Deanna
There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
tm-sheehan
A must see Teleplay for everyone who has ever cared about Human Rights issues ,especially young GLBTQI people who are enjoying many of the freedoms that were hard fought for and our struggles and setbacks from the early 1970's .A splendid cast that includes Guy Pearce ,Rachel Griffiths, Mary Louise Parker and Jonathan Majors it's all true ,it happened in my lifetime and it shows how far we still have to go,especially in Australia with the battle for Marriage Equality for all.
PippinInOz
This is superb. I have just finished watching the entire series andfeel very emotional and moved by the entire experience. I am a straight woman. So if you are reading about this series and are not a member of the LGBT community, please watch it. The acting is first class throughout, what you may know already as little 'soundbites' from the news and documentaries are given their personal and human context. I was cheering them on all through their struggles the injustices and the protests. I loved these characters and think you might too.This is an important piece of television for many reasons. Firstly, these are ordinary people doing courageous extraordinary things. There is a lesson there for all of us who care about human rights and equality, regardless of our gender or sexual persuasion. Secondly, in days like these, it reminds all of us just how much of a battle the LGBT community has had to fight (and continues to fight - particularly in certain parts of the World) for respect and equality. A better World does not come from doing nothing. Whether you feel strongly about workers' rights, (which I do), the environment.....you will feel in awe of what these people both had to suffer - and what they have achieved. Respect! Highly recommended.
dglink
Lofty goals and high ambitions are not guarantors of success. Neither are Oscar-winning screen writers, Oscar-nominated directors, nor seasoned performers. The overly ambitious TV miniseries, "We Shall Rise," comes across as an historical pastiche culled from such superior material as "Milk," "And the Band Played On," "Longtime Companion," and "The Normal Heart." Dustin Lance Black's California-centric teleplay uses broad strokes to cover the gay rights movement from the Stonewall riots to AIDS to marriage equality through the eyes of three players in the struggle: Cleve Jones, Roma Guy, and Ken Jones. However, even a five-part series cannot do justice to more then four decades of history, especially when the ABC telecast interrupts every two to five minutes with commercials; even more annoying, the commercials look like the program and the program looks like the commercials. Without any transitions, viewers need a few seconds to determine if they are still watching the program or if another ad has sneaked in. The four directors, which include Gus Van Sant, maintain a good pace and utilize newsreel footage, some with unconvincing inserts of the actors, interspersed with the drama to illustrate events. Although challenging to judge with all the interruptions, more favorable reviews may emerge after "We Shall Rise" appears on DVD.Perhaps most disrupting was the decision to change the cast members mid-program. Austin P. McKenzie, Emily Skeggs, and Jonathan Majors play Cleve, Roma, and Ken during the first few episodes. Then, Guy Pearce, Mary Louise-Parker, and Michael Kenneth Williams take over in the same roles as slightly older versions of the characters. The change is jarring; the younger actors bear little to no resemblance to their slightly more mature counterparts, and none attempts to match their characters mannerisms or personalities. The younger actors come off better, perhaps because they create the characters and suffer no comparisons to earlier incarnations as do Pearce, Parker, and Williams. However, the directors and cast should have studied "Moonlight," a film that seamlessly used three different actors to portray the same character at various stages of his life. Frankly, "We Shall Rise" had little reason to use different actors; the age disparity is not that great, and subtle make-up and acting could have convincingly bridged the age gap. Viewers now ponder why Cleve became more affected as he aged, while Ken became less good natured, not to mention the drastic physical changes.Unfortunately, ABC's brave decision to devote a week's prime-time programming to a lesson in gay rights history was not well served, and the weak ratings will likely dampen enthusiasm for further efforts. The disjointed telecast impacts the drama, and some good performances from a large talented cast suffer. A generous sprinkling of cameos from Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie O'Donnell, Dylan Walsh, David Hyde Pierce, Rob Reiner, and others testifies to the broad support and enthusiasm for the project. However, the intended audience for the project is uncertain. The LGBT community, their friends, and their families already know and have lived this history, while those opposed to equal rights will not tune in. With the choir stalls filled, are there any open minds to fill the pews?
kriskaiser
I am so happy about that Show! It's memories, nostalgia & emotion, mixed in a good history lesson. I watch it with a good friend. One thought was - we hope the young audience is watching it too. They run around, like everything is for granted out there. They enjoy Club-Life and Party, holding Hands on the Streets and think, that being Gay is pure Fashion and Party 24/7. But we had a very long Way to get to the Point, where we are today. We had to fight for every Right to be - somehow - equal. We left a long Trail of Tears out there, and on that Fight, we lost many Friends. I was pushed away from my Family after my Coming-Out, but in those Days, I found a new Family. And we stick together til now. Some Members are already no longer with us too. Some of their Names might never be known to the bright Public. We have paved the Way for Years and we still fight, to make a better place for Up- and Outcoming young Gay Generations. So my message is... if there is an older Gay around, hear their Storys and be sure, you might profit from that. The Show brought some tears to my eyes... happy and sad ones. Can't wait for the next Episode! And I wan't to let the Rest of this World know... the Fight is not over... And I am one of the proud Soldiers in it! I am proud to be Gay!
