radoboist's journey in the world (of love, of studies, of whatever...)

A look into how a hopeless romantic copes with what life throws at him... Regardless if it is romance related or not...

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Brokeback Mountain, an unofficial review

Brokeback Mountain, the movie which was based on a short story by Annie Proulx, and adapted to screen play by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry is a film that is based in the town of Signal, Wyoming in the year of 1963.

The story starts out about a pair of ranch hands, Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) who is looking for work for the summer. They get hired by a sheep manager, Joe Aguerre (Randy Quaid) to herd sheep for him on Brokeback Mountain.

Ennis is a man of few words, while Jack is talkative and sociable. We find out that Ennis's parents were killed in a car accident when he was young, and was mostly raised by his siblings. The two grow more comfortable with each other as the summer passes.

One night, since Ennis is too drunk to ride back up to be with the sheep, he decided that he'd stay at camp, and then ride up to the mountain in the morning. The night was bitterly cold, and once the fire died down, Ennis was shivering and complaining about the cold. Jack yells for Ennis to get into the tent. This is when it happens, Jack gets Ennis to wrap his hand around Jack's and this was the spark that started it all.

The summer passes, and it is relatively evident that the two has fallen deeper in love with each other. They are forced to part ways, however, as Ennis needs to return home to marry his sweetheart - Alma, played by Michelle Williams, and Jack, hinting to Ennis that he may be back next summer, sees him off with his puppy dog look eyes.

The two men part separate ones, Ennis marrying Alma, and having two daughters, while Jack catches the eye of a rodeo queen, Lureen Newsome. These two get married and have a son.

It is after four years when Jack sends a postcard to Ennis, telling him that he'll be in town, and that they should get together. Ennis, being extremely nervous, continually downs the beers and chain smokes. Jack finally shows up, and the two, thinking they were in a position that couldn't be seen, share a passionate kiss. However, Alma sees them, and she has a look of disgust mixed with pain that never goes away for the rest of the film. Lureen, by the end of the film, has become a really bitter woman, and this is beautifully portrayed by Hathaway.

This story puts to film the hidden love story of two men who could not be with each other due to societal constraints and their own constraints. It is also a story about love and how it really can transcend boundaries.

Heath Ledger, who played Ennis Del Mar, did a wonderful job with acting out his character as a shy, not too conversational, not too sociable and "tough" ranch hand who, like everyone else, is just as brittle, and can be dented and hurt on the inside. Jake Gyllenhaal, playing Jack Twist, also did a great job with his character, who was someone who dared to take risks, who tried to get Ennis to believe in him and their love. Michelle Williams, playing Alma Del Mar, a housewife who is married to a man who doesn't love her the same way he loves Jack, and ends up divorcing him as she is unable to deal with the situation. Anne Hathaway, playing Lureen Newsome, portrays a woman who ends up being very bitter, as she is never loved fully with her husband's heart. Though all four of these performances were strong, Heath Ledger is deserving of his Golden Globe nomination, and Michelle Williams is deserving of hers.

If you like dramatic films with a good story line and fine acting, Brokeback Mountain is the film for you. The chances of you being able to identify with at least one of the main characters (Ledger, Gyllenhaal, Williams or Hathaway) will be very great. I know I really identified with Gyllenhaal myself.

Many films make me choke up and tear, but this one made me cry.

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Love is a force of nature...

Even though I have an exam in about 7 hours, I decided that I couldn't study anymore, and rushed off to see the 10:00 p.m. showing of Brokeback Mountain. For some odd reason, AMC was able to secure the movie for this week, as opposed to next week, which is when I was told the movie would be released.

Now, I just need someone to send me one of those e-mail chain surveys where they ask you a whole bunch of questions, including the one about, "When was the last time you cried?"

Usually, when I answer these questions, I say, "The last time I cried was at my brother's graduation in elementary school. I didn't realize how much he had grown up." Now, I have a new more recent moment... I cried during and at the end of Brokeback Mountain.

