"Milk"

[cubanmiamiboy]

Has anybody seen it ?. Loved Sean Penn .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unu-9vM9VZw

[dirac]

It hasn't reached my area yet, but I intend to go at some point. The Oscar Bait Biopic is not necessarily my favorite genre and Sean Penn's recent performances have not given me much pleasure, but I understand this one is better than average on both counts. I live in the Bay Area, too, not far from where it all happened.

[bart]

Sean Penn has a long article in the Dec. 15 issue of The Nation: "Conversations with Chavez and Castro."

Penn spent quite a lot of time talking with Presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Raul Castro of Cuba. Castro especially comes across as quite an interesting character. I was impressed.

[dirac]

Politics will probably come up in this thread at some point, but let's keep it to the topic at hand and focus on Penn's day job.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Penn spent quite a lot of time talking with Presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Raul Castro of Cuba. Castro especially comes across as quite an interesting character. I was impressed.

but... back to "Milk"...

[dirac]

I saw the movie this week and although it is superior to your average biopic I didn't think it was as good as it could have been. Penn is not at his very best but he's better here than he's been in a long time and the supporting cast is fine. The movie doesn't put as much dramatic flesh on the bones as one might have hoped, either, but then with so many of Milk (and Moscone's) circle still around and about perhaps it wasn't possible. The San Francisco of an earlier era is not evoked as vividly as one might have hoped, either. I'd recommend it, mind - there's nothing much better out there at your local multiplex this season -- but it could have been a lot better. Would be interested to hear other views.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Bravo Sean!!!! (BTW, I think I smelled right, ah...? )

[dirac]

Yes, you were quite right. I would have preferred to see Rourke or Jenkins get it as body-of-work recognition awards, especially as it's unlikely they'll get another chance and I'm sure we'll see Penn iin the category again. I wasn't as crazy about "Milk" as many others were but it's certainly the best performance Penn has given in some time.

[Giannina]

I was for Langella, not only because I thought his performance was THE performance of the year but because, after an impressive career, this could be his last/only chance for the Oscar. Given the script he had to work with (tapes forcryingoutloud) he elevated it to the sublime in spite of the fact that he's as far removed, physically, from Nixon as is humanly possible. I do like Penn, and if Langella couldn't win Penn was my choice; he is a remarkable actor.

Sigh!

Giannina

[dirac]

I was for Langella, not only because I thought his performance was THE performance of the year but because, after an impressive career, this could be his last/only chance for the Oscar.

Thank you for reminding me about Langella, Giannina. You are quite right. I haven’t seen “Frost/Nixon” yet but I don’t have to see it to know he’s good. The best actor category is traditionally the most competitive one, unfortunately. Penn was certainly deserving.

[Leigh Witchel]

I'm in San Francisco (actually here for the new production of Swan Lake) but realized they were again showing Milk at the Castro Theater. I had been in the Castro last February when the street had been transformed back to 1978 (including the Chevron sign for gas at .69 a gallon) It felt very meaningful to see the film where it happened.

[dirac]

In these economic times, I think viewers would be better off saving the ten dollars and renting “The Times of Harvey Milk.” They borrowed from it heavily for the new movie and it’s far superior, so people might as well go to the source.