Angels in america. This film was interesting. I like that the message is not so obvious on the surface. I have not seen any homosexuals in a intamate setting before. It is wierd to me to see two men showing affection for each other. Its hard to know what message this movie is trying to get across mostly because we haven't seen the end yet. I think so far the movie is showing us its not easy to be a homosexual. It is comparing hardships in the lifes homosexuals and making them parallel to situations that are more common and easier for the heterosexual to understand. There are a lot of wierd visions and dreams and I don't know what they are suppose to mean. I am interested to see how it is all summed up
Angels in America has topics that have everyone asking questions. To start off, what is the main point of this movie? So far we've seen how troublesome homosexuals lives may be. From living as a "normal" couple, to "being in the closet"; having sex with other men, to being openly gay. Their are many situations people live in that we have no idea. We sometimes may think life can't be any worse.
--TOOTH BRUSH-- " I have THE worst job in the world" --TOILED PAPER---" Yeah right" This is just to show us how good we have our lives. How we should appreciate what and who we are. I still don't understand some of the symbolism this movie is giving us. I do know that their is a message that i still have to retrieve. Being a bit more open minded and getting myself out of a box many of us live in.
I thought Part One to Angels in America the main point is that everyone was criticizing on people who are gay. They don’t like people who are gay such as: the wife, the doctor, and the mom of Joe. What I think a marriage should be is between a man and a woman. I also think that everybody has the rights to do anything if it is not against the law. The couples should voluntarily be together until sickness or death. Some group of people will think that if gay marriage is an issue, then it can also lead to polygamy because it can spread throughout the United States. If the same-sex marriage is going around then polygamy can starts to spread also. If the gays and lesbians have the rights of marriage then monogamy can be a problem to our society. Many people will not agree on this issue. They would want to ban this issue. I think that everybody has the right to doing anything if it is not against the law. There will be pros and cons about the issue such as, legal rights, polygamy and child care but if they if they can really take care of the child, then just let it be. It is a confusing issue, but it comes down to people choices. I think that people who are different should be left alone, that the United States of America is a country of freedom.
this movie is one of those movies that makes you ask questions from the get go. it has alot of topics that make you think. just in the first half of this movie there has been so much that has happened from louis leaving his boyfriend who is dying of aids and it is super sad to watch this whole thing unfold. it opens your eyes to things that you dont even think about on a day to day basis and i cant wait to see the second part.
Spanning the years of the Reagan administration, it weaves the lives of fictional and historical characters into a feverish web of social, political, and sexual revelations. The film introduces us to the lives of two couples, one gay and one “straight” as they deal with AIDS in the eighties. This marks a time when the disease was largely misunderstood. The attitude of the majority of people was that AIDS was a disease that affected gay men and drug addicts, and was a result of “immoral” behavior. Some people may have even felt that those who suffered with AIDS “deserved” it. This was in turn exploited politically, which would explain the scarcity of AIDS research funding.
Instead of having a straight on point on what the movie is about it has alot of layers. What I think the movie wants to portray is how complicated and how many hoops homosexuals have to go through in order to live a "normal" life like the rest of us. Not only do they have to hide it from the outside world but the hardest part is to face their family. It also shows the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the US and how they totally misunderstood it. Another part shows how hard it can be to come out of the closet when your religion is against homosexuality.I can't wait how the movie ends. this movie opens your eyes to things you really don't think about.
I enjoy movies that make you think. I know this movie has definately ruffled some feathers over the years. Just think of how unspoken it is to have a mormon from Utah fighting the demons within to come to terms with the fact he may be gay. Or the abandonment issues, (I'm bad with movie names) that Gay man 2 is facing. First he abandoned he grandmother and now his lover, only to turn to others in a park for quick comfort. Another quick note, as I watched this movie and watched the Mormon girl struggle with her meds addiction, it totally sent flashbacks to a little molly mormon I dated a few months back. All she wanted was to get married and have that perfect family. But she could leave the pills alone. Its crazy, the perception we will give others when deep down inside we are totally different. You really can't see the true person unless your looking really hard and they begin to get a little careless like Mormon boys long walks through the parks.
This movie is strange and defiantly an HBO movie. I know that there are some people that have to struggle with being a homo. But i know that it is a temtation from the devil, but the devil can't tempt you above what you can't over come. People must give into his temptings only to think that it is the easy way to deal with it. This movie shows what people must have to go through on coming out of the closet and what they have to go through regarding their homosexual liking. Such as friends, family, and co-workers treat them and what they think of there choses.
There are different dynamics to this movie. I found it heartbreaking in so many ways. I feel for all the characters struggling in this movie, whether it is with social clout or relationships or dying. I think as a viewer we look at their stories and think we would do things different, looking from the outside in, but when it comes down to it would we might do the same thing. I don't think this movie is about what is right or wrong in terms of homosexuality, but how people deal with situations that life throws at them. In any relationship people just want to feel loved and appreciated. The characters come from different walks of life but are faced with the same issues. It will be interesting to see how the movie ends.
This movie has stirred up a lot of emotions for me. I find it heartbreaking that we are told our whole lives to be ourselves, not to care what others think of us, just be YOU...UNLESS that means you don't live like everyone else thinks you should. Men and Women have engaged in homosexual activity since the dawn of time, it isn't going anywhere. It makes me so sad some people think being homosexual is a choice, and even more sad that they think suppressing it and basically living a lie is the right thing to do. How is that ok? How is that healthy? Feelings burried alive never die. My opinion is that we don't have any more control over our sexuality than we do over our sex.
"When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical."
I think we shouldn’t judge people because they’re different then us. It seems like judging has become an everyday issue. We can’t change people for who they are, but we can change things for the good. What am trying to say is what would you do? If it was a family member that had different preferences, would you treat him /her different? I think not. We all like different things in life. You are made the way the you are. You can’t change that, so why are you trying to change other people? Who is to say, who is right and who is wrong? We are all humans and we are not perfect. It seems to me like this is a religion vs. man topic.
