Haven't we learned yet it is pointless to argue with digi? He is always right and we're always wrong ;)

I said I wouldn't comment further about the movie...and I won't. But after reading so many laughable comments from the self-anointed "Duality" (what a clever nickname...how would one ever guess your biases concerning this film?), can't help but comment regarding the post quoted above. Coming from the experience of one who has taught literature in public schools for 30 years and who has read thousands of student essays, I feel qualified to comment regarding the extremely high quantity of b.s. being shoveled in this thread. Personally, I think "Du" is a provacateur who is yanking the chain of B.M. critics and trying to make them feel defensive about their opinions. No sentient being who is not entirely self-absorbed would really believe the nonsense being bandied about by "Duality"...although I have to give him/her credit for being persistent/consistent in declaring his/her opinions superior to others...based upon...something(?)...dunno...some sort of mush about professional critics (guess that doesn't include Gene Shalit...well, at least not before he was strongarmed into changing his opinion by pressure groups and NBC).
My "life experience" tells me that Duality is having a good, long laugh at the expense of others...which would seem to indicate a sad, misanthropic past history for the poster. As Riley would say, seems that someone didn't get enough attention growing up. And yet...it makes for very entertaining reading, so hope the "debate" (sic) doesn't stop...until the next "controversial" yawner appears.

Just saw this today and was very impressed. Especially by Heath Ledger's amazing performance. The story was very interesting and the passing of time was wonderfully observed. This is one of the best-acted films in some time. Even the smaller, supporting performances (Michelle Williams) were terrific. I can't get the haunting score out of my head. And that final moment before the end credits roll is unshakeable and so heartbreaking. Just a wonderful story and deserves all the acclaim its gotten. This should be a safe bet for winning Best Picture, Director and Screenplay. Should also be heavily in the running for Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams), Cinematography, Film Editing and Original Music Score. My neighbor went with me and she said it was one of the best movies she's ever seen. Given that she is a psychiatrist, I found that very interesting praise.

And I'm thinking that no sentient being who is not entirely self-absorbed would bother commenting on the nonsense being bandied about by "Duality"

Just saw this from AP. Wasn't at the press conference, so didn't hear about this.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060121/...NlYwN5bmNhdA--

HONG KONG - Director Ang Lee says Asian audiences are generally more accepting of gay subject matter than Americans.

"I think there's pressure to condemn (homosexuality) in their (Americans') religion which causes their homophobia," Lee said Saturday at an event to promote his new film, the gay cowboy romance "Brokeback Mountain."

Lee noted one of his previous movies about a gay couple, "The Wedding Banquet," received a less restrictive rating in his native Taiwan than in the United States.

A movie theater in Utah recently canceled showings of "Brokeback Mountain." The theater was owned by Larry H. Miller, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has spent millions of dollars campaigning against gay marriage and considers homosexual acts grounds for excommunication.

Miller, who also owns the Utah Jazz NBA team, has not explained the decision to pull the movie.

"Brokeback Mountain" has faced resistance elsewhere in Asia. A Malaysian distributor has said it will not release the film in the mostly Muslim country.

Never said I was. Oddly enough, it's QUITE the opposite in this thread. If ANYONE doesn't like Brokeback, they're wrong and no one will listen to anything other. Had another conversation with someone last night who felt exactly how I felt about Brokeback. Seems like there are a lot more people out there not liking the movie than I thought. And again, he also stressed how much a movie like this will probably HURT the gay community more than help it.

No but I really desperately wanted to like it before I walked into the theater. If for no other reason than even bad publicity is publicity. But I was hoping it was as good as everyone says it is. And it is. But not on anything but an artistic level.

Ouch!

No, he just refuses to admit that he's wrong and resorts to personal attacks to obfuscate this fact.

You don't like it? Report me.

I don't understand how this movie could hurt the gay community. Here's the message that I saw it sending out to straight america:

"Since you can't accept us for who we are, when we try to conform to your norms we end up screwing our lives all to hell, as well as anyone around us".

It seems like a great big guilt trip pointed right at straight america. If there are straights who go to this movie and come out thinking "Boy those gays sure are selfish bastards" then I think they're beyond help anyway.

You gotta love those religious types who keep dividing the people instead of bringing us all together.

Interesting...thanks.

Yes, with every gay thing, first there are the gays who think it's the greatest thing ever and everyone should love it, followed by the gays who get annoyed that they "have to" like it. It's really predictable already and both opinions are drowning out this thread. I haven't seen the movie yet, and as for it doing a disservice to the gay community (!), it appears to be a big step up from the sex and drug addicts of Queer As Folk, the safe gay of Will & Grace, and the abomination that is Queer Eye, so I think it's worth a look at the very least. I can see why there may be some fustration over why the two men didn't just decide to be together, but how realistic would that be, gay men TODAY still have a hard time with these issues.

How so? I would think if there was a single item in there that could hurt the gay community, certain people would have been all over it by now.

