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Sunday, February 05, 2006
MOVIE REVIEW: Brokeback Mountain
This movie has received much publicity because of the basic theme of the movie: two cowboys, Ennis and Jack, falling in love with each other. But forget the hype and controversy. This movie really is about forbidden love. This is West Side Story with characters wearing 10-gallon hats.
Everything about the movie is first rate: The plot is simple and effective. The movie is beautifully photographed, marvelously acted, and it handles the male on male love scenes very well. Ang Lee's typically slow pacing is very effective.
All the Oscar nominations are well-deserved. Without a doubt, one of the best 10 movies of the year.
Priceless Scene: There are many but I loved these three: Michelle Williams seeing something that shocks her; Anne Hathaway on the phone explaining what happened to her husband; and Jack's mother look at the end of Ennis's visit.
Special Note: If you've seen the movie, discuss in the Visitor Comments section below what you make of the very last frame in the movie. I'm referring to the stationary camera in Ennis's trailer catching part of the closet and the small square window. This is an example of visual symbolism at it's very best; a case of a picture painting a thousand words.
Everything about the movie is first rate: The plot is simple and effective. The movie is beautifully photographed, marvelously acted, and it handles the male on male love scenes very well. Ang Lee's typically slow pacing is very effective.
All the Oscar nominations are well-deserved. Without a doubt, one of the best 10 movies of the year.
Priceless Scene: There are many but I loved these three: Michelle Williams seeing something that shocks her; Anne Hathaway on the phone explaining what happened to her husband; and Jack's mother look at the end of Ennis's visit.
Special Note: If you've seen the movie, discuss in the Visitor Comments section below what you make of the very last frame in the movie. I'm referring to the stationary camera in Ennis's trailer catching part of the closet and the small square window. This is an example of visual symbolism at it's very best; a case of a picture painting a thousand words.
Comments:
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My take on the final frame is this: Gays are said to be "in the closet" if they're not open about their sexuality. Ennis takes her daughter's sweater, for whom he's about to make a huge sacrifice (possibly losing his job to attend her wedding), and stores in the closet, where all he has loved (Jack) has lived. The square frame represents a closed minded world, but the window itself symbolizes hope that we'll see past the closed-mindedness (the squares of the world).
In one frame, so much was said without a single word.
In one frame, so much was said without a single word.
Conversation between me and my mother:
sweepdealer (5:48:34 PM): Joyce and I saw Brokeback Mountain last night
BionicBradfordly (5:48:39 PM): ...why?
sweepdealer (5:48:54 PM): curiosity..it was nominated for 8 academy awards
BionicBradfordly (5:49:01 PM): Dare I ask how it was?
sweepdealer (5:49:07 PM): It was one of the WORST movies I have ever seen
BionicBradfordly (5:49:14 PM): Yessssss.
BionicBradfordly (5:49:23 PM): I'm sorry - gay cowboys just aren't my idea of good entertainment.
sweepdealer (5:49:27 PM): I thought it might be a love story of sorts...like...you would care about the characters
sweepdealer (5:49:35 PM): but we couldn't have cared less
sweepdealer (5:49:45 PM): no character build-up
sweepdealer (5:49:50 PM): Just a lot of man sex
sweepdealer (5:49:53 PM): no emotion
sweepdealer (5:50:05 PM): would cut from one decade to another with no notice
sweepdealer (5:50:09 PM): terrible
BionicBradfordly (5:50:09 PM): Hollywood thinks otherwise.
sweepdealer (5:50:15 PM): apparently
sweepdealer (5:50:19 PM): It was awful
sweepdealer (5:50:22 PM): very depressing
sweepdealer (5:50:24 PM): morose
sweepdealer (5:50:37 PM): dragged on
sweepdealer (5:50:40 PM): and on
sweepdealer (5:50:49 PM): we were both glad when it was over
sweepdealer (5:48:34 PM): Joyce and I saw Brokeback Mountain last night
BionicBradfordly (5:48:39 PM): ...why?
sweepdealer (5:48:54 PM): curiosity..it was nominated for 8 academy awards
BionicBradfordly (5:49:01 PM): Dare I ask how it was?
sweepdealer (5:49:07 PM): It was one of the WORST movies I have ever seen
BionicBradfordly (5:49:14 PM): Yessssss.
BionicBradfordly (5:49:23 PM): I'm sorry - gay cowboys just aren't my idea of good entertainment.
sweepdealer (5:49:27 PM): I thought it might be a love story of sorts...like...you would care about the characters
sweepdealer (5:49:35 PM): but we couldn't have cared less
sweepdealer (5:49:45 PM): no character build-up
sweepdealer (5:49:50 PM): Just a lot of man sex
sweepdealer (5:49:53 PM): no emotion
sweepdealer (5:50:05 PM): would cut from one decade to another with no notice
sweepdealer (5:50:09 PM): terrible
BionicBradfordly (5:50:09 PM): Hollywood thinks otherwise.
sweepdealer (5:50:15 PM): apparently
sweepdealer (5:50:19 PM): It was awful
sweepdealer (5:50:22 PM): very depressing
sweepdealer (5:50:24 PM): morose
sweepdealer (5:50:37 PM): dragged on
sweepdealer (5:50:40 PM): and on
sweepdealer (5:50:49 PM): we were both glad when it was over
I was very psyched for this take on love. However, it was extremely slow for me. Your analysis though makes me appreciate it so much more. You are right, those scenes were very touching.
Gotta say, I thought the last shot was beautiful, but I completely missed the meaning...(doofus!!)
Anyway, thanks for the recap...and for making us all think a little more deeply.
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Gotta say, I thought the last shot was beautiful, but I completely missed the meaning...(doofus!!)
Anyway, thanks for the recap...and for making us all think a little more deeply.
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