Billy Butt on a Boat Bye

Billy Magnusson spent this past weekend proposing to his girlfriend and playing with a drone while naked on a boat -- I think we all know the activity of those two I find more interesting. Aww -- congrats, Billy. If you gotta be straight it's a damn shame but hopefully she sees that butt and understands her responsbility to take care of it. Anyway if you can peel your eyes off those cheeks for a moment let me say hello for this brief moment I am at my desk today -- NYFF press screenings are going strong and I'm heading back into the theater right now to continue our journey through some of the best that Fall 2025 Cinema has to offer. Next week I will be here for a skinny minute again Monday morning, and then I'm out until Thursday. Busy boy! So please enjoy the Billy butt-cheeks in my absence!

Mussolini: Son of a Century in 200 Words or Less

Joe Wright's eight-part miniseries Mussolini: Son of the Century dropped on MUBI last week and it really deserves far better than I'm about to give it, but it can't be helped as I'm running woefully behind and fully ensconsed in NYFF stuff right now. But watching our leaders applaud the racist pile of shit Charlie Kirk this morning made me realize how vital and timely the series is, so I really want to highlight it in case you're unaware -- Italian actor Luca Marinelli, who'd already stunned me right outta the gate with Martin Eden a couple of years back, gives what can only be described by ye ol' chesnut "tour de force" as ol' Benito, and it's in service to a deeply traumatic and extremely worthwhile excavation of how Fascism takes hold. Methodical in its brutal detailing of how Democracy crumbles by the eensiest of steps, one norm crossed without a word after another until it's too late and nobody's noticed, this series made me sick to my fucking stomach but in a very necessary way. Can't recommend highly enough. It's all on MUBI. Go watch it this weekend. I shared the trailer back here.

Plainclothes and Pretty Boys

Gay movie alert! Plainclothes, the movie where Tom Blyth plays an undercover cop who falls for suburban daddy Russell Tovey in 1990s Syracuse, is out in theaters today -- I reviewed this awhile back, read my thoughts here. Big fan. Oh and if you wanna find a theater near you where it's playing this link should help. 

Five Frames From ?

What movie is this?

Good Morning, World

Even though I have yet to watch any of Euphoria save half of the first episode -- I knew right off the bat that I wasn't going to get into it -- it doesn't seem right that these gifs of Jacob Elordi aren't here on MNPP in a post-Saltburn, pre-Frankenstein world. I didn't make 'em, I swiped 'em off Tumblr, but I shake hands with each and every one and I say welcome home. Hit the jump for four more...

The It-Has-Begun-ening

Okay folks it's the moment y'all have been dreading. I'm leaving you! It's true. I have found another lover and his name is The New York Film Festival. I admit it will be a brief affair, only the next few weeks, but a fiery one inflamed with all kinds of passions nonetheless that will make this separation worth it! Point being I'm headed out to screenings this afternoon and... well, let me just lay out the rest of this week for you. I'll be out all day tomorrow and all day Thursday. I will be here Friday morning, for a few hours. And that kind of erratic schedule persists through... well at least October 3rd. I'll pop in when I'm here and say my hellos, try to drop links to reviews and also try to make time for whatever great gratuities might reveal themselves in that time. It's best to follow my socials for updates -- all of them can be found here but I'm on Bluesky the most. And you can follow what I'm seeing in real time over on Letterboxd! So please -- peace be with you. And let's go get some movies in our guts!

RIP Robert Redford

I'm not gonna lie -- I've never been the world's biggest Redford fan. Note that he doesn't have a tag here on the site (even though he's come up plenty of times given his well-earned prominence in Hollywood history) -- it would probably be fair of me to go back and re-watch the movies of his I saw decades ago wherein I decided he didn't do much for me. Especially All the President's Men, which I have a feeling might resonate with me more today than it did when I was like 18 in the 90s. I did recently see Three Days of the Condor for the first time and... yeah. I still didn't get much from Redford. And let's state the obvious -- in movies like The Sting and Butch & Sundance I was just staring at Paul Newman. And I do want you to know I'm not talking specifically about attractiveness here -- I'm speaking more generally. As a performer he usually left me cold. I realize this is a shitty eulogy for the man, so I admit I nevertheless couldn't understate his importance to the film industry. I am not an idiot! Sundance and what it stood for, how it reshaped the entire industry, is a legacy above and beyond any quibbles I might have with what I personally was getting from him on-screen. He was a titan and more than earned his status. Also -- Quiz Show and Ordinary People are pretty much perfect films. No quibbling on that front. But please, to those of you who felt the Redford love, express it to me in the comments. I want to understand. What performances of his moved you? I'm not being incredulous or antagonistic here in the slightest -- I really do want to hear about it so when I re-watch some of this stuff I can try to find my way to a better appreaciation. 

