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One Reader Raves About Gus Van Sant's MILK!!
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
I'm working on my review of MILK right now, and it's interesting... as Oscar season heats up, and as I'm mainlining movies all week every week, it seems like some of them are sticking with me. MILK is one of those, and I look forward to seeing what happens with it in terms of the national dialogue when it comes out later this week.
For now, check out this enthusiastic review from "Mr. Sideshow":
Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” is one of the most perfectly timed films I’ve ever seen. Its release date and its subject matter are insanely prescient, so much so that it seems pre-ordained. It also happens to be a masterpiece.
The film chronicles the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office. His life was previously chronicled in the Oscar-winning documentary “The Times of Harvey Milk” and his is a remarkable story. A deeply closeted Wall Street banker, Harvey moves to San Francisco soon after his 40th birthday and becomes a central figure in the gay rights movement. He recognizes the need for organization and for displaying kindness and decency instead of anger and rancor in pushing the movement forward. Eventually, he rises in rank from community organizer to elected office (sound familiar?) and, as City Supervisor, moves to fight Proposition 6, a California state measure that would remove the rights of homosexuals across the state (again, sound familiar?). I won’t tell you how it ends in case you don’t already know but I will say that the timeliness of the film’s themes is astounding throughout.
I should note that part of my opinion of the film was shaped by the reality of the situation our nation faces at this moment. As I drove to the screening, I was slowed by traffic due to the protests in West Hollywood against the passing of Proposition 8, a ban on gay marriage, a right Californians have held for six months. As I was watching the protest scenes in “Milk” and knowing that the same thing was happening now, less than a mile away, I got chills and felt a little ashamed. Ashamed that I wasn’t out there with them, protesting not for myself, since I have the right to wed whomever I choose, but for my roommate, for my brother, and for my countless friends who just had their rights snatched away, their state rights removed by a church-based movement. This is the same prejudice Harvey Milk was fighting and it is the same fight that is happening today, right now, 30 years later.
They couldn’t have known things would explode in this way, right on the eve of the film’s release. They simply set out to make the best, most honest film they could about the life of an important spokesman for civil rights. Boy, did they succeed. Gus Van Sant has always been a fascinating director. He’s made excellent mainstream films like “Good Will Hunting” but also smaller, more experimental, yet no less powerful films like “Elephant” (worth checking out if you haven’t, it won the Palme D’Or at Cannes ). Granted, he also did the extremely ill-conceived shot-for-shot remake of ‘Psycho’ but, however you may feel about the film, you can’t deny it took balls to attempt. ‘Milk’ is, to me, his best and most assured film. It’s thematically consistent, funny and yes, powerful. The film makes use of intercutting period documentary footage throughout. Sometimes coupling this with a low grade film stock (they use 16mm and possibly even 8mm in places) and handheld camera work affords the film a breathtaking sense of authenticity and the kind of experimental improvisation you often see in the works of early filmmakers (see the shallow focus love scene). It’s exhilarating to watch.
Every single major actor in this film puts out Oscar-caliber work. Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, and James Franco are all stellar. Josh Brolin, in particular, is devastating in his role of Dan White, a fellow Supervisor who struggles to come to grips with his stance in the ever-evolving moral landscape of his city. There is one scene with a very drunk Dan White confronting Harvey that is a doozy. I won’t ruin it for you but watch for it. You won’t soon forget it.
Then there’s Sean Penn as Harvey Milk. In the coming months, you are going to hear a lot about this performance, all the way up to Oscar night, where he will be favored to win. Mark my words. It is as impressive a transformative performance as Daniel Day-Lewis’s Oscar-winning role from last year. Outside of acting, Sean Penn has a soft-spoken, demure voice and way of presenting himself. He often speaks in a low, near-monotone and never reveals what cards he’s holding. The person in this film is not Sean Penn. It is another soul entirely. It would be easy to turn a portrayal of Harvey into a flamboyant caricature but Sean Penn presents a very honest and believable person who wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to stand for what’s right, hitting every note perfectly. You simply have to see it and after you do, check out Penn’s Oscar-winning performance in ‘ Mystic River ’. Talk about range. You won’t believe it’s the same actor.
The bottom line is that people should see ‘Milk’. You’ve probably already decided whether or not this film is for you and that’s fine. I don’t think it’s going to change an evangelical’s stance on homosexuality and, due to the subject matter and sex scenes, extreme homophobes need not apply. The message for them will unfortunately get lost in their juvenile revulsion to the subject.
