Where is that one posted?

It's at http://towleroad.typepad.com/

...looks good small, but really bad photochopping when viewed fullsize.

There are alot of Guys that get married and do not know how to deal with their feelings, I think it is a married guy (any guy) thing not a gay guy married thing.

I thing most american love the work Ian McKellen has done over the past 25 years or so: Hamlet to Magneto to LOTR Wizard, what a great actor.

America has not thumbed their noses at the guy, we have enjoyed his acting very much. Can't wait to see him in XMen 3!

I am a married man and have never like movies about someone "Falling in love" with someone else and breaking up their marriage - Homosexual or Straight.

I would much rather watch a movie that encourages you to remain faithful to your wife throughout your entire marriage - 15 years and counting.

I am a single woman and I would never want my gay husband to stay with me out of obligation to me or to our vows. That's not a real marriage and its unfair to both of us. We deserve happiness if not with each other then with someone else.

If I am completely blind/in denial to his homosexuality, I hope he would meet and fall in love with that someone else. Just so that he will have the courage/will to come out of the closet freeing both himself and I from the lie that is our life.

I would much rather watch a movie that encourages one to be true to oneself. Sometimes staying in the life that you have/know is not the right option, for anyone.

ummm....hi guys. before my card is ripped out of my hands...i'm finally going to see the movie this afternoon. ;)

My sister has already seen it and my parents and grandmother almost went to see it. I think it's finally time for the gay member of the family to see it. ;)

'bout time! Friday's emergency newsletter did mention your impending dismissal from the "group", so you're seeing it JUST in the nick of time! :lol:

Will be awaiting your review....

I don't have much to say, honestly. It is what it is.

It's a very good movie with very good performances. That said, I'll echo the sentiments of the 70 year old women sitting behind me, "not my cup of tea." I'm glad I saw it but I'll never watch it again. I'll admit that I did cry but there wasn't much momorable about it. It obviously hit other people harder than it did me. I was just pissed that most of the audience was old women and str8 couples. I didn't see any other gay guys there! ;)

I have many thoughts on the movie now that I've had some time to think about it. None of them good. In fact, I've had several arguments with people so at this point, I think I'll just keep them to myself.

That said...I just got a forward from some co-workers. Enjoyed it.

Cowboys Are My Weakness
By LARRY DAVID
Published: January 1, 2006
SOMEBODY had to write this, and it might as well be me. I haven't seen "Brokeback Mountain," nor do I have any intention of seeing it. In fact, cowboys would have to lasso me, drag me into the theater and tie me to the seat, and even then I would make every effort to close my eyes and cover my ears.
And I love gay people. Hey, I've got gay acquaintances. Good acquaintances, who know they can call me anytime if they had my phone number. I'm for gay marriage, gay divorce, gay this and gay that. I just don't want to watch two straight men, alone on the prairie, fall in love and kiss and hug and hold hands and whatnot. That's all.
Is that so terrible? Does that mean I'm homophobic? And if I am, well, then that's too bad. Because you can call me any name you want, but I'm still not going to that movie.
To my surprise, I have some straight friends who've not only seen the movie but liked it. "One of the best love stories ever," one gushed. Another went on, "Oh, my God, you completely forget that it's two men. You in particular will love it."
"Why me?"
"You just will, trust me."
But I don't trust him. If two cowboys, male icons who are 100 percent all-man, can succumb, what chance to do I have, half- to a quarter of a man, depending on whom I'm with at the time? I'm a very susceptible person, easily influenced, a natural-born follower with no sales-resistance. When I walk into a store, clerks wrestle one another trying to get to me first. My wife won't let me watch infomercials because of all the junk I've ordered that's now piled up in the garage. My medicine cabinet is filled with vitamins and bald cures.
So who's to say I won't become enamored with the whole gay business? Let's face it, there is some appeal there. I know I've always gotten along great with men. I never once paced in my room rehearsing what to say before asking a guy if he wanted to go to the movies. And I generally don't pay for men, which of course is their most appealing attribute.
And gay guys always seem like they're having a great time. At the Christmas party I went to, they were the only ones who sang. Boy that looked like fun. I would love to sing, but this weighty, self-conscious heterosexuality I'm saddled with won't permit it.
I just know if I saw that movie, the voice inside my head that delights in torturing me would have a field day. "You like those cowboys, don't you? They're kind of cute. Go ahead, admit it, they're cute. You can't fool me, gay man. Go ahead, stop fighting it. You're gay! You're gay!"
Not that there's anything wrong with it.