This movie was wonderfully done, and I believe the short story is very well written. The screen play is also a very good adaptation. In fact, I want to read the book of short stories by Annie Proulx so badly, that I have already put myself on the queue at the Toronto Public Library. And if I can't stand it, then I may go to an English bookstore and buy a copy, but I think I'll wait until the library.

At the end of the movie, and I did not see the end coming at all, I thought I wasn't going to cry, and then about 2 minutes later, I was crying. I brought kleenex with me, just in case this was going to happen, and am I glad that I did.

This story makes a few very good points about love. First, it is misunderstood. When people don't understand a certain type of love, it could lead to things... Killing, etc. Two, it is a force of nature. You can't stop it, if two people are meant to be, they will love each other, even though they may not physically be together. Thirdly, it takes two to love each other. This was very well demonstrated in the film and story. You have to be willing to take risks, and both parties in the relationship need to be willing. The major drawback about what could have been was the fact that one of the story's main characters refused to take the risk of what might have been. It is easier to fight prejudice and protect each other when there are two, then when there is one.

Yes, with risk taking, comes the risk of heartbreak. But, I'm not the type to not risk breaking my heart for what could be a really involved roller coaster ride. I highly recommend going to see this movie. I don't think I was the only guy in the theatre tearing up and/or crying. I think there were several.

When this movie comes out on DVD, I am getting it and putting it in my collection. This is a movie that will be watched, time and time again.

And no, this movie is not about having butt sex. In fact, there was so little of that in the film, I would not have guessed it unless it was mentioned in some reviewer's critique. It deserves the seven golden globe nominations. I hope it wins every one!

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Buying pants, a humbling experience...

Today, I went to run a bunch of errands. I wanted to get some information on leather gloves I have bought, and to punch extra holes in a belt I bought a long time ago, and I can no longer use (until today!) because the hole on the belt was still too big for me.

It all went well until I tried on a pair of shorts at Northbound. By the end of it, I felt fat and ugly, because I had to try on so many pairs of shorts in different styles, and they were all 36 and 38's... I usually take pants in 34 - 36 (max). So, I learned an important lesson today: Most places don't give true sizes. Northbound does. And of the pair that fit me nicely, the leg was so big, it looked ridiculous on me, and I could stick my entire hand down my pants (waist wise). By the end, they were trying to opt for me to buy a pair of custom-made shorts, and the cost would be 25% more than the price. Which would put the cost at about $230. (The shorts are leather, but still). But then I could do whatever I want with them, since they were custom.

And then on the way home, I got on the metro, and there was this loud-mouth idiot. I sat down at Berri-UQAM station, and after a girl left, he said out loud, "I bet you money that she was a dyke." and then later on, he claimed that he had the worse metro ride ever, since at first, "There was the lady with the grass salad", and then there was the "lesbian". By the time he got out of the metro, I wanted to strangle him.

I was thinking, I couldn't possibly be having a worse day, could I? And then I remember the Family Guy episode where they animated a Japanese man who got a parking ticket on August 6, 1945 in Hiroshima, Japan. And he exclaimed, "Oh, I was off my five minutes". Then, a car drives by and splashes him. He exclaimed, "Could this day get any more worse?" and then the sounds of a bomb came... In the episode, it turned out to be a wild man attacking ape, but I think we all know that it's supposed to be the atomic bomb. That, would be bad. So, compared to that, I didn't have such a bad day...

I work out, I eat healthy, I eat junk food sometimes... I have a bit of a belly, but I wouldn't consider myself fat... But, perhaps I'm being mislead, and I really am fat?

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

I suppose I blog more when I am stressed and should be working...

Today, as I usually do on a Tuesday, I went to see a movie. (It's also cheap night). So, I bought a ticket to Derailed featuring Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston and Vincent Cassel.

This was supposedly a thriller or a suspense movie. I wasn't too impressed with the thriller/suspense portion of it, and it wasn't bad. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad.

However, what I want to talk about is the supposedly "adultery" that happened between Aniston and Owen. When you put on your ring to signify that you are married for better or for worse, you don't cheat on your partner. You have to be smart enough to say, "No, I'm not going to let my little head do the thinking." But what do I know? I have never been in a relationship, so I suppose I haven't had the experience of being tempted?

