Defying Gravity (1997)

College student John "Griff" Griffith (Daniel Chilson) is active in his fraternity and lives in the frat house. He shares a bunk in the same room with his best friend Todd Bentley (Niklaus Lange), Mathew "Doogie" McDougal (Seabass Diamond), and his pledge Stewart "Stewy" Hanson (Matt Steveley). Another of his fraternity brothers, Pete Bradley (Don Handfield), has moved out of the house into a house he shares with other students. Griff and Pete have a secret sexual relationship, but Griff's close-knit fraternity life puts a strain on it. Griff is satisfied with the arrangement, but Pete is not. Pete wants them to date as a romantic couple, and one night he gets Griff to agree to go on a date with him. The date at a gay coffeehouse bothers Griff, who leaves. The next day Griff and his fraternity brothers are shocked to learn that Pete has been viciously attacked and is comatose in the local hospital. Griff is in a daze, ignoring his friends, classwork, and fraternity responsibilities. Eventually Griff learns that Doogie and Stewy are the culprits, and they are taken away in handcuffs by the police. Griff moves into Pete's place, who fully recovers. In the final scene, which follows during the credits, Pete is seen reading in bed with Griff. This independent gay-themed romantic drama was filmed in 13 days, mostly with a cast of first-time actors. It is John Keitel's first film as writer and director.

The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)

This documentary is about the political career of Harvey Milk, who was San Francisco's first openly gay Supervisor. The film was produced after Milk's death on November 27, 1978 using interviews, documentary footage, news reports, and archival footage. Milk is posthumously credited as the lead. Other politicians including San Francisco mayor George Moscone (who was assassinated with Milk), and Moscone's successor and now United States Senator Dianne Feinstein appear in archival footage. The movie opens with Feinstein announcing to the media that Moscone and Milk had been assassinated by Dan White. The film, sometimes humorous, at times tragic, documents the rise of Milk from a neighborhood activist to becoming a symbol of gay political achievement with his successful efforts to represent San Francisco's gay community, through to his assassination at San Francisco's city hall, the city's reaction to the assassinations, and the Dan White trial and aftermath. Everything is documented with extensive news film and personal recollections. Ironically, the same election that brought Milk to the Board of City Supervisors of San Francisco also elected the man who killed him, former police officer and fireman Supervisor Dan White. His lawyers convinced the jury that White's judgment was impaired by depression and junk food, resulting in a conviction for manslaughter instead of murder--a verdict that prompted riots. Also featured in the film is then-schoolteacher Tom Ammiano, who has been a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors since 1994, and was recently elected to the California State Assembly. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay elected official in the USA.

An informative, stylish, and compelling documentary, this film on DVD looks rich and new, due to UCLA's preservation processes. In addition to the film, the DVD brings you a second disc with special features, from interviews with the film makers, to a 25th anniversary update of the Milk legacy by those who knew him best. The film won an Oscar for best documentary film in 1985, and was awarded Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, among other awards. It was directed by Rob Epstein and Richard Schmiechen, who died from AIDS several years after the completion of this film.