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brianskirk
Reviews
Tiny Furniture (2010)
Witty Character Study
Certainly this film will not be everyone's cup of tea. But I'm a sucker for movies that are light on plot and heavy on letting us just hang out with some interesting characters for awhile. The dialogue here is so natural I thought perhaps they were simply ad libbing. The chemistry between the mother and daughters is totally real (makes sense -- they are a real family), and the film perfectly captures the that feeling of lacking any direction following graduation from college. It's true that nothing much happens in the film -- it's more about the nature of relationships: renewing old ones, letting friends go, trying out new lovers, choosing the wrong people -- all while trying to figure out what it means to be an adult.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
A Transcendent Love Story
Setting aside for the moment that "Brokeback Mountain" deals with two gay men, it is first and foremost a love story, told with a very narrow focus on two men and then to a lesser degree the people who populate their very small worlds. The film is beautifully shot, takes its time to build character and plot, and leaves you with a haunting feeling that we must grab every opportunity in life to be who we truly are.
Those who struggle or are bothered by the sexuality of the film are of course saying more about their own sexual hang-ups than they are about the quality of the film. In a very real way, I don't think the film is too interested in whether or not these two men are gay (though they are). It is concerned with the way they develop a deep bond of love but live in a culture that refuses to allow them to fully respond to that connection. So the two men do exactly what society asks of them --they put aside the feelings, repress them, bottle them up and behave themselves by getting married and having children. Of course, this doesn't quench their connection and only brings heartache to their wives and families.
I'm not certain how one could see the final moments of this film and not recognize it for a profound depiction of human connection that transcends culture/time/politics. The last shot of the film is haunting...
Clearly, this film has hit a nerve with movie-going public. It is a love story in a way we have not seen before and the fact that it is generating so much "talk" is a tribute to the fine work of art that it is.
Loggerheads (2005)
Thoughtful film
If you like films that are short on gimmicky plots and focus instead on character and real-life relationships and situations, then you will likely enjoy "Loggerheads." The movie unfolds slowly, letting us get to know the characters before we begin to understand the larger issues at play. The gay characters are shown in an honest, non-melodramatic light. We have come along way from the time when gay characters only existed to be villains, pathetic losers, or to sap our sympathy for their plight. These characters are people first, with their sexual orientation portrayed as only a part of who they are. An added bonus to the film is the chance to see Michael Learned (of "The Walton's"TV show) in a great role as Bonny Hunt's mother and Chris Sarandon in a very understated performance as a minister struggling with his own demons.