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| inlareviewer |
 Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 7:12 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 1949
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Melody wrote: Straight out of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame!
Oh.
My.
God.
She's FABULOUS., dagnabbit. |
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"And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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| Mr. Brownstone |
| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 9:43 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2450
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Who is the chick with the lasso?
"Girls with hats are so... so vogue." - Anthony Michael Hall, Sixteen Candles |
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"My name is Gunnery Sergeant Major Highway. And I have drunk more beer, pissed more blood, banged more quiff and knocked more skulls than all you numbnuts put together." - Clint Eastwood, Heartbreak Ridge |
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| chillywilly |
| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:38 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 8250
Location: Salt Lake City
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Just got back from seeing Brokeback Mountain
The overall message of the movie to me was very real. It was not contrived or told to make any sort of point or push any agenda. And given the fact that the story took place over forty years ago, the movie portrayed the life and times and how people viewed each other and reacted when presented with something outside the norm.
Given the recent backlash to this film here in Utah, I really did not see what the whole negative issue is with a film like this. The sex scenes between Jack and Ennis that were shown were not raunchy or gross. They were done from the effect of how the story was being told: two young sheep ranchers spending a lot of time alone and finally giving in to their desires. And in the process, discovering their attraction to each other.
The film's cinematography was superb. While the film was shot in Alberta, Canada (and not Wyoming, which is where the story took place), it was nice to see the various backdrops of the open and wild. I, myself, love the outdoors and the various scenes of the vast countrysides and mountains was breathtaking.
The conflict that Alma lived with for years after seeing Jack and Ennis together - up until the argument in the kitchen with Ennis - showed the level that some spouses put up in their dedication to the marriage. This type of scenario has been told in other countless movies and the familar tale was evident in this movie. Do I think it was done intentially to force some kind of acceptance to two men carrying on a relationship? No. I think it's an integral part of any movie that deals with the story of a straying spouse or partner.
What didn't I like about the film? I didn't feel emotionally attached to the characters. Towards the end, I felt some sadness for Ennis during his phone call with Laurene (Jack's wife). And I could feel some for Alma at various times throughout the movie. I also felt bad for Ennis' older daughter and her feelings of detachment from her father. But overall, as well as I connected with each character, it didn't have the emotional attachment I normally would get from other movies (ie. Dorothy Boyd's speech towards the end of "Jerry Maguire" or the ending scene at the factory in "Schindler's List").
Was I expecting to bond emotionally with the characters? Yes, to a certain degree. It's a love story and I look for that to happen. But it doesn't happen with every movie I see that is based on a love story.
As far as holes in the story and things that were left out, for the most part, I didn't see anything that I would nit-pick over to call the film complete.
There were some lull times in the movie, but not ones that I would call long and boring parts of the story that needed to be told. It was more or less two or three scenes that I felt that were not essential to the entire movie.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD
Getting into the characters, it was very evident that Jack was more pursurant of being homosexual than Ennis. He was more open to wanting a life with Ennis, which was obvious to most people that knew him (with the exception of his wife, who I don't think realized it all until her phone call with Ennis). In between visits with Ennis, Jack would satisfy his urges and feelings on a regular basis.
Ennis, on the other hand, always felt detached. Not just from Jack, but from most things and people in his life. He would have been happy and content just to be by himself, as was shown with how he dealt with relationships with those around him. He was shown as a "man's man" and he wanted it that way, even though he couldn't deny his feelings for Jack.
The ending, while surprising, was done well and not overly reactive. Should it have been more dramatic? I don't think so. To go into more details about the whole event would have made the ending more of a statement or message than the final parts of a story being told.
END SPOILERS
Overall, Brokeback Mountain was a great film, told a story that I found easy to follow and was done very professionaly. Those who are against this film for reasons related to homosexuality should know this is not some film you would need to watch in a seedy back-alley theater. It is a love story, through and through. And although it didn't grab me emotionally, it entertained me. It was a film that I felt I could recommend to anyone that enjoys watching a movie for how it was made, not just the issue of the subject matter.
ACTING: Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal were both excellent in their roles. I didn't see any of the two characters lacking in their portrayals of Ennis and Jack.
Anne Hathaway was top-notch in her role as Jack's wife. The various changes she went through in her life with Jack were done well.
Michelle Williams had a tough role to play and her ability to get me to understand what she was going through as Alma was perfect.
Randy Quaid was also good. His minimal screen time was just right. And there was no "dufus" to expect. Made me forget that he had once played Clark Griswold's brother in "Christmas Vacation" (which is the character I normally see in just about every other movie I've seen him in - standing outside in the freezing cold next to his motor home yelling "the shitter's full!")
LENGTH: At 2 hrs and 14 mins, it was just right. Maybe shave off a scene or two to get it closer to 2 hrs is all I would change about this movie. Otherwise, it wasn't too long to have me lose interest and then having to come back to see what happened. |
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Chilly
"If you should die before me / Ask if you could bring a friend" |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:56 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| I am really getting annoyed that Munich has not won any Best Movie awards from critics groups. IMO it is the best film of the year, and I think a lot of people are shying away from voting for it because of the politics. Purely as filmmaking, it is incredible. And the poliitical point of view is sophisticated and essential. |
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| Mr. Brownstone |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:29 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2450
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"standing outside in the freezing cold next to his motor home yelling "the shitter's full!"