One idea in the movie that is very controversial is the fact the John has been attracted to men his whole life and he has had to suppress that desire. The idea that people are born Homosexual to me is ridiculous. Of course that is coming from a person that is very active in the Christian faith. To me attraction between a man and a woman is natural. From birth we all have this seed of attraction planted within us. I believe that God created man and that it is part of his plan to have men and women getting together. That explains why that is to only way to procreate. I think that homosexuals find attraction in their same sex for many reasons but I believe that it is partly brought on by their own choices. I do not doubt the possibility of a normal guy being attracted to another man without him wanting that but with effort I think that everyone can overcome those temptations if desired. Unlike John in the movie where even though he tried his whole life he could never break the temptation. That’s just my point of view though so thanks for reading.
The thing that was most bizarre and confusing to me from reading our links and watching the first part of the movie was how Roy Cohn denied being a homosexual and having aids. I don't understand what purpose it served for him to deny until his dying day his sexuality and what he died of. The scene when he was talking to the doctor keeps coming back to me. He definitely was in denial, but from watching that scene he almost makes you think otherwise. He contradicts what he is saying numerous times, but he seems so sure of what he was saying. Even though he seemed sure and confident he truly was hateful and prejudice with what he said about homosexuals. I am not exactly sure where Roy fits in with the messsage of this movie.
This is an interesting movie to say the least. I have to admit, it did lose me in a few of the scenes in part 1. It had so many revelations and hallucinations it was hard to follow at times. The main characters all seem to be lost in themselves. The writer's brilliance can be seen in the layer upon layer of symbolism and the complex relationships of the characters. I thought the movie was going to be about Roy Cohn, however, it is three independent stories losely tied together. Roy Cohn's inability to admit he is homosexual while he dies of aids is very interesting. He is gay but because of his deep rooted beliefs he will not admit it to himself.
This movie will make you feel for people that are dieing of aids. I like the fact this movie tried to portray the true unglamourous way that aids kills people. I also liked the ironic twist that evil Roy Cohn used his power to obtain a very good and ultra rare aids medication that ended up saving a good guy's (Pryor) life.
This movie was one of those that need deep thinking to undarstand the author's message. It was hard for me because I am not used to thinking with metaphors and I cant really say I understood the message very well. It was interesting for me to see how the actors in the movie were used with multiple characters. I could never have guessed that the actor playing the Beliz is the Travel agent Mr lies as well. He was my favourite character. He was very helpful as both roles and to me seemed the only one who was acting rationally. When I was reviewing the cast on imdb I also stubled upon the fact that The actor playing Prior was the same as the Leather man in the park that Louis had sex in the park. i wander what could be the message that is being portrayed here. I liked the performance of Al Pacino as Roy Cohn. He was very good in acting like importanta arrogant lawer, who tries to make everyone's life miserable.
I LOVED this movie. It was REALLY difficult no to cheat and watch the second half before class.
I feel very strongly about the issues that plagued the characters in this movie. Particularly how difficult it was for Joe to deal with his own sexuality because he'd been taught his whole life that it was "WRONG". I've known many people in this situation and when the people in that position are not able to deal with it and "come out" the consequences are tragic.
I appreciate that there is a movie that is able to portray this to the rest of the world.
I wasn't sure ahead of time whether or not I'd like the movie. However, right from the opening scene of Joe and Roy's conversation in Roy's office it was great! Very entertaining. Just hearing Roy's description of the play gave some insight into his character.
The hallucinations that Harper had with the travel agent, and where she and Prior met in the hallucination reminded me very much of something David Lynch would do, and I love his stuff, so that was great too!
At another point, Joe was talking in the courthouse restroom to Louis and Louis said that he was a word processor and that he was therefore the lowest of the low. This was certainly good foresight on what was in store for his character...The way he treated Prior and then Joe, the fact that he was a "closeted" homosexual man in the mid 80's, etc. all put him in that "low" place.
When Roy was in the doctor's office and the doctor informed him that he had AIDS and denied being homosexual, not because he was ashamed of having sex with men, but because of the stigma that is/ was attached to the label "homosexual". It was a very consice and, sadly (for the time-frame) a little too accurate.
this film was a tricky one! I think it helped open a lot of peoples eyes to what really goes on out there in the "real world". the way the director set up the different actors real life situations was very interesting. it seemed like one actors life shadowed another ones and they could all relate in one messed up way or another. they use good analogy's in this film, i think you need to watch it with an open mind because if you don't i think you will miss a lot of the meaning to the whole film. if you compare some of your trials that your having in your life with some of the main charactors you will learn that maybe life isnt so bad. I think eveyone tends to believe that their problems are way more serious than everyone else's, when in reality if we all switched lives and problems i think we would all end up fighting to the death until everyone got their own life back. there is always someone else out ther who has it worse than you.--Seth K
This was an extremely difficult movie for me to follow, however i felt for Joe for being told that he cant be who he really is because of his religion and how he has been raised. When he finally told his wife you could see in his charachter how releived he was to finally admit to himself who he really is. I bet there are a lot of mormons that are in this same situation and don't realize what they are doing to themselves and families.
This movie was definitely interesting to say the least, I have never seen a movie done like this before and also involving a lot of different characters and a good majority of them being gay, but I liked it besides the fact I was lost for a good majority of the time. But by reading some of our classmates views on homosexuality are very interesting to me as well, like the point that some are making that homosexuality is a chosen thing and that its something you are not born with, I think that is ridiculous. Ya, I think their are a good majority of homosexuals that choose to be that way maybe because of emotional connection or comfort or maybe just cause its the thing to do but I doubt people decide to be gay. You can tell with some children when they are five years old that they are gay, and also why would some one want to go through all that hardship that their community puts on them and also their families. I feel a lot of those ideas are based on peoples religions and what their religions think is right and wrong. But this is the real world and this is what we live with, we shouldn’t judge or discriminate people on who they prefer to love. Everyone is human and we should all accept that.
