by admin | Jun 18, 2025 | Articles, Cinemablend Articles
As strange as this might sound, I watched Brokeback Mountain for the first time. No, not the first time since what is considered one of the best 2000s movies came out back in 2005, but the first time ever. For a variety of reasons, namely being a 17-year-old when Ang Lee’s heartbreaking epic about unrequited love first came out, I didn’t see it back then, and I’ve put it off more times than I can count since.
With the 20th anniversary rerelease of Brokeback Mountain right around the corner (it opens for a limited run on Friday, June 20th), I decided to finally go back and watch the magnificent Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal movie. While I was initially a little ticked off at myself for waiting all these years, upon reflecting, I’m really glad I waited until I was a 37-year-old father of three opposed to being a foolish high school senior. Here’s why…
I Don’t Think The Inner Turmoil Of Ennis And Jack’s Relationship Would Have Hit As Hard
inner turmoil of the core relationship wouldn’t have hit as hard. I honestly don’t think I would have fully understood everything these two cowboys with hard exteriors and tender hearts were going through over the course of the movie.
Heath Ledger’s Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Jack attempt to hide their true nature from their wives, children, bosses, and society as a whole while putting up a facade of standard heterosexual roughnecks was heartbreaking. It was only on Brokeback Mountain that the two felt they could be themselves and be happy.
Ang Lee’s dramatic take on Annie Proulx’s transformative 1997 short story in the New Yorker, with its depiction of the passage of time and its effect on relationships, was nothing short of masterful. The agony and ecstasy of life and love are explored in great detail as Ennis and Jack go from two strangers on a sheep drive together to star-crossed lovers who just can’t quite make it work, while also not being able to quit each other either.
With my 40s quickly approaching (time seems much faster these days), this aspect of the movie resonated with me a whole lot, and it’s something I’ve been thinking about ever since the credits rolled. At the same time, this is something that I think would have been lost on me way back when. Again, having not gone through love, heartbreak, and rebirth at the time the film came out, I don’t think the messages and themes of this heartbreakingly poignant movie would have been lost on me.
decades-long relationship between Ennis and Jack, I can’t sit here and claim that this was the only aspect of the movie. Everything about the two leads’ respective lives off the mountain was just as interesting, especially as the two separate worlds become entangled and increasingly more complicated, especially as the two main protagonists marry, have kids, and attempt to build lives for themselves away from Brokeback.
Though I’ve never had to go through an experience like Ennis and Jack, I found myself getting wrapped up in the ups and downs of their respective marriages and trials and tribulations through parenthood. Being married and having children of my own, I oftentimes find myself being torn between who I was and who I am now, and I can only imagine how difficult it had to be for two people who couldn’t admit to their families (or the world) that they weren’t with the one they loved. Heartbreaking, to say the least.
Jack’s heartbreaking death, which is left ambiguous after recalling a story Ennis told earlier in the movie. Like patience, my empathy and restraint back in 2005 weren’t what they are today, though I still need to work on all three.
getting snubbed at the Oscars.
by admin | Jun 17, 2025 | Articles, Cinemablend Articles
The 2025 movie guide is overflowing with funny and action-packed titles, including the soon-to-be-released Bride Hard, starring Rebel Wilson. While the Die Hard meets Bridesmaids-esque flick seems like a straightforward blend of easy humor packed with punches, the lead actress didn’t come out of production unscathed. During the back half of filming, Wilson experienced an intense “freak accident,” and she shared all the gory details.
Wilson has been doing press for Bride Hard as of late, during which she’s shared quirky, behind-the-scenes details. It was during her interview with Access Hollywood that she discussed her nose injury along alongside co-star Anna Camp. Apparently, Wilson’s nose was accidentally smashed by a gun while she filmed a fight scene. The face wound was so bad that she had to leave the set and, ironically, this all happened on her final day of filming:
upcoming action movie. However, that doesn’t take away from the sheer shock of hearing that Wilson’s nose was split open during the production of Bride Hard. If you’ve watched some of Wilson’s best work, you’ll surely know that she commits to her gigs. However, I’m not sure if Wilson (who’s worked 16-hour days on a film) ever had to handle something like this while filming something.
Wilson’s thoughts on Pitch Perfect 4 and hope that it’s made at some point in the future.) The notion of suffering for one’s art is something that’s mentioned a lot, and I’d say that Wilson more than did that while making her latest film.
I’ll also say that the plastic surgeon really did a great job because, as Wilson mentioned during her interview, you can’t even tell she was even injured. Here’s hoping that she avoids any other dangerous situations as time goes on. For now, know that you’ll be able to see Bride Hard when hits theaters on June 20.
by admin | Jun 17, 2025 | Articles, Cinemablend Articles
SPOILERS are ahead for Mike Flanagan’s The Life Of Chuck movie. Go see it in theaters before reading on.
