Great acting, historically substantial
Added 3/6/2010
Sean Penn did an astounding job in this role. Most of us who lived through those times became aware of Harvey Milk only after he was elected, and this movie filled in the missing history of his dedicated efforts to get into office and to make the changes that needed to be made. The use of actual news footage elicited an intense recurrence of the emotions felt during that time.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Brilliant
Added 2/27/2010
Mr. Milk was a truly brave man and the script, the movie follow all of the events that led up to the day he was murdered.
If you're younger and don't know him or what he stood for, please see the movie, buy a book about Mr. Harvey Milk or go on line.
So much was done for Gay rights and so much was achieved years ago. The fight for equality continues today.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Outstanding film, nice blu-ray features.
Added 2/26/2010
Aside from the fact that this film is absolutely amazing, the Blu-ray version has extra content to enhance the experience. I don't really get into the "BD Live" features of any of my movies, but the menu options, director comments, and other bonus features show that some time went into creating the blu-ray version of the film.
Obvious in high definition this movie feels just like watching it at the theater, and for a film that's so intense and emotionally draining, I think having the full experience is crucial.
When I bought this the price was no different than the DVD version of the film, but even if it had been more expensive I would have paid for it. Sean Penn and James Franco are fantastic in this movie, but the rest of the cast is equally talented and manage to shine through the sometimes bleak storyline. Depending on your outlook on life, you may or may not find that hope prevails in this movie. Either way, you will walk away with some things to think about.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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The fight for rights continues on...
Added 2/21/2010
Gus Van Sant is one of those directors has this ability to surprise you with every movie he makes. Every one of them - whether it was "Elephant" or "Parnaoid Park" comes with its own distinctive style of story telling. Milk is no dfferent and is probably his best work todate.
You must have heard everyone talk about the performances - Sean Penn's Milk is probably his best peformance ever. Emile Hirsch, James Franco and Josh Brolin are stand-outs as well. So I will not dwell on it here. I want to talk about the movie .
The immersive approach of using actual footage from the era with the actual movie works brilliantly. it conveys the struggle of the era without over-dramatization or glossing over. Capturing the rigth balance is the key to the movies success.
Just because the title of the movie is Milk does not mean that it is just a movie about Harvey Milk. It is so much more than that. It symbolizes not only the struggle of the gay/lesbian community but also of the struggles of a person who finally finds a purpose in life. Some find that early in their life and some like Harvey Milk in their 40s. But in the end al that matters is once you find that, you stay true to yourself and pursue it to the every end even if it means putting your life on the line.
R.I.P Harvey Milk.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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What brave people sometimes have to do!
Added 2/14/2010
In a sense, I need to break this review into 2 parts: the story and the blu-ray features. Firstly, the story. As an Aussie who has gone to some gay clubs in Sydney, like Stonewall, I was vaguely aware of some of the issues gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, trans-gender people had to go through to get to where things are today: still not perfect, still some prejudice, but no where near as bad as it was pre-1980. Some 18 year olds today have no idea that actually going to a gay bar in 1973 could wind you up in gaol, arrested and branded a freak, unGodly, a sinner and perverted. On that level, Milk was an exceptional film which explores just how unjust these opinions were, so NOT long ago, and that sometimes all it takes is one man, with the help of other brave souls, to fight injustice and strive for change. And so, as a civil rights film this is great: the subject matter is less significant in a way. I would have loved seeing a film about black rights, women's rights, etc. But the gay thing was fascinating, because even today, people/church/governments are so obsessed with gayness that this film's messages still resonate today. I don't understand it, because, as I've said to many gay and straight friends, 'the lifestyle people choose is their own choice. I don't care which orientation people gravitate to. It really is instinctual, it can't be helped. I don't think the family is in any danger yet! Most people still live the straight lifestyle and have families.' And what can I say about Sean Penn...WOW! What a performance. As the actors state in the commentary, he just becomes 'Harvey Milk'. That's how committed he is to the role. An excellent performance from someone who I thought/heard was a little aggressively homophobic himself. I don't really know if he is, but here, he shows us just he is capable of. A truly inspired performance. I'd love to act with him. I'd learn so much.
As a blu-ray experience, what do you get. Thankfully, with Milk, you get to see this story played out in crystal clear picture and sound. Blu-ray...well, it just enhances the experience totally. I never owned the DVD, so I'm not sure what features were on them, but with the blu-ray, you get some really intriguing background features on the reality behind the screenplay...how they tried to remain faithful to what actually happened with the demand for gay rights in the 1970's...the era of protest marches against governments still stuck in the 1950's ideologically speaking. The features are great: 'Remembering Harvey'; 'Hollywood Comes to San Francisco' and 'Marching for Equality' all enhance the visuals/story presented in the film. As this is a biographical piece, it's good to see the real-life people interviewed about the experiences of knowing Harvey Milk. The 1080P hi-def, DTS HD 5.1 audio is great. As I said, it just adds to the experience! Director, Gus Van Sant, worked (chose, in part) his cast well. I don't want to ramble much, but Emile Hirsch, James Franco, James Brolin and Diego Luna all worked so hard to faithfully portray their 'real-life' characters. The the blu-ray aspects, get this film. This technology really enhances the story marvelously! Buy it for the story. I knew little about what it was like for homosexuals in the 1970's. I now feel, in part, literate about the struggle they endured - a struggle which still continues to this day. I bought this blu-ray on a whim, because I heard it was good, but hadn't seen it. Now I'm glad I did.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Great acting, historically substantial
Added 3/6/2010
Sean Penn did an astounding job in this role. Most of us who lived through those times became aware of Harvey Milk only after he was elected, and this movie filled in the missing history of his dedicated efforts to get into office and to make the changes that needed to be made. The use of actual news footage elicited an intense recurrence of the emotions felt during that time.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Brilliant
Added 2/27/2010
Mr. Milk was a truly brave man and the script, the movie follow all of the events that led up to the day he was murdered.
If you're younger and don't know him or what he stood for, please see the movie, buy a book about Mr. Harvey Milk or go on line.
So much was done for Gay rights and so much was achieved years ago. The fight for equality continues today.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Outstanding film, nice blu-ray features.
Added 2/26/2010
Aside from the fact that this film is absolutely amazing, the Blu-ray version has extra content to enhance the experience. I don't really get into the "BD Live" features of any of my movies, but the menu options, director comments, and other bonus features show that some time went into creating the blu-ray version of the film.
Obvious in high definition this movie feels just like watching it at the theater, and for a film that's so intense and emotionally draining, I think having the full experience is crucial.
When I bought this the price was no different than the DVD version of the film, but even if it had been more expensive I would have paid for it. Sean Penn and James Franco are fantastic in this movie, but the rest of the cast is equally talented and manage to shine through the sometimes bleak storyline. Depending on your outlook on life, you may or may not find that hope prevails in this movie. Either way, you will walk away with some things to think about.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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