Left to my own devices

Actor Heath Ledger passed away eleven years ago this past Tuesday. I was reminded of this, and the impact of the movie  Brokeback Mountain , by an article from Attitude magazine. In truth, I'd forgotten just how powerful of a viewing experience it was, seeing that film for the first time. Brokeback Mountain , the story of two male ranch hands who fall in love during the early 1960s, was released in cinemas in late 2005. It was based on a short story by Annie Proulx. I read the story before watching the movie, and it didn't lessen the film's impact one bit. Brokeback Mountain wasn't playing near us yet, and we were anxious to see it. So, Ashley & I joined our friends Kevin and Brandon on a sojourn to Chicago in early 2006. There, in one of those movie-going experiences I'll likely always remember, we sat in the darkness of the theater and took-in the images on the screen. Images of heartache, shame, and of love.

Confession time. The comedic roles of Robin Williams are like nails on a chalk board to me. If someone wanted to to torture me, just a few minutes of Good Morning, Vietnam , Mork & Mindy , RV , or any of his stand-up routines would do the trick. The only exception to this would be Mrs. Doubtfire , a movie that just works. Having said that, I do appreciate the joy and laughter that Williams' manic persona brought to so many people. For me, I loved Robin Williams the serious man. Here's where I think he sits atop the mountains of greatness, along with Brando, Stewart, Finch, DiCaprio, Braugher, Hanks and many others who were or are masters of their craft. In a serious role, I found Williams to be riveting. He won an Oscar (for 1997's Good Will Hunting ), but could have been nominated (and won) for many more performances. He was that good.