I'm itching to see Milk. It's not because of the cool initial production still above, which comes from Entertainment Weekly. It's not because of Gus Van Sant, since he has disappointed me many times. It's because of Sean Penn -- but not because of fandom. He does so many heavy roles, and is so known for his seriousness, that it's hard to remember sometimes that he is Jeff Spicoli. But now he's also Harvey Milk.

Playing the first openly gay man to win an election in a major U.S. city, Penn has got to get happy, and as producer Dan Jinks explained to EW, he "is playing a guy who's not at all like him, way beyond the sexuality of the character. Harvey was this guy who wants everybody to love him, and he loves everybody else. Sean just completely became that guy. It's a real transformation."

If he really hits this out of the ballpark, it'll be a change to see a serious man get award cred for getting happy, rather than vice versa. Now if we could only get him in another Ridgemont sort of flick...

Every once in a while, a follow-up news piece pops up that makes me wonder where I've been. In case you missed it as well -- there's a new anthology hitting screens this year called 8, and it's got a bunch of interesting directors attached. There are the likes of Jane Campion, Gael Garcia Bernal, Mira Nair, Gus Van Sant, and Wim Wenders, plus Gaspar Noe, Abderrahmane Sissako, and Jan Kounen.

Unlike the "I Love You" odes to famous cities, the film will tackle 8 themes and 8 films from famous directors that focus on the progress, set-backs, and challenges that face our planet. It's not just an environmental picture, but rather, it focuses on themes of poverty/hunger (Sissako's Tiya's Dream), education (Garcia Bernal's The Letter), gender equality (Nair's How Can It Be), child mortality (Van Sant's Mansion on the Hill), maternal health (Kounen's The Story of Panshin Beka), HIV/AIDS and other diseases (Noe's SIDA), environmental sustainability (Campion's The Water Diary) and development (Wenders' Person to Person).

It's sort of like Invisibles, which Kim reviewed from SIFF last year, and which also had a short from Wim Wenders. Now Variety reports that Marta McGonagle (iCarly) has signed on for a role in his segment -- although there is no word on what his segment, titled Person to Person, will be specifically about. For now, you can get a bunch of information from the film's website.

Yesterday, Erik brought us the first look at Sean Penn as the famous Harvey Milk. But look a little closer and there are just a few more tidbits to be had. Slashfilm's pictures from the set of Gus Van Sant's biopic gave us Penn in a full hippie beard, but you can also get a look at Emile Hirsch (Speedracer) as Cleve Jones in all his 70's glory. As a child of the 70's it never fails to surprise me the truly 'interesting' fashion choices that were happening back then. At what point did we all agree that those glasses were a good idea?

Now for a quick history lesson on Harvey Milk for the uninitiated. Milk was one of the first openly gay city supervisors in San Francisco. His career highlights were sponsoring a bill for gay rights as well defeating the controversial Briggs Initiative. Well that and a poop and scoop ordinance, but such is the life of city councilor. Despite Milk's growing popularity in the city, it wasn't all hearts and flowers. Milk's life and trailblazing career came to a tragic end when Dan White, a fellow public servant (and rampant homophobe), shot and murdered Milk along with Mayor George Moscone in 1978.

Along with Penn in the title role (surprisingly doing a good job of capturing the perennially upbeat Milk), the cast also includes Josh Brolin as Dan White and Victor Garber (Alias) as Mayor Moscone. Hirsch will play Cleve Jones, a friend of Milk, and a gay rights activist who had worked for Milk as a student intern. Milk is still filming on location in San Francisco and set to arrive in theaters later this year.

Is it me, or does someone look like he needs either a joint or a bath? Slashfilm has snagged the first photos of Sean Penn from off the set of the new Gus Van Sant flick, Milk. Penn plays Harvey Milk in the biopic, who, back in 1977, became California's first openly gay official when he was voted to the city supervisor's board of San Francisco. One year later -- and this may be a spoiler warning for those not in the know -- Milk, along with the city's mayor George Mascone, were assassinated by another city supervisor, Dan White. Also starring in the film are Josh Brolin (White), Emile Hirsch (Cleve Jones), Victor Garber (Moscone), Denis O'Hare (Senator Brigg) and James Franco is rumored to be playing Scott Smith (according to the IMDb).

As Slashfilm points out with their photos, parts of the Castro District in San Francisco have been magically given a 70's-style facelift, including one such storefront that's housing Milk's campaign headquarters (see photo after the jump). At one point, director Bryan Singer wanted to direct his own Harvey Milk biopic called The Mayor of Castro Street, but there's been no word on that for awhile (apparently it needed a rewrite). Milk is due out later this year. Check out more photos after the jump ...

