Latest news with #BrokebackMountain
Canada Standard
2 days ago
- Canada Standard
Travel with intention: Here's a guide to 'soft adventure' experiences across Canada this summer
A growing number of Canadian travellers are embracing "soft adventure" travel. This trend blends a desire for active engagements in nature and educational and culturally relevant experiences with the chance to reset and relax. Low-risk outdoor activities such as wine tasting, canoeing, fishing, whale-watching and cycling are all examples of this growing trend. This shift reflects a "growing desire for peace of mind and rejuvenation" among Canadians in their travel experiences. A recent survey found 61 per cent of Canadians plan to focus on "soft travel" or "calm-cations" in 2025. While this trend spans all age groups, it's particularly strong among Gen Z, with 81 per cent showing a preference for it. At the same time, many Canadians are searching for travel opportunities closer to home amid tensions between the two countries. In these times of global uncertainty, soft adventure tourism offers affordable options for Canadians and international visitors to explore and experience all that Canada has to offer. As tourism experts, we have some suggestions for destinations that provide travellers with a chance to pause, breathe and recharge. Along the coast of Vancouver Island, orcas, humpback whales, sea lions, seals and porpoises draw visitors each summer. Tourism operators offer whale-watching tours all over the island, giving travellers a chance to experience its marine life firsthand. Just a day trip from Victoria, the Kinsol Trestle is a chance to walk or cycle through nature. For a closer look at the region's wildlife, travellers can join sea kayaking tours in Port McNeill on Vancouver Island with Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures. Here, visitors might spot grizzly bears and they can hear stories from Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations guides and interpreters. British Columbia is home to more than 200 distinct Indigenous communities that offer tourism experiences ranging from pristine beaches to savouring cuisine in award-winning restaurants and more. On the mainland, Harrison Hot Springs, B.C. offers visitors the chance to relax in mineral hot springs for a nominal fee. Other soft adventure experiences include beach-front maintained trails for walking and hiking, as well as picnicking locations. Visitors can take the short drive to Rosedale, B.C., where a brief hike brings them to the base of Bridal Veil Falls Park. Alberta's landscapes have served as the backdrop for many films and television series, including Brokeback Mountain , Game of Thrones , The Last of Us and The Revenant . For film tourism enthusiasts, the province offers no shortage of iconic film locations to explore. Some scenes of Game of Thrones' final season were shot in Banff National Park. In Saskatchewan, Lake Diefenbaker is known for golfing, boating and walleye fishing. It's the largest body of water in the southwest of the province, and it offers an opportunity to traverse a picturesque parkland while witnessing wildlife like elk, caribou, cougar and lynx. In Manitoba, Churchill offers sightings of both beluga whales and polar bears. Each summer, hundreds of belugas enter the Churchill River, and the town offers kayaking, boat tours and paddleboarding to see them. While you're in Churchill, you can also see the northern lights up to 300 nights a year, along with numerous historic sites like the Prince of Wales Fort. With 250,000 freshwater lakes, remote canyons, more than 1,200 canoe routes and 22 diveable historic shipwrecks, Ontario is filled with soft adventure travel opportunities. Travellers have countless ways to connect with nature and history in the province. In Tobermory, a harbour village on the province's Bruce Peninsula, travellers can take guided tours to explore underwater shipwrecks, as well as visit the region's distinctive "flowerpot" rock formations and natural grottos. Quebec offers an experience that at times feels distinctly European. In Old Montreal and the Old Port, cobblestone streets and artisan vendors make it feel like you're stepping into the past. Both locations are steeped in history and culinary excellence. In New Brunswick, Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, nestled along the Bay of Fundy, offers guided tours for travellers. Visitors are encouraged to check the tidal wave schedule to see the rock formations known as sea stacks, which are caused by tidal erosion. Nova Scotia's capital, Halifax, is a vibrant coastal city known for its lively nightlife and flourishing culinary scene. Across the harbour in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, visitors can go bird watching or take part in a cycling adventure on the easy-to-moderate Salt Marsh Trail. A visit to Peggy's Cove is a must. The province is also home to tourism initiatives that reflect the region's diverse cultural heritage. Among these is Elevate and Explore Black Nova Scotia, which is designed to enrich the travel experience for Black people visiting or living in the province. Over on Prince Edward Island, visitors can explore Lucy Maud Montgomery's birthplace, the author of beloved childhood classic Anne of Green Gables , in Cavendish. Nearby at the museum, visitors can reimagine Anne Shirley's iconic adventures in a return to the magic of storytelling and place, before making their way to Greenwich Beach via the boardwalk through P.E.I.'s largest sand dunes. In Newfoundland and Labrador, Gros Morne National Park offers visitors views of "soaring fjords and moody mountains" alongside the chance to spot puffins in their natural habitat. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park also provides opportunities for fishing. If closer to historical Gander, take a ferry excursion to Fogo Island, which offers bird watching and boat trips. In the Yukon, travellers can engage with Indigenous tourism, arts and culture through experiences offered by the Yukon First Nation and Tourism Industry Association. Visitors to the Yukon can cool their feet in the cold mountain streams while trying their hand at gold panning in historic Dawson City. Once a hub of the 19th-century Klondike Gold Rush, it still features several preserved frontier-style buildings. In the Northwest Territories, travellers can witness the aurora borealis and take guided photography tours to see wildlife up close. Further east, Nunavut offers a range of adventure tourism opportunities, including sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking and canoeing. Together, these northern destinations offer travellers a chance to immerse themselves in the natural beauty, history and living cultures of Canada's North while embracing the slower pace and meaningful experiences at the heart of soft adventure travel.
