Tuesday, October 07, 2025

I'm Making Like Austin Nichols...


... and swinging right
outta here.

Alexander Skarsgård, Leather Queen

As you may or may not have heard (although all signs point to "have") I'm in the middle of New York Film Festival duties right now, and for the most part (save yesterday but don't ask) having a grand old time. You can see what there is of coverage so far right here, with the caveat slash promise that lots more coverage will be coming. Anyway I figured I'd share the above photos and videos that I took over the weekend of Pillion writer-director Harry Lighton with his star Alexander Skarsgard at a non-NYFF-specific screenng of that movie -- which I reviewed here -- because there's never not a right time for the Skarsgård. And speaking of Sir Alex -- we've been deeply enjoying the BDSM-flavored outfits he's been rocking on the red carpets for Pillion so far, and it seems like a poll would be fun. Right? Right. Pick your favorite master...


Jake Gyllenhaal Ten Times


As reported breathlessly this morning I'm still in a shit mood, and I don't foresee this day climbing out of the gutter at this point. For once I'm thankful I've got some brainless nonsense I need to get done at my day-job because it's allowing me to shut my bad thoughts off -- a very important allowance in 2025. Anyway there's this new photoshoot of our Jake that I figured I'd take a break to share with us all -- I haven't read the interview so no I have no idea why he's posing with plates. But who cares? It's Jake. (I feel like there's very clearly a  "Chinatown" joke to be made right now but I'm just not the man to find it today.) Hit the jump for them all...

Five Frames From ?






What movie is this?

Good Morning, World





I never reviewed Him properly so let those four gifs be my review -- the movie's too muddled in its ideas to really try to write anything of substance about. (Although I could write some words about how much fun Julia Fox is having.) I don't blame star Tyriq Withers for its failure though -- Tyriq I had no trouble watching. For reasons those gifs make apparent. Anyway the movie is out on demand right now -- you can rent it here -- or if you so desire you can buy a physical copy right here for when it's out in November. It would probably pair well with Thanksgiving, seeing as how it's full of football and nonsense that might sit well with you when you're delirious from all the food. A Thanksgiving classic? I don't know. Anyway moving on I just want to warn you people that I'm in a hell of a bad mood this monring so I'm going to try and go find things that make me feel not so awful now -- maybe I'll just stare at those gifs for awhile. They are helping!

Monday, October 06, 2025

Pic of the Day


This photo of Josh O'Connor and Paul Mescal snuggling up under the sleeping back on the set of The History of Sound (read my review of that movie right here) just tried to sneak passed me but I snatched it up, I did! I was actually looking for a picture of Paul in his other 2025 movie Hamnet since I am leaving you now to go see Hamnet. But this picture just won't be ignored. Sorry, Hamnet. That said, Hamnet -- jeez how many times can I say "Hamnet" in one paragraph, oh my god... or should I say, "Oh my Hamnet"? -- is one of the small handful of movies left to 2025 that I haven't seen yet and am extremely excited about, so there's no slight intended. I do love me some Jessie Buckley and I do love a tearjerker, and by all accounts this is one hell of one of those. Anyway all that's to say bye for today! See you next Tuesday (aka tomorrow).

Today's Fanboy Delusion

Today I'd rather be...

... making an escape with Dylan O'Brien.
(Also -- because it must be said -- woof.)

Talk To Me, Ben Whishaw


This one won't be for everyone but I quite liked Peter Hujar's Day, Ira Sachs' new film starring Ben Whishaw & Rebecca Hall, at NYFF -- click over to Pajiba to read my review today! It's a hangout movie where a lot of the hanging out is banal but I think that's part of its point? Anyway as I say over there -- who the hell wouldn't want to just hang out with Ben Whishaw & Rebecca Hall for 76 minutes? It was like heaven to me. (I previously shared the trailer right here.)

Five Frames From ?







Russell Tovey Eight Times


I'd just like to start this out by saying that the above photo of Russell Tovey in plaid pants is a lot for me, personally -- thankfully I had all weekend to really sit with it since this new photoshoot for Man About Town magazine dropped on Friday  -- we needed it. Also adding to the heap -- the fact that the interview therein is a chat between Russ and his "bromance" buddy Pedro Pascal. I did not use that word. The magazine used that word. I would have used other words but whatever! The two talk about (no really) queer cinema and being in the closet and being "vers" -- Pedro... I don't even know what to say about Pedro anymore. So let's not. Let's just say this is one of Tovey's sexiest photoshoots and hit the jump for the photos before I get myself in trouble...

Good Morning, World


Hey you. Happy Monday. Here is a hello selfie from Love Victor hottie Anthony Keyvan whilst I situate myself to another Monday morning -- please enjoy. Oh and yes P.S. I'm not at NYFF screenings this week, not until Thursday I think. so I'll be here a lot! Luck yous! You're gonna get so much me you'll be sick of me by tomorrow. 

Thursday, October 02, 2025

I'm Makin' Like Austin Butler's Ass...


... and bouncing!