Slashfilm now has the first on-set photos from Gus Van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic, Milk. As we all know, Bryan Singer's competing Milk film, The Mayor of Castor Street, has been parked in development hell. Now it looks like Van Sant's film will be the first Hollywood life-story of the legendary mayor of San Francisco, so get ready for a little stroll down memory lane since most of these photos are of the local spots in the area being given a 1970's makeover.

For those of you not familiar with Milk's legacy, he was, "an American politician and gay rights activist, was the first openly gay city supervisor of San Francisco, California, and therefore, according to Time magazine, 'the first openly gay man elected to any substantial political office in the history of the planet.'" The perpetually dour Sean Penn will play Milk, and most gossip had Matt Damon in the role of Milk's murderer and co-worker, Dan White. Now it's looking like Josh Brolin will step in. Other cast members include Emile Hirsch, James Franco, and Diego Luna

While most of the focus had been on whether Penn could pull off the congenial and upbeat Milk, I have to admit I'm a little nervous on the directing end of things as well. As much as I respect Van Sant, I wonder whether he is willing to make a more 'conventional' biopic. It might be the only way to introduce as many people as possible to this invaluable figure in gay rights, rather than alienating them with something a little more along the lines of Last Days. Milk is set to open in theaters later this year.

The cinematic Harvey Milk has got himself another lover. Entertainment Weekly has reported that Diego Luna, the Mexican actor famous for his role in Y Tu Mama Tambien, has joined Gus Van Sant's upcoming biopic, Milk. He will play Jack Lira, a supporter of Milk and also his lover. We've already got Sean Penn as Milk, the first openly-gay city supervisor of San Francisco, Josh Brolin as Milk's assassin, Dan White, Emile Hirsch as gay rights activist Cleve Jones, James Franco as another lover and campaign manager Scott Smith, and further cast played by Victor Garber (Alias), Denis O'Hare (The Anniversary Party), and Stephen Spinella (24).

I have to say, I agree with Christopher Campbell's previous coverage of the film. Penn being bright and cheery? I'm not so sure. Hopefully, however, he'll surprise us, because there's a heck of an interesting group of actors attached to this movie. The film is said to focus on Milk's story as the third openly-gay elected official in America (in 1977), and how he and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by White, who was another city supervisor.

A lot has changed in the last 30 years, but it will be interesting to see how Van Sant's film does with the movie-going public, and whether "If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door," will become even more recognized, lauded, and followed.

I once thought that Matt Damon was the only actor suitable to portray Dan White. But that was a whole month ago, before I saw Josh Brolin in American Gangster and No Country for Old Men. Now I'm satisfied that he too would be great as the bad guy in Gus Van Sant's Milk, and fortunately enough, he's close to being cast in the role. According to Variety, Brolin is in negotiations to replace the never-quite-locked-in Damon as the man who assassinated two prominent city officials in 1978. For those of you not living in the Bay Area in the late '70s and who haven't seen the Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk and who haven't been reading my coverage of this movie, Milk dramatizes the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician, who served as a San Francisco county supervisor before being shot by his former co-worker Dan White. Also killed by White at the same time was S.F. Mayor George Moscone.

While I still kinda wish Damon was attached, I have an easier time picturing Brolin under that little boy haircut of White's. Of course, just as Damon would have, Brolin will need a prosthetic dimple chin in order to get the look just right. Then again, it might be bad if he looks too much like the real White, who was eventually convicted of manslaughter and who later took his own life after serving five years in prison. The actor portraying the title character is Sean Penn, and he hardly looks anything like Milk. Anyway, it sure wouldn't be the first time an actor didn't look much like the famous person he or she is playing.

Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Emile Hirsch and James Franco are also in negotiations to star, with Hirsch playing gay rights activist Cleve Jones and Franco playing Milk's lover and campaign manager, Scott Smith.

I was going to headline this post with something about 'being there in spirit,' but I decided that's a lame way to start things off. Obviously, I'm being lame anyway by pointing out that I wasn't going to begin that way, while in effect beginning that way. So, why don't we just get to the news about the Independent Spirit Award nominations, shall we?

