So I stole and watched Brokeback Mountain last night. It's a pretty good movie. Ang Lee is a good director, and Heath Ledger (who I only know from A Knights Tale) turned in a very unexpectedly stellar performance. Everyone else is good too, and the music is well used, and that great Western scenery adds a lot to the mix.

My only quibbles are that they didn't do such a great job of consistantly aging Ledger and Gyllenhaal with makup/costume. In some scenes they really do look 35 and haggard, and then in the next the babyface is back. Also, the film would have probably had a stronger emotional hook if I didn't already know the major plot theme. The essence of the drama is in uncertainty and denial and secrecy, so it would probably hit harder if the whole thing came more unawares.

Still, it's a good movie, deserving of audience and accolades. In terms of awards, I think the film probably got some votes for being so "brave," rather than so "good," but I don't know if any of the nominees are really any better. I didn't see Match Point, but between Brokeback, The Constant Gardner, Goodnight and Good Luck and A History of Violence, it's really a toss up. They were all good, and all sort of slow and not really revelatory. It wasn't a great year for movies.

Finally, the right-wing hysteria is clearly overblown, and actually a little bit sickening. I can't wait for my generation -- which, because it is largely tolerant and rational does not worry about the gay -- to sweep these fear-filled stuck-in-adolescence jackoffs out of the public square.