Mountain Villain Franz Rogowski Rewind

Even though I inexplicably never posted it I didn't technically "miss" this Fall 2024 photoshoot of Franz Rogowski because I just found it saved on my computer from when Zeit Magazine dropped it at the time. Whatever distracted me enough to not post it then is probably better left buried with all of my many, many other buried traumas -- today let's just celebrate that I was finally just reminded of said photo-shoot and I am now giving it the attention it deserved back then. And even better this got me to check Franz's IMDb page to see if there was any news... 

... on him that I'd missed posting about -- and there was! And ridiculous news at that! There's a remake of Cliffhanger happening and he's in it, lol. That said before we laugh too hard about him slipping into the Hollywood Action Movie Villain role that he was pretty much built in a lab to play, let's note the movie is being directed by the extremely-talented-with-junk directer Jaume Collet-Serra, who's given us several pleasurable movie experiences but really all I need to say is "Orphan" to shut up any sayers of nay. The IMDb page doesn't specify that Franz is playing the villain (the film also stars Pierce Brosnan & Lily James) but come on. We're all adults here. We can read the room. Anyway, photos! Hit the jump for more sexy (what else) Franz photos...

Kaufman @ Kanopy

The photos you see here of Lebanese performance artist Josef Akiki (via) are not from the movie I'm about to talk about. But since the dude looks hot in these pictures I said to myself, "Hey, be yourself, post those shirtless pictures of the actor that you found." And if there's anything writer-director Charlie Kaufman's taught me it's to walk to the beat of my own drummer, and since it's Charlie we're here to actually talk about I'm gonna listen! Aaaaaanyway point being IndieWire is reporting that the once-in-a-generation genius behind Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synecdoche New York has a new short film called "How To Shoot a Ghost" premiering in Venice! The film stars Jessie Buckley (who gave a rapturous performance in Kaufman's last film I'm Thinking of Ending Things) alongside SEXY Mr. Akiki seen in these photos, it's 27 minutes long, it was co-written by the poet Eva H.D (whose book of poetry is featured prominently in ITOET), and here is what it is about:

"[The film] follows two newly deceased young people who meet in the streets of Athens, amid the pulsing cityscape and the ghosts of its history. One is a translator, the other a photographer; they were outsiders in life, and in death, they struggle with the residue of their longings and mistakes. They wander the city together, finding consolation in the rugged beauty of existence and its aftermath."

All of that's awesome obviously -- any new Charlie Kaufman work is cause to bang pots out our windows and to run naked down our streets. But the real gem of news here is that the film's been produced by the public library streaming service Kanopy and it will distributed by them. Once upon a time I would've been angry about this news because Kanopy stopped being available in the NYC public libraries after a very brief test that collapsed the system like a decade ago. But then about six months ago I registered at the small library in my hometown in upstate New York so now I have Kanopy and I don't have to be annoyed! Please clap.

Garrett Wareing Seven Times

It's extremely hilarious to me that here just a few brief hours after I taunted the actor Garrett Wareing to bare some more skin in exchange for finally getting his own tag here on MNPP that the dude went and dropped a sexy af photoshoot for Flaunt magazine that echoes no less than a legendary Herb Ritts slab of homoerotica. Garrett grabbed my dare and dude triple-dog-dared me back -- he won't be ignored, dammit! Done and done! Yes sir! You're now the proud owner of your very own corner of MNPP my man. Now let us all celebrate by hitting the jump and receiving his freshest gift...

Double Your Dylan, Double Your Fun

I'm so burned out these days I saw that the doubled Dylan O'Brien comedy Twinless had gotten a release date and I remembered liking it at Sundance but I had completely forgotten I'd reviewed it as well. But I did! You can read that right here. I even called it "Tasty Cringe Farce For Sickos" and come on, guys, how is that not on the poster? That's a killer tagline. Whatever. I can only do so much work for you. Anyway they also dropped a trailer so watch that if you feel so inclined:

Twinless is out on September 5th. You should see it.

Not just because Dylan O'Brien is hot, but here are some gifs 

from the trailer that underline that much after the jump...

