Quantcast

Milk Hits, Earns Raves Across the Board

Posted by Susan Thea Posnock On November - 25 - 2008

Pete Travers gives the film four stars, writing:

Milk is Van Sant’s best film, which is saying a lot, since his generous intelligence and unforced grace shine through whether he’s sailing the mainstream (Good Will Hunting, To Die For) or riding riskier indie currents (Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Elephant). Van Sant means for his film to strike a personal chord, whether Harvey is talking a closeted teen out of suicide or talking himself into keeping up the fight when his own love life is crumbling. Harvey’s words — “You gotta give ‘em hope” — are carved into a bust of the populist hero that went up in May in a rotunda of San Francisco’s City Hall. The movie is a more fitting memorial. It brings Harvey to life for a new generation instead of setting him in stone. Penn makes Harvey so vivid and spoiling to be heard that you want to introduce him to people. John McCain, meet a real maverick.

The NY Times AO Scott writes:

“Milk” is a fascinating, multi-layered history lesson. In its scale and visual variety it feels almost like a calmed-down Oliver Stone movie, stripped of hyperbole and Oedipal melodrama. But it is also a film that like Mr. Van Sant’s other recent work — and also, curiously, like David Fincher’s “Zodiac,” another San Francisco-based tale of the 1970s — respects the limits of psychological and sociological explanation.

Dan White, Milk’s erstwhile colleague and eventual assassin, haunts the edges of the movie, representing both the banality and the enigma of evil. Mr. Brolin makes him seem at once pitiable and scary without making him look like a monster or a clown. Motives for White’s crime are suggested in the film, but too neat an accounting of them would distort the awful truth of the story and undermine the power of the movie.

That power lies in its uncanny balancing of nuance and scale, its ability to be about nearly everything — love, death, politics, sex, modernity — without losing sight of the intimate particulars of its story. Harvey Milk was an intriguing, inspiring figure. “Milk” is a marvel.

Roger Ebert gives the film four stars and says this of Penn:

Sean Penn amazes me. Not long before seeing “Milk,” I viewed his work in “Dead Man Walking” again. Few characters could be more different, few characters could seem more real. He creates a character with infinite attention to detail, and from the heart out. Here he creates a character who may seem like an odd bird to mainstream America and makes him completely identifiable. Other than the occasional employment of Harvey Milk’s genitals, what makes this character different? Some people may argue there is a gay soul but I believe we all share the same souls.

The list of raves goes on and on.  More on Metacritic

  • Filed under: BEST PICTURE
  • |
  • Tags: , ,

  • | |

    No Response for "Milk Hits, Earns Raves Across the Board"

    1. Pierre de Plume November 25th, 2008 at 9:27 pm 1

      I’m not surprised — who could be? — to see superlative reviews for this film. Seems like destiny to me.

    2. Casey F. November 25th, 2008 at 9:40 pm 2

      bp lock yet?

    3. HaroldsMaude November 25th, 2008 at 9:41 pm 3

      This is always a little like Christmas – eagerly anticipating something great- then getting it.

    4. Jeff N. November 25th, 2008 at 9:44 pm 4

      Step One for “Milk”s ascent to Oscar acclaim, an unrelenting gush of critical awe, has brightly come to pass. Up next will be Step Two: a parallel heft in popular, monetary, adoration. Here’s hoping moviegoers at large revisit and embrace the maxim: “Milk: It does a body good.”

    5. Sertan November 25th, 2008 at 9:46 pm 5

      i think it will get BP nod….

    6. Sertan November 25th, 2008 at 9:51 pm 6

      It got very good review from EW’s Owen Gleiberman as well.

      http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20242612,00.html

      By the way EW trashed Australia. And it is not the only one. I think Australia is losing its BP nod

    7. Osborne Cox November 25th, 2008 at 10:01 pm 7

      I’d call this a lock for a BP nod. I’m looking forward to seeing this tomorrow.

    8. JR November 25th, 2008 at 10:05 pm 8

      I can’t wait to see this. It looks like a Best Picture film.

    9. Stephen Holt November 25th, 2008 at 10:50 pm 9

      All those reviews you’ve included Sasha are soooo beautiful and the best writing, most moving writing that I’ve ever read of Scott and Travers.

      And they are not exaggerating. Sean Penn just won his second Oscar.

      And yes, I’d say it’s a lock for BP.

      And James Brolin is getting very, very good reviews, too. I think he’ll be nominated as well as the screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, the director Gus Van Sant and his great cinematograhper. James Franco, might even get in, too….

      And as I said, they are not exaggerating.It’s a classic.FINALLY! We get one this year.

    10. KB November 25th, 2008 at 10:52 pm 10

      Yep…….It’s a Best Picture nomination lock.

    11. KB November 25th, 2008 at 10:53 pm 11

      Stephen….Do you think it’s a lock for the win or nomination?

    12. backto1960 November 25th, 2008 at 10:55 pm 12

      This has been a good year for franco. That weeds movie and now this, good for him. It’s good to see Diego Luna in a critically acclaimed movie. Been a fan of him and Gael Garcia Bernal ever since Y tu mama tambien.

