The book left me in a funk for three days... I've just been avoiding the movie. But I s'pose I should go see it.

It's great to see a cultural shift happen and hopefully this is an indicator for a big cultural shift coming in this country when it comes to gay rights. It's way past due and the James Dobsons of the world have been free to do far too much damage of last.
Just one comment on the Golden Globes though. I just can't believe that Crash didn't win best screenplay. I know that Brokeback Mountain won instead, but I'm sorry. The screenplay for Crash was the best screenplay I have ever seen of any movie. Oh, by the way, if you haven't seen Crash...run, don't walk, out and get it now. It is an amazing movie.

While I was excited for the wins that Brokeback did get. I was quite disappointed that Heath Ledger didn't receive Best Actor. What he conveys with a downward look and a scrunch of his forehead was truely amazing.

BTW, I've read the short story twice and seen the movie twice now. I think that the movie is actually better than the short-story. In the screen play, more attention is given to the wives & girl-friends of Jack & Ennis. The result is rounding out the story in a really nice way that gives it greater impact than if it had followed the short story more cloely. Larry McMurtry is one of my favorite writers (The Last Picture Show, Lonesome Dove), so that may be influencing me somewhat (he co-wrote the screen play).

I could go on and on about the differences between the two forms of the story, but it all comes down to the short-story was a fantastic starting point for a couple of great screen writers, an awesome director, and several fine actors (acting at their best) to mold into the most impactfull film I've seen in a long time.

I can't wait for the Director's Cut DVD. Maybe some of the interactions between Jack & Ennis will be restored.