Episode 75: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

[AdrianneSchoen 1]

Brokeback Mountain is a beautiful movie. I have nothing to say about that, but the Notebook? What is Amy thinking?

 

The Notebook is just gross. The couple is toxic. She's terrible to him and he seems to be mentally unhinged, and obsessive. I spent the whole movie hoping they would never see each other again so they could move on and grow up. I also have some difficulties suspending my disbelief and accepting a universe where the aging process would transform Ryan Gosling into James Garner, but that's beside the point.

 

Lets look at the scene with the ducks. The grand romantic gesture where they sit in a small boat swarmed by birds. Now you may or may not know that ducks are monstrous rape machines that have evolved complex corkscrewing penises to circumvent vaginas with false passages as an evolutionary protection from the large amount forced mating that goes on. It's a perfect metaphor for their relationship. A winding farce to avoid a painful relationship that should never happen.

 

I'm actually a fan of Ryan Gosling and I very rarely hate any movie as much as this one. I'm generally a pretty easy audience, but this movie actually hurt to watch. I hope they discuss this on the Cannon just so I can understand why people love this movie so much.

[Marsellus_H 118]

 

So uh, you like, wanna go fishing some time?

You better bring lube, buddy. Spit won't be enough.

[KickMuncher3 46]

Not only am I voting for Brokeback Mountain, but I'm preemptively voting against Crash. If there's any justice in this world, the brilliant Brokeback Mountain will live on forever in a Crash-free canon.

[j_scanlon 59]

Not only am I voting for Brokeback Mountain, but I'm preemptively voting against Crash. If there's any justice in this world, the brilliant Brokeback Mountain will live on forever in a Crash-free canon.

 

Crash would not make it to ten, maybe five yes votes

[Threshold 93]

I mentioned in the Homework thread for this film that I wasn't too impressed by it the first time I watched it.

The second time I was more in the groove that this film sets up. A slow-moving, yet fascinating 'actors movie' in that the filmmakers set up complex ideas, all in the hope that the actors will do the characters (therefore story) justice.

+ Allowing the gay conversation in media to be widened.

Yes for me

[AlexChristianLovendahl 34]

This, for me, is a "big canon" movie. What I like right now about this movie is that it has historicity in its text without becoming a "period" film. I'm comparing it to movies like Milk and Carol, which use cinematic technique to set gay struggle in the past. Brokeback uses its periodic setting to strong effect without disguising itself as irrelevant.

 

A powerful movie I finally watched for the first time. When it came out, I was thirteen, in eighth grade. Even in a liberal neighborhood, this movie couldn't escape the homophobic lambasting of junior high schoolers. Even a couple years later, when I'd gotten over my homophobia, the movie still had a stigma beyond my ability to give it a shot. Ang Lee is a fascinating director because of his range, and though I find Brokeback a bit too sedate to be a "Pather Panchali, The Godfather, or bust" entry into a small canon, it's more interesting than movies like The Lost Weekend or Let The Right One In, neither of which I strongly feel shouldn't be in a big canon. Firm yes for me, but not an ecstatic yes.

[lolholm 5]

OMFG! I can't vote apparently, but I got something to say. And yes, it's an amazing film.

 

I avoided this for years, because everyone I know, who've seen it, only said "spit in his hand and"...

Apparently that scene makes an impression.

 

I listened to you describing it, and finally watched it for myself and my mind is blown. Everyone is great in this, and I love all the characters in it. Every character gets my sympathy, which is unique and amazing. I will rewatch this for sure, and I don't like "sad" films.

 

So yes for the Canon. Even if it does'nt count. I hope it does somehow. :-)

 

Brgrds,

Sune

[KyleShearin 0]

Sick of beans. YES

[ManishMathur 33]

Voting yes. I was 16 when this movie came out. I remember lying to my parents, and driving to the fancy theater an hour away with my friends to see it. Coming from a small town in southern Maryland, being gay wasn't really a thing. It was just a thing jerk guys joked about. This movie was a joke before people even saw it (if they ever did). The gay cowboy movie. But it was a profound experience for me. Just seeing tow men kiss and express affection was a huge thing for me. This movie is so beautiful. Ang Lee has such a precise hand behind the camera, and his direction of actors is astounding. The story is so sad, and moving.

 

Agree with Amy about the sex scene. Even at 16 I was like "what a cop out." It is raw, but very much "directed by a straight man and featuring two straight actors."

 

Also The Notebook is huge for ladies around my age. But things about and/or for girls gets dismissed all too easily.

[jonesjxd 0]

Big yes from me, along with Philadelphia it was the movie that made me abandon all the stupid ignorant things I was taught about gays growing up in church, and I just think it's the greatest love story I've seen on the big screen in my lifetime. I was 19 when this was released, I remember more or less seeing this in theaters with the attitude that I'd just go laugh at it, almost as if I'd lost a bet. By the end of it I was in tears. I think its easy to look back at it over a decade later and scoff at some of it's more heavy moments, the "I wish I knew how to quit you" scene has more or less become the new "You complete me" scene from Jerry Maguire, but it still works on me every time. As far as gay cinema is concerned I'd really like to hear an episode on Pedro Almodovar, maybe even All About My Mother vs Talk To Her. Anyways, keep up the great content and have a great week.

[lolholm 5]

Yes!

 

I, for some reason (probably maturity, lack off) avoided watching this for years and years, but hearing you talk about it made me go out and get it on that same day (day of listening).

I can't help notice that this is the time you really went over time, and not because you got diverted, but because there are so many things that stick with you about this film in particular.

 

It's a great film, everything about it really and thanks for pushing me across that line. So I really hope it makes it into The Canon.

 

My best endorsement is that I'm about to watch it a second time. :-)

[sjmills 0]

No. Why would it? Eric Cartman described it best, and he's not even real.