Robert W. Butler, movie critic at the KC Star, has a great essay in today's paper titled "Brokeback blazes trails to small towns".
I saw the movie and while I enjoyed it, I think it was a bit long and a little too sanitized. Annie Proulx's short story actually moved me more so than the movie. I rooted for it and like many (including those with whom I was watching the Oscars in Managua dubbed in Spanish) were shocked at its loss and the obvious homophobia of Hollywood. It was easier to give a film with a racial context the Oscar than a gay one. This crap that "Brokeback peaked too early" is nonsense. I guess that means Oscar voters see only what is in front of their faces. Maybe they are that stupid.
I know that "Brokeback" and Proulx's story will be around longer than "Crash" ever will. It has changed the way the world sees gay relationships forever. Thank you Ang Lee and all involved. That is more important than any silly gold statuette. We all know Oscar has overlooked some of the most important films and actors. You are in good company.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This Oscar year reminds me of 1994, when Forrest Gump beat Shawshank Redemption. Gump is long gone and never talked about, but Shawshank is a good story and with a happy ending. I'll see Crash soon, but no one could tell me in capsulated form WHAT the hell that movie was about!
The other thing I noticed about the Brokeback Mountain "story" or "theme" is how many men either live or have lived that lifestyle, i.e., married to a woman while loving and longing for men. In the past several years we've seen more than several politicians and CEOs who lived this way.
I feel sorry that society and families trap these guys into thinking that's their only choice. A gay man can no more change his orientation than he can his eye color. On the flip side, nor can I toward women. So basically it comes down to THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL of all civil, no, human rights. Gay rights then become everyone's civil rights, period.
What was I talking about?
Post a Comment