Tonight, LOGO aired both parts of the 2003 HBO award winning mini-series "Angels in America" based on the award-winning play Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by playwright Tony Kushner. I watched this event a few years back after seeing and hearing how many awards it won, and I was blown away by the intensity of the performances of Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Al Pacino, James Cromwell, Justin Kirk, Patrick Wilson, Mary Louise Parker and Jeffrey Wright (he's awesome in this) - to name a few.
In 2004 Meryl Streep and Al Pacino won Best Actress and Best Actor Emmys respectively for their performances, and the show won an Emmy for the category of Outstanding Miniseries. From IMDB.com "God has abandoned Heaven. It's 1985: the Reagans are in the White House and Death swings the scythe of AIDS. In Manhattan, Prior Walter tells Lou, his lover of four years, he's ill; Lou bolts. As disease and loneliness ravage Prior, guilt invades Lou. Joe Pitt, an attorney who is Mormon and Republican, is pushed by right-wing fixer Roy Cohn toward a job at the Justice Department. Both Pitt and Cohn are in the closet: Pitt out of shame and religious turmoil, Cohn to preserve his power and access. Pitt's wife Harper is strung out on Valium, aching to escape a sexless marriage. As Prior struggles to reconcile with his religion and sexuality an angel invites Prior to be a prophet in death. Pitt's mother and Belize, a close friend, help Prior choose.
This is not something for the timid and closed minded - the message you get from this is strictly your own interpretation. I do remember, however, feeling numb and emotional at the end from the powerful performances and the message. Of course, Republicans and Christian fanatics instantly HATED this series, calling it an "abomination" and part of the "homosexual agenda".
Whatever, bitches...
Highly recommended - spare the 5 hours and 48 minutes split into 6 parts; it's worth it!
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