Will it be Milk vs. Nixon/Frost at the Oscars?
It’s too soon to know for sure, but by the looks of it, the soul-stirring Gus Van Sant film Milk could be up against Frost/Nixon come Oscar time. Milk opened in San Francisco last week. Frost/Nixon hits theaters Friday. Both films may stand out for their dramatic verve, but it’s hard to deny that Milk (**** out of four) is one of the best pictures of the year. It’s passionate, timely and a triumph. What a fascinating jewel this is. Director Gus Van Sant delivers a rich kaleidoscope of the dawn of the gay civil rights movement and paints a fascinating portrait of San Francisco politico Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected into office on the board of supervisors. But don’t mistake Milk for a sweeping biopic on Harvey Milk’s life. Thanks to the savvy writing by screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, who worked on the script nearly four years, the movie’s focus is tight and expertly honed in on the eight-year period in the ’70s when Milk ascended to glory only to be brought down when he