Five Frames From ?

What movie is this?

Good Morning, World

Okay the "good" portion of this post officially ends immediately following that gif of Charlie Hunnam naked (in a pose we've seen and loved from him before!) because this gif is taken from the trailer for Ryan Murphy's forthcoming series Monster: The Ed Gein Story, which is... well when I say "not good" I mean evil and disgusting and so forth; so many skin suits, and not just Charlie's beautiful naked one! Because the trailer actually made me more excited for the series -- fone one I had no idea Laurie Metcalf was playing "Mother" and YES. A billion times yes. Charlie Hunnam was already several yesses but this takes it stratospheric. Let your breakfast settle first, and then watch:

This premieres on Netflix on October 3rd. I am so there.

And here is one more Naked Charlie Hunnam gif to see us out:

Buy My Shit

Just a quick heads-up before I head home to collapse -- I spent some time this weekend re-organizing my out-of-control physical media collection, and so yes I listed a heap of movies and such on the ol' eBay for sale! Click here to check out what could be yours yours yours for the low low price of whatever I'm asking for it or a relatively reasonable offer you make instead. I was surprised that some of the stuff I listed was selling for quite so much but I promise you everything is priced according to what it's been going for, and like I said -- make me a good offer and I'll bend! (That's what I'm always saying.) Viva fuckin' cinema, yo. 

I Know You're Criterion But What Am I

Criterion said to us that "Yes, the world is depressing right now, so we're gonna do something absolutely wonderful for you," with today's announcement of their December line-up -- Tim Burton's 1985 first film and perhaps his greatest masterpiece Pee-wee's Big Adventure is entering the Collection in 4K on December 16th. Just in time for Christmas! No I checked and Pee-wee's Christmas Special isn't included in the extras -- missed opportunity! But with such an abundant gift on its own terms who cares. I'll admit my first thought upon seeingn this news was, "Dammit I should have gotten to write the essay for that" -- if ever I was gonna write an essay for a blu-ray booklet this would've been the one. If anybody releases Muriel's Wedding without consulting me I'm gonna start setting fires dammit. But what a beautiful way to start a week! Fuck all the negativity in the news -- for at least a few minutes while we greet this. Paul Reubens has always had that effect -- pure magic.

But obviously that's not it for December -- the magic continues with, first and foremost (or rather second and second-most I suppose, after Pee-wee) a four film box-set by the artist Man Ray! Four surrealist shorts from the 1920s titled Le retour à la raison, Emak bakia, L’étoile de mer, and Les mystères du château du dé, this is no doubt related to the big show of Man Ray's art that just opened at The Met here in NYC. I think I saw some of these in film school back in the day but it's been awhile since film school (cough cough turns to dust) so these will no doubt feel new to me. I plan on going to The Met show this upcoming weekend. Love me some Man Ray surrealism. Next up there's Spike Lee's filmed version of David Byrne's American Utopia show that was on Broadway a couple of years back -- I might be one of the few Talking Heads fanatics who really wasn't into American Utopia -- generally people loved it. And I'll no doubt give it another chance at some point.

After that we've got the sweeping 1945 Scottish Highlands love story I Know Where I'm Going! from the geniuses Powell & Pressberger dropping in 4K on December 9th -- I actually can't recall if I've seen this one before or not? I went through a big P&P phase like 20 years ago and binged whatever I could get my hands on so a lot of the ones I haven't seen since then have sorta blended together. Any fans? Next comes Mira Nair's first film Salaam Bombay, which I know for certain I've never seen -- and I'm sure this was in the works well before her spectacular son Zohran Mamdani was set to be NYC's next mayor, but I love the timing anyway! And finally their fifth release for the holiday month is a 4K upgrade of the sparkling comedy masterpiece His Girl Friday starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell -- you know, just one of the greatest rom-coms ever made. 