I'd believe it. I don't think he was speaking from an uneducated place. Maybe you should do some research.

I saw this movie last week. I was really excited about seeing it due to the critical acclaim and buzz.

Well, my girlfriend and I were both disappointed. To sum up our opinions/experience....

Bad character development (Jack especially)
Pacing was too slow (while jumping ahead in time too quickly)
Unlikeable characters which resulted in no emotional connection with them

I really wanted to like it, but just didnt. I was looking at my cell phone time all throughout. She was too.

There are soooo many good movies for 2005 and I just dont think this is one of them.

Rock...
Not all movies have a fast paced plotline and not all characters are likeable.


Regarding Ledger's remarks. He was making a general comment based on the backwardness of certain theatres to censor people from seeing it.

I had a Big feeling you wouldn't care for the movie Digitalfreak. Just from your comments in past pages and on other threads I got the idea you wouldn't like it so I am not surprised.

It's not that I didn't like it. I thought it was a good movie. I don't think it is as good as everyone says it is. I don't think it's as ground-breaking as everyone says it is. The only thing I can applaud is that it's a pretty big director with some pretty big actors with a pretty gay story. It's not really a gay love story. They characters never really say they're gay. For all we know, Heath's character is bi and so is Jake. My problem was that I just didn't give a shit about either of them OR their supposed love for each other. I never saw any chemistry. I never saw anything but raw sexual energy and frustration from them. True, that's what most of the movie centered on but to me, I never saw them as human beings. There was nothing remotely likeable about either of them. I craved to even get a half a smile out of either one of them or from myself. How am I supposed to care about a movie where the main characters aren't worth caring about themselves? Should I just naturally care because they're gay and living in a time that was much less accepting than now? Jake's character is the only one who gives any inkling that he would be gay if the other wasn't around.

I'm not saying i need the two of them to be skipping around and happy and *ahem* gay. But there was absolutely nothing for me to relate to in the movie. And there was nothing for me to like about the movie. Thus, it was just a movie that was well done...but nothing more to me.

I understand that. BUT, my argument was the pace was too slow while the time jumped too quick without informing the viewer. I dont always need a year subtitle, but in such a slow paced movie, it would have been nice.

My girlfriend went to the restroom and when she came back, Ennis was married and had 2 toddlers. haha.

For me to like this film (connect with it), the characters HAD to be likeable. There wasnt much else for me to go on. Even though some would say that the plot had layers, this movie had a very basic story (the lives of the 2 main characters).

If you dont identify somehow with them or like them, I just dont see how someone can enjoy this movie. By the end, I didnt care what happened to either of them.

I totally agree with your assessment. Thumbs up on your review.

I've already had several gay people throw stones at me for my opinion. Apparently because i'm gay i'm supposed to love it...and honestly a part of me really wanted to going in. I was honestly excited to see it. But in the end, i really just couldn't.

How do we do spoilers here again? I want to post something but don't want to ruin it for other people.

Im not gay, but like you, I really wanted to like it. I was excited about seeing it, but very disappointed afterwards.

And, I was worried too, that not liking it would cause people to think I hate gay people or some nonsense. Well, I dont. I just hated Brokeback Mountain and dont think it deserves the nominations and awards that its getting.

Unfortunately, I think subject matter is driving this award season and there are much better films from 2005, but thats my opinion.

