Jack Twist actually eaten by bears

I saw Brokeback Mountain at last. The theater was surprisingly full, given the fact that the movie has been out for a while and this is Clerksville. The acting exceeded expectations, but they were exceedingly low. Heath Ledger's decision to keep the lower half of his face completely immobile rendered the dialogue indecipherable at times, and I could have done with 50% fewer panoramic shots of mountains and sheep. It still managed to be heartwrenching, though. Relatedly, James Berardnelli is on crack if he thinks neither character was gay.

I also finally watched Grizzly Man. This may be the most arresting movie I can remember watching. Herzog's narration is an excellent antidote to the manic babblings of Timothy Treadwell, self-proclaimed "protector" of the bears in a federal park. I was left with deep sympathy for Treadwell's girlfriend, Amie, who feared the bears but stayed with Treadwell in the wilderness for two summers nonetheless. She apparently used a frying pan to try to fight off the killer bear, disregarding her mauled boyfriend's injunctions to run away and save herself.

Even if you survive a bear attack, the results can be grisly.