2005 Year End Review: Mysterious Skin

Am I the only person on this planet that is sick to death of hearing "Brokeback Mountain this, Brokeback Mountain that...?" Am I the only one? Well, I was sick to death of hearing about it since the "Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall portraying gay lovers" hype began over a year and a half ago. It's been that long. SERIOUSLY, I DON'T CARE. I still want to see it, just for the sake of seeing what the hype is all about. I don't doubt that seeing Jake Gyllenhall is a giant orgasm waiting to happen. That, I can not dispute (just take a look at the shirtless and bald Gyllenhall in Jarhead....enough said.) However, it makes me completely livid when other, equally deserving films get overshadowed due to the uber-over-the-top hype of "straight actors playing gay characters in a gay-themed film" schtick.

Gregg Araki's latest flick, his adaptation of Scott Heim's wonderful novel, Mysterious Skin, is my favorite film of the year. Simply put, Mysterious Skin is, by far, Araki's strongest and most mature of his films to date. Approaching the topic of child molestation is a tricky task for anyone to take on without the potential for sparking a little controversy. However, Araki proves to be up for the task. Araki adds his signature to the already beautiful, yet heartwrenching story by continuing his use of lush, atmospheric ambient shoegazer rock. Even though Heim's novel doesn't necessarily elude to a particular musical reference point, the film's score by Harold Budd and ex-Cocteau Twin guitarist Robin Guthrie fits perfectly with the overall mood of this film.

The performances of everyone involved are wonderful throughout Mysterious Skin. But, this film belongs to veteran Third Rock from the Sun actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. His portrayal of the sexually confused and vulnerable Neil McCormick carries this film. Unfortunately, Gordon-Levitt's harrowing performance has been virtually ignored by the viewing public and Oscar voters alike, which is par for the course of independent filmmaking. Elisabeth Shue (as Neil's aloof, yet loving mother), Brady Corbet (as the sexually-abused Brian Lackey, who blacked out, convinced that he was abducted by aliens) and Michelle Trachtenberg (as Neil's concerned best friend, Wendy) also turn in what I believe to be Oscar-caliber performances. Mysterious Skin didn't pull in the $$$ that Brokeback Mountain is pulling in right now as we speak, but that should not deter anyone from taking a look at this film.

Previous Araki films, such as The Doom Generation and Nowhere, are not really known for their stellar acting performances. However, Mysterious Skin changes everything. Here, Araki comes out as a promising filmmaker that has a lot going for him. Araki plants himself permanently on the map of independent filmmaking. Film connisseurs and music lovers alike must check out this touching and wonderful film.