The first part of Angels in America made me want to see the second half. I went home wondering about what would happen next and thinking about all the layers of meaning this movie held. If I wouldn't have known before hand to look for a deeper meaning and notice the character mirrors I would have missed the point entirely. The main characters in this movie are very interesting because of how they deal with their individual problems. It shows the struggle of drugs, disease, personal conflict, social pressure and many other issues. The main issue addressed is homosexuality. This is perceived from a more natural perspective between Prior and Louis but conflicts itself with showing the struggle of Joe trying to battle it as well as Roy's denial. I think the social pressure and extreme discrimination that is against gays is as horrible as racism. It doesn't make sense to hate and discriminate an entire demography because of their sexual preference.
I hadn't really heard much about this movie before I watched it so I didn't have any preconceptions of what the movie would be. I found as I watched it being very torn and feeling so terrible for the people involved. I felt bad for Joe and Harper and what they were dealing with. Knowing that Harper probably knew something was different about Joe and the way he treated her but not knowing why. And then knowing that Joe was trying so hard to make everyone happy and in doing so completely hiding who he is. I can definitely see how this is controversial because they are portraying a homosexual man in the LDS church that has gone through and gotten married in the temple and is living as a husband to his wife but all the while having thoughts and feeling towards men. Unfortunately Joe feels that him being what he is is actually bad and a sin and so he is trying to be someone he isn't but at the same time he knows what he wants and can't help but feeling that it's right to be who he is.
The other part I found interesting was how Prior was who the angel came down on. I'm pretty sure that most churches would be upset by a homosexual man seeing visions and being told he will be given a great work to do however I think it is appropriate. Who better than someone who is suffering in secret and afraid to be who he is. Those kind of people are the ones that help others understand and give others hope. I feel that the controversy in this movie is necessary to open people's eyes to the subject of homosexuality and AIDS
Engels in America was useful movie for people that didn’t know about what happened to homosexual community during that period of time. As I came from different country, it was very interesting because there are still confirmed conservatives who do not approve homosexuality by our old tradition in my country. So I was kind of impressed by the expressive function of the film about homosexuality. I had to use a dictionary a lot of time while watching it. Too many difficult words and I am not American and don't know much about America during that period of time, but this film gave me easier way to understand about it. Now I got all the references to the politics of the time. I found some elements to admire at the film. Two of them were performance and its claim. Jeffery Wright, as the flamboyantly gay Belize, and Meryl Streep, as Joe Pitt's mother, Hannah. Especially Belize is a modern-day Florence Nightingale, a nurse on a hospital's AIDS ward, who provided the emotional support for the film's character. Second one is the angels in the film. I was impressed by the way they represent Kushner's view of political conservatism through it. Also the angels claim that the human race, by continuing its constant migrations and ceaseless change, have caused all their ills. It was very interesting movie for me. There's no denying that he picked an interesting way to present it.
this movie was a really typicall movie, was talking about the people they found theirselves lost. It talked about the LDS's life. which is the 2 Mormon couple, they thought that they were happy family, but they are not. His wife hated her life, she lost, and she tried to find the way out, but she ve been struggling with drug and it made her dellution even worse. When she figured out her husband was homosexual, even made her running away and even wanted to stay in her hallucination's life. Another example was the gay couple, they alway saying that they love each other and they have been together for 4 and half years. However, when the guy found out his partner had AIDS, he didn't what to do and he was lost. And the guy who carrying Aids was living in his hallucinaiton that he saw an angle, and the angle always talking to him during his dream. That isn't right. when people couldn't find the way and don't know what to do they tend to live in their hallucinaiton and hope that they could get away but they can't.
Angels in America is an excellent mini-series, with this charming script that just gives you butterflies at every lovely line, amazing images and points of view, simply adoring performances given by all the actors in this beautiful and exciting story. Thought every episode had truly a life of its own, I must say that the last one impressed me the most really. With the last monologues and hoping goodbyes, it touched my heart in a very certain way. My favorite characters were Prior, Belize and Harper. I still think of some incredible lines like those about America, its national anthem and the word 'free', about the truth and the way that people change, about how heaven looks like.
This movie was interesting, but a really different, too. I enjoyed how many plots were going on at the same time. One of the main topic of this movie was being gay. Prior was gay, and he didn't ever try to hide that. Louis, on the other hand, was uncomfortable with his Jewish family about his lifestyle. The two men had been together for a long time, but once Prior became ill, Louis just left him. That was a really sad part of the movie for me. If you love someone, you can't just leave them when they absolutely need them the most. I enjoyed Harper. Sure, she was crazy. But I liked the fact that she found a life for herself that she enjoyed. It might have been inside of her head, but at least she was having a good time. That brings up the point of craziness. Harper was only as sane as she choose to be. This is true of anyone.
Angels in America part one was a very peculiar film, it had a lot deeper thinking then what I am accustomed to. I am used to watching movies for sheer enjoyment, to just sit back and let the movie wash over me. Angles in America had a lot more complex plot and it also used metaphors a lot. At the beginning of the movie I did not get it and I thought that it was just a random movie about a bunch of people’s lives but later I thought about it a realized how brilliant the director really was. All of the characters lives tide together perfectly and the movie ended up making sense. I did not get the entire movie but I think I would have to watch it several times before I grasped the depth of the directors thinking.
So far, this is the best movie we've watched in class. I adored everything about it, especially that insanely talented cast. It was very interesting to see Harper and Prior connect in their dreams, and even more interesting to see them give out information about each other's lives to one another, such that Harper's husband Joe is a homosexual. Harper and Feliz were my favorite characters in the movie; Mary Louise Parker does an amazing job with her strange character.
I have to admit though, there was quite a bit of metaphor that I didn't fully grasp. I did understand the fact that the person who played Prior also played the guy in leather in the park, and when Louis was with him, he was implying for the man to infect him just like Prior, so that he doesn't have to be scared of death anymore because he wants to be with the person he loves most.
