Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

rooprect Up front, let me say that this is a good movie with excellent acting, a powerful message, and overall it's a credit to the art of filmmaking. Other reviewers have covered that better than I can; I just want to mention something that no one else seems to have brought up.Director Gus Van Sant chose to focus on the personal life of the man Harvey Milk rather than the cause he championed. This wouldn't be a problem except that Van Sant gives us a highly airbrushed, family-friendly, almost Disney version of Harvey Milk, making me wonder: if this film isn't about the gay rights movement, and if it isn't about the real Harvey Milk, then what is it about?If you dare to hear me out for 2 paragraphs, you might want to don your iconoclast flak jacket because I may shatter the lily white image of Milk that the director would have you believe. But I'm doing this to make a point that a good film would celebrate the ideals of an individual rather than the individual (or a fabcation of a perfect saint for us to idolize). But such is Hollywood, I guess.The man real man Harvey Milk wasn't always the boyscout which director Gus Van Sant paints him to be. In reality, it may have been more accurate to say that Harvey was *interested in dating* boyscouts (boo hiss, I couldn't resist 1 tasteless joke, but the truth remains: at least one of Harvey's lovers, Jack McKinley, was 16 years old when Harvey, 33, ran away with him in 1963). Another sore spot, which the film exploits for a cheap emotional twist, is the suicide of a certain minor character. If you want to know the truth behind this subplot, google "Harvey Milk and the Boy from Minnesota" for an eye opening exposé which might make you wish they had omitted the whole episode from the film, rather than twist it into a tear jerker.I understand that Harvey Milk is synonymous with gay rights in the 1970s, and certainly he deserves much praise for his amazing accomplishments. I just resent the way Gus Van Sant fabricated a glossy, flawless hero. I would've much preferred a fallible hero who does the right thing, much like the excellent film "Amadeus" accurately portrays Mozart as a stumbling drunk but a musical genius nonetheless. Give the audience credit for differentiating the human from the achievement.Apologies if I ruined the illusion of Harvey Milk's perfect life, but isn't it better to honor the things he did? If anything, that's the legacy Harvey Milk wanted: for us to carry on the message rather than idolizing the messenger.

Davis P One thing can for sure be said about Milk (2008), and that is that Sean Penn turns in a masterful, beyond accurate performance. He portrays gay rights advocate Harvey Milk wonderfully. And James Franco is great here too, I absolutely loved him and his character in this film. The chemistry between Penn and Franco is believable and I for one really rooted for their relationship. Josh Brolin plays murderer Dan White very accurately, and I commend him on a great performance. Dustin Lance Black wrote a great award winning script that works so well for the film. And the love/romantic scenes between Milk and his lovers are well shot and tastefully done. The movie shows the ups and downs of milk's life and how he fought tooth and nail for LGBT rights in San Francisco, California, and ultimately across the United States. I do personally feel like the movie could have been just a little stronger overall, but I still feel like this was a great representation of Harvey Milk's remarkable life. Milk (2008) receives a 7/10.

kijii This is a biopic about Harvey Milk, a person I only remember through a news item---when he was killed along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber). Their assassin, Dan White (Josh Brolin), will probably be best remembered for the 1979 trial in which his attorney tried to use something that would later be known as the "Twinkie defense." As the movie begins, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), is on the verge of his 40th birthday and feels that he has done nothing with his life. He meets his partner and soon-to-be campaign manager, Scott Smith (James Franco), in a NYC subway station. They move to San Francisco and open a camera shop in the predominately gay district called the Castro. Harvey becomes a gay-rights activist and attempts to run for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. After three attempts, and much work to politically organize his district, he is elected as the first openly gay candidate ever to be elected in America (in 1977). During his political career, he encourages a large number of people to come out of the closet and declare their gayness openly. After seeing this movie, I put the 1984 documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk, at the top of my Netflix queue since I wanted to see more about Milk and see how well Penn portrays him in this movie. The only thing that I don't look forward to is Harvey Fierstein's narration: I don't like his grading voice. In any case, Sean Penn gives a natural, and convincing performance.

Syl I had to accept Hollywood wasn't going to show the actual history of life in San Francisco in November 1978. The film is great but not accurate as it fails to mention details to better understand Harvey Milk's legacy. He became a gay icon and legend for the gay rights movement. The film is told largely from Milk's perspective with him at a recorder. He knows that he's a target and doesn't see the danger close by. Sean Penn deserved his Academy Award for playing Harvey Milk with a complexity of a multi-dimensional character. The supporting cast is stellar including James Franco as one of his lovers. Alison Pill is terrific as Anne Kronenberg. Victor Garber was fine as Mayor Moscone. Josh Brolin was brilliant as the troubled, unstable Dan White. The film doesn't project all facets of Milk's career. He was largely the most visible gay politician in the seventies and they're have been others like Barney Frank, Christine Quinn, and more to come out and service the public. Gay marriage has finally been legalized in this country.