Then, who is it for, you may ask. I don’t think the film exists to convert people (if it does, of course, all the better). Rather, I think the film is for those out there who already support the cause, who believe in a brighter future and who have faith that people are good at heart and that, in order for our society to move forward, inequality and discrimination can not persist. Harvey was a man whose primary message was hope (again, sound familiar?) and the film shares that vision. This is a film that should inspire people to go out to these protests, make their opinions heard and show that they are not afraid to be who they are. Harvey believed this, saying, “if a bullet should enter my brain, let it destroy every closet door.” That was thirty years ago and here we are, still protesting, still fighting, and still hoping. You have to start somewhere though and hope’s not bad. In the words of Harvey , “You gotta give them hope.”
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C'mon, someone had to say it.
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going to erupt into this huge political argument instead of focusing on movies. This is just an attempt by Penn, and others to bring the Oscar to a movie that promotes homosexuality. They were all upset when Brokeback lost. They feel like they were cheated, etc. Like this talkback will, and others have, the Academy Awards has gone from being about the movies to the politics.
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why would penn portray him as such? he was a smart pol...but again, just like the doc did, george moscone becomes a footnote...think milk gained power as a community organizer in a vacuum? he developed political allies...and one of the strongest was moscone...a great san franciscan...
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if he sucks dick on camera...and i think that jason mewes should get a nom for best supporting for showing his balls on the big screen...now that fucking takes guts
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That guy is hilarious on screen. I Am Sam and Mystic River were even funnier than Fast Times!
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joke at the Academy Awards about Jude Law, and thin skinned Sean Penn has to whine like a little girl. The opinion of an ex con who used to punch photographers means very little to me.
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I still can't believe a jury bought that one at Dan White's trial.
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I'm sorry. I got nuthin.
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Losing to Crash? You can't seriously say it was a better movie.
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Sorry, had to say it. Actually, the trailer intrigued me enough to do a quick bit of research about Harvey Milk - which has now likely ruined the movie for me. Damn internet.
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I know, I know. It's shit that a review has to be slightly rough around the edges and quite critical before people believe it's not a plant. But that's the way it is. I recently came across people plugging dentists on a message board. One writes where can I find a dentist? Then another comes in and writes "I went to this place, it's great!", then goes into a list of excellent treatments at excellent prices. What a world.
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That's funny that you mention the thing about the dentist. I worked for a derm doc in nyc for the last few years and he had me do that stuff all the time. Go in and add comments regarding how great he was prices etc in feedbacks/reviews....god bless the internet
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Not that there's anything wrrrrrong with it.
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Someone is not juvenile if they do not take a "liking to" or "appreciation" of two guys doing each other. You're right, they should be able to do what they want, but that's where the liberals lose the moderate vote -- in thinking that YOU MUST LIKE THE ACTIONS of homosexuals OR ELSE. Gimme a break.
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As long as they're hot, right? That always tickles me, guys who loathe the idea of two men having sex, terming it perverse or disgusting but giggle and clap like a fat English school boy at the sight of cake whenever they see two girls kiss. We live in a stupid, stupid world.
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You know, someone had to say that.
Oh and down with proposition HATE.(why did they not use that?) -
"Oh and down with proposition HATE.(why did they not use that?)"
Because it's lame and the Prop would have passed by an even greater margin if that was the gays rallying cry. -
Two lipstick lesbians going at it is definitely hot. You see, Jimmaaay, it's all in the eyes of the beholder, and free thought is still ok in this country, right? I shouldn't be mocked for digging two chicks going at it, just like you shouldn't be mocked for taking it up the ass. That's your perogative and anus, and your right as an American. And it's my right to think it's gross. If that's too much to handle, than it says more about you than anyone else. By the way, do gays want the right to get married, or that everyone like and approve of what they do. There seems to be confusion on this, and until that vision gets clarified, you can expect to lose more elections. I voted against 8 by the way.
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two girls together can be ok, but if one looks like that vile Rosie O'Donnell, then it's just as gross. oh, and congrats to California for passing PROPOSITION GREAT.
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Milk might be the most PC movie in history. I can't see many critics saying anything that might even slightly offend the oh-so-easily- offended homosexuals (and the gays will live and die with this film's success).
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You or I.By the way, I'm not gay, I just don't find it amoral, preverse or "gross." Lots of straight people bang each other up the butt too (Today's password is: strap-on), but then it's okay, "different strokes", right? (pun thoroughly intended). Mock gay people all you want, but when you take away previously granted rights just to make yourself feel less "threatened" by their lifestyle, you've crossed a dangerous line, and set an ugly precedent. The sad truth is, gay people had the right to get married for a while in California, and nothing bad happened. Nothing. There was no reason to pass it, nothing was threatened.
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unanimously praise Milk, unduely or otherwise as much as uneducated, hateful bigots are about to, en masse, get up walk to their cupboards, grab a spare box of their Cherry Suprise-Flavoured Extra-Tasty Tasty Jesus Biscuits and cram them through their eyeballs to dry-wash the DOOPID out of their brains.