What was also quite controversial was Roy Cohn's character and how he refused to admit his homosexuality and sickness because apparently he was "too good" for that. He even blackmailed his doctor into making everyone outside the office think that he had lung cancer, not AIDS. Al Pacino's performance in this movie was extraordinary, as was everyone else's.
The first half of Angels in America was very interesting to say the least. It was very difficult for me watch. I am not used to seeing homosexuals and how they're lives are and trying to understand them. This film had a few different stories going on at once. The stories differed from one being openly gay, another having hidden his homosexuality his whole life and another who is a very popular figure in the community who has hidden his sexuality too. In the film there is a lot of metaphore. There is many dreams or halucinations that are very hard to understand but that have a lot of meaning and metaphore. This film is very controversial and has a lot of ideas that are not openly discussed in the world and I am excited for the second half.
It wasn't my first time viewing this film when we watched it in class, but like Sara pointed out, i learned many new things even though i had already seen it. I find this movie to be an amazing achievement that strikes inspiration and a sense of worth. Having won 11 Emmy awards (the most ever at the time) and multiple Golden Globes, i feel that this movie harbors more aspects than the average film. This first time i saw Angels in America, i was only twelve. As most can expect, i didn't understand much, but i still enjoyed the film. Being a young adult and achieving a greater sense of analytical skills, i feel as if i can take more away from the film now then i could as a child. I think Kushner is an amazing writer and i inspire to be half as good as him one day. The metaphors and inlayed symbolism throughout this first part is so far beyond the average paradigm of most viewers. It's hard to understand, but once understood, completely worth it in the end. I found that the characters: Harper, Prior, Joe, Louis, truly made the movie one worth watching. The foils (or mirrors) experienced through both couples was an aspect that Kushner exceeded with. From this film, i feel that i've gained a greater respect for the conflicts that many people go through, throughout their lives. So people are gay, and some are straight. Some are Mormon, and some are Jewish. Some have aids, and some don't. But in the end, we're all humans: a species fighting for an existence that will thrive and prove to be worthwhile.
What a very interestingly, odd, confusing, and creative movie. I can't say I liked it nor did I uberly hate it, but it's not really something I'd want to watch again haha. It was a good movie, don't get me wrong, but the main issue with gays and sub-issues with justice, repentance, religion, expectations, and all that, all seemed to really be exaggerated beyond their points. I guess maybe I was too impatient to really "chow-down" on the layers upon layers and vast amounts of the symbolism in the movie, but it was one new thing after another new thing after another new thing, that all seemed to just grow into a pile of EXTRA stuff. Like the movie could have addressed all the issues without having all the wierd dreams and symbolic characters. This movie seemed too much for the topics it wanted to address. Kudos, though, to the director for having been able to combine it all. All the symbolism, parallelism, motifs, organization, knowing when to show what, all of it had to be extremely hard to put together and make into a movie; and he did it. Err well I think it was a he lol.
The first half of this movie had me trying to comprehend what was going on under the surface of the film. Its very controversial not only for Mormons, but for anyone that isn't really familiar with or doesn't tend to associate with the gay community. The first half didn't really make sense to me, maybe its that I wasn't into the film or maybe its that I don't understand what message the film was trying to get across. I think the part of the contributing factor to this was the fact that there were a few different stories going on and they started coming together right as we ended the class.
I enjoyed one of the main topics Angels in America movie. But, the movie is kind unfamiliarity to me because when I lived in my country I never thought about homosexual story but, since I have lived here I kind understand that. This movie introduce like a homosexual community. It is interesting and helpful but I do not understand about those people. When I watched first, I thought about what is this movie purpose and I could not understand that message. I had to have a lot of deeper thinking what is going on. But, after watched it, I searched for this movie and then, I kind of understood. I think that Tony Kushner is genius. He included social problems in the movie and made people away of the controversial topics of AIDS, homosexual, and, drug etc.
This is a very interesting movie. At some parts of the movie i had no idea what was going on and was very confused. This movie has stirred up a lot of emotions for me. I find it heartbreaking. I can't wait to see how the second part summarizes this and ends the movie.
I watched this part of the movie after seeing the second part, and was equally confused by the metaphors. I really wished that I would have been there for the class discussion, because I was really lost. I enjoyed the Rabbi and the speech that he gave. He came off as a guide for luis and I think that’s how he was suppose to be portrayed. I felt really bad for Joe’s wife, Rachel I think. It would be hard to be married to someone and one day, after all the intimacy that you had shared, then find out they are gay. I liked the way that they showed her escaping from her life. The travel agent that she created spoke to the fact that she just wanted an escape from her life. Seeing Pryor suffer through his illness only to be left by the person that he thought cared for him more than anything was really sad. I didn’t know anything about AIDS before this besides that it was terrible, and to watch Pryor suffer like that was horrible. No one wants to be alone when they are dying, and I was mad at luis for leaving, even though I don’t agree with the lifestyle that they were living. I feel so stupid for not really understanding the other metaphors in the movie. I'll just have to keep watching films like this, and hopefully i'll get better.
This movie is a real eye opener. when you hear the title "angels in america" sexual preferance and religion are not the first things that come to mind. this movie i feel really opens the door for a lot of controversy which is what the director was going for. i feel that the american culture now days is in one way becoming more open to these diffrent view points as they become more public but at the same time i feel that the issue for the topics at hand is becoming more and more frowned up due to the american people learning about them. which i feel is bullshit and feel it is not about the color of someone's skin or their sexual preferance or their beleifs for that matter that makes the person. i feel that it truly is whats inside that counts and that people should do what truly makes them happy. im very intrested to see what the second half of the movie is and how it will conclude.