Well, if you notice in the other Brokeback thread, some people are coming out of this movie saying "I hated both of those guys... just look what they did to their families!" It misses the whole point of the movie, imho.

I didn't like the characters either and I did get the point of the movie. I may have said this before, but I didn't mind the cheating on the wives aspect of the characters (I understand why it happened).

I did not, however, like the neglect of the children. I understand the reasons behind it, but it still left me cold towards the characters. Who is innocent in the film? The kiddos. Whos to blame? Society? Ennis? I think both.

I did notice something kind of weird at my screening. Since the movies been out for so long, everyone knows what to expect, so there weren't any childish "EWWWWW" moans when the guys started kissing. But when there was a ton of laughter in the theatre. It was so weird. I mean, the pain was so obvious in her eyes, I couldn't figure out how anyone could find that funny.

Agreed. I felt very bad for her. Perhaps the audience was laughing out of surprise/nervousness since they did not expect

Yeah, the theater where I watched this was packed. It was silent for that scene and any of the love making scenes. I was wondering how the crowd would react. But, from what I could tell, almost all of the viewers were older (with just a few college aged). It was nice to watch a movie void of kids for once.

:thumbsup:

digitalfreaknyc, your comments are becoming *much* too personal. The next comment from you of this nature will result in your account being suspended... as will *any* comment from here on out that is not directly on topic.


Howiefan, if you don't like his posts, either argue their content in an intelligent manner or put him on your ignore list. Posts like this do contribute nothing to the discussion.

I thought the girl who played Ennis' daughter was worth mentioning. She was really good in the small role she had.

I think that is the point. Society sets up expectations for Men and they follow those expectations even if they know deep down that is against what they Feel. They think those feeling (the attraction towards Men) will go away after they have done the right thing to marry a Woman but...they don't! So what we have now is someone who is unhappy because he pretending to be something he is not and that effects everyone around him. He may possibly cheat or stay unhappy in the marriage for convenience sake.
I have seen all too many times in real life.

It's also important to remember that this story came from writers who don't usually write about the gay experience. Their forte is realistic and deep portrayals of hard, narrow people in touqh climates. I'm really grateful that Ennis and Jack aren't somehow "above" their upbringings, but are exactly the same kind of guys as all the other guys (and the society) around them. Callous. Sexist. Very 1963, very uneducated. They are both the victims and the perpetrators of their problems.

Well, I finally got a chance to see Brokeback Mountain tonight. I enjoyed it. I felt something for love that passed away. I liked Ledger in the movie, thought his gritted teeth, and slow draw worked pretty well.

I had thought it strange, that so many people had tales of homophobia in this movie, but I caught two glimpses of it tonight. The guy who sold me popcorn asked what I was seeing, and I replied brokeback mountain. Up until that point we had been having cordial conversation, and he tensed up when I mentioned the movie. I asked if he had seen it, and he told me no. Said he had been working on some other films. It was undeniable that the mention of it freaked him out.

second time, was a bit weirder. I got up during the movie to use the can, and while taking a piss some guy asked me If i had been watching Hostel...I simply replied no (as talking to strangers while taking a piss always seems strange to me) He said it was real "freaky" He then asked what I was seeing, and I told him brokeback...he cut the conversation and took off without reply...

Now mind you, I'm a straight male, married with children. I consider myself a pretty conservative person, so I had never felt gay scorn...

but I guess thats what I like about the movies...takes me to places I would never go. whether its the top of brokeback mountain, the heart of Sin City, or racing a chariot with ben hur. I am no more a gay cowboy for seeing this movie than I am the saviour of the world while watching the passion of the christ...

anyhow, all said. I enjoyed it. Not the best, not the worst...but a good story.

Having read through the previous 23 pages hoping to find some insightful truth made by someone about this fantastic movie Im only left disappointed.

The first 50 posts are from people wondering if/hoping the film will actually play at a cinema close enough for them to view it.

The next 50 posts wonder and speculate about the film's relevancy during Awards season.

A bunch of straight people post about how the film was 'good' or 'okay' but the scenery was 'INCREDIBLE'

and the openly gay guys posting here only seem interested in ripping on the film as being damaging to gays because anal sex is not presented in a realistic way or that the characters or relationships are derivative in some way that they can not apparently convey in any meaningful or convincing way.

How sad. Why does the gay community so often waste so much time being its worst enemy. Shouldn't we just marvel at the fact this film has even been made and is being seen by an interested public in the sixth year of Bush's presidency????

How easy it must be to dismiss this movie when you live in some big urban center and this is merely the flavor of the week until the next queer indie thing comes out. But do you even think to consider all the other **** across the country who are happy to have a choice between this and Big Mommas House II?

At least the most insightful comment I saw made came from some straight guy on here who nailed this movie dead on: It's about longing. If you ever longed for someone that you couldn't have then you'll probably 'get it'.