"Brokeback Mountain" is one of those movies that's easier to admire than actually enjoy, especially if you're like me, finally seeing it after being inundated by endless media hype & controversy, not to mention 'homo' variations of the title uttered by snickering co-workers ("Humpback Mountain," "Brokebutt Mountain," etc.) for over a year. It's akin to taking in an edgy art house film: you are impressed with your own open-mindedness, and the movie does provide some fodder for discussion afterwards. But really, "Brokeback Mountain" is a traditional Hollywood love story masquerading as cutting-edge cinema, albeit brilliantly directed and acted; it certainly deserved some of the Oscar trophies it took home. And again, admiring a film for its audacity & technical brilliance is not the same as being entertained. Even as a tragic love story, "Brokeback Mountain" is emotionally aloof and way too long. Still, the movie deservedly has its admirers, and I guess one big question for them is whether or not this 2-disc Collector's Edition is worth the upgrade, especially since this is the same version of the film released on DVD just last year.

As hired cowboys Ennis Del Mar & Jack Twist, who fall in love while tending livestock in the Wyoming mountains, Heath Ledger & Jake Gyllenhaal are no less than brilliant. Ledger is especially outstanding, since his Ennis character is far more fleshed out (and ultimately more sympathetic) than Jack. They eventually try to go back to normal life, each getting married and having children, but occasionally hook-up with each other over the next twenty years to rekindle their love for each other; their highly sexual relationship takes an emotional toll on them and their families. Much of the film focuses on the conflict between their personal relationship and those around them when they are apart. Then of course, there are those love scenes, particularly the first one. What's shocking isn't watching two major actors going at it (a gonzo scene that'll either induce winces or chuckles) ...it's how soon & sudden this happens. One scene their drinking around a campfire, the next they're in a tent yanking each other's pants off. These two become lovers faster than Jack Nicholson goes nuts in "The Shining," and we're not really giving enough previous exposition why. The film is beautifully shot (this is easily director Ang Lee's best looking film since "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), is as well-acted as any character drama you can name (Ledger probably deserved to win the Oscar he was nominated for), and the story is subtle, smart and thought-provoking. But there's also a strange sense of detachment present. The movie never becomes as emotionally involving as it should, even though it lays the groundwork to become so. Because of this, the quiet, poignant final reel (which should have folks reaching for the tissue) doesn't resonate like it should, though it's admittedly a great ending. I watched this with my wife (I sure as hell wasn't gonna watch it with my buddies), and while we both admitted "Brokeback Mountain" was very well made, it eventually seemed to go on forever, and was kinda depressing at times. And admittedly, we DID spend some time discussing & debating the film's ideas & themes (that alone makes any movie worthwhile). But in the end (no pun intended), despite the film's intelligence, earnestness & beautiful visuals, I reluctantly ended up thinking, "so what?"

As far as I could discern, this video transfer is the same as last year's single disc edition. The movie is presented in enhanced 1.85:1 widescreen, and aside from some softness & edge-enhancement in a few scenes, it's a great looking picture, especially during the scenes in the mountains; accurate dark tones, sharp lines and vibrant color. But I was kind of surprised that the sound quality wasn't as good, though a 5.1 DTS track has been included this time. It often sounds great (and the score itself is beautiful), but sometimes it seemed like the dialogue is buried too deep. I dunno, maybe it's just the mumbly deliverly from the actors, but I kept having to crank up the sound to hear what people were saying. At one point, my wife turned on the subtitles.

Again, this version isn't an extended or director's cut, so what the set essentially offers is more bonus features in addition to the ones that were included with last year's release. Of the new stuff, the only vital feature is a 10 minute segment covering the film's sweeping music score. The others, "A Groundbreaking Success" & "Impressions" are pretty worthless; the former is a 15 minute piece featuring cast, crew & critics gush about how great everyone thought the movie was; the latter is essentially an image gallery running 3 minutes. Also included in the package are 8 postcards with shots from the film, some of them actually quite striking. The remaining extras, including segments on director Lee, interviews with screenwriters Larry McMurtry & Dianna Ossana, a redundant 20 minute making-of featurette, also appeared in last year's disc, and they remain more worthwhile than any of the new stuff. I'd basically have to say the set is only worth picking up by those who didn't buy last year's disc; I don't think the added supplemental features make this edition worth the upgrade. What a movie this provocative REALLY could have used are some audio commentaries. There aren't any.

There's a lot to admire about this movie...it's look, it's smarts and the fairly brave performances by Ledger & Gyllenhaal. For most folks, it's worth seeing at least once just to formulate your own opinions about its themes (it ain't the 'gay cowboy' flick its detractors say it is). But maybe ONLY once, as it's too long (and long-winded) and doesn't pack the emotional punch it should. For fans, this Collector's Edition is still lacking in enough essential extras to make it superior to last year's release, and it's the same cut of the movie as before. "Brokeback Mountain" is a film worthy of a lot of respect, but it's slightly overpraised, and perhaps is better appreciated by people who'd never heard of it before (all 3 of you).