Brokeback Mountain (2005) earned eight Oscar nominations (and three wins, although it lost Best Picture to Crash), including nods for Heath Ledger (Best Actor) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Best Supporting Actor) in the romantic drama. Notably at the Academy Awards ceremony, Gyllenhaal appeared as a presenter while Ledger declined to do so. Or at least, he declined to do so according to Jake Gyllenhall, who opened up for the first time on the subject while speaking with Another Man magazine.
The topic arise when Brokeback Mountain came up, specifically about how some old TV interviews about “gay cowboys” appeared to be rather homophobic with jokes and banter. Gyllenhaal then brought up how Ledger was bothered by that perception of the film, and he put his foot down with the Academy, which wanted to play up the humorous feel during the show’s opening. Here’s what Gyllenhaal said:
“I mean, I remember they wanted to do an opening for the Academy Awards that year that was sort of joking about it,” he says. “And Heath refused. I was sort of at the time, ‘Oh, okay… whatever.’ I’m always like: it’s all in good fun. And Heath said, ‘It’s not a joke to me – I don’t want to make any jokes about it.’” I say how smart of Ledger that seems, in retrospect. “Absolutely,” says Gyllenhaal.
Ledger obviously went on to earn more awards acclaim by winning a posthumous award for portraying the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight, and his legacy shall continue. The above instance can only build upon that legacy with Ledger standing firm and saying plenty by refraining from (publically) saying anything at all about a planned Oscars opening number that would not have gone well.
Ever wished you could be one of the people who creates Disney theme park attractions? Disney has released a fantastic online course that teaches you how its famous Imagineers work their magic. The class also lets you take a shot at creating your own.
Imagineering in a Box comes at a perfect time when children are stuck at home and schools are closed across the country. It’s a great way to stimulate their imagination while teaching valuable science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills.
The online course was created in a partnership with Pixar and The Khan Academy.
The curriculum includes 35 online videos featuring actual Imagineers and their projects.
via Khan Academy
The course is a great way to inspire you and your family’s creative spirit. It’s also a lot of fun to learn the secret techniques that Disney uses to create its signature magic.
One great technique they use — that can cross-apply to countless other disciplines — is “Blue Sky” brainstorming. At the beginning of creating something new Imagineers let their imaginations soar as far as they like to come up with the most amazing ideas possible. Cost and practicality are not a concern.
The three main topics of the course are “Creating worlds,” Designing attractions,” and Bringing characters to life.”
In each section, actual Imagineers explain in detail how they apply their craft. After watching the videos, course-takers can try their hand at designing attractions, characters, and creating environments.
The curriculum provides exercises to help you create your own land.
The videos include the behind-the-scenes work of creating actual attractions to use as examples.
The Imagineers featured in the video reveal that processes they use to create Cars Land at California Adventure, Pandora: The Land of Avatar in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Treasure Cove in Shanghai Disneyland.
The videos do a great job of explaining how STEM skills are invaluable tools that bring Disney’s art and imagination into reality.
You may have a great idea for a roller coaster, but it takes a team of engineers to figure out how to move 700 people a day through the ride safely.
Disney Imagineers want to see the wonderful creations of those who take the online course.
So, after you’re done creating a spectacular theme park, you can upload your work to Instagram using #Disney, #BetterTogether, and #ImagineeringinaBox; and tag @WaltDisneyImagineering. Some responses will be shared on the official Walt Disney Imagineering Instagram page.
A “motivational” message has been circulating during the coronavirus lockdown, which is allegedly supposed to kick our butts into gear since most of us now have more time on our hands.
Here’s one version:
On its face, it may sound logical. We often don’t do things because we lack time—or think we do—so now that we supposedly have more time, we should be doing those things now, right?
Just one thing though—there’s a deadly global pandemic and massive economic crisis happening, which might be just the tiniest bit distracting right now, Jeremy.
A trauma psychologist from Beirut weighed in on this idea that we should be extra productive right now, and she didn’t mince words. Alaa Hijazi’s Facebook post has been shared 19,000 times, so people are clearly appreciating her wisdom. She wrote:
I thought I was spared the horrid ‘motivational’ phrase going around now—’If you don’t come out of this with a new skill, you never lacked time, you lacked discipline’—until I saw it on my local yoga studio page.
As a trauma psychologist, I am utterly utterly horrified, enraged, and bewildered about how people can believe and spread this phrase in good conscience.