Angels in america. This film was interesting. I like that the message is not so obvious on the surface. I have not seen any homosexuals in a intamate setting before. It is wierd to me to see two men showing affection for each other. Its hard to know what message this movie is trying to get across mostly because we haven't seen the end yet. I think so far the movie is showing us its not easy to be a homosexual. It is comparing hardships in the lifes homosexuals and making them parallel to situations that are more common and easier for the heterosexual to understand. There are a lot of wierd visions and dreams and I don't know what they are suppose to mean. I am interested to see how it is all summed up
ReplyDeleteAngels in America has topics that have everyone asking questions. To start off, what is the main point of this movie? So far we've seen how troublesome homosexuals lives may be. From living as a "normal" couple, to "being in the closet"; having sex with other men, to being openly gay. Their are many situations people live in that we have no idea. We sometimes may think life can't be any worse.
ReplyDelete--TOOTH BRUSH-- " I have THE worst job in the world"
--TOILED PAPER---" Yeah right"
This is just to show us how good we have our lives. How we should appreciate what and who we are.
I still don't understand some of the symbolism this movie is giving us. I do know that their is a message that i still have to retrieve. Being a bit more open minded and getting myself out of a box many of us live in.
I thought Part One to Angels in America the main point is that everyone was criticizing on people who are gay. They don’t like people who are gay such as: the wife, the doctor, and the mom of Joe.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think a marriage should be is between a man and a woman. I also think that everybody has the rights to do anything if it is not against the law. The couples should voluntarily be together until sickness or death.
Some group of people will think that if gay marriage is an issue, then it can also lead to polygamy because it can spread throughout the United States. If the same-sex marriage is going around then polygamy can starts to spread also. If the gays and lesbians have the rights of marriage then monogamy can be a problem to our society. Many people will not agree on this issue. They would want to ban this issue.
I think that everybody has the right to doing anything if it is not against the law. There will be pros and cons about the issue such as, legal rights, polygamy and child care but if they if they can really take care of the child, then just let it be. It is a confusing issue, but it comes down to people choices. I think that people who are different should be left alone, that the United States of America is a country of freedom.
this movie is one of those movies that makes you ask questions from the get go. it has alot of topics that make you think. just in the first half of this movie there has been so much that has happened from louis leaving his boyfriend who is dying of aids and it is super sad to watch this whole thing unfold. it opens your eyes to things that you dont even think about on a day to day basis and i cant wait to see the second part.
ReplyDeleteSpanning the years of the Reagan administration, it weaves the lives of fictional and historical characters into a feverish web of social, political, and sexual revelations. The film introduces us to the lives of two couples, one gay and one “straight” as they deal with AIDS in the eighties. This marks a time when the disease was largely misunderstood. The attitude of the majority of people was that AIDS was a disease that affected gay men and drug addicts, and was a result of “immoral” behavior. Some people may have even felt that those who suffered with AIDS “deserved” it. This was in turn exploited politically, which would explain the scarcity of AIDS research funding.
ReplyDeleteInstead of having a straight on point on what the movie is about it has alot of layers. What I think the movie wants to portray is how complicated and how many hoops homosexuals have to go through in order to live a "normal" life like the rest of us. Not only do they have to hide it from the outside world but the hardest part is to face their family. It also shows the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the US and how they totally misunderstood it. Another part shows how hard it can be to come out of the closet when your religion is against homosexuality.I can't wait how the movie ends. this movie opens your eyes to things you really don't think about.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy movies that make you think. I know this movie has definately ruffled some feathers over the years. Just think of how unspoken it is to have a mormon from Utah fighting the demons within to come to terms with the fact he may be gay. Or the abandonment issues, (I'm bad with movie names) that Gay man 2 is facing. First he abandoned he grandmother and now his lover, only to turn to others in a park for quick comfort. Another quick note, as I watched this movie and watched the Mormon girl struggle with her meds addiction, it totally sent flashbacks to a little molly mormon I dated a few months back. All she wanted was to get married and have that perfect family. But she could leave the pills alone. Its crazy, the perception we will give others when deep down inside we are totally different. You really can't see the true person unless your looking really hard and they begin to get a little careless like Mormon boys long walks through the parks.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is strange and defiantly an HBO movie. I know that there are some people that have to struggle with being a homo. But i know that it is a temtation from the devil, but the devil can't tempt you above what you can't over come. People must give into his temptings only to think that it is the easy way to deal with it. This movie shows what people must have to go through on coming out of the closet and what they have to go through regarding their homosexual liking. Such as friends, family, and co-workers treat them and what they think of there choses.
ReplyDeleteThere are different dynamics to this movie. I found it heartbreaking in so many ways. I feel for all the characters struggling in this movie, whether it is with social clout or relationships or dying. I think as a viewer we look at their stories and think we would do things different, looking from the outside in, but when it comes down to it would we might do the same thing. I don't think this movie is about what is right or wrong in terms of homosexuality, but how people deal with situations that life throws at them. In any relationship people just want to feel loved and appreciated. The characters come from different walks of life but are faced with the same issues. It will be interesting to see how the movie ends.
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ReplyDeleteThis movie has stirred up a lot of emotions for me. I find it heartbreaking that we are told our whole lives to be ourselves, not to care what others think of us, just be YOU...UNLESS that means you don't live like everyone else thinks you should. Men and Women have engaged in homosexual activity since the dawn of time, it isn't going anywhere. It makes me so sad some people think being homosexual is a choice, and even more sad that they think suppressing it and basically living a lie is the right thing to do. How is that ok? How is that healthy? Feelings burried alive never die. My opinion is that we don't have any more control over our sexuality than we do over our sex.
ReplyDelete"When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical."
Richard Carlson
I think we shouldn’t judge people because they’re different then us. It seems like judging has become an everyday issue. We can’t change people for who they are, but we can change things for the good. What am trying to say is what would you do? If it was a family member that had different preferences, would you treat him /her different? I think not. We all like different things in life. You are made the way the you are. You can’t change that, so why are you trying to change other people? Who is to say, who is right and who is wrong? We are all humans and we are not perfect. It seems to me like this is a religion vs. man topic.
