I understood Vox. Scorn and ridicule of Judeo/Christian morality are fair game to Hollywood. Scorn of a gay and lesbian lifestyle in the movies? Just doesn’t happen.

And Vox, I have no idea what you’re supposedly quoting at the end of your post. Although I am curious exactly when in western history Judaism hasn’t been fair game for ridicule and scorn.

I had a teenage boy tell me that, even though he had a girlfriend, he kept another girl as back up. I think it is movies like that that make it seem A) Bad to ever have a day or two between relationships (and therefore risk being alone) B) OK to carry on with multiple romantic/sexual partners.

These are the values we embrace in mass media and therefore transfer to our kids.

Sex is not only a fine thing to engage in at 12, it is expected. I’m not that old, but when I was in school, a girl having sex was not something to be proud of. Now they brag about it.

Adultery is fine because it feels good to ME.
Anything goes if it feels good to ME, I don’t have to think about how it might affect my spouse/children/friends/community because I have a right to do whatever the heck I want.
Violence is fun.
Family is passé and overrated.
It is never OK to defend yourself and your values.
Christianity and Judaism are fair game for ridicule and scorn.
Alternative religions/lifestyles are sacred and off limits for questioning or doubt.

Et cetera….

Tragic? Sure – it’s a tragic movie. Tragic for everyone, not just the two lovers. Beautiful? Not sure where that comes from – not at all the impression I got from watching it.

The gist, as I understand it, is these two men have a long term relationship. Said relationship causes pain to their respective spouses and destroys their families. Somehow, we are supposed to think it is beautiful and tragic because they are gay – as opposed to selfish and self indulgent, which would be obvious (I hope) if they were heterosexual people in the same situation. Anyone pointing out that the characters and their actions are offensive is considered homophobic, when there are certainly other issues with the story that are questionable.

The same was true when the Methodists( ? ) were debating whether to ordain their first openly gay minister. Pointing out that he was hardly a good choice as a church leader because he abandoned his wife and children and was living in sin in a sexual relationship was homophobic, as if giving in to your urges and dismissing your vows is somehow OK if you are gay. He gets a free pass and you are not allowed to question his morality.

Brokeback Mountain doesn’t have to be a quality film, or even tell a good story, because it involves selfish gay characters. Selfish heterosexual characters are handled on a case by case basis.

I just like seeing what everyone wears.

And I am a big Oscar’s lover. I have a party almost every year (last year being the exception) and it is always a big deal. However, knowing the “internal politics of the awarding body” I don’t put much stock in their picks as actually being the best movie/performer/script of any given year. I do love the spectacle of it, though.