We were last at the Tower Theatre to see Slumdog Millionaire just before Christmas. I nominated Slumdog Millionaire in my blog as Best Movie of 2008, and was thrilled to see it win Best Picture and all the other Oscars, but the Best Actor nominations had me glued to the TV.
Sunday, it was pouring rain in Sacramento -- some streets in Land Park were flooded, but I was still determined to go to the Tower Theatre. I scheduled all my real estate appointments tightly last week to give me this window of free time so I could go with my husband to the movies. If I wanted to see MILK with Sean Penn before the Academy Awards, yesterday was the day to do it.
If it hadn't been raining, we would have walked to the Tower Theatre, but we drove and there was no place to park. The parking lot was jammed full. The surrounding streets -- Land Park Drive, Marty Way, Burnett, 14th, Larkin -- had cars parked bumper to bumper. We were forced to park on the other side of Walgreens.
Seating was packed as well. My neck still aches from looking up at the screen from the fourth row.
MILK, if you don' t know, tells the story of Harvey Milk, a San Francisco gay rights activist and city supervisor, during the last 8 years of his life. You know how the story ends walking in, but the movie keeps you so focused on the story that it's easy to forget that the events depicted actually happened, and they happened in my lifetime.
I was selling real estate in Newport Beach, in southern California in the 1970s, when Harvey Milk was elected City Supervisor in San Francisco. I remember the disturbing alliance between orange-juice queen Anita Bryant and ultra-conservative Senator Briggs, which brought Milk into the limelight for me. I witnessed first-hand the bigotry, self-centeredness and outrageously righteous behavior of closed-minded people in Orange County. That was the part of the movie that made me cry.
It made me cry because I don't understand their obsession or why they are filled with rage and hatred toward humankind. Every person on this planet deserves basic human rights.
Part of the movie deals with gay rights in housing and employment, and the struggle to make it against the law to discriminate. The gay community is facing the similar challenges today, trying to obtain the very basic right to marry, stripped from them by zealots.
Harvey Milk encouraged coming "out of the closet" to friends, family and associates, to let other people know that, yes, they probably do know a gay person, and gay people are not evil. They're just like you and me.
Dustin Lance Black won the Oscar last night for best original screenplay for MILK. Sean Penn won best actor; his performance was tender, kind, sweet and powerful. Go see this movie. You won't be disappointed, and even if it makes you cry a little, the ending dries those tears.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, coming June 2009.
Photo: Big Stock Photo
---
Certified HAFA Specialist
My Sacramento Real Estate Listings
Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout the four-county Sacramento area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available at Amazon.com.
Lyon Real Estate is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.
The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.
Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice. It could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.
Elizabeth
That sounds like quite the movie theatre.
Sincerely
Tom Braatz
OK, I will put MILK on my movie calendar. My favorite was Curious Benjamen Buttons.
Hi Tom: The Tower Theatre was built in the late 1930s, and it's an historic landmark in Land Park.
Hi Margaret: The megaphone and soap box are icons for this movie, just in case you were wondering about my photograph. Milk uses the megaphone to talk to the crowds in the streets of San Francisco. It just makes you feel good to see the underdog victorious. I haven't yet seen the Curious Case of Benjamen Buttons, but it's also on my list. It was not playing at the Tower Theatre, or I might have gone to see that first. It sounds fascinating.
Elizabeth - I haven't yet had the chance to see either one but they are on my list of movies to see. I remember when Harvey Milk was the city supervisor in San Francisco and how he stood up for the rights of gays. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie.
Hi Elizabeth! We seldom go to the movies, so on Oscar night, we are clueless!! I know, it may sound sad, but we play catch up with Pay-per-View!! I appreciate your recommendations. I agree with you Elizabeth, every one this planet deserves basic human rights.
on another subject :Did you get the link for kinnikinnick?
Hi Donna: It's also amazing how much Sean Penn looks like Harvey Milk in this movie! It's an uncanny resemblance.
Hi Mary: Don't you have movie theaters in Red Feather Lakes? I live close enough to two movie theaters that I can walk to either one of them. Well, some people think walking a mile downtown is too far, but spittooey on those lazy butts. And yes, I did get that link. Thank you!
No, Elizabeth, no theatres here. We can drive to the nearest town, but that's 80 miles round trip!! I would love to have one close enough to walk to, but I would have to move .
Elizabeth - I remember your rave reviews on Slum Dog Millionaire before you went on vacation to Hawaii. I hadn't even heard of the movie prior to your commenting on it. I can't believe I fell asleep during the Acadamy Awards last evening. I had to read the news early this morning to see who had won!
I agree with you, Elizabeth, that all should be treated equally. The very nicest people that I know are gay and I love them. I appreciate your blog today and want to see the movie.
My new movie critic. I haven't seen Milk yet but we will thanks for the review.
Wow, Mary. Then Pay-Per-View it is! I used to live in Colorado, so I know what it's like in remote areas. How about Netflix? You can get mail delivered, right?
Hi Myrl: Hahaha, I know, I can't believe I actually picked a Best Picture.
Hi Barbara: Thank you for your comments. Like you, I do believe in equal rights for everybody regardless of sex, race, color, sexual orientation, age, national origin, religion, disability, familial status and so forth, but so many people don't. Some people would not have even posted this blog for fear of backlash or losing business, and you know what? Sometimes you just gotta take a stand and say I am not afraid.
More people need to express the truth.
Hi Terry: Thanks for your input. I truly do believe you will like the movie.
I haven't seen the move, Elizabeth, but I echo your sentiments.