(Okay yeah Caught Stealing might've been just okay but it's definitely got its merits, for sure.) Anyway as the title cheekily infers I'm gone, peace, outta here. I've got to get back to the film fest grind. I actually did think I was going to be here for most of tomorrow but now something I can't miss has come up and so I'll actually be away all day tomorrow too. Boo! Hiss! That said more NYFF reviews (following the one earlier today for Pillion huzzah) will be dropping at some point, and I'll try to make those clear here, or on social media, or perhaps I'll just poke my head out of the top of whatever hole I'm currently buried in and scream something to that effect. We'll see! How exciting! Bye til then!

And Now My Pillion Review is Here


Pillion Week continues! First we got the posters, then we got the trailer, then we got Alexander Skarsgard maybe coming out as bi, and now my review! Click on over to read my thoughts on the film, starring Alexander Skarsgard as the dom to Harry Melling's happy sub, at Pajiba right here. This is my first review of several to come out of NYFF 2025 -- first because twas the easiest to write. This is a movie to just fall in love with! Just so lovely...



Pic of the Day


I think we're probably all agreed that Aaron Taylor-Johnson's current beard situation is a bit much, so I'll remind us that it's for Robert Eggers' now-filming werewolf movie. And with that out of the way let's just appreciate the fact that his wife saw fit to take and post this photo for us today. I'm almost tempted to do a "Who Wore It Best" poll between ATJ and the statue but I have no idea who the statue is supposed to be of and that seems like an important missing piece of that puzzle. Anybody recognize that ancient fella?

Quote of the Day


“I found that in this case, it’s not really relevant what my background is. I mean, I do have a kid, but what I’ve done in the past, who I’ve been with, men, women… To me, what was important was that this felt like an opportunity to tell a story about a subculture I hadn’t seen portrayed this way – with so much authenticity... My experience of watching this on screen was through Cruising, where it’s this dark underbelly of New York City and it’s dangerous, murderous and scary. Leather gays are scary. I’m no Ray, but I have a little bit of experience from that world and I know that’s not the truthful depiction."

Everybody's theorizing that Alexander Skarsgård just came out as bi with these comments made at a Q&A after a screening of his gay fetish romance Pillion at the Zurch Film Festival this week (via, thx Mac) and... I'm inclined to agree, although there is I suppose some wiggle room. I honestly 1) don't find this surprising and 2) doubt he cares that much. He's got that European attitide towards sex and sexuality, which is part of why we love him. I suppose he could come back and say he was talking in theory or he was talking about filming his gay sex scenes in True Blood et cetera but I would actually be surprised if he bothered to go and qualify the comments that way after the fact. Anyway go see Pillion! My review is coming later today and spoiler alert you want to see this movie. Shocker!

Happy 25 to Kid A


People don't spend time just staring at images for very long anymore do they? (Well unless they're these photos of Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor anyway.) No but seriously -- it used to be a thing when a new album would come out that you'd listen to it and sit staring at the artwork on the album while you did so. And so it went when Radiohead's record Kid A came out on October 2nd 2000 -- you have no idea how much time I spent staring at that weird mountainous landscape created by artist Stanley Donwood seen above. Hours and hours of my life. I'd just moved to New York and (I'm pretty sure I've shared this on one of its earlier anniversaries) I listened to this album constantly. You cannot overestimate how much I mean by "constantly." All my first months here were spent wandering the streets listening to this music. And I still can't hear any song on Kid A without being immediately transported to that time. It's also the reason I got to see Radiohead perform in a small(ish) space -- on October 11th 2000 they performed at the Roseland Ballroom and it was the greatest show I've ever experienced. They had a heap of musicians on-stage with them, besides the usual band members -- I specifically remember trombones. I also remember feeling as if I was levitating off the floor. Anyway this record is a masterpiece and I'm going to go listen to it right now. Actually somebody uploaded the entire audio of that Roseland show and I'll share it below and we can listen to that together -- funny to realize this was before we could film things with our cell phones, so audio seems to be all there is...

Five Frames From ?






What movie is this?

Good Morning, World


I did start watching the HBO series Task before I got swallowed up by NYFF duties but it's fallen by the wayside for the past few weeks -- that doesn't mean all of my Spidey-senses didn't start a'tingling once our dear House of the Dragon hunk Fabien Frankel was seen to take his top off however (thx Mac). Swoon! Nobody spoil anything for me please but if you'd like to tell me generally if the show is worth picking back up once I'm not so busy again I'd like to hear it. I wasn't sold on the first couple of episodes save Fabien and Mark Ruffalo looking like adorable little fur-baby brothers that had me screaming "Make out!" every time they shared the screen. 


Wednesday, October 01, 2025

Jonathan Bailey Six Times


One of these days I won't be desperately behind on everything -- here's a fun fact: I'll actually be here at my desk all day tomorrow! But today is not that day so here are the photos of Jonny Bailey for Time magazine that dropped... some time this week. Hell it may've even been yesterday -- I have no concept of time right now. Or Time Magazine either! Wow really set myself up for that one. Y'all I'm so fucking tired. Hit the jump for the rest...

Five Frames From ?






What movie is this?