The Oscars just ended, and "Milk" won Best Actor (Sean Penn) and Best Original Screenplay (Dustin Lance Black) .
The film is a biopic about Harvey Milk. In the 1970s, Harvey Milk ran as the first openly gay politician to run for office and was successfully elected as a San Francisco city official. He is one of the top 100 heroes of the 20th century selected by American Time magazine, and the first politician in the United States (and the world) to openly enter politics as a homosexual. Harvey personally created the gay district of Castro Street in San Francisco, USA, promoted the gay civil rights movement in the 1970s, and has been committed to fighting for equal civil rights for gays and lesbians. Soon, however, Milk and his political ally, Mayor George Moskorn, were assassinated by conservative Dan White. He was shot five times and was only 48 years old.
The director made the film "Milk" based on real historical events. Gay-themed movies are no longer stand alone, but instead have a dazzling array of splendid waves. The "Philadelphia Story" opened the way, the sensational "Brokeback Mountain" continued, and as for today's "Milk", it has undoubtedly set off again. There was a "glass" (gay) craze. Some film critics compared the three films. "The Philadelphia Story" is peaceful and self-respecting, "Brokeback Mountain" is implicit and inclusive, and "Milk" struggles without anger. I haven't read The Philadelphia Story personally, so I can't comment on it. Compared with "Brokeback Mountain", which is a gay film with a love theme, "Milk", which has a strong political theme, must seriously grasp the film's vision and angle.
Milk in the movie is a homosexual. Facing the discrimination and injustice against homosexuals in the society, Milk chose to escape at first, and he came to Castro Street in San Francisco. It is a paradise for gays, because gays belong to the most powerful group there. Of course, if this majority is placed at the level of the entire city or the entire country, they are an absolute minority and an absolute disadvantage. But they are a minority, a vulnerable group that cannot be ignored. They are working hard and pursuing their own class, hoping to enjoy a fair social status and equal civil rights with heterosexuals.
"I'm 40 years old, and I haven't done one thing to be proud of!" Milk stood firm in the constant self-examination to lead the anger and lead homosexuals to fight for their own rights. He actively joined the WTO with all kinds of dissatisfaction with the society and the government. He participated in the election for many times, lost and fought many times, and finally won the election in an almost desperate situation and became the ombudsman of the San Francisco city government.
Undoubtedly, Milk is a cynical person, but he did not reject the society, blindly cursing, complaining, and giving up on himself, but in accordance with the mainstream approval method of society and government rules - campaigning to obtain rights and safeguard their own interests. Gays gathered to make trouble, Milk shouted "I know you are angry, I am angry", "Let me recruit you", obtained the police's parade permit, and shouted to the world legally and excitedly.
Compared with the "violent and bloody" protests, Milk's protests appeared "gentle and gentle". Actively participating in elections was equivalent to China's active participation in the imperial examinations. This situation can be regarded as a positive move, a vague "No struggle". And this kind of "non-resistance" is not the traditional sense of "being in peace with the poor", "I accept my fate", "you, love whoever", nor is it non-resistance in the substantive sense, "verbal scolding". Vent on the victory method, scolding you and me for being cool, but not making any progress towards the goal, and sometimes the opposite will make things worse. And this kind of weak group's "non-resistance" is precisely the strongest resistance to those in power. I play according to the rules you make, and I participate in your decision-making as a right holder. You cannot ignore me, avoid me, or step over me, but you can only face me, value me, and be influenced by me.
"If the husband does not fight, the world cannot compete with him." It is very difficult for the disadvantaged to obtain political means, but it is a great victory to do it all the time and wholeheartedly, even if the road is extremely difficult and full of resistance, even if the outcome It is doomed to failure. I believe that "it is better to do what you say", "you may not succeed if you work hard, but you will not succeed if you don't work hard", just as the Chinese lawyers went to Europe this time to stop the "Christie's Yuanmingyuan Animal Head Auction" In the same way, although the chances of success in the lawsuit are slim, without this first step, when will the Long March be over. Milk ended in tragedy, but he was worthy of his heart in this life, "40 years old, I haven't done one thing to be proud of!" The line was also revised by personal interpretation to "48 years old, and finally made something to be proud of!" things!"
The film tells the story of homosexuals, but he is not only shot for homosexuality, but also represents the political demands of the world's disadvantaged, a huge social group, for the society and the government in power. At the end of the film, more than 30,000 people took to the streets and held candles to mourn the sacrifice of the great fighter. At the same time, Milk's last message came from the sea of candles: "Last week I received a call from Pennsylvania. Montour from the state called and the young man said 'thank you' to me, you must win for your comrades, such a young man, thousands of people like him, can only hope for the better Live, hope for a better tomorrow. I ask this, if I am assassinated, I want five, ten, a hundred thousand to stand up. If a bullet goes through my head, it goes through every fold I ask the movement to continue. Because it's not about personal gain, it's not about prestige, it's not about rights, it's about our minority. Not just gays, but blacks, Asians, the elderly, the disabled, minorities. Without hope, minorities will lose completely. I know that you can't just rely on hope, but without hope, life will lose its meaning. So, you, you, and you must Give people hope, be sure to give people hope!”
Current Affairs Links: On November 4, 2008, the 8th Act of the United States was passed, indicating that gay marriage is no longer legal, and California’s legal gay marriage was also effective in June. It was quickly overturned after five months in November.
On November 5, 2008, Obama defeated Republican candidate John McCain and was officially elected as the 44th President of the United States, becoming the first black president in American history. "If anyone still wonders if America is a country where anything is possible, if anyone still wonders if the dreams of our American founders still exist in our time," he said in his election victory speech. If anyone is still questioning the strength of our democracy, tonight you can get the answer."
Hope, never bury hope!
2009-3-3 night
View more about Milk reviews