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

 ... you can learn from:

In a Lonely Place (1950)

Dixon Steele: It was his story against mine, 

but of course I told my story better.

Legendary director Nicholas Ray was born this day in 1911.

Five Frames From ?

What movie is this?

Good Morning, World

Looking through our archives I'm past due giving actor Garrett Wareing here his own tag on the site. But what if he stops sharing slutty selfies once that achievement's been unlocked for him? Best to do it next time. Well? We're waiting, Garrett. 

Get Stuck In Time With Morgan Spector

Big huge ups to MNPP reader Natty who alerted me to the presence of a 2017 short horror film called "Great Choice" that stars a pre-Gilded-Age Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector as people trapped inside a hellish Red Lobster commercial loop -- I'd never heard of it and I loved it, so I wrote a little thing about it over at Pajiba today (where you can also watch said short). Anyway Natty I didn't get to mention you in the piece there for obvious reasons but I can give you your flowers right here, amongst the luxurious chest follicles of Mr. Spector himself, so that's what this is. King! Anyway that short is indeed a perfect companion to the film Buffet Infinity that I just reviewed out of Fantasia -- you can read that here if you missed it. Anyway me and Morgan are back off to bed now so g'night!

Give It Up For Him

The new poster for the Jordan-Peele-produced football horror flick Him dropped today and it puts our new favorite pretty boy Tyriq Withers and his blood-spattered torso where he belongs, front and center. I shared the teaser for this movie back in April here but now that I've actually seen the former footballer turned actor act in the I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot I can say with certainty I'm gonna be all up in this movie's business. He's incredibly charasmatic. And well also...

ETA oh there's a full trailer now too!

Him is out on September 19th!

Five Frames From ?

What movie is this?

Since nobody's guessed it yet

here are five more frames to help!

Can you guess the movie now?

Good Morning, World

Before any of you ask no, I have no idea where the internet dug up these old photos of baby David Corenswet, fully in thrall to twinkdom, less Superman than "Heroin Chic" Supermodel. I just saw these two pictures making the coail media rounds and I snatched them right up for our rightful consumption. Obviously Corenswet Now (with that back rack) is more my flavor but studying history is important.

Joseph Quinn Two Times

No I still haven't seen the new Fantastic Four movie -- ain't it something, a superhero movie comes along that I'm really actually looking forward to and I don't see it. (I did at least manage to see Superman, but I got invited to a press screening of that.) Anyway time has not been on my side these past couple of weeks with Fantasia Fest going on, but maybe this weekend coming up since Fantasia's now ended. As if much of anything can get me out of the house on my weekend. Well maybe the image I've seen of Joseph Quinn here moose-knuckling it in white pants in the movie. That might do it. Until then enjoy these two photos from Style magazine -- you can see more here. Looking very handsome, Joe!

Troubled Scottish-Ukranian Sandwich Shop

Some movies are just so goddamned weird that reviewing them can only get you so far -- the experience is the thing. And so's it goes with Buffet Infinity, which I nevertheless tried to do some justice in my Pajiba review from its screening at the Fantasia Fest. An assemblage of escalating local commercials telling a most forboding tale of capitalist woe, I've seen people try to do this sort of thing in short form but Buffet Infinity at feature length really goes for broke, and I admired its chutzpah, I did. There are some clips from the movie over at BD if you want more of an idea of what to expect -- but I'll keep my eyes peeled for any kind of wider release. It might be a minute though given how f'ing weird this thing is and 2) the fact that it doesn't even have a Rotten Tomatoes page yet for me to link my review to. This one's for the cinematically adventurous!

NYFF Make My Dreams Come True

Just a couple of weeks ago I shared the poster and a teaser trailer for Park Chan-wook's new movie No Other Choice starring his ol' pal Byung-hun Lee and I said therein, and I quote, "This movie's premiering at Venice  and I am keeping all of my assorted limbs knotted up in hope that it'll head to NYFF from there." Well unknot me cuz it came true! NYFF just announced their Main Slate this morning for their 2025 edition and Master Park's movie is up in its business -- as are several other movies I am champing at me bit to gnaw right into. So why not a list? Not counting the Opening Night film (which is Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt and so obviously my jam) here are the 10 movies out of the Main Slate that I'm the most anticipating...