LOL.
I feel bad that after chilly's extensive and worthy review of Brokeback, that sentence is what I glommed onto. I'm a fucking trogdolyte. |
_________________
"My name is Gunnery Sergeant Major Highway. And I have drunk more beer, pissed more blood, banged more quiff and knocked more skulls than all you numbnuts put together." - Clint Eastwood, Heartbreak Ridge |
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| chillywilly |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:32 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 8250
Location: Salt Lake City
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Mr. Brownstone wrote: "standing outside in the freezing cold next to his motor home yelling "the shitter's full!"
LOL.
I feel bad that after chilly's extensive and worthy review of Brokeback, that sentence is what I glommed onto. I'm a fucking trogdolyte.
Don't feel bad... I'm laughing my fucking ass off right now at the idea that line is pretty hard to forget.... it didn't pop in my head until I was writing my review. |
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Chilly
"If you should die before me / Ask if you could bring a friend" |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 2:10 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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| Saw Junebug tonight and frankly wasn't all that impressed. The film relies almost solely on hackneyed Southern stereotypes to an almost condescending degree. I honestly couldn't bring myself to care about a single character. I hated them all and didn't find a single one of them believable in the least. (Not that it's necessary to me to have someone to like in order for to enjoy a movie. It's just that the success of the climax all depends on my caring and I honestly could've cared less.) The mom's a bitch, the dad's a wimp who spends most of his time either cowering or off in the basement carving wood, the brother's one of these rednecks who knocked up his girlfriend in high school and is pissed because now he's stuck with her, the sister-in-law is sweet, but dumb, pregnant, and prone to say things like "Imma nayme muh baybee Jooonbug." George, the estranged-in-Chicago son, returns home with his new, college-educated, intercontinental wife. The new wife tries her best to be hospitable, but doesn't succeed very well, I guess because she's not used to interacting with idiots. Nobody except the sweet, but dumb, pregnant sister-and-law likes her. She paints the new wife's nails. Interested so far? Well, that's 3/4ths of the movie. Then the sister-in-law goes into labor and characters start behaving inexplicably (Why the hell is George so concerned? He's spent the entire movie either taking naps or fucking his wife. And he hasn't seen the family in 3 years so he's obviously been trying to forget they exist. And he expects his wife to care? They've treated her like shit. Fuck them...) and I lose interest and quit paying attention and leave the theater for a minute to return a phone call and return to find that nothing at all has changed and the movie's ending. Well, for that, I am thankful. |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 2:26 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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Rereading, I guess I'm a tad harsh. There are positives. Amy Adams is as good as has been said. Hell, all the acting is generally good. I admired some of the directorial choices as well as the tone of the film. I liked the lack of back story. (But really, with characters this broad, how much back story do we really need?) The scene where George sings was fantastic. These do not outweigh the negatives, though.
I didn't even mention the subplot about the retarded artist who paints Civil War paintings with ginormous genitals and draws the slaves with white faces because he "ain't never seen a nigger before." Ok. I've mentioned it. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:06 am |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 1949
Location: Lawrence, KS
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St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Annual Awards Nominations 2005
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Best Picture
Brokeback Mountain - Winner
Good Night and Good Luck - Runner Up
The Constant Gardner
Cinderella Man
Mrs. Henderson Presents
Match Point
Capote
Syriana
Best Director
Ang Lee - Brokeback Mountain - Winner
George Clooney - Goodnight and Good Luck -
Runner Up
Woody Allen - Match Point
Peter Jackson - King Kong
Fernando Meirelles - The Constant Gardener
Frank Miller/Robert Rodriguez - Sin City
Steven Spielberg - Munich
David Cronenberg - A History of Violence
Best Actor
Heath Ledger - Brokeback Mountain Winner
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Capote- Runner Up
David Strathairn - Good Night and Good Luck
Russell Crowe - Cinderella Man
Pierce Brosnan in The Matador
Joaquin Phoenix - Walk The Line
Ralph Fiennes - The Constant Gardner
Cillian Murphy - Breakfast on Pluto
Best Actress
[b]Judi Dench - Mrs. Henderson Presents-Winner
Felicity Huffman[/b] - Transamerica-Runner Up
Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line
Charlize Theron - North Country
Laura Linney - The Squid and the Whale
Gwyneth Paltrow - Proof
Claire Danes - Shopgirl
Kiera Knightly - Pride & Prejudice
Best Supporting Actress
Rachel Weisz - The Constant Gardner-Winner
Michelle Williams - Brokeback Mountain -
Runner up
Catherine Keener - Capote
Francis McDormand - North Country
Shirley MacLaine - In Her Shoes
Amy Adams - Junebug
Renee Zellweger - Cinderella Man
