I consider myself a serious moviegoer and when a movie gets a lot of critical attention I want to see it. So all the hype about Brokeback Mountain had me thinking I should see it, except I couldn’t. I am pretty open-minded about people and their sexuality, but I still get kind of queasy at the notion of watching two guys make out. Gay cowboys scared me more than Hostel and Saw II combined. The movie came out at the local theater here this weekend and the only other new film was Big Mama’s House 2. So the gay cowboys won out. I even convinced a few friends to go with me.
The controversy surrounding the film has given it a sort of stigma. If I didn’t like the film, would that make me a bigot? Sure enough I caught myself groaning at certain points in the movie when the two characters get back together for their trips. There it is, I hate gay people. I realized later that’s not true. What really bothered me was that they were lying to their wives and themselves. I feel the same way when watching any other movie about a destructive relationship.
Still my feelings about the film are mixed. Some of the more intimate moments between the characters had me a bit antsy. That’s probably not fair though, because I don’t have a problem when a film shows gratuitous amounts of female flesh. I think a fairer criticism of the film would be it seemed to meander for too long. This is a good story, but it is slowed down with a lot of empty subplots that seemed unnecessary. The cinematography and music were beautiful though. The actors also did a fine job, especially Heath Ledger’s with his performance as the quiet and lonely Ennis Del Mar.
The movie does a nice job of breaking down a lot of the stereotypes people apply to homosexuals, proving you do not have to be effeminate to be gay. I will admit that there were moments when I could really feel for these guys. That’s because the feelings of regret and unrequited love are pretty universal. After all, the concept of lovers separated by physical space or social norms is not really all that groundbreaking.
Seeing Brokeback Mountain was an interesting experience and I am happy I saw the movie. It broadened my horizons a bit and proved that I am mature enough to handle guys kissing on screen. If you are interested in the movie, I recommend checking it out. If you don’t want to see the movie though, that doesn’t make you any worse a person than someone who doesn’t want to see Pride & Prejudice. You probably shouldn’t be critiquing the movie though.
Update: Just for kicks, here’s Larry David’s column on why he won’t see the movie and the straight dude’s guide.
Update #2: I read the original short story that inspired the movie and I liked that better. It’s more consise and to the point.
Apparently the rumors are true: Disney will buy Pixar tomorrow for $7 billion. This is probably a good move for Pixar and definitely a good move for Disney. What surprises me is all the bad buzz this is getting in the blogosphere. Apparently some people believe that the powers that be at Disney will rip Pixar apart and turn its movies into direct-to-video sequels. This is ludicrous.
John Lasseter will take control of all of Disney animation and likely help direct it to new heights. I imagine Pixar will become Disney’s computer animation division and Lasseter will reorganize the existing unit to start producing traditionally animated movies again. There were rumors that Pixar may start a traditional unit themselves, that won’t be necessary now. I wouldn’t even be surprised if Brad Bird (director of The Incredibles and The Iron Giant) takes over the traditional unit. Lasseter can guide both units to success with his focus on original storytelling, something that was lost at Disney for the last few years. If they can maintain both units and produce enough hits, maybe Disney can scale back the direct-to-video business since they have twice as many feature films to put out.
Steve Jobs will become the largest shareholder in Disney after this deal, giving him a lot of leverage in the post-Pixar Disney. If they screw things up, he will likely give them hell. It will also be interesting to see what Jobs does with his role in Disney. He could use his influence to help direct the company through the transition to digital media. I know people worry that Pixar’s culture will die when they join Disney, but I don’t think that will happen. Many people at Pixar once worked for Disney and many Disney people are Pixar fans. I think Pixar is more likely to change the culture at Disney than the other way I around.
I can’t guarantee all that will happen, but I do think the new arrangement will be successful. Now many seem upset that Pixar didn’t go it alone, but I don’t think they realize what they’re talking about. Pixar gained a lot from its existing relationship with Disney, using the companies marketing muscle to sell their great movies. If Pixar was forced to go somewhere else, they would probably end up with Warner Bros. – which would be disaster. Warner Bros. took Bird’s marvelous Iron Giant and turned it into a box office failure. That would have been a dark road for Pixar. Disney has experience selling animated movies (and all the spin-off merchandising that helped make Pixar rich). This is going to be an interesting partnership and I think it will also be a fruitful one.
Published on
December 14, 2005 in
movies.
I just got back from an opening night screening of Peter Jackson’s King Kong. The seats were a little lumpy and the popcorn was too salty/not buttery enough. I doubt you’re interested in that though. There’s a lot one can say about it, so I’ll keep things short. SEE THIS MOVIE. I have not seen a better one this year and I can’t say there was many better last year either. Let the gay cowboys wait for DVD. Go to your local cineplex, get some popcorn and see Kong. You may want some tissues though, it is tragic.
It is a long movie, but I never felt like things got too slow. In fact I felt disappointed with how quickly the original went when I saw it last month. Fans should not fret though, Jackson stays true to the original story and pays homage to it quite a bit. In looking at his success with the Lord of the Rings and now Kong, it seems Jackson’s secret is that he is a fan of his own material. Jackson understands what fans love about these stories and delivers.The connection between Kong and Ann seemed very real in this version, making it much more than some sort of monster movie. There are a lot of monsters in this movie though – Jackson went wild with his ‘bad taste’ for about 40 minutes of entertaining sequences.The special effects were good, though at this point that seems a given for any modern movie.
Like I said, I could go on for a while about this movie but I’ll stop. If you enjoy movies at all though, check this one out. You won’t regret it.