Paul Mescal Twelve Times

As twas foretold (in this morning's "Good Morning" post) I have returned from my screening and am back here at my desk -- as luck would have it about ten seconds before my screening began I saw these photos of Paul Mescal for Rolling Stone on social media and I dropped to my knees (metaphorically speaking) and went all Darth Vader with my "Noooooo..."

... obviously not because of anything these pictures did. These pictures are our friend. But rather that I'd have to wait until this afternoon to share them. I'm sure y'all have already memorized every fold of his soaking wet boxer shorts on the cover (photographer Ryan McGinley continues to be a god among men) but anyway here I am and here are the photos, after the jump...

Five Frames From ?

What movie is this?

Good Morning, World

Happy Monday! Or... is it? This post is actually coming to you from the past -- hopefully I don't die this weekend, because that'd be awkward. I'm writing this on Friday (right after I wrote this post that explained I'm going to be very busy this week because of the fall film fests kicking off in NYC) because I knew then that I wasn't going to be here at my desk blogging Monday morning -- I've got a screening. So hopefully it's still a screening and I'm not dead, but I don't take anything for granted in 2025. Anyway I should be back to my desk this afternoon (if not dead) and we'll pick this up there. For now enjoy that photo of Arnaud Valois that he shared on Friday, which is right now for me and the past for you. Time is a fuckin' flat circle, yo. 

Today's Mood

Okay this photo of Matthias Schoenaerts and his doggy in a lake (via) isn't actually "Today's Mood" -- it would make a lot more sense categorized as one of our aspirational "Fanboy Delusion" posts -- but I'm willing it to be my mood since I could really use its vibes after such a shit week. I am drinking in its luxurious calmness in hopes it will choke down the swill and bile that's been spraying out. Grant me your serenity, Matthias!

This Week's Three Review Round-up

Since it's Friday and this week's new movies are actually out in the theaters today let's glance back at the week that was in movie reviews by yours truly, since three of them dropped earlier this week and you might've missed them. First and foremost there's the long awaited gay romance The History of Sound starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor from Moffie and Living director Oliver Hermanus -- read my review right here. I think it's a beautiful film, well worth your time.

Is that a gigantic microphone, Dev Patel, or are you just happy to see me? Next up there's Rabbit Trap, an eerie folk horror about a pair of married musicians who stumble through a faerie circle and into a trippy nightmare -- click here to read my review of that sublte slow-burner. I found it kind of funny nad strange that I ended up writing about two movies about people going into the woods with sound recording eqipment this week! Not every day that happens.

And finally there's the third and finaly Downton Abbey movie -- read my thoughts right here. All obviously very different films, but each of them good in their own way -- a good weekend at the movies! Go see them all! And I suppose I'll use this opprtunity to remind y'all that I begin my deep dive into NYFF press screenings next week (with both NewFest and Brooklyn Horror immediately following) so it's going to be real sporadic around here, post-wise. So cling this  three review bounty to your bosoms as a raft to carry you through these turbulent times!

Five Frames From ?

What movie is this?

Good Morning, World

What do you say we tear this Friday a new one.

Watch the whole video here. Thanks, Alan.

Paul Mescal & Josh O'Connor: A Love Story

Well if only I'd waited an hour or so to post about my History of Sound review, then I'd have had these photos that Mubi shared today to go with it -- not that that's gonna quit me from double-posting of course! These are from the same photoshoot that went into making that gorgoues poster we shared with you back in the day (an excellent reminder to my self that I need to go see if I can find a copy of that poster to buy right this second) -- hit the jump for six more beauties of this same sort...

Garrett Wareing Eleven Times

As I said on Bluesky yesterday (also involving a hot picture of Garrett's treasure trail) I'm a bit peeved I wasn't able to get to an early screening of The Long Walk (i.e. didn't get an invite) which is out in theaters tomorrow -- I very much want to see the Stephen King (aka Richard Bachman) adaptation, having been a fan of that darker-than-dark story since my teenage years, and a fan of Garrett Wareing since well several months ago when I first saw him without his clothes on. Oh well! It's not like this wasn't a busy week what with three reviews written by your truly having also dropped. I'll try to go see it this weekend if I can muster the energy to deal with real crowds (never a given any more) and if not make we'll due with this new photoshoot of Garrett (via) until the movie hits digital. Hit the jump for the entire shoot...