Sharon Wilkins - Palindromes
Best Supporting Actor
George Clooney - Syriana - Winner
Bob Hoskins - Mrs. Henderson Presents -
Runner Up
Mickey Rourke - Sin City
Jake Gyllenhaal - Brokeback Mountain
Paul Giamatti - Cinderella Man
George Clooney - Good Night, and Good Luck
Greg Kinnear - The Matador
Oliver Platt - Casanova
Best Screenplay
Brokeback Mountain - Larry McMurtry and
Diana Ossana - Winner
Good Night and Good Luck - George Clooney
and Grant Heslov - Runner Up
Match Point - Woody Allen
Crash - Paul Haggis
Capote - Dan Futterman & Gerald Clarke
Munich - Tony Kushner and Eric Roth
The Constant Gardener - John Le Carre &
Jeffrey Caine
Breakfast on Pluto - Neil Jordan & Pat
McGabe
Best Cinematography or Special Effects
King Kong - Winner
Brokeback Mountain - Runner Up
Sin City
Memoirs of a Geisha
War Of The Worlds
The Constant Gardener
Good Night, and Good Luck
Pride & Prejudice
Best Foreign-Language
Tsotsi (South Africa) - Winner
2046 (China) - Runner Up
Paradise Now (Palestine)
King Fu Hustle (China)
Walk on Water (Israel)
The Beautiful Country (Norway)
Downfall (Germany)
Oldboy (South Korea)
Best Animated, Musical or Comedy
Wedding Crashers - Winner
The Matador - Runner Up
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the
Were-Rabbit
The Producers
The Corpse Bride
Madagascar
Robots
40 Year Old Virgin
Best Documentary
March of the Penguins - Winner
Enron, The Smartest Guys in the Room - Runner up
Murderball
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
The Aristocrats
Born into Brothels
Mad Hot Ballroom
Grizzly Man
Best Overlooked Film or Most Original,
Innovative or Creative Film
Sin City
Me and You and Everyone We Know -Runner Up
Junebug
Thumbsucker
The Dying Gaul
Layer Cake
2046
No One Knows
http://www.stlmoviereviewweekly.com/
Chilly: What thoughtful thoughts, thanks. You might enjoy the short story. That Randy Quaid line is an instant classic.
billy: While political sensitivities are inevitable given Munich's subject, sight unseen I can tell you why it isn't getting Best Picture nods: it's not been universally well-received, and the awards thus far are from critical compendiums rather than industry professionals. Couple that with the fact that Speven Stielberg's no-interviews/Dec.25-release/Time-tie-in strategy backfired, unable to puncture the cumulative post-GivingThanks-to-MasChrist rush of KidLit and AustenLite and Joaquinny Cash Walks June Carterspoon and not one but two topical Clooney pix, not to mention Kong and Geisha and Woody's Return. And, then, the Brokeback breakthrough rather seized the moment, which passed for maximum Munich supremacy. Plus, the potential staying power of Crash, Capote and AHOV was underestimated. Mainly, Mr. Kate Capshaw pulled a promotional Schindler; he should have run a Ryan playbook. It may yet pull out some Racso gold, but its relative absence at the Guilds and Globules doesn't bode well for Best Picture.
Shannon: Was it a good phone call? |
_________________
"And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:36 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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Quote: Shannon: Was it a good phone call?
No answer. I left voicemail. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:37 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
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Chilly,
Good review of Brokeback Mountain. I agree about Ledger's handling of the phone call scene. His best moment, for me.
SPOILER
There's also a fascinating ambiguity here. I couldn't tell if Gyllenhaal's wife was showing antagonism towards her husband's fate, indifference, or genuinie sorrow. Or exactly what she thought she was accomplishing by telling Ledger (helping him out or taking care of an irksome duty). I found it very compelling. |
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You've got a great brain. You should keep it in your head.
-Topher |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:12 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| Joe--Very intelligent description of the phone call. I agree with you, and IMO Anne Hathaway hasn't received nearly enough praise from critics for her very layered performance. Michelle Williams, also excellent, has grabbed most of the focus--but her part is much more straightforward and therefore (again IMO) a little easier to play. Hathaway (with the invaluable direction of Ang Lee) has created a disturbing woman. I'm very impressed--and thanks for your insight. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:16 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| shannon--Though I lovelovelove Junebug, your review had me laughing out loud. Everything you said is right on the money if you look at the movie with a jaundiced eye. Only one caveat to your hilarious description: George's reaction to his new wife's refusal to bend (at the end, don't want to give away the whole ballgame) is, I think, supposed to be ambiguous. I for one was 100 percent on her side of the argument, and I think that was intentional on the writer/director's part. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:18 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Mainly, Mr. Kate Capshaw pulled a promotional Schindler; he should have run a Ryan playbook.
inla--You always make me feel like an industry insider. Love you, dahling. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:20 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| Oh, and, inla, I think you're absolutely right about the reasons for Munich 's non-victories, but I'm still royally pissed off. |
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