MILK!

Alright, I just want to start off by saying that this movie is one of those, incredibly rare in our time, inspiring movies. It is not very often that I finish a movie and say to myself, "wow, this movie just made me a better person", but thankfully, Milk is one of those movies. It has everything that you want in an inspirational, and at the same time political film.

The story centers around the first openly gay man elected to public office, Harvey Milk. As we learn from the start of the movie, and is re-telling his life into a tape recorder. According to Milk, the tape is for the event of his assassination. It becomes extremely prevalent in the beginning of the film that Harvey Milk was assassinated shortly after, and this tape is his autobiography.

I want to congratulate Sean Penn on his Oscar win for best actor. Although I was pulling for Mickey Rourke, Penn is a logical choice after watching the performance of his career in Milk. He portrays the politician and gay activist perfectly and respectfully. The movie chronicles the rise of Harvey Milk from his movie to gay haven San Fransisco, to his first public speech on top of a soap box, to his last public speech on the steps of city hall. The reoccurring first line of every one of Milk's speeches, "I'm Harvey Milk, and I'm here to recruit you." echos as a signature of a man who lived his life to protect the inalienable rights of all men, and truly believed that all men are created equal.

Milk's perseverance is perfectly portrayed in this movie, shown by his constant loss in his first few attempts to run for office. Milk eventually wins the community advisor position and is faced with the recently drafted proposition 6, which attempts to strip civil rights from open homosexuals. It's Harvey Milk to the rescue when he rallies the gay community against the bigoted California senator and proposition 6. Not to mention falling in love with James Franco, who played an amazing part as Milk's lover. Franco is obviously a tremendous talent and is able to switch from the pot dealing Saul in Pineapple Express to a homosexual character.

I am going to give this Movie an A. It lives up to all expectations and could bring a tear to the eye of even the most ardent anti-homosexual. Sean Penn once again gives the performance of his career and deserves his academy award. I highly recommend this movie, and it has become one of my all time favorites.

Note: Yes, I watch other movies besides horror.