EDIT - A good comparison for me? I HATE period movies, but the acting, character development, and directing for Pride and Prejudice were superb. It really drew me in to the story (when I normally wouldnt like it) and I really enjoyed it. I think its very underrated for 2005. Maybe the fact that its a remake does the most harm. But, its an excellent movie nonetheless.

This has always been my position all along - pretty good movie, but lacking in any real chemistry. On the second page of this very long thread, I said: "I'd say it's almost regressive as far as gay films go." I still stand by this. Heck, the criminally neglected LOGGERHEADS is a far better film IMO. Digitalfreak, you should try and catch it if it's still playing in NYC. I really loved it.

I agree with that, Rock. I was MUCH more moved by a movie such as Crash and wish it had gotten nominated. Now again, not necessarily my cup of tea but I definitely LIKED it and enjoyed watching it and was intensely moved.

It's odd to say that "the big gay cowboy movie" was unrelateable to me but it's true. Just goes to show you that there are all types of gay people out there. Just cause I'm gay doesn't mean I'm automatically going to like it.

In fact, as I said, the only people I know who loved the movie were str8 people and that continues to be the case. Had a co-worker come up to me today and say how phenomenal it was. When you say it wasn't a big deal, they look at you like you have 3 heads. I feel like people are loving this movie so intensely because it's PC and they think it's the "right thing to do."

Yeah, I would agree with this. IMO, it showed Ennis and Jack as very selfish (at least in their lust). Basically, being driven by it.

I did feel sorry for the fact that they couldnt be together, BUT it was overshadowed by my dislike of Ennis due to his negligence toward his family. He made his bed.

I highly doubt that most gay men would be so negligent toward their children (from a previous marriage or so on). Personally, I know a previously married gay man and he sure would not have acted like that.

I understand that by the end of the movie, they were trying to show that he had changed, but it still soured me towards his character.

COMPLETELY agree. I see this as a step back.

I look at this as a str8 person. How exactly is this movie HELPING the gay movement or helping anyone who isn't gay to "understand" gay people.

1) People seeing this are already gay or gay-friendly enough to buy a ticket. People who aren't, won't be going ANYWHERE NEAR it. They would probably be too scared to step up to the counter.

2) All you see are two people completely MISERABLE because they can't accept their sexuality. They don't blame society and they shouldn't. It's their problem if they can't come out. It's their own problems that they're fighting and no one else's. It's no one else's fault that they can't live the life they want to live. So why should I care?

I just don't understand HOW on earth this is going to make people more sympathetic. Typically, the people whose minds I've changed have liked me more as a person and that, in turn, changed their minds about what a typical "gay guy" is. You don't like either one of these two. Sure, they break a stereotype but again, they don't accept or aren't happy with their sexuality. People can look at that and say "see? Look how miserable they are because they're gay! if they were str8 or if they just stuck to their str8 lifestyle they'd be fine." Not saying that's right but it is an accurate portrayal.

Is it tragic that people at that time had to live like that? Of course it is. Do people live like this now? Sure but I don't understand it nor empathize with it. You're doing yourself, your family, your friends and the rest of the world a disservice by staying in the closet. Oh...and did i mention YOURSELF? As a result, the characters become pathetic without an ounce of self-esteem or self-interest. Without Jake, I would have flat-out disliked this movie. He is the only one who seemed to have any humanity in the end.

Yes, "Crash" is my favorite movie of last year and I think it should win Best Picture, but it probably will not.

Really? So he changed towards his child.

Big fucking deal.

This movie was about his sexuality and not a damn thing changed about that. That's what pissed me off. Where's the character arc? Where's the change? NOTHING.

This was the main reason that I didnt like Ennis though.

I would have really felt sorrow for him had he been selfless in his life. Basically, sacrificing everything and not being able to have what he really wants would have drawn me into the story. Instead, he seemed very cold, indecisive and many times selfish.



Very true.

BTW - to do spoilers type 'spoiler' in brackets [] and end it with '/spoiler' in brackets.