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11/27/2013

Brokeback Mountain (2005) or, That Place That Weren't Possible



+ Best Western of the Year + Best LGBT Movie of the Year + Comeback Actor of the Year: Jake Gyllenhaal


Contemplative Heath Ledger and pouty Jack Gyllenhaal on the poster for Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain

QUICK REVIEW:

The summer of '63: Two young cowboys herd sheep on Brokeback Mountain, and get a taste for each other. Both marry women and have children, but their love doesn't fade away.
Life is complicated. For the two characters Jack and Ennis, it becomes too complicated, SPOILER until one of them dies.
When I first saw Brokeback in 2008, I thought it a bit strange to see one of my teenage idols, Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko (2001)) make love to Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight (2008)), but in retrospect, I don't think Gyllenhaal has done anything better than or even as good as Brokeback since it came out. But really, their romance in the film is beautiful and hot.
Brokeback Mountain is a really good film about unresolved, romantic and sexual dreams all told in a no-nonsense fashion. It is obviously an issue film, because their love doesn't pan out due to societal prejudice and sexual taboo, but it is not a pushy issue film. - It is first of all a tragic love-story, just as so many straight tragic love-stories. A really fine film with no real villains.
Anna Farris (Observe and Report (2009)) has a wonderful supporting role.
The film broke records and was received with exceeding warmth in a host of countries. Not in China, however, although director Ang Lee (Hulk (2003)) is from Taiwan. It was banned in China because homosexuality is an official taboo in the country.
Brokeback won three Oscars (direction, music and best adapted screenplay) and was nominated for five more. Lee received his second Oscar as best director last year for Life of Pie (2012). My favourite among his many good films remains the highly sophisticated, Chinese spy thriller Lust, Caution (2007).

Related post:

2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

As is obvious in its trailer here, Brokeback Mountain is a heartbreaker

Budget: 14 mil. $
Box office: 178 mil. $
= Enormous hit

What is your opinion of Brokeback Mountain and Ang Lee?
Related movie recommendations are welcomed

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