Monday, February 9, 2009

MILK

My name is Harvey Milk and I am here to recruit you” - Sean Penn as Harvey Milk.

Milk is the film based on the life of Harvey Milk, starring Sean Penn. I’ve always been a fan of Sean Penn. From Dead Man Walking to I Am Sam, then Mystic River. He is always terrific, unbelievable, vibrant and fascinating. Milk is no different. Here Sean delivers a performance that makes you forget he was acting. He is so into the character, you are simply amazed.

Some History
This is the good thing about films based on true stories. You get to have a short lesson on history too. The story was centered on gay rights and how it started. It was interesting to note that around the late 70’s – there was this initiative called Proposition 6 seeking to ban gays and lesbians (in addition to anyone who supports them) from working in California's public schools. That was 30 years ago, but it seems so distant now.
After 30 years, Toronto has legalized gay marriages.

Parallelism
Just like the history of women's rights and the African-American Civil Rights Movement - theirs was a long and hard fought battle. It showed that gays are no different from all of us. They experience frustrations, devastating break-ups, triumphs. It is all on how we take life, standing up on what we believe in and playing the cards we are dealt with.

Harvey Milk is long gone, but his message of HOPE is always alive and for everyone.
And Sean Penn is my bet for the Oscars on the 22nd.

6 comments:

  1. Is it still showing? Is it one of those boring critique movies or is it bearable?

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  2. Ting,

    Just focus on his acting; not much on the flow of the story. You'll find out how great an actor he is. Even how he spoke in the movie, he was able to emote the real character na gay. Ka-edad baya na siya namo - mga late baby boomers.

    Tito E.

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  3. He was a good actor in Carlito's Way. I even did not recognize it was Sean Penn.

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  4. Den,
    Didn't know you are a Sean Penn fan too.

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  5. I was watching Al Pacino films. Sean Penn was Pacino's supporting actor.

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  6. Sean Penn? One of the best around. But I'll wait til the movie is out on DVD.

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