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seriously, does the rest of the world hate the gays this much. At least they aren't geting stoned like in the middle east.
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People who hate gays I personally believe have had gay feelings in the past and hate themselves for it. What I really hate is when America is financially falling apart people still care more about gay people getting married and how it shouldn't happen, just shut up please. Now for the movie it is actually documenting an interesting piece of history, i'm down. Then i'll judge the movie... After I've seen it.
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Weird that Milk gave political speeches at the Peoples Temple and Moscone 'raved' about what a great all around guy Jim Jones was. Then Jones had a congessional investigave crew killed and talked 900+ believers into drinking Cyanide and rot under the Guyana sun. Days later, Milk and Moscone are assasignated. The three fed off eachother. Does the movie touch on the relationship between the three? It should, as it was very significant and intertwined.
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We agree to disagree then. But the gay movement needs to decide if their goal is tolerance or approval. If it's approval, wow, good luck. If it's tolerance, then that's something most people can agree on.
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Is there really such a thing? A few people in the media talk about a topic, a select few in the public repeat the discussion. 99% of the rest of the country doesn't give a shit, but it's the national dialogue. It's like when the term "we as a nation" or "we as a people" is tossed around. Automatically makes whatever you're saying after probably irrelevant.
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Next thing you know...there will be same sex marriages in California.
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you love getting it hard up the ass...fucking homophobe pos
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another con artist who uses religion for his own self agrandizement....your point being?
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I may not agree with everything he says in real life, but I swear, as an actor, only two other Americans can touch him (Edward Norton and Jeffrey Wright) for range and artistry. This was proved to me the other night as I flipped between "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" and "Dead Man Walking." Spectrebeeyatch is right: "Milk" documents an interesting period in American history
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...which obviously has another great performance by Penn. I'll see it for those reasons (and yeah, the film is probably preaching to the choir, but so what?).
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if so, that's gonna be awkward sitting there next to my girlfriend as we watch oversized, plastic dong on the silver screen. like the end of "boogie nights" times 20.
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No homoerotic scenes of almost prepubescent young men kissing in the shower, shot of the only porpouse of arousing Mr. Van Sant? So it's not a Gus picture.
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Hah, you couldn't make this shit up.XD
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shouldn't think they need "approval" for who they are. That's like asking for permission, from someone who really shouldn't have that authority. And "tolerance" is such a condescending word. Just get out the way.
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I, for one, am looking forward to seeing this film, based on what I have seen in the trailers and what i know about the life of Harvey Milk, et al. Even though it is irrelevant to enjoying a quality film, I will say that I am straight and married. Why can't people evaluate the film as a work of art (sorry for sounding pretentious) instead of injecting personal politics into their assessment of the piece. Whether you agree or don't agree with the concept of gay marriage, isn't it possible to judge the film on its own merits? I am just saying, is all......and I should note that I live in Massachusetts which has successfully instituted gay marriage.
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Nov 25, 2008 7:41:54 AM CST
Another AICN contentious issue!
by i_am_not_the_droid_you_are_looking_for
It seems on this TB that if you say you don't like watching 2 guys having sex, you're labeled a homophobe. I'll stand on my box labelled 'soap' for a few seconds to express my opinion, for what its worth...Gays have the right to do whatever they like just like everyone else. Thats a given. But, do I want to see 2 guys going at it? No. Do I want to see 99% of the worlds population going at it? No.Hot lesbians? Yes. I enjoy watching 2 hot chicks going the growl because I want to fuck both of them. Does this make me a hypocrite? No. It's just one of the things that does it for me. 2 ugly chicks do nothing for me, so I don't want to watch them. Ditto, 2 guys.Gay or straight, no one should be vilified for personal preferences.And that's all I got. Not the most most rallying speech ever.On topic, Sean Penn is a good actor, Gus Van Sant has made some good films, and this film could be good.
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Nov 25, 2008 7:44:25 AM CST
One last thing... Gay or Straight...
by i_am_not_the_droid_you_are_looking_for
AVATAR don't care... It's gonna be fuckin your eyeballs in 2009!
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A Franco and Hirsch sammich makes a complete kosher meal!
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Nov 25, 2008 7:47:10 AM CST
Nope, no one did, but just like you...
by i_am_not_the_droid_you_are_looking_for
I like the sound of my own voice
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who confuses me. But hey, this is my journey. Not yours.
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"Why can't people evaluate the film as a work of art (sorry for sounding pretentious) instead of injecting personal politics into their assessment of the piece."
