Brokeback Mountain

[Damien]

And now we have Williams, playing a woman married to a gay man.

She’s got her name written all over that Oscar. Easily.

But Diane von Furstenberg is not an Oscar voter. And I don't think Katie Holmes is either.

[Kova]

So, Uri, women are the ones who favor female roles that conform to the image of supportive wife and/or hooker (or "working girl," as your euphemism puts it)? I think the last 3,000 years of civilization prove that men do a pretty good job of this as well.

[ITALIANO]

Hehe... Well, when you see the movie, Uri, you know what I mean. It definitely IS a good - not great - performance, but it's mostly reaction shots, really. Unlike, say, Beatrice Straight in her winning performance, she doesn't have even just one scene which is really focused on her - though I admit (and you have read the original short story so you know) that it's an affecting character, and she does a better job with it than some recent winners in the same category (Angelina Jolie, just to name one!). So it's very possible - for the reasons you mention, and also because the category doesn't seem very competitive this year - that she will be nominated. But I'm sure she won't win.

[Uri]

I’m sure that based on the actual performance, you’re right about Michelle Williams, Marco, but you didn’t take into consideration the Shirley Fonda syndrome. The fifth Mrs. Henry Fonda was very candid when she revealed that since Hunk had no interest in the whole process involved with the Oscars, she was very happy to step in, go to all the screenings with a girlfriend and vote in his name. And she was not the only one, as you actually know yourself.

For one reason or another, this phenomenon is most apparent in the supporting actress category. The only way Gloria Graham could have won was because she was playing a character who was a member of this army of frustrated Hollywood wives. Watching Beatrice Straight’s brief turn as the long suffering wife who deals with her husband philandering was just like looking at the mirror for these ladies. Whenever they can, those gals show their support to the girl they identify with. Just think of all those supportive, often abused spouses of recent years - Mercedes Ruehl, Marisa Tomei, Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Connelly. Or another type who must be close to many of these Hollywood matrons’ hearts - the working girls who managed to marry and get on with life, hence the wins of Mira Sorvino, Kim Basinger, Catherine Zeta-Jones (o.k., in her case it happened off screen, but still).

And now we have Williams, playing a woman married to a gay man.

She’s got her name written all over that Oscar. Easily.

[Penelope]

You could be right, Italiano. The Satellites nominated twelve supporting actresses and Michelle Williams isn't one of them. Maybe I should take Uma Thurman's chances more seriously.

Uma!??! Really, now, think Rachel Weisz or Gong Li or even Amy Adams, but not Uma.

[Okri]

Oz, geez, those old people must be like over 40 to have been around in 1963. Maybe they'll all have heart attacks and die before the movie opens, they're so freakin' old.

Ummm. I guess I should've been clearer. I was referring to the time period depicted in Good Night and Good Luck, and I should've said "adults during the time depicted" (which would place most of them in their late 60's, it seemed). Also, this is the theater close to my university, and I tend to see a much younger crowd there.

Sorry if I was offensive.

[Big Magilla]

You could be right, Italiano. The Satellites nominated twelve supporting actresses and Michelle Williams isn't one of them. Maybe I should take Uma Thurman's chances more seriously.

[ITALIANO]

No, Big Magilla. I saw the film and trust me: Michelle Williams will not win Best Supporting Actress this year. Impossible. It's simply not an "Oscar" role. She's good, she could maybe profit from the film's success with the Academy and get a nomination, but no Oscar in sight for her.

Ledger and Gyllenhaal definitely have more chances.

[Big Magilla]

My original take on Brokeback Mountain was that it would end up being this year's Kiss of the Spider Woman or The Crying Game, receiving a best picture nod and a couple of acting nominations, maybe even an acting win, but not catch the brass ring. Now I'm not so sure. So many mainstream critics are getting passionately behind it, drawing attention to its non-deceitful adverstising campaign, that its high marks for integrity may be enough to put it over the edge and actually drive it into the winners' circle.

I think Ang Lee's best director award is almost assured. What's more, I think it could win three of the four acting awards. Biographical turns, such as those supplied by Heath Ledger's competition (Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Strathairn) are so last year. The supporting actor category hasn't really crystalized in anyone's favor, leaving a wide swath for Jake Gyllenhal and Michelle Williams could easily win by splitting the vote between veterans Diane Keaton and Shirley MacLaine.

I'm not saying this will happen, only that it seems a lot more possible now than it did even a few weeks ago.

[Reza]

I know, this could mean that all Italians are gay - but my humble opinion is that it's more possible that all (or most) Americans are - unconscious, repressed - homosexuals.

I thought this was hilarious. Italiano, get ready for the brickbats.

[ITALIANO]

I knew that such an innocent and (by European standards) tame movie would have made lots of Americans unconfortable (violence - on screen and in real life - doesn't seem to get the same kind of reaction from them, but this is another story). And the partially negative reaction from some openly gay film critics was also predictable - though of course they do it because they DON'T WANT to be predictable, desperately so. Ah, what a country... so complicated, yet so unsurprising.

At this point I think the best place where you may want to see this movie is the Quattro Fontane theater in via delle Quattro Fontane, in Rome, Italy, where I saw it (there must be relatively cheap flights from New York). The theater was packed, still no one made jokes or giggled or anything like that. There was silence, and then an applause at the end - not because it is a masterpiece, but because it's a very respectable movie. I know, this could mean that all Italians are gay - but my humble opinion is that it's more possible that all (or most) Americans are - unconscious, repressed - homosexuals.

This is also why this film will be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, and will not win.

[Penelope]

Thanks, Eric, I've already encountered it through another website; and gay gossip columnist Ted Casablanca over at E! has pooped on the film, as well. Not every str8 person liked Titanic, either. :p

[Eric]

Another gay critic not having any of it. (Penelope, spare yourself and resist the urge to click.)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-e....92.html

[Big Magilla]

I'm praying that my local independent theater is the one that gets it. The audiences there rock and seeing the trailer (in front of Good Night and Good Luck) was fine, even if the audience was full of older people (there was about 70 people and two thirds were probably around during the time depicted).

Oz, geez, those old people must be like over 40 to have been around in 1963. Maybe they'll all have heart attacks and die before the movie opens, they're so freakin' old.

[Penelope]

My problem is that Brokeback is scheduled to open at the local independent theater on Jan 13--and I refuse to see it at that theater because the screen is so tiny, the projector always half out of focus, and the sound system mediocre. This is the movie I've waited for so long, I want the optimal cinematic experience. So, I'm gonna wait for it to show at the local AMC--and woe to anyone who decides to behave like a jerk during the film.