ReplyDeleteOne idea in the movie that is very controversial is the fact the John has been attracted to men his whole life and he has had to suppress that desire. The idea that people are born Homosexual to me is ridiculous. Of course that is coming from a person that is very active in the Christian faith. To me attraction between a man and a woman is natural. From birth we all have this seed of attraction planted within us. I believe that God created man and that it is part of his plan to have men and women getting together. That explains why that is to only way to procreate. I think that homosexuals find attraction in their same sex for many reasons but I believe that it is partly brought on by their own choices. I do not doubt the possibility of a normal guy being attracted to another man without him wanting that but with effort I think that everyone can overcome those temptations if desired. Unlike John in the movie where even though he tried his whole life he could never break the temptation. That’s just my point of view though so thanks for reading.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that was most bizarre and confusing to me from reading our links and watching the first part of the movie was how Roy Cohn denied being a homosexual and having aids. I don't understand what purpose it served for him to deny until his dying day his sexuality and what he died of. The scene when he was talking to the doctor keeps coming back to me. He definitely was in denial, but from watching that scene he almost makes you think otherwise. He contradicts what he is saying numerous times, but he seems so sure of what he was saying. Even though he seemed sure and confident he truly was hateful and prejudice with what he said about homosexuals. I am not exactly sure where Roy fits in with the messsage of this movie.
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ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting movie to say the least. I have to admit, it did lose me in a few of the scenes in part 1. It had so many revelations and hallucinations it was hard to follow at times.
ReplyDeleteThe main characters all seem to be lost in themselves. The writer's brilliance can be seen in the layer upon layer of symbolism and the complex relationships of the characters. I thought the movie was going to be about Roy Cohn, however, it is three independent stories losely tied together. Roy Cohn's inability to admit he is homosexual while he dies of aids is very interesting. He is gay but because of his deep rooted beliefs he will not admit it to himself.
This movie will make you feel for people that are dieing of aids. I like the fact this movie tried to portray the true unglamourous way that aids kills people. I also liked the ironic twist that evil Roy Cohn used his power to obtain a very good and ultra rare aids medication that ended up saving a good guy's (Pryor) life.
This movie was one of those that need deep thinking to undarstand the author's message. It was hard for me because I am not used to thinking with metaphors and I cant really say I understood the message very well. It was interesting for me to see how the actors in the movie were used with multiple characters. I could never have guessed that the actor playing the Beliz is the Travel agent Mr lies as well. He was my favourite character. He was very helpful as both roles and to me seemed the only one who was acting rationally. When I was reviewing the cast on imdb I also stubled upon the fact that The actor playing Prior was the same as the Leather man in the park that Louis had sex in the park. i wander what could be the message that is being portrayed here. I liked the performance of Al Pacino as Roy Cohn. He was very good in acting like importanta arrogant lawer, who tries to make everyone's life miserable.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED this movie. It was REALLY difficult no to cheat and watch the second half before class.
ReplyDeleteI feel very strongly about the issues that plagued the characters in this movie. Particularly how difficult it was for Joe to deal with his own sexuality because he'd been taught his whole life that it was "WRONG". I've known many people in this situation and when the people in that position are not able to deal with it and "come out" the consequences are tragic.
I appreciate that there is a movie that is able to portray this to the rest of the world.
I wasn't sure ahead of time whether or not I'd like the movie. However, right from the opening scene of Joe and Roy's conversation in Roy's office it was great! Very entertaining. Just hearing Roy's description of the play gave some insight into his character.
ReplyDeleteThe hallucinations that Harper had with the travel agent, and where she and Prior met in the hallucination reminded me very much of something David Lynch would do, and I love his stuff, so that was great too!
At another point, Joe was talking in the courthouse restroom to Louis and Louis said that he was a word processor and that he was therefore the lowest of the low. This was certainly good foresight on what was in store for his character...The way he treated Prior and then Joe, the fact that he was a "closeted" homosexual man in the mid 80's, etc. all put him in that "low" place.
When Roy was in the doctor's office and the doctor informed him that he had AIDS and denied being homosexual, not because he was ashamed of having sex with men, but because of the stigma that is/ was attached to the label "homosexual". It was a very consice and, sadly (for the time-frame) a little too accurate.
this film was a tricky one! I think it helped open a lot of peoples eyes to what really goes on out there in the
ReplyDelete"real world". the way the director set up the different actors real life situations was very interesting. it seemed like one actors life shadowed another ones and they could all relate in one messed up way or another. they use good analogy's in this film, i think you need to watch it with an open mind because if you don't i think you will miss a lot of the meaning to the whole film. if you compare some of your trials that your having in your life with some of the main charactors you will learn that maybe life isnt so bad. I think eveyone tends to believe that their problems are way more serious than everyone else's, when in reality if we all switched lives and problems i think we would all end up fighting to the death until everyone got their own life back. there is always someone else out ther who has it worse than you.--Seth K
This was an extremely difficult movie for me to follow, however i felt for Joe for being told that he cant be who he really is because of his religion and how he has been raised. When he finally told his wife you could see in his charachter how releived he was to finally admit to himself who he really is. I bet there are a lot of mormons that are in this same situation and don't realize what they are doing to themselves and families.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was definitely interesting to say the least, I have never seen a movie done like this before and also involving a lot of different characters and a good majority of them being gay, but I liked it besides the fact I was lost for a good majority of the time. But by reading some of our classmates views on homosexuality are very interesting to me as well, like the point that some are making that homosexuality is a chosen thing and that its something you are not born with, I think that is ridiculous. Ya, I think their are a good majority of homosexuals that choose to be that way maybe because of emotional connection or comfort or maybe just cause its the thing to do but I doubt people decide to be gay. You can tell with some children when they are five years old that they are gay, and also why would some one want to go through all that hardship that their community puts on them and also their families. I feel a lot of those ideas are based on peoples religions and what their religions think is right and wrong. But this is the real world and this is what we live with, we shouldn’t judge or discriminate people on who they prefer to love. Everyone is human and we should all accept that.
