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jack fuckin' twist
::twitches:: I had to call my grandmother (the mean one) because she called while I was online (as always, clearly insulted that no one should be available to take her call) about the Christmas package that never got to her because she gave my mother the wrong apartment number a year ago, and never bothered to correct her. There was much eye-rolling, and then she hung up without saying goodbye, which is her way, but one of my particular dislikes.
Finally saw "Brokeback Mountain" last night with Kat and Tina. I think I had built this movie up too much in my mind. Which is not to say I didn't love it and think it was fantastic, because I did, and it was. But in my head it was so Important, and now that I've seen it, it's like of like this Christmas with a little postscript of '.....' Which is probably more my issue than the movie's.
Anyway, the acting: great all around. I'd forgotten how much I liked Michelle Williams. Jake Gyllenhal was good, and brought necessary weight to the role of Jack, since the movie widened slightly from Ennis' perspective in the story. And yes, Heath Ledger really is that good. Let me take a short digression to explain why all the (deserved) buzz over him has got me so happy. In 1997, I watched the premiere episode of a "Hercules"/"Xena"-like show called "Roar," about which I remember little besides Keri Russell and her beautiful hair died early on and there was something about Judas. I never watched it again and it didn't last very long, but I did sit back and wonder 'Who is that handsome curly-haired blond boy in leather? I think I shall love him forever.' I can't explain it. There's something about him that charmed me completely the first time I laid eyes on him, and has continued to do so in throughout roles forgettable and/or universally panned. So my appreciation of Heath Ledger is old and pure, though initially based on aesthetics, and I am now thrilled beyond words to see that my boy does have the acting chops. He lives and breathes and radiates Ennis, and he is amazing.
The direction didn't much move me in one direction or the other. There were some great visuals of both actors and scenery (the shot of Ennis and Alma on the Fourth of July struck me in the trailer, and it was one of my favorites in the film), but a lot of it seemed...I don't know, stagnant, or something. Which I admit may have been conscious and relating to the nature of Ennis and Jack's relationship, but it bugged somewhat on first viewing. The two leads had great chemistry, with one another and with their respective wives, and I thought the sex scenes were well-done. Lots of nudity makes the Dala happy. One woman sitting in front of us gasped when Anne Hathaway took her bra off, and I was so amused that it distracted me from Anne Hathaway boobies, which is a shame because -- Anne Hathaway boobies! I don't know if Heath and Jake were really jumping off that cliff in that one scene, but I appreciated the fleeting glimpse of male genitalia nonetheless. The only complaint I have about the male/male scenes is the hotel scene -- I would have liked a wider shot of them sprawled together on the bed, sheets pulled up modestly if necessary.
It did drag a bit toward the end, and although I liked the subplots withVelma the waitress and Alma Jr. (the actress was fantastic, btw, perfectly believable as Ennis and Alma's daughter), the editing might have been tighter and bits might have been better saved for the DVD, where we could all complain about how good they were and how they belonged in the original cut, of course ;-)
The flashback scene at their last meeting started the waterworks, and they continued pretty much to the end, strongest at Ennis's discovery of the shirts. That broke my heart the first time I read it, and broke it harder onscreen. I thought the actors were quite believably aged, at least as well as they could be -- there's only so much you can do to Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal, after all. And really, they're only supposed to be 40 or so near the end, and I don't doubt that both of these men are going to be as handsome or handsomer still when they hit that age. (And it's stupefying how terrible Anne Hathaway looks as a blonde.)
Mostly the audience reacted the way I felt they should, with the exception of the outbreak of laughter when Alma saw Ennis and Jack kissing. Dude, that's not funny. In 2005 it might be funny, but in 1967? So. Not. Funny. Not for any of the parties involved. A few people even guffawed at the later shot of Alma sitting at the table (IN TEARS) waiting for Ennis to come home. I really did not get this reaction. I don't know, perhaps it was because the audience was mostly female and there was a lot of latent anxiety about the thought of a husband having an affair with another man, and laughter was a way to break that tension? The film really fleshed out Alma and made her pain real, so I don't see any other reason for it. I do heart the girl sitting to the right of us who went "Awwwww" about thirty times during the movie (Tina: "The only time I went 'Awww' was at Jake carrying the calf.")
Final note: Jack's dun mare on Brokeback was gorgeous.
Okay, I shower now. I'm technically off today, but I'm working Meg's 6-closing shift because she's going to see Les Mis. Excuse me while I go douse my burning envy in cold water. I will be bitter for the REST OF MY LIFE that I couldn't afford to even attempt to get tickets to Wicked at the Kennedy Center this season.
Finally saw "Brokeback Mountain" last night with Kat and Tina. I think I had built this movie up too much in my mind. Which is not to say I didn't love it and think it was fantastic, because I did, and it was. But in my head it was so Important, and now that I've seen it, it's like of like this Christmas with a little postscript of '.....' Which is probably more my issue than the movie's.