Published on
December 11, 2005 in
movies.
This weekend two of the major films of the year came out: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Syriana. Both films are getting good reviews and making headlines. Narnia is the first in a classic series of children’s fantasy books by C.S. Lewis. Syriana is a controversial political thriller that portrays corruption in the oil buisness. These films interest me for another reason though. They have been produced by two increasingly visable production companies: Walden Media and Participant Productions. Unlike most production companies, which are ventures mostly built around a founding actor or director, these two companies have a purpose which binds their projects together.
Walden Media is led by former Miramax president Cary Granat and an “educational entrepreneur” named Micheal Flaherty. They focus on making family-friendly films, inspired by classic children’s books like Holes or Charlotte’s Web. They have partnered with Disney on several recent movies. In addition to making the movies, they produce educational materials for schools as well as sponsor events and contests that promote learning. In addition to promoting education, it’s smart buisness. Connecting with kids in kids in the classroom gives them free marketing. It seems the company’s success has encouraged authors to allow them to adapt their books. I was excited to see they are planning an adaptiation of The Giver, a book I felt certain would never make it onto the screen.
Participant Prodcutions is also interested in eductation, but more for adults than children. eBay founder Jeff Skoll launched the company to produce films that raise social issues in addition to entertaining. Not surprising these types of movies attract a lot of star power. George Clooney directed and starred in Good Night and Good Luck for Particpant this fall before starring Syriana. In addition to producing movies, they use them as platforms to launch public awareness campaigns on their website Particpate.net. The issues publicize the movies and vice versa. I expect that Participant’s movies will also be recieving several nominations this award season.
So what’s the big deal? For starters, both companies are using alternative marketing to capture bigger box office revenues and DVD sales. I don’t know how successful they are money wise, but they both seem to be doing well. What interests me is the fact that these two companies are creating incentives for Hollywood to invest in quality entertainment. I imagine we will be seeing more production companies in the future that use their brand to cater to a specific audience.
Published on
December 1, 2005 in
movies.
Empire, a British film magazine, published their 50 greatest independent films. It’s pretty good list, though I would like to think there are a few others that probably belong on the list. On the other hand, their films span decades and I have only been watching indie films for a couple years now. Still, here are some of my thoughts:
- Backwards I have a hard time agreeing that last year’s Sideways belongs even in the top 50 independent movies every made, surely not in the top 10. That’s not that I didn’t like the film, I just don’t think it was very classic or innovative.
- Hasta La Vista Though I like Reservoir Dogs for the #1 spot, I think The Terminator is probably worthier. A sci-fi, action blockbuster on a small budget? That’s an accomplishment. The film also made Arnold the star and politician he is today. Ok, maybe that’s why it got knocked down to #3.
- The Brothers Who? I think a list of independent films without a single Coen Brothers movie is pretty lacking. I am not sure exactly how many of their films have been produced by studios, but I know they have certainly done at least one independently.
Those are the thoughts that stick out in my head right now. I think there were others that were probably missed, but thats how these things go. I have seen 11 of the 50, not too bad. I got a long way to go though, I want to check out some of the others I haven’t seen now. Anyone got a copy of Bad Taste?
Published on
November 27, 2005 in
movies.
My friend and I were going over the best films of the year, that we’ve seen so far and we could only come up with two: Crash and Sin City. Both are dark horse Oscar nominees at best. This was supposed to be a better year for films, but frankly I’ve been a little disappointed. Still, there’s some good stuff still to come.
I already got my pick for the 2005 Academy Award for Best Picture: Munich. What’s that you say? It’s Steven Spielberg’s upcoming movie about Israel’s response to the 1972 Munich Olympics attacks. You mean its not even out yet? No its not out yet, but the trailer is available in glorious HD. Sounds kind of controversial for the guy who made Hook? Sure, but Spielberg is also the serious filmmaker who brought us Schinder’s List and Saving Private Ryan.
Munich is sure to stur up plenty of movie controversy unseen since The Passion of the Christ. Spielberg’s wants to let the movie speak for itself. He has decided not to do a premiere, press junkets, or Oscar publicity about the movie. It will be in theaters in only a few weeks and the studios just saw their first look this weekend. Longtime Spielberg producer Kathleen Kennedy saw it for the first time at the screening and came out saying it may be his best.
I am pretty intrigued by it all. I have always been a Spielberg fan and I appreciate him wanting to offer a new viewpoint on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis and the broader topic of terrorism in general. I doubt it will come down to much on either side, but will definitely raise the level of debate about the issue. I look forward to seeing it this Christmas.
Published on
November 18, 2005 in
movies.
Yes I am pretty big geek. My friends and I went to see the premiere of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at midnight last night. I know the books are big, but I was surprised how popular the movies have gotten. They filled three theaters at the local multiplex up here, almost exclusively filled with college students. I imagine they are going to do a lot of business this weekend.
As for the movie itself, I thought it was pretty good. Unfortunately this is one of the longer books and a lot of stuff was cut or flew by. There were certain changes that bothered me a bit, but for the most part it works fine. These movies have a great casts, matching now experienced young actors with veterans. And much to my happiness, director Mike Newell seemed to take inspiration more from the Alfonso Cuarón vision of the Harry Potter world than the Chris Columbus version. I also like how the movies kind of shade or highlight things that will emerge in later books.
My biggest complaint would have to be at the end of the book, there was a grave sense of impending doom. I am not sure I felt the same way at the end of the movie. In any case, I am pretty excited about the franchise and look forward to seeing more of Harry Potter.