My 10 Most Anitipcated NYFF63 Main Slate Movies

No Other Choice -- dir. Park Chan-wook

There's really nothing I can shriek in enthusiasm about this movie that I haven't been shrieking since it was announced. Park Chan-wook is a god, period, the end.

Jay Kelly -- dir. Noah Baumbach

Normally I try to steer clear of George Clooney vehicles but I tend to love Baumbach movies whatever he throws at me and most importantly he got his gal pal Greta Gerwig acting again. Gerwig seals the deal every time. Plus Patrick WIlson, Laura Dern, Riley Keough, Jim Broadbent, Emily Mortimer, Billy Crudup and Isla Fisher! Also Emily Mortimer co-wrote this! 

The Mastermind -- dir. Kelly Reichardt

Not only is it the never-steers-me-wrong Reichardt behind the camera and not only does the movie star Josh O'Connor but the movie stars Josh o'Connor looking like the raffish lit professor everybody, including the other teachers and parents, are all trying to fuck.

The Secret Agent -- dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho 

Wagner Moura is one of the greatest (and come on, look at the picture, sexiest) on the world stage right now, and his teaming up withthe genius behind Bacurau is white hot shit. Plus Moura won Best Actor at Cannes and Mendonça Filho won Best Director so hopes are obviously big.

Sentimental Value -- dir. Joachim Trier

And speaking of Cannes this follow-up from the director and star of the masterpiece The Worst Person in the World won the Grand Prix at that fest. I will follow these two anywhere, together or seperately, but together tastes best!

Peter Hujar's Day -- dir. Ira Sachs

It's Ben fucking Whishaw playing Peter fucking Hujar -- you think I'm not all over this? Anyway I was extremely annoyed I couldn't see it at Sundance so I'm happy to have been given this second shot, even if I wasted months -- months!!! -- of my life without it. I won't hold it against you, Ben!

Miroirs No. 3 -- Christian Petzold

Since 2012 Christian Petzold has made five straight up masterpieces in a row with Barbara, Phoenix, Transit, Undine, and Afire -- I'm hoping he hasn't broken that streak by daring to make a movie with a title that has more than a single word in it, but I think we might be in safe hands. I mean he's reunited with actress Paula Beer yet again. We're gonna be fine.

The Fence -- dir. Claire Denis

I tend to swing wildly on my opinion of Denis movies, but the main thrust seems to be I like her more recent work while her earlier, typically more lauded works have left me cold. I'm such a maverick! Anyway Denis regular Isaach De Bankolé is her leading man this time, which is always a good sign, but this also co-stars Matt Dillon and Tom Blyth? Mkay.

Rose of Nevada -- dir. Mark Jenkin

Yeah yeah okay it stars Callum Turner and George MacKay

as fisherman, obviously it was gonna make my list. 

That's literally all I know or need to know. Fish me good, fellas!

Landmarks -- dir. Lucrecia Martel

Since The Headless Woman in 2008 

I've been a Lucretia ride-or-die-for-lifer.

Not even reading what this is about. Sign me up.

--------------------------------------

Runners-up:  It Was Just an Accident (dir. Jafar Panahi), A House of Dynamite (dir. Kathryn Bigelow), Resurrection (dir. Bi Gan), Romería (dir. Carla Simón), Kontinental ’25 (dir. Radu Jude), If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (dir. Mary Bronstein), Duse (dir. Pietro Marcello)

Just a footnote on the concept of "Runners-up" here -- I literally could have listed every single other movie that didn't make my top ten. The only reason there are runners-up at all is I limited myself to a list of ten. As happens with every NYFF there are titles that come out of nowhere to slam me onto the floor in the best of way, and sometimes the ones I'm most excited about don't totally land. Usually though I always leave NYFF happy, because as I've said before they might not get all of the big exciting world premieres but year after year they do an incredible job curating the movies from around the globe that are the most worth seeing. I love my hometown fest! Click here to buy passes -- general tickets go on sale on September 18th (and earlier for FLC members). The fest runs from September 26 through October 13, 2025. 

Good Morning, World

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