I'll be amazed if ANY reviews are free of political pontificating. The first review here on AICN is full of it, of course. Rarely will just the film be discussed...the gay agenda will always be the focal point. -
But it's yet another of this year's awards season contenders with outstanding performances but the film itself is not fantastic: Frost/Nixon, Doubt, Milk, W., etc there's barely been a film that feels like a whole package of brilliant - except maybe Slumdog Millionaire and Waltz With Bashir
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Much has been made of the painstaking research that went into the film, including the "use of intercutting period documentary footage". Yet, in the trailer, Emile Hirsch says to Sean Penn's Milk - "I don't DO losing".
I don't do anachronisms.
Someone should remake "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues". -
..the "Oscar-caliber work. Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna" part.. I mean, COME ON MAN
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Hope you don't publish any more reviews from this guy
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...is NOT to watch this movie. I'm sure its an intelligent, well-done film, but the best way to change people's mind is to appeal to their base instincts. No matter if you're straight or gay, everyone responds better to a good looking man as opposed to the old, unattractive gay men they show on the news. There are a few websites that show hot, young Abercrombie models tag-teaming a sexy blonde girl and then a week later the site will show them tag-teaming each other. Just google "Corbin Fisher". It's the sexual "wave of the future" - just a matter of those who want to fight it and those who want to ride it.
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Nov 25, 2008 11:23:18 AM CST
What happened to the Mr. Beeks Interview with Van Sant Page?
by excaliburffolkes
It is no longer on the AICN front page and if you try to click to it from the Top Talkbacks list you get a message saying, "You are not authorized to view this page." Did the comments over there get extra nasty or something and they had to take it down?
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Fantastic Rave Review + Plant = Plantastic. Just add water and leave it unattended waiting to be published on IMDb and AICN!
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Personally I don't know why anyone would want ot waste a perfectly good penis by placing it in something that looks like a canned ham after it has fallen from a tall building fa fa phoney but to each his own.
For some reason I can manage to watch any number of movies that don't deal with homosexuality and not worry about how gross straight sex can be. It seems some straight guys can't do the same thing.
The point is that we don't care if you like us or not. Just don't get in our way.
I'm so glad I gave up having sex with with girls when I was a teenager.
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My two cents... I grew up in the Midwest in the 50's and 60's. Black people were referred to as 'niggers' or 'darkies' or any number of terms you don't say in public today. I lived in a poor neighborhood where whites were the minority. My friends and neighbors were everything BUT Caucasian. I graduated from a high school where whites made up a whopping 20 percent of the student body. I dated a black girl (a cheerleader...I was on the track team and wrestling team) my junior year, but broke it off when BOTH of us got reviled by parents, "friends", and even some of the school administration! I also applied for a chemistry scholarship to a state university and two bright, smiling people showed up to interview me. They were disappointed that I was a white guy. Seems the "scholarship" was more about filling quotas than educating economically-challenged students. That was my first taste of reverse discrimination and society overcompensating for things I never said or did. Now, I see the same thing with "gay rights". I don't have a problem with people living their lives, but I do NOT want to be beat over the head with it. The Prop 8 deal is somewhat overblown as I know gays and lesbians who found a clergyperson to marry them as far back as the late '70's. What is wrong is not granting these people the same ECONOMIC rights as "normal" married people. There's a lot of rhetoric from pro and con, and in this talkback about SEXUAL actions, and it's ignorant. I am a "straight" guy, but I really don't want people knowing about or discussing what I do on the bedroom. Some things may or may not "shock" some people...I don't care as it's none of their business. PFLAG, GLAAD, etc. need to dial it down and stick to the real issue...rights and benefits that any person should have in America, regardless of sexual orientation. People opposed should take SEVERAL steps back and realize that no one is trying to get you to "play for the other team" or personally fuck you in the ass. With or without a strap-on. Overcompensating either way is just plain stupid.
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I definitely agree with your overall point, but you have to understand that homosexuals are the last minority that's still completely acceptable to hate. I grew up in Illinois, and when I was in middle school and high school (only three years ago), almost 100% of the 4000+ student body used the term fag on a daily basis. There MUST be a conscious agenda to broaden homosexual awareness and acceptance, much like blacks with the civil rights of the 60s. And I'm sorry, but taking away a specific group of citizens' right to MARRY is bigoted and just plain wrong.
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see the third post.
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Father's Milk is probably more appropriate though
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that's a pretty easy thing to guess, since it happens in every MILK talkback. And notice that you started talking politics in your post as well, not about the movie. You were talking agendas and conspiracies. Watch out for THEM! They could be trying to win Oscars! It's important after Brokeback!
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I guess you could argue I started with politics, but it was about movie at least, not the whole gay rights thing in general.
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Freedom of thought should encouraged, but folly should also be derided. And you sir, are full of the latter.
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Orcus is surprised nobody made that joke yet
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Never mind
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