Sunday World
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Nate Diaz claims he turned down Conor McGregor's role in Road House
'I ain't going to no movie and losing to no Brokeback Mountain.' Nate Diaz has claimed he turned down the role Conor McGregor played in the Road House reboot. The former MMA fighter landed the role of Knox in the 2024 film alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. Now, his fiercest rival has said he turned down the role because he didn't want to 'lose' an onscreen fight. 'I was supposed to do Conor McGregor's part in Road House,' he told the HJR podcast. 'That was my part, but I was like, 'I'm not fighting, go in there, and losing a fight.' 'I've seen the original Roadhouse. So I'm the main bad guy? I'm supposed to fight … okay, who's the Patrick Swayze then? And they said it was Jake Gyllenhaal and I'm like, 'I ain't going to no movie and losing to no Brokeback Mountain.' 'F*ck that. I'm good. I can't do it.' Diaz and McGregor have been bitter rivals since they first took to the ring in two 2016 bouts. McGregor v Diaz Diaz won their first fight, but a few months later, McGregor won their second by decision following a five-round rematch. McGregor landed a role in the remake of the 1989 film when he was in recovery after breaking his leg in 2021. He played the role of a hitman tasked with killing Gyllenhaal's character Elwood Dalton. A fan of the original movie starring Patrick Swayze, McGregor said he turned down 'a good few roles' before agreeing to star in Road House. 'I've had directors show up at fight camp, really beautiful directors doing really top-end movies… And over and over, they'd come to me, and I always turned them down,' he told Total Film. 'I'd leave people a little high and dry. I probably have a few enemies out there that I don't really know of because I had said, 'I might do it.'" Gyllenhaal said that during filming, he had to repeatedly remind McGregor not to 'actually hit' him. "There were a couple of times — actually, almost every time — I had to turn to him, and I'd be like, 'Remember, you don't actually hit me.' Nate Diaz / Conor McGregor - Getty Images News in 90 Seconds - May 27th He said he gave McGregor acting tips in exchange for grappling advice. 'He was like, 'OK, let's go!' But then there were times we were grappling, and he's talking to me while we were grappling. 'He's like, 'Right arm under. Wrap your leg around me. Now pull me up, through the legs.' 'So there was a real exchange. He came up to me, and he was like, 'I did that last take. What did you think of that? Was it a bit too big?' I'd be like, 'Well, you have that. Try this.' 'There was a real back-and-forth between us, and a deep respect for both of our primary occupations."
USA Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Nate Diaz claims he was supposed to star in 'Road House,' not Conor McGregor
Nate Diaz claims he was supposed to star in 'Road House,' not Conor McGregor Nate Diaz says he had to pass the role of "Road House" to his former UFC rival Conor McGregor. Apparently, the movie remake of "Road House" was supposed to look a lot different. Former UFC star Nate Diaz claims that he was the original plan to play the protagonist's bad guy, Knox, and not his rival Conor McGregor, who ended up co-starring in the film alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. "Road House" was released in 2024 on Prime Video, and it made plenty of headlines given McGregor's involvement. Diaz claimed he turned down the role due to Gyllenhaal's prior role as a gay lover. "I was supposed to do Conor McGregor's part in Road House," Diaz said on "The HJR Podcast." "That was my part, but I was like I'm not fighting, go in there and losing a fight. I've seen the original Roadhouse. So I'm the main bad guy? I'm supposed to fight who's the Patrick Swayze then? And they said it was Jake Gyllenhaal, and I'm like, 'I ain't going to no movie and losing to no 'Brokeback Mountain.' F*ck that. I'm good. I can't do it." McGregor and Diaz have plenty of history between the two. They're fought twice, with Diaz submitting McGregor in the first fight back in 2016, and McGregor winning the second bout by decision a few months later that same year. Since, the two have spent tons of time trash talking each other online, and many hoped to see a trilogy bout between the two – which now seems unlikely. Diaz is no longer signed with the UFC, and McGregor hasn't fought since breaking his leg in 2021.
Buzz Feed
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Paul Mescal On 'Lazy And Frustrating' Film Criticisms
Paul Mescal has admitted he's not happy with one comparison that's been made about his new film. The Oscar nominee is currently in Cannes promoting his new film The History Of Sound, in which he and Josh O'Connor play two men who fall in love in the early 20th century, while travelling around recording the folk songs and stories of American countrymen after World War I. Speaking at a Cannes press conference, Paul was asked by Metro about the film being compared to Brokeback Mountain, another romantic drama set in a similar period, which centred around a same-sex love story. The Normal People star responded: 'When I look at Brokeback Mountain, it's dealing with repression. This film is pointed in the opposite direction. To be honest, I find those comparisons lazy and frustrating.' Paul Mescal finds comparisons between his new film with Josh O'Connor 'The History Of Sound' and 'Brokeback Mountain' 'lazy and frustrating' #Cannes2025 — Deadline (@DEADLINE) May 22, 2025 Deadline / Via Brokeback Mountain premiered at the Venice Film Festival 20 years ago, winning the Golden Lion and later scoring Oscar nominations for its leads Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as their co-star Michelle Williams. Director Oliver Hermanus insisted in Cannes that Brokeback Mountain 'wasn't in our heads' when he and his team were making The History Of Sound. He added that the comparison 'just shows there should be more forms about these nuances of queer relationships, beyond the context most movies deal with'. The History Of Sound premiered in Cannes on Wednesday night, where it received a standing ovation that lasted between six and nine minutes (depending on which outlet you believe). It's also been well-received by critics, landing an enviable score of 75% on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes the morning after its premiere. Both Paul and Josh have appeared in big-screen queer love stories before, with the former sharing the screen with Andrew Scott in 2023's All Of Us Strangers. Josh also had his breakthrough moment in Francis Lee's God's Own Country, before he was cast in the likes of The Crown and Challengers.
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Paul Mescal: Comparing my film to Brokeback Mountain is lazy
has said that comparisons drawn between his new gay romance film and Brokeback Mountain are 'lazy'. The 29-year-old Irish actor labelled comparisons of The History of Sound to the 2005 Oscar-winning Western romance starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as 'frustrating', adding that the only thing in common is 'time in a tent'. Speaking at a press conference at Cannes film festival, the Gladiator II actor said: 'I personally don't see the parallels at all with Brokeback Mountain, other than we spent a little time in a tent. '[Brokeback] is a beautiful film but it is dealing with the idea of repression… I find those comparisons relatively lazy and frustrating.' Mescal added: 'But for the most part I think the relationship I have to the film is born out of the fact that it's a celebration between these men's love and not the repression of their sexuality.' The History of Sound follows the relationship between Lionel, a Kentucky farm boy played by Mescal, and David, a composition student portrayed by The Crown's Josh O'Connor, in the summer of 1919 as they travel to New England to record the folk music. Directed by Oliver Hermanus, the film is based on the First World War love story of the same name by Ben Shattuck, who adapted it for the silver screen. Comparisons with Brokeback Mountain, which follows the intense romance between two cowboys working on a ranch in 1963, have been made in the film's reviews as both movies are period dramas centring on a same-sex relationship. Masculinity is shifting Mescal said he believed the portrayal of masculinity is changing in Hollywood movies. 'It's ever shifting,' he said. 'I think maybe in cinema we're moving away from the traditional, alpha, leading male characters. 'I don't think the film is defining or attempting to redefine masculinity, I think it is being very subjective to the relationship between Lionel and David.' Mescal described O'Connor as 'one of the easiest persons' to build a connection with. He said: 'Josh has a great gift…the person who the general public sees is very similar to the one that we know and I think that's very difficult for an actor in today's age to do. 'We've known each other for about five years and we were definitely friendly so that foundation of safety and play was there, but that relationship really deepened in the three or four weeks we were filming.' He added that despite the film's heavy subject matter, their set was 'very light and boyish and nonsensical at times'. Mescal was also asked if the film had changed how he looks at romance in his personal life, to which he responded that he was 24 when he first read the script and doesn't think he 'would have been able to play the role in the same way' had he filmed it then. He was 28 when the film was shot last year. 'Love is very complicated,' he said, adding: 'It's a very hard thing to pin down. 'What I found so moving about the screenplay is that it's never really described in words, it's described in actions and things you don't see…That's something I've learnt in my own life, kindness is wildly underrated in romantic relationships and should be celebrated.' The History of Sound received a six-minute standing ovation at Cannes when it premiered on Wednesday night. The film also stars Chris Cooper, Molly Price, Raphael Sbarge, Hadley Robinson, Emma Canning, Briana Middleton and Gary Raymond.