Todd Hayne's I'm Not There received four nominations, including one each for Cate Blanchett and Marcus Carl Franklin, who are up for supporting actress and supporting actor, respectively, for their semi-portrayals of Bob Dylan. The film was also recognized in the Best Feature category, in which it's competing against Juno, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Paranoid Park and A Mighty Heart, and Haynes was nominated for Best Director, going up against Jason Reitman (Juno), Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Gus Van Sant (Paranoid Park) and Tamara Jenkins (The Savages) -- meaning A Mighty Heart's Michael Winterbottom was shut out despite his film's receiving the Best Feature nomination. I'm Not There is already the winner of one Independent Spirit Award, the newly conceived, and appropriately titled Robert Altman Award, which honors the film's director, casting director and ensemble cast. Because of that win, I'm Not There has been labeled the leader of the nominated films, although Juno, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Savages all received the same amount of actual nominations as Haynes' film.

Since I haven't seen any of the major nominees (yet), I will take this opportunity to celebrate a few films, which I have seen, that have been deservedly recognized in other categories. First, I'm excited to see that Adrienne Shelly is up for Best Screenplay for Waitress. I doubt she'll win, unless enough voters want to further highlight her posthumous success, but I'm happy to see her included. I'm delighted to see Jennifer Jason Leigh nominated for Margot at the Wedding, considering Nicole Kidman, who wasn't nominated, has been receiving most of that film's accolades. And finally, I am ecstatic to see that Vanaja, which I loved, has been given two nominations, one for Best First Feature and one for Best Cinematography. Overall, we should all be glad that this year's crop of nominees includes few huge stars, Angelina Jolie being the one major exception, in the acting categories. The 2008 Independent Spirit Awards will be presented on February 23.

Three people I'll admit to being a fan of: Harvey Milk; Gus Van Sant; Sean Penn. Yet for some reason I'm not really looking forward to Van Sant's Milk, a biopic of openly gay politician Harvey Milk, in which Penn will play the title role. Mostly (and I said this when Penn was first attached) I can't see the cranky actor playing the typically smiling San Francisco city supervisor, who was assassinated by a co-worker in 1978. Sure, Penn is a terrific actor who can play nearly any kind of role. But Harvey Milk? I'll believe it when I see it. If you haven't already seen the Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk, and you are looking forward to Milk, you might as well save the doc to watch after seeing the Hollywood version ...

... Or, this Hollywood version, at least. There are two. The other one, titled The Mayor of Castro Street, is supposed to be directed by The Usual Suspects' Bryan Singer. But according to Variety, Mayor is stuck "in strike limbo" -- Christopher McQuarrie's script is reportedly finished but failed to be submitted pre-strike. So, Milk will definitely be the first to be filmed, and therefore will likely be the first to hit theaters. Traditionally, the first of dueling biopics wins the better box office (see Capote vs. Infamous), so Mayor may not even want to bother. Unless it gets a much better actor to play Milk -- and who knows a better actor who also resembles Milk more than Penn? As much as I dislike Penn in the role, I don't see anyone else fitting the part (I'd rather just let Times be the only Milk movie). At one point, Matt Damon was also lightly attached to Milk, but the latest news makes no mention of Damon playing assassin and fellow S.F. City Supervisor Dan White, who he would be perfect as. If he were still set to play the film's villain, I would be totally into it, but without him, I'm really fearful.

In the late '90s, Blake Nelson's debut novel, Girl, was turned into a feature film starring Dominique Swain. While the adaptation can be strangely addictive for its utter badness, it was a far cry from its source material -- the grunge, the feeling, the spark were all sapped from it and what remained was a goofy tale about a girl trying to be cool to get the guy. (Although it was one of the only films I liked Tara Reid in.) Gus Van Sant did not have this problem bringing the next adapted Nelson novel, Paranoid Park, to the big screen. The director understands the kids of Nelson's Portland, and they're every bit as grungy and real as you could imagine. Unfortunately, that's just about all the film has going for it.

This adaptation was so bland on the big screen that I actually found myself itching for Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. Like Girl, this is a tale of suburban kids looking to shed their comfortable, middle-class living for some street-class cred. Where Andrea visited clubs and wore cow dresses, Alex (Gabe Nevins) heads to the local skateboard park, nicknamed Paranoid Park, with his friend. Alex is mesmerized by rolling skateboarders, but feels he isn't good enough to participate. One night, he goes back on his own and befriends some kids who say they live there. Then, time jumps forward and backward to tell Alex's story. During an interview with a police detective, we learn that a security guard who was found dead near the park might have been murdered. From Alex's actions, it is obvious that he knows something about this crime, and Van Sant ties the strings together slowly.