Milk (2008)

Director: Gus Van Sant

Writer: Dustin Lance Black

Stars: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco, Alison Pill, Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, Joseph Cross, Stephen Spinella

This magnificent film follows the public career and private life of Harvey Milk, America's first openly gay elected official, from his decision to change his life at the age of 40 through his rise to national prominence until his assassination less than ten years later. 

Through all of this, Gus Van Sant's film remains warm and intimate so that we never lose sight that at the heart of this movement were real, feeling, fallible, uncertain, often frightened human beings who rose to the challenge of insisting on their humanity in the face of overwhelming condemnation and persecution. 

Much of the credit for this successful presentation goes to Sean Penn and the rest of the wonderful cast, notably including James Franco and Emile Hirch. 

Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black also deserves praise. 

Much of its interest comes from the vivid depiction of its milieu, a world that will be very unfamiliar to most viewers--in this case, the evolution of San Francisco's Castro Street area into something like a gay Zion. 

This is a powerful and important film. 

If viewed with an open mind and open heart, one can hardly fail to be moved by our common humanity and saddened that so many are so cruel because they cannot recognize a kindred spirit.