Dead Man Walking (1995) Dir.Tim Robbins

Tim Robbins directs a film based on a true account of a nuns relationship with a convicted murderer and rapist.

Susan Sarandon gives a stunning performance as Sister Helen Prejean, hailing from a wealthy background she lives a modest life in the ghetto of Louisiana. She is drawn to the case of Matthew Poncelete a convict on death row. She begins visiting him at prison and offering spiritual guidance when his appeal falls through.

Sean Penn plays the convicted murderer, he claims he is innocent and was merely present at the murder until Sister Helen encourages him to confess.

"The truth will set you free"

A very tricky film to produce but Tim Robbins works with it very well by celebrating forgiveness and provoking deep thought amongst the audience. Sean Penn manages to provoke sympathy to his chracter. Perhaps empathy. Here is an ill educated man who admits to the brutal crime, does he surely deserve to die?

Sister Helen has a confrontation with the victims parents and this scene proves the film to be very open minded and objective with the issue at hand. However the ending of the film is one of the most emotional and remarkable scenes in in film history.
As Matthew is strapped to the table he is elevated by the guards to the window where the witnesses including Sister Helen are sat and delivers his brutally honest and heart breaking speech.

The film focuses on the pros and cons of the death penalty but ends with the encouragement of forgiveness and compassion. A genuine film with an excellent cast and director. Tim Robbins keeps the film faithful to the real life book by Sister Helen. Hope, forgiveness and political injustice surrounds this film.

10/10

MILK (2008) Dir. Gus Van Sant

"My name is Harvey Milk and I am here to recruit you!"

On of my favorite performances of the year was Sean Penn in MILK. This is a film about the first openly gay elected member of the Public office in the US. Very relevant for the current time we are in and an excellent portrayal of San Fransisco circa 1970.

The sheer excellence of the film is down to the screenplay, Sean Penn and the mere celebration of gay rights. Josh Brolin plays Dan White, Harvey Milk's opposition. This biopic is an excellent piece of film making, not only is the screenplay fantastic, the characters are very loyal to the real life people involved in Milk's legacy.

So, Milk moves to San Francisco from New York and opens up a camera shop in the cities flourishing gay district. Van Sant reveals Milk's death early on in the film and switches back to the beginning of his journey. The mood is essentially positive, light and warm. This is mainly due to Milk's friends and coworkers.

Emile Hirsch in particular gives a fantastically modern representation of a young, trendy gay man. The friends / coworkers bounce off each other and Penn delivers heartbreaking lines with the warmest sentiment.

At times, the focus on politics is lost and turned into a fluffy subject however we must remember this is essentially, a biopic. Alison Pill gives a mediocre performance of the only lesbian in the film, the fantastic Anne Kronenberg whom has openly congratulated Van Sant on the film. There is no doubt this is about gay rights not the lesbian movement.

A fascinating film which celebrates the legacy of Harvey Milk.