Movie Review 10/12

Milk - 2008 - Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco

I was first skeptical about this movie when I first heard about it. I knew it was about a gay politician, named Harvey Milk, and that was it. I kind of knew he was a social figure in the San Francisco area during the 1970's, but I only knew as much as that. I knew Sean Penn won an Academy Award for Best Actor of that year, for which I am a bit upset about. I still think Daniel Day-Lewis's Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood is the best character the silver screen has ever projected. That final speech is the best ending scene in cinema! I practice that ending scene so much that I try to perfect it. The movie itself is very good. Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk, who I didn't realize was only a city supervisor. Maybe I thought this country was a little more progressive but I guess electing an openly gay man to some city office was a little minor league in my eyes. I understand he was assassinated by another supervisor, but I guess I just thought it was a bit more national than just the gay rights issues in San Francisco. The movie was good. Didn't see much of a reason for James Franco to play one boyfriend while another unheard of guy played another boyfriend of Milk. I'd recommend the movie for its acting and digital enhancing to make Sean Penn look real on a 1970's television. The plot was good, but I just thought Harvey Milk was a governor or mayor or something other than a guy that controls what goes on in one city. I didn't know Supervisor elections were that serious in San Francisco. But then again they have their baseball closer grow a disgusting black beard that makes him look like Richard Reed. Like how I turned that one around didn't ya?