WHAT WOULD TOTO WATCH? » Sean Penn

Should audiences boycott Sean Penn?

cftoto — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:03:41 +0000

Fox News host Bill O’Reilly thinks Sean Penn is a terrific actor, and any director who hires him should expect nothing less than a fine performance.

But O’Reilly won’t plunk down his own cash to see it.

The traditional talker cannot stomach Penn’s support for dictators like Hugo Chavez and the Castro brothers, so he refuses to support Penn’s projects.

Fellow film blogger Patrick Goldstein takes exception to O’Reilly’s stance. You shouldn’t boycott an artist because he/she doesn’t subscribe to your belief system.

Goldstein is right. Frankly, if you’re a conservative and decide to boycott movies starring liberal actors you’d be left to watch films made pre-1975.

But Penn isn’t your average politically active actor. He’s about as far left as anyone can be, and his embrace of radical figures, frankly, should give anyone with a moral compass pause.

But should you boycott his movies? Should WWTW and other movie bloggers?

I won’t for practical reasons. I can’t report on what I don’t see, and Penn remains a key figure in modern Hollywood. But I will post his outrageous comments here when necessary. Readers can then make up their own minds.

Some artists live morally bankrupt lives. How do you defend the actions of Woody Allen regarding the Soon-Yi Previn affair? How ’bout Roman Polanksi’s rape case?

I still watch their work but only because I love film, not due to any solidarity with their actions.

But if your average media consumer decides Penn’s positions are too radical, then I can’t chide them for refusing to pay for his movies.

(Photo: Actor Sean Penn’s politics impact how Fox News host Bill O’Reilly views his film career)

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No honor for Penn?

cftoto — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:05:11 +0000

Sean Penn has standards. May not seem that way to those who read about his affection for dictators and wannabe dictators, but it’s true.

Consider the reason why he reportedly wanted out of “Crossing Over,” the new border drama now playing in select cities.

According to two separate reports, Penn asked that the sequences featuring him in the movie be cut because the film featured an honor killing by a Muslim character.

Penn apparently hasn’t confirmed that decision publicly, though. Others, however, were more eager to speak against the film.

The National Iranian American Council, protested the storyline to the film studio.

“They sometimes happen in remote areas of Iran, but there are no cases of Iranians doing this in the US,” the group said. Don’t know if that’s true or not, but such a storyline doesn’t seem so preposterous.

Naturally, Hollywood blinked.

I’ve seen “Crossing Over,” and elements of that subplot remain. But it’s another example of how the industry bends to the will of certain groups while ignoring the sensibilities of others.

Oscar night – The morning after

cftoto — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:44:57 +0000

The “commie, homo loving sons of guns,” as Sean Penn put it during last night’s Oscar telecast, have spoken.

To be fair, the 81st annual Academy Award presentation wasn’t as political as we’ve seen in recent years. No Michael Moore sightings. No President George W. Bush to kick around anymore.

The annual telecast was more concerned with shaking up its own formula, desperate to bring back audience members who fled in recent years. The show bent over backwards to appeal to John Q. Public, trotting out teen sensations like Zac Efron and Robert Pattinson of “Twilight” fame and overloading clip montages with populist fare like “Wanted“ and “Iron Man.”

Oscar producers want to have it both ways.

They continue to honor only Serious Films and Important Biopics while dismissing comedy, action and other worthy genres. But they inject those genres into the ceremony via highlight reels meant to remind us why we love movies in the first place.

The show even included several wink-wink gags to remind us that, yes, they know the Oscars suffer a permanent disconnect with the public at large – ha, ha, no one has seen the movies we‘re about to honor! But they’d rather joke about it than actually fix it.

Until that happens, expect audiences to keep on dwindling. And the show’s cultural cache will recede in kind.

This year’s telecast did feel different. The stage twinkled a tad brighter and host Hugh Jackman brought some razzle dazzle to the affair. Jackman dispensed with the normal Oscar host duties – namely a comedy monologue meant to praise and sting Hollywood all at once.

Instead, he showed off his song ‘n’ dance skills and seemed like he was having a blast during the modestly engaging opener. For a while, his chipper mood proved contagious.

Some modifications worked wonderfully. Having five past best actor/actress nominees announce – and salute – this year’s chosen actors proved heartfelt and personal.

But audiences can only take so many obscure award presentations. By the halfway point that very Oscar sense of “is it over yet?” came flooding back, cosmetic changes be darned.