And so many people came into this movie late. I don't like late movie goers, but especially ones who decide to sit in your row, and start whispering to each other right away when they sit down. I got so fed up that about maybe 5 minutes into the movie, I shouted, "On est ici pour un film, hein? (We are here for a film, huh?)" and these bozos still didn't shut up for the entire movie.

Monday, December 12, 2005

The empty barrels make the loudest noise...

I was eating some food at a restaurant, and there was a table of really loud adolescents beside me. The guy was somewhat annoying, because he was basically speaking so that everyone can hear, and if he were a gay guy, he would not impress me one bit. Like the saying goes, the empty barrels make the loudest noise.

By the way, does anyone know what season this clip of Family Guy is from?

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Drool...

I did my routine breakfasting (or brunching) at Resto du village today, and guess who was there? The older gentleman whom I think is handsome! However, he was on his way out when I got in... I wonder if he too, makes it a routine on Sundays... I wonder if I'll have the courage to talk to him.

And I stumbled across this sad video. I think it's very well done... I don't know whose perspective this is sung from though...

Wow, unexpected!

Many unexpected things happened today (Saturday), I was so surprised.

First of all, I tutored Ryan, who I thought was pretty good looking, and whom I suspected smoked, for three hours, starting from 2:00 p.m.. After the tutoring, he offered to go for a drink, and I said yes.

We chatted from about 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., at a pub. I had two pints of Guinness, and he had three pints of a beer whose name I have forgotten, and then we went to play some pool. After, we played two games of bowling. During this time, we consumed a lot of alcohol, and most of it was purchased by him. We ventured into the territory of shots where I had my first experience of tequila. I now know how to do a tequila shot, correctly. First the salt, and then the shot, and then the lemon. :-P I bought a round of shots of blowjobs. Those were yummy. And then he suggested that we go dancing at the gay club. (During this time, I had come out to him, and he was telling me about what he likes to do, and how he wasn't gay, and that he has a girlfriend, but he likes hanging out with me).

When I got to Sky, I got a drink for him and me, and we hung out for a bit, and then he said that he was tired and went home... I stayed until 2:05 a.m., and then went home, and grabbed a bite to eat on the way back. I also bumped into a friend, Haroon, who I haven't seen in about a year! We met in Toronto about a year ago. To be exact, it was a year and five months. I did not recognize him in the club, and in fact, it was Haroon who greeted me. He took down my number, but I don't know if he'll call me, as he took down my e-mail the last time we parted, and he never e-mailed me.

I also danced with a Mexican accountant. He was handsome, but I never got his name and I became too tired, and went home. Oh well.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Oh... Dreamy... (x2?)

Today was the dress rehearsal for the concert that I'm playing tomorrow. Before I went to the rehearsal, I went to my favourite diner-esque restaurant, called Resto du village, for some greasy spoon breakfast.

After my breakfast/brunch (I finished the meal at about 2:15 p.m., and left the restaurant at about 2:20 p.m.), I walked towards Berri-UQAM metro station and took the orange line (direction Côte-Vertu) to go to Vendôme, so that I can catch the 105 (Sherbrooke) bus to where I needed to be. For those of you unfamilar with the Montreal metro system, the link here will show you a map of the metro system.

First of all, at Resto du village, I again ran into the guy whom I thought was handsome, but thought was older. He was again by himself, having breakfast. I was able to sit beside him today (at an adjacent table). Unfortunately, we didn't converse.

And then at the Station Champ de Mars, a really handsome guy got onto the metro... He was wearing a baby blue sweater, which brought out the blue in his eyes... He's got the shade of blue eyes like a grey-blue or a light purple mixed with blue. His eyes were really beautiful. (And I'm a sucker for eyes... I really am). However, he's probably straight, and for some odd reason, he decided to change seats in the same metro that we were in. I was a bit upset by that, as I couldn't admire him. (I was sitting beside him). I got to Vendôme, and he was still on the metro. :-/

So, I was grazed by a boy who had a pair of blue eyes that could melt butter. :-/

Aside: Five days until the official opening of Brokeback Mountain.