We are going through a collective trauma, that is bringing up profound grief, loss, panic over livelihoods, panic over loss of lives of loved ones. People’s nervous systems are barely coping with the sense of threat and vigilance for safety, or alternating with feeling numb and frozen and shutting down in response to it all.
People are trying to survive poverty, fear, retriggering of trauma, retriggering of other mental health difficulties. Yet, someone has the nerve to accuse someone of lack of discipline for not learning a new skill, and by a yoga teacher!
This cultural obsession with [capitalistic] ‘productivity’ and always spending time in a ‘productive,’ ‘fruitful’ way is absolutely maddening.
What we need is more self-compassion, more gentle acceptance of all the difficult emotions coming up for us now, more focus on gentle ways to soothe ourselves and our pain and the pain of loved ones around us, not a whipping by some random fucker making us feel worse about ourselves in the name of ‘motivation.'”
Indeed. Even those of us who are still employed full-time are finding it difficult to focus some days like we used to. The enormity of this pandemic and the global shutdown over it weighs heavy on all of us. Our sense of normality has been turned upside down and the uncertainty over what even the near future holds makes sustained attention a challenge.
Add in the fact that many people now have children at home who used to be at school or childcare, many are struggling to figure out how they’re going to pay rent or buy groceries, many are watching businesses or careers they’ve spent years building crumble before their eyes, many have health conditions that make them anxious about catching the virus, and it’s not hard to see how neither “time” nor “discipline” are our big problems right now.
If you want to go read books on hustling and build up some skill set, Jeremy, go for it. But let’s not lay a guilt trip on people who are going through a traumatic experience that none of us have experienced before and none of us were prepared for.
Most people aren’t leaving their homes much these days as the coronavirus pandemic continues to encourage social distancing. One on occasion where members of the band Whitney went out this past weekend, though, they found themselves at the wrong end of a bad situation, as they were robbed at gunpoint in Portland, Oregon.
On Sunday, the band’s Josiah Marshall shared a photo of himself and other members of the group, and wrote, “heyyyy. we all just got robbed at gunpoint a few blocks from our house. we’ll be without our phones for a bit. stay safe out there. weird times.” So, it appears their phones were taken, and based on the screenshot of an email inbox also included in the post, it looks like their credit cards were stolen as well.
After the news broke, the band addressed the situation on Instagram, re-sharing the photo and writing, “Hey yall. Not something we really wanted to publicize in the first place but we’ve seen some websites posting about it so I guess it’s out there. Me Max and Jos along with our good bud John Mooney were robbed at gunpoint yesterday while on a random walk. We appreciate everyone reaching out to show support but obviously there are so many other people that need your love right now. Reach out to them. We’re ok. Stay safe <3.”
In more positive news, the group recently participated in the hilarious viral video of indie musicians singing Blink-182’s “Miss You.”
The Weeknd debuted his slow-burning record After Hours last month. The singer followed the album’s release with a gory visual accompanying the track “In Your Eyes.” Now, the singer returns with a cinematic and less gruesome video for “Until I Bleed Out.”
The video is a visual depiction of what it feels like to get the spins. A rotating camera shows The Weeknd sporting his usual After Hours get-up, a red suit and a bloody nose. The camera pauses to show the singer surrounded by falling confetti and colorful balloons in a grand mansion. Partygoers laugh and drink around him, but The Weeknd remains too disoriented to join in. The Weeknd finally collapses, but the stage continues to spin, leaving the singer to try to make it out on his own.
Ahead of the video’s release, The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts for a second week in a row. The song managed to knock Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” out of its longstanding spot at No. 1. “The Box” had an impressive 11 weeks at the top slot, but The Weeknd’s After Hours single took the coveted spot on the charts.
While some artists have chosen to postpone releases due to the coronavirus, others are pushing forward and offering solace from the isolation with entertaining tunes. This week in pop music, especially, saw some unexpected releases. Lindsay Lohan aims to make her comeback with a club-ready single, Frank Ocean dropped a surprise track in Spanish, and Troye Sivan unveiled his first single of 2020.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new releases. Listen up.
Lindsay Lohan — “Back To Me”
Lindsay Lohan made an unexpected return to music this week. After sharing a snippet of the new song on social media, the actor/singer debuted “Back To Me” in all its pop-laden glory. While she’s had some turbulence in her personal life in the last few years, “Back To Me” proves Lohan has a certain knack for pop music. A buoyant hook and vibrant percussion make Lohan’s single destined for dance floors everywhere.
