In the past two decades, LGBT issues and people have gained visibility in mainstream American media outlets. TV shows and Hollywood films have begun featuring LGBT characters ever since Ellen DeGeneres paved the way when she came out in 1997. There's no doubt that visibility of LGBT people and issues in the media has also shaped the political discourse in America over the past decade, so no matter how you align yourself politically, it's important to see and understand films an TV shows that include LGBT characters. When you turn on your satellite TV, it's inevitable that you'll find many shows and films that focus on or include LGBT plot-lines or characters. Here are three very influential and important LGBT films of the past decade.
2008's Milk and 1984's The Times of Harvey Milk tell the story of the first openly gay politician elected in America. The more recent film is a Hollywood biopic, while the earlier film is a documentary. So no matter what style of film you prefer, you can learn more about Harvey Milk's incredibly important contribution to American politics and his unfortunate assassination. Sean Penn, James Franco, and Josh Brolin lead an all-star cast in Milk, while the documentary features interviews with the real people that knew Harvey Milk when he served as a member of the San Francisco board of Supervisors in the 1970s. Look for both of these great films on your satellite TV channels so you can learn more about this important piece of history, and be sure to watch the newer film in it's high definition version. This incredibly touching film won two Oscars and was nominated for another six!
Felicity Huffman stars in 2005's Transamerica, for which she was nominated for an Oscar, and the film received another Oscar nomination. The film tells the fictional story of a woman named Bree Osbourne, who had been born Stanley Chupak. Bree had worked hard and saved her money for years so she would be able to have one last operation that would complete her male-to-female sex reassignment surgery. Then one day, she received a call from someone claiming to be her son in New York. Bree's therapist forces her to interact with her son before she can be approved for the operation, so Bree heads out to New York to meet her son. He confusingly believes she is a Christian social-worker who is helping him get out to California, and the rest of the film follows their story as they set out across the country on a road trip. Bree and her son get mixed up in all sorts of wild adventures even though all she wants to do is return home to get her operation. Ultimately, Bree has to try to balance taking care of her son with taking care of herself. Transamerica does a great job of telling an interesting story that focuses on a transgendered character, especially because transgendered characters are largely invisible on TV, even at a time when lesbian, gay, and bisexual characters are gaining visibility. Look for this important film in your satellite TV listings.
2008's Milk and 1984's The Times of Harvey Milk tell the story of the first openly gay politician elected in America. The more recent film is a Hollywood biopic, while the earlier film is a documentary. So no matter what style of film you prefer, you can learn more about Harvey Milk's incredibly important contribution to American politics and his unfortunate assassination. Sean Penn, James Franco, and Josh Brolin lead an all-star cast in Milk, while the documentary features interviews with the real people that knew Harvey Milk when he served as a member of the San Francisco board of Supervisors in the 1970s. Look for both of these great films on your satellite TV channels so you can learn more about this important piece of history, and be sure to watch the newer film in it's high definition version. This incredibly touching film won two Oscars and was nominated for another six!
Felicity Huffman stars in 2005's Transamerica, for which she was nominated for an Oscar, and the film received another Oscar nomination. The film tells the fictional story of a woman named Bree Osbourne, who had been born Stanley Chupak. Bree had worked hard and saved her money for years so she would be able to have one last operation that would complete her male-to-female sex reassignment surgery. Then one day, she received a call from someone claiming to be her son in New York. Bree's therapist forces her to interact with her son before she can be approved for the operation, so Bree heads out to New York to meet her son. He confusingly believes she is a Christian social-worker who is helping him get out to California, and the rest of the film follows their story as they set out across the country on a road trip. Bree and her son get mixed up in all sorts of wild adventures even though all she wants to do is return home to get her operation. Ultimately, Bree has to try to balance taking care of her son with taking care of herself. Transamerica does a great job of telling an interesting story that focuses on a transgendered character, especially because transgendered characters are largely invisible on TV, even at a time when lesbian, gay, and bisexual characters are gaining visibility. Look for this important film in your satellite TV listings.