Brokeback Mountain Review and Response - Page 2

BombaySapphire3 · #1 12-11-2005, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rickypt
That said, it's definitely a stunningly beautiful movie with fantastic acting (particularly Ledger and Michelle Williams--she was my favorite character). Maybe if it wasn't hyped as such a masterpiece, I would have had a different reaction.

I forgot to add Michelle Williams as am almost certain contender for best supporting actress.

sparky · #2 12-11-2005, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickypt

There's two of us who feel this way, me and my friend who saw it with me. I'm sure we'll be in the very small minority. It's impossible to get into it without revealing details--maybe when more people see it, there can be a discussion. I just feel like we didn't witness enough of the development of the relationship to truly understand its depth.

That said, it's definitely a stunningly beautiful movie with fantastic acting (particularly Ledger and Michelle Williams--she was my favorite character). Maybe if it wasn't hyped as such a masterpiece, I would have had a different reaction.

But I'm very moved by your reaction, Sparky. I have had similar reactions to other movies and plays and I marvel at the power of art to halt us in our tracks sometimes.

People are very different when it comes to these kind of things. There are plenty of people who probably won't have the same visceral reaction I did. Those who connect with it the way I did will say masterpiece, but most everyone else will say merely great.

I can understand my own response pretty well. So much of that landscape and imagery are familiar to me. The characters too. It really pushed a lot of my buttons, most powerfully in terms of the tone. In some odd way, and this is simply a connection I have with the way Lee directs, the pacing, the framing, and the ambience of the movie evokes the way my brain constructs memories. It felt extremely intimate and personal to me, my experience, and the style in which my imagination works.

The fact that the two main characters do not share a great amount of dialogue also worked for me. The film doesn't have a lot of dialogue, period.
So much of what was communicated was communicated visually, and the images that were chosen were extremely evocative and memorable to me. The more things I see, hear, and experience...the more I am finding that certain kinds imagery and careful, quiet storytelling have the most impact on me. It is in near silence and stillness that some of the most compelling things in life happen. Lee captures that. There was also a lack of sentimentality that, for me, makes all the difference.

It is perhaps an intensely personal and particular vantage point that enabled me to understand the relationship between these characters and feel the depth of it. The outdoors, the things they did together, the stillness between them...it spoke volumes to me. But not everyone is going to get that, I suppose. They were scenes that could have been pulled out my life. Characters that I have known. That is a familiarity not everyone is going to have. I do not think it detracts from the success of the film, however. I believe the original writer of the story, the screenwriters, and the director all understood the way the two men thought, and the way they related to each other. The scarcity of their time together, the intimacy of the wilderness, all of this enhanced the intensity of it for me. The very scarcity of a precious item is part of what enhances its value. I guess that I felt that way about the character of Ennis. We all have known a few people who rarely say much. But when they do ? Every word counts. When you are with them, every second counts. I felt the film makers conveyed this sense of gravity and power. It is a language that was natural, familiar, and effective to me.
And that is probably part of why it impacted me the way it did.

markolas · #3 12-11-2005, 06:48 PM

I want to see this and the Johnny Cash thing, but unfortunately the only movies my friends like to see are sci-fi and teeny bopper movies like Mean Girls and Sky High.

Rickypt · #4 12-12-2005, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky

People are very different when it comes to these kind of things. There are plenty of people who probably won't have the same visceral reaction I did. Those who connect with it the way I did will say masterpiece, but most everyone else will say merely great.

I can understand my own response pretty well. So much of that landscape and imagery are familiar to me. The characters too. It really pushed a lot of my buttons, most powerfully in terms of the tone. In some odd way, and this is simply a connection I have with the way Lee directs, the pacing, the framing, and the ambience of the movie evokes the way my brain constructs memories. It felt extremely intimate and personal to me, my experience, and the style in which my imagination works.

The fact that the two main characters do not share a great amount of dialogue also worked for me. The film doesn't have a lot of dialogue, period.
So much of what was communicated was communicated visually, and the images that were chosen were extremely evocative and memorable to me. The more things I see, hear, and experience...the more I am finding that certain kinds imagery and careful, quiet storytelling have the most impact on me. It is in near silence and stillness that some of the most compelling things in life happen. Lee captures that. There was also a lack of sentimentality that, for me, makes all the difference.