ReplyDeleteThe first part of Angels in America made me want to see the second half. I went home wondering about what would happen next and thinking about all the layers of meaning this movie held. If I wouldn't have known before hand to look for a deeper meaning and notice the character mirrors I would have missed the point entirely. The main characters in this movie are very interesting because of how they deal with their individual problems. It shows the struggle of drugs, disease, personal conflict, social pressure and many other issues. The main issue addressed is homosexuality. This is perceived from a more natural perspective between Prior and Louis but conflicts itself with showing the struggle of Joe trying to battle it as well as Roy's denial. I think the social pressure and extreme discrimination that is against gays is as horrible as racism. It doesn't make sense to hate and discriminate an entire demography because of their sexual preference.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't really heard much about this movie before I watched it so I didn't have any preconceptions of what the movie would be. I found as I watched it being very torn and feeling so terrible for the people involved. I felt bad for Joe and Harper and what they were dealing with. Knowing that Harper probably knew something was different about Joe and the way he treated her but not knowing why. And then knowing that Joe was trying so hard to make everyone happy and in doing so completely hiding who he is. I can definitely see how this is controversial because they are portraying a homosexual man in the LDS church that has gone through and gotten married in the temple and is living as a husband to his wife but all the while having thoughts and feeling towards men. Unfortunately Joe feels that him being what he is is actually bad and a sin and so he is trying to be someone he isn't but at the same time he knows what he wants and can't help but feeling that it's right to be who he is.
ReplyDeleteThe other part I found interesting was how Prior was who the angel came down on. I'm pretty sure that most churches would be upset by a homosexual man seeing visions and being told he will be given a great work to do however I think it is appropriate. Who better than someone who is suffering in secret and afraid to be who he is. Those kind of people are the ones that help others understand and give others hope. I feel that the controversy in this movie is necessary to open people's eyes to the subject of homosexuality and AIDS
Engels in America was useful movie for people that didn’t know about what happened to homosexual community during that period of time. As I came from different country, it was very interesting because there are still confirmed conservatives who do not approve homosexuality by our old tradition in my country. So I was kind of impressed by the expressive function of the film about homosexuality.
ReplyDeleteI had to use a dictionary a lot of time while watching it. Too many difficult words and I am not American and don't know much about America during that period of time, but this film gave me easier way to understand about it. Now I got all the references to the politics of the time.
I found some elements to admire at the film. Two of them were performance and its claim. Jeffery Wright, as the flamboyantly gay Belize, and Meryl Streep, as Joe Pitt's mother, Hannah. Especially Belize is a modern-day Florence Nightingale, a nurse on a hospital's AIDS ward, who provided the emotional support for the film's character. Second one is the angels in the film. I was impressed by the way they represent Kushner's view of political conservatism through it. Also the angels claim that the human race, by continuing its constant migrations and ceaseless change, have caused all their ills.
It was very interesting movie for me. There's no denying that he picked an interesting way to present it.
this movie was a really typicall movie, was talking about the people they found theirselves lost. It talked about the LDS's life. which is the 2 Mormon couple, they thought that they were happy family, but they are not. His wife hated her life, she lost, and she tried to find the way out, but she ve been struggling with drug and it made her dellution even worse. When she figured out her husband was homosexual, even made her running away and even wanted to stay in her hallucination's life. Another example was the gay couple, they alway saying that they love each other and they have been together for 4 and half years. However, when the guy found out his partner had AIDS, he didn't what to do and he was lost. And the guy who carrying Aids was living in his hallucinaiton that he saw an angle, and the angle always talking to him during his dream. That isn't right. when people couldn't find the way and don't know what to do they tend to live in their hallucinaiton and hope that they could get away but they can't.
ReplyDeleteAngels in America is an excellent mini-series, with this charming script that just gives you butterflies at every lovely line, amazing images and points of view, simply adoring performances given by all the actors in this beautiful and exciting story. Thought every episode had truly a life of its own, I must say that the last one impressed me the most really. With the last monologues and hoping goodbyes, it touched my heart in a very certain way. My favorite characters were Prior, Belize and Harper. I still think of some incredible lines like those about America, its national anthem and the word 'free', about the truth and the way that people change, about how heaven looks like.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was interesting, but a really different, too. I enjoyed how many plots were going on at the same time. One of the main topic of this movie was being gay. Prior was gay, and he didn't ever try to hide that. Louis, on the other hand, was uncomfortable with his Jewish family about his lifestyle. The two men had been together for a long time, but once Prior became ill, Louis just left him. That was a really sad part of the movie for me. If you love someone, you can't just leave them when they absolutely need them the most. I enjoyed Harper. Sure, she was crazy. But I liked the fact that she found a life for herself that she enjoyed. It might have been inside of her head, but at least she was having a good time. That brings up the point of craziness. Harper was only as sane as she choose to be. This is true of anyone.
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ReplyDeleteAngels in America part one was a very peculiar film, it had a lot deeper thinking then what I am accustomed to. I am used to watching movies for sheer enjoyment, to just sit back and let the movie wash over me. Angles in America had a lot more complex plot and it also used metaphors a lot. At the beginning of the movie I did not get it and I thought that it was just a random movie about a bunch of people’s lives but later I thought about it a realized how brilliant the director really was. All of the characters lives tide together perfectly and the movie ended up making sense. I did not get the entire movie but I think I would have to watch it several times before I grasped the depth of the directors thinking.
ReplyDeleteSo far, this is the best movie we've watched in class. I adored everything about it, especially that insanely talented cast. It was very interesting to see Harper and Prior connect in their dreams, and even more interesting to see them give out information about each other's lives to one another, such that Harper's husband Joe is a homosexual. Harper and Feliz were my favorite characters in the movie; Mary Louise Parker does an amazing job with her strange character.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit though, there was quite a bit of metaphor that I didn't fully grasp. I did understand the fact that the person who played Prior also played the guy in leather in the park, and when Louis was with him, he was implying for the man to infect him just like Prior, so that he doesn't have to be scared of death anymore because he wants to be with the person he loves most.
