Critical Film Reviews

Critical Review #1: Milk

1. A director’s personalized viewpoint on gay struggle for their rights in the film Milk evokes the senses of compassion and solidarity, what empowers the film to transform political sensibilities of those who are indifferent.
2. a. The characters of Anita Bryant and John Briggs personify prejudice, conservatism, and unjustified hate of society for gay people. b. Difficulties, which Harvey, his friends and lovers underwent, demonstrate a challenge of being different at the time of segregation. c. The facts of Harvey Milk’s being elected as a supervisor and the Sixth Amendment being rejected show that gays are an important part of society, not simply abnormal freaks.
3. a. The scene of debates between Harvey Milk and John Bricks proves that the latter had no pervasive proofs to support the Amendment and that his comments like, “They want to be teachers to encourage our children to join them,” were the display of anger. b. The moment where Milk talked with his friends, telling them that three of his lovers were on the edge of death because of hiding from his relatives, is an example of gays’ difficult life under pressure of the society. c. The pictures of thousands of gays supporting Harvey, rejecting the Amendment, and telling, “They see we are not sick. They can feel we are not wrong; and they know we should have a place in this great country and in this world,” demonstrate that sex minorities are an integral part of the American society.
4. Based on a true story, drama Milk illustrates the fight of sex minorities against discrimination in the 1970s in the USA. Historical events in the film by Gus Van Sant are presented through the emotions, feelings, and thoughts of gay activist, namely Harvey Milk and his friends. The movie provides real insights into the sex minorities’ life under oppression, the vivid picture of which was painted. The director’s personalized viewpoint on gay struggle for their rights in Milk evokes the senses of compassion and solidarity, what empowers the film to transform political sensibilities of those who are indifferent.

Critical Review #2: My Own Private Idaho

1. A shocking picture of exclusion and indifference presented in the film My Own Private Idaho opens the unwanted side of reality to those who were rejecting the truth and may transform their political sensibilities.
2. a. In My Own Private Idaho, people use each other for fulfilling their needs and desires as well as treat other human beings as things. b. Social exclusion on the basis of otherness breaks peoples’ will and pushes them to the life accompanied by alcohol, prostitution, drugs, and poverty. c. My Own Private Idaho reveals that currently personal welfare means more than humanity.
3. a. The illustration of male prostitution shows that people use each other and never care how badly a person may feel or what problems he/she may have. b. The scene of Mike’s talk with his father uncovers that his life was not ordinary from the very beginning as it was built on the unacceptance by society and even his own father. c. The moment in a fancy restaurant where Scott says, “Don’t think that I’m the same Scottie that I was before. Everyone has noticed that I have turned away from that life and the people who kept my company,” proves that a human being is often nothing comparing to the personal welfare.
4. My Own Private Idaho by Gus Van Sant demonstrates the life of those who have been excluded from the society for some reasons. The audience has a chance to approach to that world where poverty, prostitution, homelessness, drugs, alcohol and mud are the elements of the daily routine. The characters live in such conditions to fulfill their desires or express protest against the accepted rules. A shocking picture of exclusion and indifference presented in the film opens the unknown and unwanted side of reality to those who were rejecting the truth and may transform their political sensibilities.

Critical Review #3: Do the Right Thing

1. Political sensibilities of those who are impatient and intolerant toward others may be transformed after observing how differences between the races and cultures become an unbreakable border between people and lead to violence, destruction, and death in Do the Right Thing.
2. a. The instances of communication between the representatives of different cultures demonstrate how inner non-acceptance of otherness causes aggressive and intolerant behavior and leads to conflicts. b. All characters in the film by Spike Lee are different, what aims to show that general stereotypes should not define one’s personality and be the basis for hate. c. The overall idea of the film is that anger and violence cannot solve problems and bring only sufferings.
3. a. The scene of Buggin’ Out’s harassing a man, who lost his shoes accidentally, shows how inner non-acceptance of white people may result in unmotivated anger. b. Stereotyping is obvious in the conversation of Italian brothers, specifically when Pino says, “No Moulan Yan can be trusted. The first time you turn your back, boom, a knife right here. In the back.” c. One of the last scenes in the Sal’s pizzeria, when Radio Raheem and Buggin’ Out make a decision to demonstrate their dislikes to Sal by means of physical force, what eventually results in death and destruction, proves that conflicts cannot be managed by force.
4. A colorful drama by Spike Lee Do the Right Things depicts one of New York’s neighborhoods in Brooklyn where relationships between neighbors are tense as a result of different races and cultures living side by side. The film demonstrates that a failure to accept other culture and live in the atmosphere of understanding and tolerance leads to fatal consequences. Political sensibilities of those who are impatient and intolerant toward others may be transformed after observing how differences of races and cultures in Do the Right Thing become an unbreakable border between people and lead to violence, destruction, and death.

Critical Review #4: Straight Outta Campton

1. As NWA in their songs tell the truth about the political situation in the USA in 1980 as Straight Outta Campton shows the picture of discrimination and prejudice toward the African-Americans and, thus, has the power to transform political sensibilities of those who treat these people like criminals because of the skin color.
2. a. In the film, police treated African-Americans as criminals and harassed them only because of their skin color. b. The conflicts between NWA and patrols in the film prove that authorities did not want to make the political situation a public issue and tried to disguise a real picture. c. Straight Outta Campton demonstrates that African-Americans were not protected by law and, moreover, were the victims of the transgression of law by the police.
3. a. The scene near the studio, where NWA worked, specifically, when the artists were checked “cause’ your rappers look like typical gang bangers” demonstrates police discrimination against African-American. b. The moment when officers forbid the group to perform certain songs on the stage proves that authorities tried to hide real political situation and NWA songs, which uncovered the truth and, therefore, were an unwelcome problem. c. It becomes obvious that law does not apply to everyone when the judge announces that the police officers who beat an African-American boy to the death will not be punished.
4. Straight Outta Campton drama tells the story of five young rebels who tell the truth about the life of African-Americans in the USA in 1980 through their music. Their texts uncovered reality, which was hidden from the eyes of white people by authorities. Police did not deal with the problems in black neighborhoods but simply abused their power. Besides, people treated the African-Americans like criminals, so they had no choice but to adjust to that world. As the NWA in their songs tell the truth about the political situation in the USA in 1980 as Straight Outta Campton shows the picture of discrimination and prejudice toward the African-Americans and, thus, has the power to transform political sensibilities of those who treat these people like criminals because of the skin color.

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