A beautiful, heart-wrenching film about love...

Rating: 10/10 (8 January 2006)

Speechless. Numbing. Amazing.
These are just a few of the things I felt after seeing this movie. In fact, to call it a mere "movie" degrades this kind of art. Never before have I been moved so deeply by such simple imagery. A look, a kiss, a shirt, a mountain. The magic of this film lies in what is not said, but rather in what you see.
Brokeback Mountain is a cinematic tour de force. Ang Lee really knows how to tell a love story. I've read reviews, seen comments, heard rumours, but nothing compares to a firsthand view of the the sheer strength of the story presented here.
I think the most important thing to understand, however, is that this not a story about two "gay" cowboys. It's about two people who love each other. It's as simple as that. They expose themselves, albeit with some difficulty, to each other and to those around them, and in doing so find what we've all been searching for: Love.
Shot against the luscious and majestic backdrop of the Alberta foothills and Rockies, this film could not have had a better visual setting. The cinematography is superbly done, and evokes feelings that match the relationship between Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar. It is because of the landscapes that Brokeback Mountain carries such a tremendous emotional punch.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger deliver stunning performances as Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar. These two really have perfected the art of conveying feelings with simple flicks of their eyes. I can't remember a time when I ever felt such love and power behind a facial expression. Words cannot describe the feelings between these two young men, and this is something upon which Ang Lee has capitalized. Less is always more.
The musical score is the final touch. The three "Brokeback Mountain 1/2/3" interludes mark key points in these men's lives. Each one builds in intensity, until the final one really drives home the message of this film: Love transcends all boundaries and obstacles.
I highly recommend seeing this cinematic masterpiece, it will move you in ways you never thought possible. It will show you the true power of Love.