What was also quite controversial was Roy Cohn's character and how he refused to admit his homosexuality and sickness because apparently he was "too good" for that. He even blackmailed his doctor into making everyone outside the office think that he had lung cancer, not AIDS. Al Pacino's performance in this movie was extraordinary, as was everyone else's.
This movie was amazing...
The first half of Angels in America was very interesting to say the least. It was very difficult for me watch. I am not used to seeing homosexuals and how they're lives are and trying to understand them. This film had a few different stories going on at once. The stories differed from one being openly gay, another having hidden his homosexuality his whole life and another who is a very popular figure in the community who has hidden his sexuality too. In the film there is a lot of metaphore. There is many dreams or halucinations that are very hard to understand but that have a lot of meaning and metaphore. This film is very controversial and has a lot of ideas that are not openly discussed in the world and I am excited for the second half.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't my first time viewing this film when we watched it in class, but like Sara pointed out, i learned many new things even though i had already seen it. I find this movie to be an amazing achievement that strikes inspiration and a sense of worth. Having won 11 Emmy awards (the most ever at the time) and multiple Golden Globes, i feel that this movie harbors more aspects than the average film.
ReplyDeleteThis first time i saw Angels in America, i was only twelve. As most can expect, i didn't understand much, but i still enjoyed the film. Being a young adult and achieving a greater sense of analytical skills, i feel as if i can take more away from the film now then i could as a child.
I think Kushner is an amazing writer and i inspire to be half as good as him one day. The metaphors and inlayed symbolism throughout this first part is so far beyond the average paradigm of most viewers. It's hard to understand, but once understood, completely worth it in the end. I found that the characters: Harper, Prior, Joe, Louis, truly made the movie one worth watching. The foils (or mirrors) experienced through both couples was an aspect that Kushner exceeded with.
From this film, i feel that i've gained a greater respect for the conflicts that many people go through, throughout their lives. So people are gay, and some are straight. Some are Mormon, and some are Jewish. Some have aids, and some don't. But in the end, we're all humans: a species fighting for an existence that will thrive and prove to be worthwhile.
What a very interestingly, odd, confusing, and creative movie. I can't say I liked it nor did I uberly hate it, but it's not really something I'd want to watch again haha. It was a good movie, don't get me wrong, but the main issue with gays and sub-issues with justice, repentance, religion, expectations, and all that, all seemed to really be exaggerated beyond their points. I guess maybe I was too impatient to really "chow-down" on the layers upon layers and vast amounts of the symbolism in the movie, but it was one new thing after another new thing after another new thing, that all seemed to just grow into a pile of EXTRA stuff. Like the movie could have addressed all the issues without having all the wierd dreams and symbolic characters. This movie seemed too much for the topics it wanted to address. Kudos, though, to the director for having been able to combine it all. All the symbolism, parallelism, motifs, organization, knowing when to show what, all of it had to be extremely hard to put together and make into a movie; and he did it. Err well I think it was a he lol.
ReplyDeleteThe first half of this movie had me trying to comprehend what was going on under the surface of the film. Its very controversial not only for Mormons, but for anyone that isn't really familiar with or doesn't tend to associate with the gay community. The first half didn't really make sense to me, maybe its that I wasn't into the film or maybe its that I don't understand what message the film was trying to get across. I think the part of the contributing factor to this was the fact that there were a few different stories going on and they started coming together right as we ended the class.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed one of the main topics Angels in America movie. But, the movie is kind unfamiliarity to me because when I lived in my country I never thought about homosexual story but, since I have lived here I kind understand that. This movie introduce like a homosexual community. It is interesting and helpful but I do not understand about those people. When I watched first, I thought about what is this movie purpose and I could not understand that message. I had to have a lot of deeper thinking what is going on. But, after watched it, I searched for this movie and then, I kind of understood. I think that Tony Kushner is genius. He included social problems in the movie and made people away of the controversial topics of AIDS, homosexual, and, drug etc.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting movie. At some parts of the movie i had no idea what was going on and was very confused. This movie has stirred up a lot of emotions for me. I find it heartbreaking. I can't wait to see how the second part summarizes this and ends the movie.
ReplyDeleteI watched this part of the movie after seeing the second part, and was equally confused by the metaphors. I really wished that I would have been there for the class discussion, because I was really lost. I enjoyed the Rabbi and the speech that he gave. He came off as a guide for luis and I think that’s how he was suppose to be portrayed. I felt really bad for Joe’s wife, Rachel I think. It would be hard to be married to someone and one day, after all the intimacy that you had shared, then find out they are gay. I liked the way that they showed her escaping from her life. The travel agent that she created spoke to the fact that she just wanted an escape from her life. Seeing Pryor suffer through his illness only to be left by the person that he thought cared for him more than anything was really sad. I didn’t know anything about AIDS before this besides that it was terrible, and to watch Pryor suffer like that was horrible. No one wants to be alone when they are dying, and I was mad at luis for leaving, even though I don’t agree with the lifestyle that they were living. I feel so stupid for not really understanding the other metaphors in the movie. I'll just have to keep watching films like this, and hopefully i'll get better.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is a real eye opener. when you hear the title "angels in america" sexual preferance and religion are not the first things that come to mind. this movie i feel really opens the door for a lot of controversy which is what the director was going for. i feel that the american culture now days is in one way becoming more open to these diffrent view points as they become more public but at the same time i feel that the issue for the topics at hand is becoming more and more frowned up due to the american people learning about them. which i feel is bullshit and feel it is not about the color of someone's skin or their sexual preferance or their beleifs for that matter that makes the person. i feel that it truly is whats inside that counts and that people should do what truly makes them happy. im very intrested to see what the second half of the movie is and how it will conclude.
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