    13. Osborne Cox November 25th, 2008 at 11:00 pm 13

      Stephen do you think Sean can hold off Clint for the win?

    14. dela November 25th, 2008 at 11:11 pm 14

      It will most likely be the best reviewed bp nominee this year. Best reviewed movies rarely win the big prize. Then again Slumdog Millionare also has opened to great reviews as well. I would love to see Milk or Slumdog win bp.

    15. Stephen Holt November 25th, 2008 at 11:45 pm 15

      I think it’s a lock for a nomination for Best Picture. Focus has to climb “Brokeback Mountain” to win it. Maybe three years later and the late Heath Ledger probably a lock for the win for Supporting Actor, miracles could happen in homophobic, closeted Hollywood…

      I think Sean Penn’s reviews back up what I’ve been saying since I saw it. And Clint was never considered a great actor…

      The nomination for Clint for acting is sort of a combo consolation prize and retirement gift. But nothing can stop Sean’s momentum. I think he’ll win.

      The picture might not. But it should. But after predicting “Brokeback” like crazy, and it sure LOOKED like a winner. It won everything else EXCEPT the Oscar that year….Oh, and the SAG ensemble…which went to “Crash.” I sure HOPE it would win Best Picture.

      Roger Ebert, Peter Travers and A.O.Scott are all straight men as far as I know, and the reviews, were, what’s the word “eligiac.”

      But then I myself have been a gay activist all my life, and I never thought I would live to see the day when such a beautiful, profound, important mainstream movie would be made about activism.

      So yes, Sean is a no-brainer for the Best Actor win. Everything else is *fingers crossed* and Focus has to REALLY pull all the stops out…

      But James Schamus and crew have been through the mill with a gay positive, ground-breaking film before. “Brokeback” which really DID change a lot a lot of things.

      But as Anne Hathaway said on “Oprah” when she had her, Jake, Heath and Michelle on for “BM”, “What does one award mean, when we’ve gotten all these others and all these wonderful things have happened because of this film?” or words to that effect….

      Sean’s on the cover of Variety right now with the entire paragraph of Travers’ that Sasha quoted.

      I stood there in the drug store looking up at it…I could barely believe my eyes…It was a beautiful moment…

    16. Bob Burns November 26th, 2008 at 12:06 am 16

      Great news and no less than I expected.

      Defying precedent Milk’s (homo)sexiness will be its compeptive edge with the Academy this year.

    17. Violet November 26th, 2008 at 9:16 am 17

      I think Penn will win best actor. It is going to be pretty hard not to give it to him. I see his biggest competition being Frank Langella. I really can’t see the acedemy giving it to Mickey Rourke and Eastwoods new movie doesn’t look good.

    18. Joao Mattos November 26th, 2008 at 12:49 pm 18

      Unfortunely in my country, “Milk” opens only in February (as “Milk – The Voice of “). I read the script, saw the documentary a few years ago, and very curious to see the movie, and maybe if any of those four previous undergorund works of the director, somehow ressonates (a special mood with the camera in a particular scene, etc) in “Milk” .

      To me, Van San’ts masterpiece is still “My Own Private Idaho”, with unforgetable perfomances by River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves – Reeve’s best still today. Last October 31th, 15 years from River Phoenix dead (same day as Fellini) are completed. IMO, Phoenix demonstrated such greatness* that is not a delirous to imagine him, 2008, as one of the Hollywood’s finest, an actor in the same level let’s say….as Sean Penn.

      * (in “Stand By Me”, “Little Nikita”, “Dogfight”, “Idaho”, “Silent Togue” being just a charming man in “Sneakers”, but specially in “Runnig On Empty”, a underrated gem by Sidney Lumet with a incredible script by Jake and Maggie Gylenhaal mom, Naomi Forner; can’t believe how she doesn’t write more often)

    19. Joao Mattos November 26th, 2008 at 1:10 pm 19

      Forgot. “Milk – The Voice of Equality”

    20. Joao Mattos November 26th, 2008 at 1:16 pm 20

      My God, I’m creating words. Sorry. “Resounds” not “ressonates”, of course.


    Leave a reply


    • Contender Tracker

      Best Picture
      Up in the Air
      Nine
      The Hurt Locker
      An Education
      Precious: Based on the Novel
      Push by Sapphire

      A Serious Man
      Inglourious Basterds
      Up

      Julie & Julia
      Star Trek
      District 9
      Bright Star
      Where the Wild Things Are
      A Single Man

      Best Actor
      Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
      Colin Firth, A Single Man
      George Clooney, Up in the Air
      Matt Damon, The Informant!
      Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
      Viggo Mortensen, The Road
      Ben Foster, The Messenger
      Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man
      Michael Sheen, The Damned United

      Best Actress
      Gabby Sidibe, Precious
      Carey Mulligan, An Education
      Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
      Abbie Cornish, Bright Star
      Helen Mirren, The Last Station
      Michelle Monaghan, Trucker

