what degree non-sexual, all-male physical contact hits home, Mr. Straight Man might be outraged that the concept of the rough-and-tumble buddy is being turned in its head. There's nothing ignorance hates to do more than having to rethink."
Finally, pretty much a pan from critic Dave Kehr, whose arguments are way off base imho: "Lee has yet to take a real chance with a film, and “Brokeback Mountain,” despite its superficial courting of controversy, is no exception."
The Towleroad Guide to Brokeback Mountain.
Posted 4:46 PM EST by Andy Towle in Film & TV | Permalink
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Ingrid, it's just a movie!
- Hitchcock to Ingrid Bergman in a discussion of her character in one of their films.
Posted by: Buster | Dec 12, 2005 5:14:49 PM
I felt the movie purposely veered far, far away from one of those movies that you just sit back and are told how to feel and what's going on inside the characters heads. And some people don't like that style of movie, where the director hopes to guide you by his direction of the actors and their performances into "fillin' in the feelins' '", so to speak. Most Hollywood movies (especially dealing with gay people) have everything neatly laid out for you, and this film defied that convention. The empty feeling that you are left with at the end isn't a critique on the film, it's the feeling you are supposed to have.
Posted by: bmw | Dec 12, 2005 5:32:31 PM
Andy --
Your "Brokeback" coverage has been outstanding; I'm having a lot of fun re-reading everything now that I have seen the film, which I absolutely loved.
Kenneth
Posted by: Kenneth | Dec 12, 2005 7:48:55 PM
The enthusiasm of Andy and professional critics from coast to coast is, in my not so humble opinion, entirely justified. I initially hesitated to add to anything that might raise people's expectations even higher, but that train has left the station some time ago. Truth be told it did not live up to my expectations, which had grown impossibly high. Nevertheless, it is a MIRACULOUS film, that, despite a personal quibble here and there, is definitely joining my very hard to reach list of favorite films of all types, and the top of a very short list of great films with "gay themes." Filmaholic that I am, I see no need to apologize for my expectation that ones like these succeed first as polemic and, secondarily, as art. But the magic is that Brokeback succeeds as both.
I've always thought that great artists, even great athletes, are measured not just by their performances, but also by the critical eloquence that they inspire, and, thus, I enjoy reading reviews of things both seen and unseen. Just a few quotes from various sources demonstrate that about Brokeback: "One tender moment's reprieve from loneliness can illuminate a life;" "...love held sorrowfully in the heart;” "...in which love feels like it is being invented.” And, as good as any a description of the heart-wrenching alchemy of Heath Ledger: "Ledger brings this film alive by going so deeply into his character you wonder if he'll be able to come back."
I defy anyone with a heart, regardless of their socioeconomic origins, to be untouched by his moments upon the screen, but feel, too, that those of us who were more or less of age at the time the film takes place, and, more importantly, came from or knew such socioeconomic prisons can understand his pain the most. Brokeback has more in common with the film "The Last Picture Show" than just actor Randy Quaid, screenwriter McMurtry, Texas, and the last picture show "Red River," starring the publicly closeted Montgomery Clift as a cowboy. Ennis and Jack are close relatives of the characters in that book and film, perhaps most of all the ones played with such wrist-slashing pathos by Timothy Bottoms and Cloris Leachman, who shared their own "tender moment's reprieve from loneliness" yet....
I am still skeptical of it raising the consciousness of very many homophobes, simply because they will, for the most part, resist seeing it. But perhaps a few will be carried by this tsunami of acclaim into theatres eventually, or their rental store when it comes out on DVD. Regardless, I think the affirmation that it gives us, in an inside-out kind of way, as gay men and women, who have had our love publicly insulted and assaulted from White House to outhouse of late, is reason enough to sing its praises. If Ledger is Oscar-nominated and wins [he's much more convincing as a tortured gay man than Joaquin Phoenix is as Johnny Cash], I hope he has even half Tom Hanks' eloquence when he won for "Philadelphia." In the brief moments before the Academy orchestra rudely plays, one must use actual words to express one's self while in the film he was able to say so much with silence and body language. But even if he misses the final five, loses to the more universally appealing straight role of Cash, or the unthreatening gay role of Capote [were there ever two such totally opposite gay characters on screens at the same time?], his place in film history is assured and deserved. I am thankful that this film exists, and nurse the hope that it will give rise to more like it, on "the small screen" as well as large, in which we are neither just comic relief or eunuchs.
Posted by: Michael | Dec 12, 2005 8:42:56 PM
so where is the bit torrent to download this movie?
Posted by: kuros | Dec 12, 2005 9:50:21 PM
Andy, may your obsession with Brokeback Mountain continue until the last DVD flys off the shelf.
Posted by: Johnny Lane | Dec 12, 2005 11:20:46 PM
Thanks for all the Brokeback coverage... but I've actually been avoiding this website. There's been such an overload of reports on it, and I haven't had a chance to see the film yet, I feel all this is ruining the movie for me. Perhaps a special separate section for Brokeback? Though there may not be in-your-face spoilers, I feel like I've already seen the movie just from everything here. Sorry, just how I feel. Still love Towleroad :)
Posted by: Paul | Dec 13, 2005 2:37:05 AM
Why is there a brown unicorn in the screenshot? Dont remember that nthe novel..
;-)
Posted by: andyw | Dec 13, 2005 3:07:57 AM
"Why is there a brown unicorn in the screenshot?"
Quite a horn on that one isn't it? Makes me horny to look at it...
Posted by: HisHolynessDPope | Dec 13, 2005 3:12:35 AM
It appears that Deaf gay men like me has to wait for few months in order to see the film on DVD. One has to hope that it is going to be captioned or subtitled.
I cannot go to a regular movie theater and enjoy like you guys did. So you talking about it is pretty much unfair to me. I made some calls about it today -- but the Deaf Gay Community is very tiny. Where is the solidarity amongst gay men to help each other?
Pick up the phone and call them to mention that there are Deaf people who wanted to see it on big screen.
If not, you guys will confirm what I always thought of y'all.
R-
Posted by: Me is the Ridor | Dec 13, 2005 4:08:24 PM
Ang Lee has not taken a chance with a film? Nevermind Brokeback for a minute, is this guy looking at the same career?
Posted by: Dave Cullen | Dec 14, 2005 1:46:13 AM