Milk

Bev is not a fan of biopics or of Sean Penn, but even she knows that Gus Van Sant's Milk is a great example of both. Harvey Milk was a passionate, charming, hard-working activist who was gunned down by Dan White just as he was starting his political career, but there WAS some whitewashing of his personal life in this. Still, Penn is so authentic. The movie, which mixes in plenty of real footage, very much is too. Okay, the leading actors aren't gay, but at least the director, writer, producers and many of the background actors are. Maybe that's why---even though it's about politics as much as it is about homosexuality---the film is as lusty as it is. The supporting cast (from Franco to Hirsch to Brolin to Pill to Garber) do admirable work, although Diego Luna has to play an impossibly childish character...and doesn't do it very well. Not even that slip-up can ruin one of the better based-on-a-true-story excursions of the past few decades. So join us in the Castro and give 'em hope as we yap for over an hour in this 526th edition of Have You Ever Seen. Sparkplug Coffee is our sponsor. Nab a 20% discount by using our "HYES" promo code. Just go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes" in your browser. While you're browsing, go to @hyesellis. That'll take you to our YouTube page. Each and every 2023 podcast in full is on there. And to shoot some feedback at us, you can type out an email ([email protected]) or you can find us on Twitter (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis).