-It restored my belief that Hollywood can make quality pictures that have broad appeal.

-It reminded me how powerful an actor Sean Penn can be when given a role worthy of his talents- his performance here is nuanced, fearless and undeniably Oscar-worthy.

-It depicted with enormous impact what it meant to be gay 30-plus years ago, the progress we've made since in terms of society's openness towards homosexuality, and the painful, courageous steps through...