Early highlights included the late Heath Ledger winning for Best Supporting Actor for “The Dark Knight.” The camera flashed to a number of actors fighting back tears as Ledger’s family accepted on his behalf. The moment felt anything but inauthentic.

The biggest laugh came courtesy of Ben Stiller, clad in the Joaquin Phoenix 2009 collection – scruffy beard, dazed expression and utterly inarticulate.

Brilliant.

The night’s best hope for Oscar magic came courtesy of Jerry Lewis, on hand to accept an honorary Oscar. Eddie Murphy stepped on stage to prep the moment – he was a “Nutty Professor,” too, get it? But Murphy didn’t bring much passion to the assignment. And Lewis kept his speech short, either afraid of offending the audience or too frail to stand on stage for a lengthy dissertation.

President Obama’s favorite word, “change,“ came up as Jackman clumsily segued into an unnecessary dance number featuring Beyonce. What Oscar producers fail to grasp is that movie lovers love movies … not Broadway-style productions. But we get ‘em every year, like it or not. And they’re usually awful.

Even with Hollywood’s favorite candidate in the White House the community’s liberal ideology couldn’t be suppressed.

During the tribute section for those who passed over the last year, audience members could barely bring their hands together when the late Charlton Heston’s image flashed on the screen.

Maher, presenting the Best Documentary Oscar based solely on his one-sided “Religulous,” used his allotted time to smite religion. Note to Oscar producers: If you don’t want to alienate any more viewers, stop inviting verbal bomb throwers like Maher.

“Milk” screenwriter Dustin Lance Black struck a less aggressive, more heartfelt note with his acceptance speech. He told gay viewers, “very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights federally, across this great nation of ours.” Naturally, Black didn’t chide President Obama for his opposition to gay marriage.

The erstwhile Jeff Spicoli smarmily greeted his fellow travelers while accepting his second Oscar, this time for his strong performance in “Milk: “You commie homo-loving sons of guns. I did not expect this, and I want it to be very clear that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me, often, but I am touched by the appreciation.”

He went on to praise America for electing an “elegant“ president, as if that’s a key qualification for the Oval Office. Then again, if Penn were in charge, he’s probably import either Fidel or Raul Castro.

Despite all the changes, last night’s Oscar telecast felt … small. Where were Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Jodie Foster or Tom Hanks? Hollywood’s biggest night had precious few stars, and one suspects next year’s telecast will have even fewer viewers no matter how much “change” comes to the format.

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Sean Penn’s ‘humanity’ cheered

cftoto — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:28:49 +0000

Sean Penn already owns one Oscar, and he might get another in two weeks for his role in “Milk.”

Deservedly so.

But can you imagine a journalist toasting the combustible actor’s humanity, right to his face and on national television?

Imagine no more.

PBS’s Tavis Smiley did just that during a recent interview, according to Newsbusters.org.

“I want to come back to the close of our conversation by talking about the thing – respectfully, and this is just my own opinion – that I honor about you as much, maybe even more, than your acting gift, which is your embrace of humanity, and I want to know where that comes from. What is it about you that allows you to stand in your truth, to raise these issues, to not bite your tongue, to embrace humanity? Where does that come from? You’ve always been that way or you grew into that? Help me understand that.”

Can a day go by in which journalism doesn’t sink a little lower?

Is this the same Penn who routinely threw punches at photographers back in his younger days? Or the Penn who visited Saddam Hussein’s cronies in Iraq while blasting U.S. policy toward his thug regime? Or how ’bout the man who is constantly name calling, hectoring and outright blasting those who disagree with his politics?

Dare we mention his absolute love for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a man desperately trying to be Leader for Life, a person eager to squash freedom of the press whenever it suits him?

LA Times blogger Patrick Goldstein was one of the few journalists to call into question Penn’s adoration of socialist dictators, and how that love ignored said dictators harsh treatment toward gays and other groups.

Let’s keep singing Penn’s praises as an actor. He’s that good. But do we have to trumpet him as a humanitarian?

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Critics’ creative ignorance on ‘Milk’

‘Milk’ ready for home delivery

cftoto — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:35:18 +0000

One perk of the shrinking window between theatrical and DVD releases is getting to see Oscar-nominated films on the heels of the Academy Award telecast.

“Milk,” nominated for eight awards including Best Picture, is coming to DVD March 10. The 2009 Oscar telecast airs Feb. 22.