Wow, The Life Is Chuck has to be one of the best 2025 movies, right? While I wasn’t sure what to expect out of the latest of Stephen King adaptations which was made it plain and clear in its trailer it’s not a horror title, I left the theater feeling really affirmed about the beauty and pain that comes with living life, and was very moved by how writer/director Mike Flanagan took me on a journey as an audience member. Even though I watched it a week ago, it’s a movie that’s continued to stick with me, and there’s one element I want to spend some time talking about: the locked room.
The mysterious locked room is first shown in Act III (the first act of the movie in this case) when Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character, Marty Anderson, looks over at it in his home while dealing with the end of days for his world. But the locked room doesn’t start to earn meaning until Act I (the third act of the movie). As I’ve thought about The Life Of Chuck all week, I’ve continued to think about the poetic sentiment surrounding this element of the film, and how it really made the movie special for me.
Mark Hamill, who’s actually done a King adaptation before, and Mia Sara).
Chuck has a lot of curiosity about the locked room, as any child would, and one night, when his granddad is drunk, he gets some information out of him regarding what’s inside. Albie suggests that there are ghosts in that room, and references seeing some people in their community and family who have died. This only makes Chuck more curious about being in the room, and one night he finds a way to open it. But before he can look inside, Albie gets in the way and makes a very concerned, scared face once he opens the door instead of his grandson. But just like Chuck, we don’t see what’s inside.
Later, we learn that inside the room of the locked door, people can see death, and in the case of Albie, he probably saw his death and his wife’s during that final look inside. Chuck then experiences their deaths during his childhood, and at the end of the movie, once they have both died, a teenage Chuck gets the keys to the locked door. When it opens, he sees his own death. But, rather than look at the sight with fear like Albie did, he recites something his teacher told him, which is that “I contain multitudes” and suggests he’ll live his life to the fullest. He is not afraid of the room like his granddad was.
Stephen King chose to make the locked room something that Chuck is endlessly curious about in his childhood, specifically.
Because wanting to know about how you’ll die oddly does feel like it should be likened to ruminating on a random room in your childhood home. It’s one of those things you simply cannot help thinking about, no matter what you do, but in the end, if you did know, and you opened the door, you’d probably be disappointed with what you saw. Death isn’t something we aspire to, and seeing one’s death doesn’t really change anything. It just will happen, and it exists. It’s absolutely like opening a random room in your house you’re not supposed to go in, because I don’t think how we actually die is going to be as interesting as your mind imagines it might contain. Once we get there, it’s the living we did that matters a lot more.
this year of Stephen King adaptations after being so moved by Mike Flanagan’s movie.
by admin | Jun 16, 2025 | Articles, Cinemablend Articles
Almost 30 years after making the cult classic hit That Thing You Do, fans are still excited to see writer/director Tom Hanks’ pop music dramedy shine on. That fondness is not only held by the fans, but also by Hanks and his veteran cast from that 1996 picture. And while the 2025 movie schedule isn’t promising a Wonders reunion tour, a sweet meeting with actor Johnathon Schaech kind of reignites my hopes for a legacy-quel.
Sharing this beautiful event on social media, Schaech provided a snapshot of himself and the Toy Story legend in the wild together. Continuing to spread the gospel of this deserving classic, here’s what that post had to say:
Johnathon Schaech’s 2023 reunion with Tom Hanks, sometimes the boys catching up is simply that. But considering how we got that sweet reissue of That Thing You Do’s soundtrack, it’s not like this singular film has left people’s minds.
best ‘90s movies, it would be nice to see some sort of 30th anniversary re-release in 4K. I’m sure it’d please Harry Potter alum Tom Felton, who actually weighed in on this photo by saying, “You guys look great in gold have I told you that.” Even the once and future Draco Malfoy can’t resist the charms of That Thing You Do!
Mr. Felton isn’t the only young fan of this beloved movie, as even the Haim sisters recently paid tribute to Tom Hanks’ writing/directing debut. The most recent album and tour for rock group Haim actually takes its name from that infamous moment where Johnathon Schaech’s Jimmy tells Tom Hanks’ Mr. White, “I quit!” That feels like a good sign that this picture is not far from people’s minds, much like any other title that catches on years later, becoming a draw for Hulu subscription holders.
