Saw "Milk" with Sean Penn yesterday

[marylanddem]

An incredible film about the assassination of S.F. gay activist Harvey Milk that goes far to help us all understand the history of the gay rights movement & why there is so much outrage about Rick Warren.

Saw it with my lesbian daughter & her partner - don't miss it.

[GodlessBiker]

1. I saw it on Monday. Penn is Milk. The producers were fools not to release it in August.

[stopbush]

2. How'd you get Sean Penn to go with you???

;)

[marylanddem]

Just my good karma, I guess!

[booley]

3. His death wasn't the point as I saw it

Yes his asasination was important in the film. But the movie was really about what he did with his life. I think that's why they didn't show the riots after Dan White was slapped on the wrist.

[marylanddem]

5. You're right - it was more about his remarkable life & work.

[WilliamPitt]

4. But doesnt Penn support the Cuban regime, which imprisons homosexuals?

[marylanddem]

6. I had never heard that about the Cuban regime.

[WilliamPitt]

9. The Advocate

via NY Post:

NOT all gays are gaga over Sean Penn's portrayal of homosexual martyr Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant's biopic "Milk."

In an Advocate.com article, writer James Kirchick slams Penn for his political leanings, arguing that any adulation he receives from the gay community should be tempered because of his affection for Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez and Cuban strongman Raul Castro.

Chávez and Castro are guilty of flagrant human-rights abuses, Kirchick writes: "Gay rights are human rights, as Milk said, and Penn discredits both when he rationalizes illiberal ideologies as 'anti-imperialist' and rushes to the defense of thugs who posture as victims of the West."

Penn has long been a supporter of the dictator duo. In this month's issue of The Nation, he lavishly praises both Chávez and Castro after paying them a recent visit. He asserts, for example, "It's true, Chávez may not be a good man. But he may well be a great one."

Kirchick's story includes a quote from Human Rights Foundation President Thor Halvorssen, who says: "That Sean Penn would be honored by anyone, let alone the gay community, for having stood by a dictator who put gays into concentration camps is mind-boggling."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12172008/gossip/pagesix/penns_two_faced_with_gays_144601.htm

I'm just waiting for my chance to call someone names. Seems to be the hip new thing around here.

[GodlessBiker]

10. I'm not surprised the Advocate reports things this way. It and its owner came across as assholes...

in the movie. It is not in the Advocate's interest to encourage people to watch Milk.

[marylanddem]

11. According to that article, Penn has denounced anti-gay

practices in Cuba - don't know about the Chavez situation, but thank you for noting this controversy - wasn't aware of it...

[booley]

20. sigh

Well yes Cuba DID imprison gay people.

Frankly so did the US (only we called it 'treatment")

And today they don't. Few if any country has it hands clean in this or any other matter.

But maybe you should also define what you mean by support? Personally I support Cuba's work on organic faming and health care while not supporting all of it's actions.

Just like my opposition to the Iraq occupation does not mean I hate America or my belief that Palestinians are getting a wrong deal from Israel does not make me an anti-semite.

[ronnykmarshall]

7. Oh but we must not use lables ..

:eyes:

Sorry, just in reference to some long winded bullshit in another thread.

I'm going to see it this weekend.

What's really cool is that I've met Cleve Jones when I lived in SF. He's a great guy .... and good kisser!

[marylanddem]

8. he's excellently portrayed

[GodlessBiker]

14. Very cool! And he went on to conceive the AIDS quilt project. A good guy.

[Lex]

12. Have you ever seen the documentary "The Times of Harvey Milk"?

It won an Oscar for best documentary the year it was released, which was 1984 I think.

It is more powerful even than "Milk" with Sean Penn (and I think Penn's performance is certainly Oscar worthy). I really enjoyed "Milk" too.

[marylanddem]

13. No, but I definitely want to - what an incredible person he was.

[Starry Messenger]

15. It's on Hulu:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/49577/the-times-of-harvey-milk

I'm watching it today, and happened to have the link in my browser tabs.

[marylanddem]

17. Thanks very much - I'll check that out.

[ronnykmarshall]

18. Thanks for the link.

It's a great film.

[Starry Messenger]

19. I wish I had been older when he was alive.

What an amazing guy. I was 8 when he was killed. I grew up in the Bay Area, and all the tragedies of that that year kind of colored my worldview.

[TEmperorHasNoClothes]

16. when I saw the title I thought you meant you went with Sean Penn LOL

I can't wait to see the movie. I read a biography about Harvey Milk a few months ago. It was so interesting.

[mulsh]

21. I remember Harvey from his camera store-he was nice,

funny, and very generous to us teenagers. Even though we couldn't vote for him we were happy he got elected. I've seen The Life and Times of Harvey Milk but I'm not sure I want to see this new movie.

Remember two people were assassinated that day. George Moscone took the first bullets. Then Dan White found Harvey.

[EFerrari]

22. It took me years to be able to watch The Times of Harvey Milk

and it will take me more years to watch this film. But, I'm so glad so many people are reporting good things. :)