Did you know that it’s been twenty years since Brokeback Mountain was released? Yeah, neither did I until about a week ago.
I’ve talked about my journey with sexuality a few times here. I’m proudly bisexual, and I’ve realized that for a long time, probably ever since high school. However, there was a time when I didn’t fully understand what it was like and how it felt, and that’s what led me to watch a lot of movies, such as Brokeback Mountain, back then.
best LGBTQ+ movies and television shows available, I sometimes like to revisit certain films and shows that helped set me on the right path to understanding my feelings.
Brokeback Mountain in honor of its 20th anniversary – jeez, Louise, that just aged me – and its re-release in theaters. I didn’t quite realize back then just how much this film meant to me and how it guided me in the right direction of understanding who I was. So let’s get into it.
Aside From The Story, The Movie Itself Is Amazing
I know everyone talks about Brokeback Mountain for the story, and don’t get me wrong – the story is phenomenal. I mean, it beats out many of the other best romance movies out there because it truly portrays love in its rawest form and how it can either change or break you.
That’s something that, as a mild fan of romance movies and fun rom-coms, I can appreciate – taking an honest look at love.
But this movie, in general, is just fantastic all around.
There’s something about the cinematography that makes me smile every time, as I feel like every shot is filmed with such intention. Of course, the backdrop of the mountains only adds to the intensity of the moment. I don’t even need to comment on the acting because you already know it’s great – both the late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal give all-time great performances here.
Even the score is fantastic. It was written by Gustavo Santaolalla, whom I know very well from both The Last of Us games and the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us. I just never knew he also wrote for this film, so it makes sense why it’s fantastic.
This movie is a cinematic triumph by director Ang Lee, and we are fortunate to have witnessed it in our lifetimes.
Crash won Best Picture at the Oscars over Brokeback Mountain; you must have already known that, though.
I do think that Crash is also a good movie and a decent commentary on racial tensions across the United States and the police force. I also believe that Brokeback Mountain is one of those movies that, even if you aren’t a part of the LGBTQ+ community, has a lot going for it. Anyone could find a connection with it. It hits every part of the soul.
Even twenty years later, people are still talking about this movie while Crash has sort of…vanished into the ether except for the controversy surrounding it, but that’s just my take.
Either way, I really enjoyed rewatching this movie as an adult, and if you haven’t seen it in a while, I would highly recommend checking it out. Trust me, you won’t regret it – and you probably won’t want to quit it either. (Did that pun make sense? I’m not sure, but watch the movie.)