      Best Supporting Actor
      Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
      Alfred Molina, An Education
      Stanley Tucci, Julie & Julia
      Peter Sarsgaard, An Education
      Robert Duvall, Crazy Heart
      Peter Capaldi, In the Loop
      Zach Galifianakis, The Hangover
      Anthony Mackie, The Hurt Locker
      Brian Geraghty, The Hurt Locker

      Best Supporting Actress
      Mo'Nique,Precious
      Anna Kendrick,Up in the Air
      Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
      Julianne Moore, A Single Man
      Melanie Laurent, Inglourious Basterds
      Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
      Samantha Morton, The Messenger
      Emma Thompson, An Education
      Cara Seymour, An Education

      Best Director
      Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
      Lee Daniels, Precious
      Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
      Lone Scherfig, An Education
      Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
      Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
      Neill Blomkamp, District 9
      Spike Jonze, Where the Wild Things Are
      Tom Ford, A Single Man
      Jane Campion, Bright Star

      Best Original Screenplay
      Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
      Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
      Jane Campion, Bright Star
      Quentin Tarantino,Inglourious Basterds
      Michael Haneke,White Ribbon
      Bob Peterson, Pete Docter,Up
      Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber, 500 Days of Summer

      Best Adapted Screenplay
      Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
      Nick Hornby, An Education
      Spike Jonze, Dave Eggars, Where the Wild Things Are
      Peter Morgan, The Damned United
      Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
      Scott Burns, The Informant!
      Tom Ford, A Single Man

      Best Editing

      Chris Innis, Bob Murawski, The Hurt Locker
      Sally Menke, Inglourious Basterds
      Dana E. Glauberman,, Up in the Air
      Joel and Ethan Coen,, A Serious Man

      Best Cinematography
      Greig Fraser,Bright Star
      Robert Richardson,Inglourious Basterds
      Roger Deakins, A Serious Man
      Christian Berger, White Ribbon
      Bruno Delbonnel,Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker

      Best Art Direction

      Where the Wild Things Are
      Julie & Julia
      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Bright Star
      Inglourious Basterds
      White Ribbon
      District 9
      A Serious Man

      Best Sound Mixing

      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      District 9
      Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
      The Hurt Locker
      Star Trek

      Best Sound Editing

      District 9
      Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
      Star Trek
      Up

      Best Costume Design
      Janet Patterson, Bright Star
      Jany Temime,Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
      Anna B. Sheppard,Inglourious Basterds
      Mary Zophre, A Serious Man
      Colleen Atwood, Public Enemies
      Consolata Boyle,Cheri

      Best Original Score
      Carter Burwell, Karen O,Where the Wild Things Are
      Carter Burwell,A Serious Man
      Michael Giacchino,Up
      Alexandre Desplat, Cheri
      Elliot Goldenthal, Public Enemies

      Best Foreign Language Film (submissions)

      Letters from Father Jacob, Finland
      White Wedding, South Africa
      A Prophet, France
      Dawson, Isla 10, Chile
      Nobody to Watch Over Me, Japan
      Prince of Tears, Hong Kong
      No puedo vivir sin ti, Taiwan
      Kelin, Kazakhstan
      Mother, Korea
      The White Ribbon, Germany
      Silent Army, The Netherlands


      Best Documentary Feature

      The Beaches of Agnes
      Burma VJ
      The Cove
      Every Little Step
      Facing Ali
      Food, Inc.
      Garbage Dreams
      Living in Emergency
      The Most Dangerous Man in America
      Mugabe and the White African
      Sergio
      Soundtrack for a Revolution
      Under Our Skin
      Valentino
      Which Way Home


      Best Animated Feature
      Up
      The Princess and the Frog
      Coraline
      The Fantastic Mr. Fox
      A Christmas Carol
      Mary and Max
      Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
      Ponyo


      Best Visual Effects
      Star Trek
      District 9
      A Christmas Carol
      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Transformers


      Best Makeup

      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      District 9

      Best Song

      Best Live Action Short

      Best Animated Short

      Best Documentary Short

      China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
      The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
      The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
      Lt. Watada
      Music by Prudence
      Rabbit a la Berlin
      Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak
      Woman Rebel

    • Ampas Breakdown

      Actors-1,222
      Producers-462
      Executives-436
      Sound-411
      Writers-388
      Art Directors-373
      Directors-375
      Public Relations-370
      Members at Large-254
      Shorts/Feature Ani-335
      Visual Effects-272
      Music-233
      Editors-227
      Cinematographers-197
      Documentary-145
      Makeup-115
      Total Voting Members -approx 6,000
    • Tuesday, December 1, 2009: Official Screen Credits forms due

      Monday, December 28, 2009: Nominations ballots mailed

      Saturday, January 23, 2010: Nominations polls close 5 p.m. PT

      Tuesday, February 2, 2010: Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Samuel Goldwyn Theater

      Wednesday, February 10, 2010: Final ballots mailed

      Monday, February 15, 2010: Nominees Luncheon

      Saturday, February 20, 2010: Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards presentation

      Tuesday, March 2, 2010: Final polls close 5 p.m. PT

      Sunday, March 7, 2010: 82nd Annual Academy Awards presentation