This movie tells the twenty-year tale of two cowboys, who meet as they prepare to head up Brokeback Mountain one year to watch sheep. Yes, they are headed up the mountain to keep an eye on the sheep. The two will stay there and one will keep the camp while the other keeps an eye on the sheep.

It’s not a glamorous job, but apparently the pay is good (they don’t actually mention it – I’m assuming that it must be, or they wouldn’t do it for months on end). Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) go up the mountain as strangers, but they come down as a whole lot more than friends, which is a tough thing in the sixties. It’s not an easy thing now. Then they go their separate ways.

Read the rest of this entry »

This retelling of the 1953 classic has a big budget and a lot of computer effects, and in general does a very good job. Tom Cruise may not be my first choice for an action hero, but he doesn’t do too badly here. I think that’s probably because the tale is told by what’s happening around him and it doesn’t depend too much on what he’s doing.

Ray Ferrier (Cruise) is a New Jersey mechanic who seems to be fighting with life. His wife has moved on and his kids aren’t too far from doing the same. But this weekend they are staying with him, so perhaps something will change. When Ray tries to get his son Robbie Justin Chatwin to play a game of catch, the ball goes through the window instead. I guess it won’t be this weekend after all.

Read the rest of this entry »