Sweeney is to Brokeback Mountain as Pajama Game is to Crash — Page 4

I can't believe this conversation is starting up again!

Even those who hate Brokeback can acknowledge the worldwide impact that it had. Not to mention that it has nearly unanimous acclaim, which doesn't happen very often, and an unmatched amount of awards. I feel that Brokeback has elements in it that everyone can relate to. That said, the movie's hype eventually overcame it. People went in with high expectations and were disappointed. I still think it's the best film of last year. Every part of it - acting, directing, screenwriting, etc. - was impeccable.

I also think that Crash won because it had a message that many Americans could rally behind while, at the same time, maintaining an uplifting center. The Academy can't resist stuff like that. And, for the record, I didn't like the "magic cloak" scene. I thought it was tacky. I wasn't so much upset that Brokeback lost, but that Crash won. I thought it was the weakest of the nominees.

Brokeback Mountain was pretty artsy, if you asked me. The story just sucked.

I totally disagree. I think the story is beautiful, human, and complex in a way that very few are these days.

And to whomever said that the acting and directing sucked... Never mind.

Updated On: 6/16/06 at 02:45 PM

Here's the story in a nutshell: Two closeted homos fall in love. They have wives. One dies. The other cries, and hugs his dead lovers old plaid shirt.

I think it's that simple, in the relative way that their lives are not any different from ours (I'm assuming you're a homo). Our lives are complicated, but just as complicated as theirs were.

Hell, "BARE: The Pop Opera" could be Brokeback Mountain. Same (okay, almost) characters. Same situation. Just different setting, and minus the wives (Well, there's that Ivy thing...)

I thought Jack, while in love, was in a lot of lust too, and loved Ennis a lot more than Ennis loved him. Ennis didn't know what he wanted.

Maybe when I watch it a few more times I'll take more from it. I saw it when it first came out and haven't bothered to see it again.

jake gyllenhall is so hot. and he's my boyfriend. if he was in sweeney, it would have won best revival. oh well.

p.s. jake and i will be attending broadway bares this sunday. look for us in VIP.

"Here's the story in a nutshell: Two closeted homos fall in love. They have wives. One dies. The other cries, and hugs his dead lovers old plaid shirt."

Pfffft. You can do that with any story, simple or complex, if you want to remove all elements of conflict, psychology and perspective.

Here's Crash:

A variety of Los Angeles citizens randomly run into each other encountering a range of emotions involving racism.

Here's Gone With the Wind:

A spoiled rich girl looks for love in Georgia during the Civil War.

Here's Hamlet:

A melancholy prince discovers his family is bad.

That's only simplifying a story, but it does not prove the story isn't complex. There is more to Brokeback Mountain than your blurb. For example, how their environment, backgrounds, relationships, the period, and even the characters themselves contribute to the obstacles in their relationship and how each one views himself, their future, and how they express themselves both literally and romantically.

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Holy Moly!
This thread went into some interesting directions!
Keep up the discourse. I was pretty much just trying to illuminate what TO ME seemed like the discrepency between Awesomeness and Dreck.
(And, consequently, people's attraction to or fear/dislike of both)

so.much.drama - haha!

And lifeoftheparty - nice points. Agreed.