Comments | super_elmo: Maybe I missed something...

super_elmo

Maybe I missed something...

Feb 20, 2006 10:55

I saw Brokeback Mountain this afternoon. And I have not been able to stop thinking about it since. I can't figure out whether I liked it or not. Here's what I thought.

( Spoilers )

homosexuality, musing, movies

Comments 10

sugar_spun February 20 2006, 19:02:19 UTC

I really didn't like the film. I felt that the story was supposed to reflect the two characters' struggle to come to terms with themselves and as such it should have been gritty. Can't have a gritty story and sweeping cinematography, it doesn't work. Like placing Frodo and Sam in downtown LA.

I really liked the way the sex scenes were handled. It felt almost embarrassing to watch them, and I think that was deliberate. Not only the man on man scenes, every time clothes came off I felt I wanted to look away, and I thought that was fantastic.

People do more when ageing than grow a paunch and a silly moustache. Do *something*.

Not a great film but perfect Oscar fodder. *Yawn*.

super_elmo February 22 2006, 06:14:16 UTC

Yes, Jake Gyllenhaal had the used car salesman look down pat. And that was about it for character development.

It's funny what you said about the sex scenes because for me it was exactly the opposite. I normally look away, but in this movie I didn't. Actually, what make me look away are displays of emotion--I feel like even though the characters are fictional and the feelings are affected, I still shouldn't be watching something so personal. But the emotional scenes in Brokeback didn't cause me to feel like I was intruding, which, now that I think about it, is representative of the larger fact that all the emotional parts, and all the sex, were totally unconvincing.

Which I think is interesting.

florahart February 20 2006, 19:03:43 UTC

I utterly and completely disagree with most of your objections. This doesn't by the way, mean I have a bone to pick with you, and you're free to disagree, but ( ... )

No problem. I love a healthy debate! super_elmo February 22 2006, 07:01:38 UTC

Thanks for commenting. I did not mean to write nearly this much ( ... )

metal_sheep February 20 2006, 20:40:04 UTC

I agree with florahart ( ... )

super_elmo February 22 2006, 07:15:52 UTC

Yeah, it's about time ( ... )

bizarre_dori February 20 2006, 23:15:38 UTC

well, i loved the movie.
and most of the stuff you didn't like (setting, dialogue) was all part of the way it was supposed to be.

but i liked that you concretely pointed everything out.

i agree with florahart

SarS

super_elmo February 22 2006, 07:24:27 UTC

Yup, exemplification was the first thing we learned in English this year :)

I know most of the stuff was done on purpose, but my main issues were with how much emotion and how much continuity was left out of the movie. I understand why the directors did it, but I think it was a bad idea and that it didn't have the desired effect. It just alienated me.

But apparently I'm nearly the only one who feels this way because everybody else seems to appreciate it.

Well, in any case, this movie was a film experiment. Not just because of the homosexuality thing, but because of how the characters and the feelings were portrayed. Because, good or not, it was certainly different.

hopefullyclear February 21 2006, 06:36:17 UTC

I agree with you wholeheartedly.
I felt worse for their betrayed wives than their doomed relationship.

super_elmo February 22 2006, 07:27:52 UTC

Finally, someone who agrees!

I just can't understand why Elma stayed with Heath Ledger for so long after she saw him making out with Jake Gyllenhaal. And that rodeo girl had so much potential! But she went and got married and then she woke up one day and her husband was dead and she was 40 years old and she had this hideous hairstyle. Poor thing.