The DVD release will included deleted scenes, a mini-doc called “Remembering Harvey” featuring those who knew the slain civil rights icon and a look at the filming of the Sean Penn feature.

(Photo: Sean Penn is a favorite to win his second Oscar for his brilliant turn in “Milk.”)

Like the movie? Check out the screenplay

‘Milk’ – Pen Sean in for another Oscar

cftoto — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:37:34 +0000

Sean Penn may be infuriating, camera shy and a political naif of the first order.

But deposit him in the right project and he has few peers.

“Milk” is just such a movie, a rewarding biopic in which Penn stands as the unqualified center. A Best Actor nomination is a lock, and in a weak year for movies it’s hard to envision he won’t walk away with his second Oscar statuette.

The film’s political bent will only help.

“Milk” recalls the remarkable life, and assassination, of the first openly gay politician, Harvey Milk (Penn).

The film opens with Milk celebrating his 40th birthday alongside a new lover (James Franco) and some old regrets. He’s a closeted gay man whose life, thus far, hasn’t been much to write about.

That changes when he moves from New York to San Francisco’s Castro district, which at the time (the early 1970s) wasn’t the mecca for alternate lifestyling it would become.

Milk finds his political voice courtesy of aggressive police behavior toward gays and the cultural tsunami that was Anita Bryant. He runs for office, loses, then keeps on running with the hopes he’s spearheading a national movement for gay rights.

With every victory comes a crushing defeat. His political rise could spell the end of his long-term relationship, and his notoriety draws the unhealthy attention of a fellow San Fransisco pol (Josh Brolin), Milk’s ideological opposite.

Penn’s performance all but defies criticism. He’s a flawed but bullheaded hero, preening one moment, pragmatic the next. He lets Milk wash over him, transforming both his physical appearance and behaviors. There’s not a moment where the real Sean Penn makes an appearance.

His work here is so good, so all encompassing that he dwarfs his supporting players. Brolin, Emile Hirsch and Franco all do what they can to leave a solid impression, but the film belongs to Penn.

“Milk” begins in a paint-by-numbers biopic approach, making broad statements about the various characters and outlining the political battlefield. It’s only in the second half that “Milk” roars to life, focusing on the final battles that forged Milk’s legacy.

The movie’s Oscar chances will only benefit from headlines regarding Proposition 8 and a Hollywood community fully aligned with the current gay movement.

Penn’s performance needs no such boost. It’s a masterful turn in a biopic that can’t help but rekindle the national debate on gay rights. As well it should.

(Photo: San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) raises a glass to his latest political campaign in “Milk.” Photo credit – Phil Bray)

‘W.’ – Stone misunderestimates Dubya

Critics’ creative ignorance on ‘Milk’

cftoto — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:39:38 +0000

Did you know that President-elect Barack Obama doesn’t support gay marriage?

You won’t find that out from the film critics fawning over “Milk,” the new biopic starring Oscar winner Sean Penn.

Many reviewers have noted the similarities between Milk’s political campaign slogans (think hope, think change) and that of the future White House occupant.

But the same critics can’t bear to critique, or even mention, Obama for his stance on gay marriage.

Think they’d be as silent on the matter if Sen. John McCain had emerged victorious last month?

This has nothing to do with the film itself – which frankly I’m eager to see (UPDATE: The WWTW review). It’s just a preview of the intellectually dishonest times to come from both the media and film critics alike.

Most critics include the recent battle involving Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in California, in their “Milk” reviews. But none I read dared to mention Obama’s opposition to it.

Dana Stevens of Slate didn’t bring it up. Nor did the LA Times’ Kenneth Turan. Same goes for USA Today’s Claudia Puig.

The Village Voice goes so far as to provide cover for Obama in its “Milk” review:

… the president-elect’s strategic non-support for same-sex marriage notwithstanding, it’s the first openly Obama-iste movie.

“Strategic non-support?” Sounds cowardly to me. Isn’t Obama’s election all about breaking down cultural boundaries and bigotry?

Said reviews also ignore Obama’s decision to delay the repeal of the military “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

If anyone finds a review that dares to point a hectoring finger at Obama for his stance on same sex marriage, please let me know.

(Photo: Sean Penn plays the late politician Harvey Milk in “Milk,” the new biopic from Gus Van Sant. Photo credit/Phil Bray.)