Frank Ocean — “Cayendo”
The ever-disappearing Frank Ocean also made a return this week with two new singles. Following his 2019 track “In My Room,” “Cayendo” arrives as a distinct pivot. It is, after all, the first of Frank’s songs to be sung in Spanish. Resounding guitar fills a sonic backdrop for Ocean’s thoughtful croonings on the reflective track.
Troye Sivan — “Take Yourself Home”
After teasing a leak to fans when he was bored in quarantine, Troye Sivan released his first single of the new year. “Take Yourself Home” arrives a slow-burning track to showcase his rise to fame in just a few short years. Under a gentle beat, Sivan’s captivating vocals are at the forefront of the track, detailing his introspective lyricism.
Karol G & Anuel AA — “Follow”
Latin pop sensations Karol G and Anuel AA made their relationship public with single “Follow,” which arrived alongside a heartfelt self-quarantine video. The couple recorded the track while stuck at home in Miami, detailing their blossoming relationship. “While at home under quarantine, we couldn’t stop making music,” Karol G said in a statement. “We wanted to create a song that was cool and fresh for our fans with a video that shows how we are overcoming the reality that we are all going through.”
Empress Of — “Bit Of Rain”
Indie-pop artist Empress Of released her lively record I’m Your Empress Of. “Bit Of Rain” arrives as the record’s second track and sets the electric tone of the effort. Wonky keys provide a backdrop to Empress Of’s captivating lyrical delivery. In an interview with Uproxx, Empress Of said her album’s distinct sound arises out of having a lack of collaborators: “I made a lot of these beats while touring my second album, Us. I made a lot of them on airplanes and tour sprinters and green rooms, so I didn’t have that same collaborative process as like, Us. It was just out of necessity, because I wanted to say these things.”
Yaeji — “When I Grow Up”
Queens-born Korean producer Yaeji unveiled her hotly-anticipated mixtape What We Drew this week. While much of the tape furthers Yaeji’s impressive catalog, “When I Grow Up” stands out as a captivating number. Yaeji turns her mic check into a hard-hitting beat while her timorous vocals narrate in a mix of Korean and English. In a statement, Yaeji said the track is a reflection on her childhood: “‘When I Grow Up’ is a song of two perspectives talking with each other. one is me from my childhood, wondering what it would be like when i become an adult. the other is me as an adult, breaking the truth to young me.”
Clara Mae — “Run Into You”
Swedish singer-songwriter Clara Mae offers a luminous new anthem “Run Into You.” The singer’s captivating tenor floats above cascading synths and a catchy, stomping backbeat on the lovelorn single. “What if tomorrow we’re strangers?” Mae wonders with emotive yearning in the track’s lyrics.
Bazzi — “Renee’s Song”
Following his break-out track “Paradise” that arrived as last summer’s unofficial anthem, Bazzi is showing his softer side with the ballad “Renee’s Song.” The song is devoted to his girlfriend, who he celebrated a two-year anniversary with. In a heartfelt note posted to social media, Bazzi attributed his success to his significant other: “my love – you’ve stood by my side through everything for two years. i wrote this for you & i hope you feel like the only girl in the world today…”
Diana Gordon — “Wasted Youth”
Diana Gordon released the EP Wasted Youth after teasing a new era for several weeks. In a statement, Gordon said “Wasted Youth” is a chronicle of her experience with men: “‘Wasted Youth’ is mostly about my love life and experiences with men. I didn’t have my father to learn from, so his absence was a great opportunity to learn from life. Most of the songs represent my phases of maturity and the types of men I was attracting at those times: from fuck boys with bad intentions that seemed good and tortured artists to intelligent, well-spoken savants.”
Soko — “Are You A Magician?”
French singer, songwriter, actor Soko announced her third full-length album Feel Feelings with her second single of 2020. “Are You A Magician?” deals with projecting internalized fantasies onto a relationship, and the disappointment that follows when the pristine image crumbles. The song’s accompanying video is more whimsical than its lyrics, with Soko saying in a statement that she wanted to create a specific persona: “The goal for me was to be a like a Victorian goth sailor moon princess who listens to Kate Bush a little too much.”
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music Artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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via Khan Academy
via Imagineering in a Box