However, I may be biased, as I’m someone who is known for random thoughts while watching That Thing You Do on not-exactly-rare occasions. Outside of anything related to the film itself, it really is sweet to see two past collaborators catching up from time to time. Sometimes a brunch is just a brunch…at least, until that brunch leads to a hypothetical announcement that The Wonders will be joining the Criterion Collection. It hasn’t happened yet, but we can surely dream, can’t we?
If you want to see what these folks have been up to, it’s not hard. Tom Hanks can currently be seen in The Phonecian Scheme, as it should be showing at a theater near you. As for Johnathon Schaech, Season 2 of his current show Blue Ridge is still finishing up production, with Season 1 available for streaming on Peacock.
by admin | Jun 16, 2025 | Articles, Cinemablend Articles
Cowboys, gunslingers, and revenge stories still captivated critics and audiences in the western genre. This past year, we had the Peter Dinklage-led western The Thicket with an 80% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Ari Aster’s upcoming western movie, Eddington, already had a 66% critics score before its July release. As for Samuel L. Jackson and Pierce Brosnan’s new western, The Unholy Trinity, it’s insane the huge dichotomy between what critics and audiences say about it.
The 2025 movie release of The Unholy Trinity follows a mysterious figure (Samuel L. Jackson) and a new sheriff (Pierce Brosnan) who gets caught up in a young man on a quest to murder the man who led to his framed father’s execution. Based on the film’s trailer, we see what’s typical of an 1870s-set backdrop of mountain landscapes, saloons, and gunslinging action on horseback.
Rotten Tomatoes’ contested scoring process marks a movie with a “Fresh” or “Rotten” score, as determined by a range of critics’ reviews. While an audience’s score has always been there, the site’s brand new popcornmeter is taking what audiences say more seriously with its “Hot” or “Stale” scale. In the case of The Unholy Trinity on Rotten Tomatoes, the dichotomy between critics and audiences is huge, receiving a “Rotten” 17% from the critics, but a 66% from its verified audience.
Watch On
This wouldn’t be the first time that critics and audiences haven’t been in agreement on Rotten Tomatoes. Movies like Jumper, Bullet Train, Waiting…, and more have had differing scales of critics and audience scores. In terms of the latest movies that have come out, fans and critics were not on the same page with A Minecraft Movie, with a 48% critics score and an 85% audience score. While the Lilo and Stitch remake received good reviews all around, critics didn’t like the Disney movie as much as audiences did, which was verified as “Hot” on the popcornmeter with a 93% audience rating, but a 72% critics rating. It proves right there that critics and audiences have very different visions of what makes a good movie worth watching.
The hugely contrasting opinions critics and audiences are having over Samuel L. Jackson and Pierce Brosnan’s new movie are incredible. The Unholy Trinity may have felt unoriginal to critics, but it looks like audiences were still entertained by what they saw. Sometimes, a solid cast and spectacular action sequences are clearly enough to win audiences over and give them a good time in theaters.
If you want to see why audiences are favoring the new western-crime movie, make sure to catch The Unholy Trinity in theaters now.
by admin | Jun 16, 2025 | Articles, Cinemablend Articles
For a lot of people, Father’s Day is a special time to spend with family and celebrate. Unfortunately, for many more, Father’s Day is somewhat bittersweet. Not everybody has a strong relationship with their father, and many more no longer have their father with them to celebrate. For the family of Bruce Willis, however, things are especially difficult because the man is here and yet, is not.
Bruce Willis suffers from dementia, following the diagnosis of aphasia theat forced him to retire in 2022. This means that while he’s still able to spend time with his family, he’s simply not able to relate to them in the ways he previously could. The actor’s daughter, Rumer Willis, took to Instagram on Father’s Day to admit that such a day is difficult. While she’s glad she still has her father, she wishes she could still talk to him and wishes she had done more earlier. She said:
Bruce Willis’ wife has also spoken about the difficulty that comes with his diagnosis. The entire family has been open about the situation, in an attempt to make it easier for others who are dealing with similar problems.
Bruce Willis may not be able to communicate in the way he once good. However, it’s clear from the way he interacts with his family that he’s still there. Rumer finds some solace in the way her dad reacts when he spends time with his granddaughter, saying:
The comments of Rumer Willis’ post are full of well wishes, most likely from strangers, but several from friends who know her well.
Brittany Snow’s Supportive Message
One comment comes from actress Brittany Snow, who revealed last year that her father is suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, making her somebody who truly understands the struggle. Snow said:
You can check out Rumer Willis’ complete post below. It includes many fantastic pictures of Bruce and Rumer throughout the years, as well as a lovely picture of Bruce with his granddaughter.
Bruce Willis was clearly a remarkable father, and even if he’s not the same, his family is still here to make sure he knows their feelings haven’t changed one bit.