It is perhaps an intensely personal and particular vantage point that enabled me to understand the relationship between these characters and feel the depth of it. The outdoors, the things they did together, the stillness between them...it spoke volumes to me. But not everyone is going to get that, I suppose. They were scenes that could have been pulled out my life. Characters that I have known. That is a familiarity not everyone is going to have. I do not think it detracts from the success of the film, however. I believe the original writer of the story, the screenwriters, and the director all understood the way the two men thought, and the way they related to each other. The scarcity of their time together, the intimacy of the wilderness, all of this enhanced the intensity of it for me. The very scarcity of a precious item is part of what enhances its value. I guess that I felt that way about the character of Ennis. We all have known a few people who rarely say much. But when they do ? Every word counts. When you are with them, every second counts. I felt the film makers conveyed this sense of gravity and power. It is a language that was natural, familiar, and effective to me.
And that is probably part of why it impacted me the way it did.

Great post. I can see why you responded to the film in such an intense way.

I think I'm going to see it again in about a month and see if I have a different take on it not having such huge expectations.

DavidMn · #5 12-11-2005, 05:12 PM

I'm gonna see it this coming weekend if everyhing goes well. It's onlt playing at one place here too.

dontlookdown · #6 12-11-2005, 06:35 PM

everything Ang Lee does is great

SpyNote · #7 12-18-2005, 10:00 PM

Asian couple must have been there because they were fans of Ang Lee? Uh, ok.

sparky · #8 12-19-2005, 02:14 AM

OMG, second weekend. 20 new cities, and Diss, my beloved Diss, is the only one with a review ? What is UP with you people ?

I thought this place was SWIMMING with homos.

What gives?

BTW, I just saw a hysterical show in LA at Casito del Campo called Fruitcake Follies. If anyone else here has a chance, SEE IT. I hate musicals and I laughed my ass off.

Brwn_eyes0511 · #9 12-19-2005, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky

I thought this place was SWIMMING with homos.

I haven't seen it yet...

but when I do see it...it's not going to be so much for the homo story line, as it is for...

MICHELLE WILLIAMS!

cliffdweller · #10 12-19-2005, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky

OMG, second weekend. 20 new cities, and Diss, my beloved Diss, is the only one with a review ? What is UP with you people ?

I thought this place was SWIMMING with homos.

What gives?

BTW, I just saw a hysterical show in LA at Casito del Campo called Fruitcake Follies. If anyone else here has a chance, SEE IT. I hate musicals and I laughed my ass off.

Spoiler Below:

I'm not a homo

but I saw it yesterday and WEPT! All I have to say is, the shirt. That damned shirt at the end!!! I was doing okay until they whipped that out of the closet (so to speak *wink*) and then I just lost it. I thought Jake G and Heath Ledger were phenomenal and Michelle Williams was every bit as good as everyone says. Wow. Not once did this story feel forced or contrived, it felt very honest and real. Ang Lee did a beautiful job. This is a touching love story.

estranged4life · #11 12-19-2005, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky

OMG, second weekend. 20 new cities, and Diss, my beloved Diss, is the only one with a review ? What is UP with you people ?

I thought this place was SWIMMING with homos.

What gives?

the movie playing here is the same chance of me forgiving the doctors for killing my Mother...Slim and none, And Slim just left the building.

Deb would like to see it, She is a big Heath Ledger fan (ie-Knight's Tale), Wouldnt bother me....I am an open minded person.

BombaySapphire3 · #13 12-19-2005, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpyNote

Asian couple must have been there because they were fans of Ang Lee? Uh, ok.

Oh lord !Please don't construe my comment as some kind of racist remark .The idea I was trying to get across was the paucity of heterosexuals in a sold out show.So I was kind of half joking that the only non- gay couple there was probably there because they were fans of Ang Lee and not the subject matter of the film .I guess it came off awkwardly .I apologize.

estranged4life · #14 05-25-2006, 01:58 AM

Deb & myself finally watched BBM tonight via "Pay Per View" (We had a coupon for 1 free movie, and we specifically waited for BBM) and I have to say it was better than I expected.

It did start off a little sluggish but it picked up very quickly. I was impressed with this movie. The part when Ennis finds out Jack died was pretty FUBAR with the violent imagery that Ennis had going in his head.

Thinking about purchasing it, which will piss off people/family who know Deb & myself, but f**k 'em-"I know what I like cause I like what I know".

sparky · #15 05-25-2006, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estranged4life

Thinking about purchasing it, which will piss off people/family who know Deb & myself, but f**k 'em-"I know what I like cause I like what I know".

Glad to hear you saw it and liked it.

Let me get this straight, though...you have people/family in your life who will get angry with you because of what movies you buy ? You're kidding, right ?