Anyway, the acting: great all around. I'd forgotten how much I liked Michelle Williams. Jake Gyllenhal was good, and brought necessary weight to the role of Jack, since the movie widened slightly from Ennis' perspective in the story. And yes, Heath Ledger really is that good. Let me take a short digression to explain why all the (deserved) buzz over him has got me so happy. In 1997, I watched the premiere episode of a "Hercules"/"Xena"-like show called "Roar," about which I remember little besides Keri Russell and her beautiful hair died early on and there was something about Judas. I never watched it again and it didn't last very long, but I did sit back and wonder 'Who is that handsome curly-haired blond boy in leather? I think I shall love him forever.' I can't explain it. There's something about him that charmed me completely the first time I laid eyes on him, and has continued to do so in throughout roles forgettable and/or universally panned. So my appreciation of Heath Ledger is old and pure, though initially based on aesthetics, and I am now thrilled beyond words to see that my boy does have the acting chops. He lives and breathes and radiates Ennis, and he is amazing.
The direction didn't much move me in one direction or the other. There were some great visuals of both actors and scenery (the shot of Ennis and Alma on the Fourth of July struck me in the trailer, and it was one of my favorites in the film), but a lot of it seemed...I don't know, stagnant, or something. Which I admit may have been conscious and relating to the nature of Ennis and Jack's relationship, but it bugged somewhat on first viewing. The two leads had great chemistry, with one another and with their respective wives, and I thought the sex scenes were well-done. Lots of nudity makes the Dala happy. One woman sitting in front of us gasped when Anne Hathaway took her bra off, and I was so amused that it distracted me from Anne Hathaway boobies, which is a shame because -- Anne Hathaway boobies! I don't know if Heath and Jake were really jumping off that cliff in that one scene, but I appreciated the fleeting glimpse of male genitalia nonetheless. The only complaint I have about the male/male scenes is the hotel scene -- I would have liked a wider shot of them sprawled together on the bed, sheets pulled up modestly if necessary.
It did drag a bit toward the end, and although I liked the subplots with
The flashback scene at their last meeting started the waterworks, and they continued pretty much to the end, strongest at Ennis's discovery of the shirts. That broke my heart the first time I read it, and broke it harder onscreen. I thought the actors were quite believably aged, at least as well as they could be -- there's only so much you can do to Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal, after all. And really, they're only supposed to be 40 or so near the end, and I don't doubt that both of these men are going to be as handsome or handsomer still when they hit that age. (And it's stupefying how terrible Anne Hathaway looks as a blonde.)
Mostly the audience reacted the way I felt they should, with the exception of the outbreak of laughter when Alma saw Ennis and Jack kissing. Dude, that's not funny. In 2005 it might be funny, but in 1967? So. Not. Funny. Not for any of the parties involved. A few people even guffawed at the later shot of Alma sitting at the table (IN TEARS) waiting for Ennis to come home. I really did not get this reaction. I don't know, perhaps it was because the audience was mostly female and there was a lot of latent anxiety about the thought of a husband having an affair with another man, and laughter was a way to break that tension? The film really fleshed out Alma and made her pain real, so I don't see any other reason for it. I do heart the girl sitting to the right of us who went "Awwwww" about thirty times during the movie (Tina: "The only time I went 'Awww' was at Jake carrying the calf.")
Final note: Jack's dun mare on Brokeback was gorgeous.
Okay, I shower now. I'm technically off today, but I'm working Meg's 6-closing shift because she's going to see Les Mis. Excuse me while I go douse my burning envy in cold water. I will be bitter for the REST OF MY LIFE that I couldn't afford to even attempt to get tickets to Wicked at the Kennedy Center this season.
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As for the women laughing, maybe they felt nervous about it? Not about the idea of a man having an affair with another man, but just uncomfortable? You and I spend so much time online with other hot-man-lovin' women that we can forget - at least I can at times - that American society in general is still uncomfortable with two men smooching. Take into account, too, that while men are raised to think staring at two lesbians going at it is perfectly normally arousing, everyone is taught that Two Dicks Colliding is BAD.
I've not yet seen this movie. I did read the story. I'm sort of wondering how far off this will be from fanfic I read/write and if I'll like it (in other words, will I like the reality of how two gay men relate to one another as much as I like the fiction of it? LOL).
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I do want to know, though: When does Rupert Everett get his Oscar for being a gay man playing a straight one?:(
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There was an Advocate article a few weeks back complaining about how both actors are careful to downplay the gayness of the movie in interviews...
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*FUMES*
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(Anonymous) 2005-12-30 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)Yea some of the scenes in that movie were absolutely beautiful, the scenary was probably my favorite part of the movie. Though that part when alma caught them kissing, I thought it was a little awkward just because they were still so out in the open, cause at first I thought they slipped into a more hidden spot, but no, they were just at the bottom of the steps right in front of the door. I think it would been better if they like hid under the steps and she came out and didn't see them and went to go back inside but heard something and peered down at the steps and saw them through a crack, I don't know, the scene just felt to easy and open, especially since the entire movie is about them having to hide their relationship.
The movie was a little slow in some spots and I thought it felt a little long, but then again all I could think about the entire movie was that damn soda, which I finished like seconds after we left the garage.
and... aww baby animals.
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But that entry was me! and I definitely spelt 'scenery' wrong.