Good Morning, World

I haven't watched it yet myself but Julian Schnabel's In the Hand of Dante starring Oscar Isaac apparently dropped onto Netflix yesterday (after premiering at tribeca, where I missed all the screenings unfortunately) -- have you watched it? Nevermind what the movie is actually about -- this is the movie which not just the above shot of Oscar comes from (a sassy underpants strut past bookshelves -- are you kidding me???) but also that insanely ridiculously gratutious set-photo that I shared a couple of weeks ago was from too; clearly Julian agrees with the entire internet that Oscar is meant for ogling. I've actually really been wanting to re-watch Before Night Falls lately so maybe I should do a Schnabel double-feature this weekend -- I haven't seen that movie since it came out and Javier Bardem in that movie... my god. I feel like Julian is trying to tell us something at this point? (And that "something" is he is hot-cha-cha for Hispanic men, which, you know, get in line, buster.)

A Mann For All Beattys

It's just me doing my "me thing" using a picture of actor Nate Mann to go along with this post sharing my review of the Tribeca movie Act One -- Mr. Mann's role in the film isn't huge but he is very sexy in it so... it's me doing the "me thing" basically. The real stars of the movie are Ella Beatty (yes the daughter of Warren & Annette aww all growed up) and our beloved Ari Graynor, who play an acting student and teacher whose relationship is toxic as fuck. Nate Mann (previously seen in the Masters of the Air  miniseries and apparently he was in Licorice Pizza?) plays another student in the class who plays a crucial, sexy role in said toxicity. Anyway besides all of that the movie is a real return to form for Always Shine writer-director Sophia Takal, who went and made the real bad Black Christmas remake in between the phenomonal Always Shine and this -- read my Tribeca review right here at Pajiba. Love Always Shine! Really liked this movie. Best to forget that Black Christmas happened, though. 

The Poodle Breeder Horror Movie

Another Tribeca review from yours truly for y'all to consume this afternoon -- this time we're talking Breeder, the horror movie about a... poodle breeder? Yes, a poodle breeder. It sells itself really. That said I did overall like this movie while also having some issues with it that I get into -- read my review right here. I know I'm beginning to sound like a semi-hysteric on this front but there seems to be a lot of straight white men making horror movies right now where they think are dissecting this moment's straight-white-manhood when they are really just falling into tropes of othering people who are not straight white men. And I don't so much like this aspect of horror right now! Call me crazy but that bit's not so cool! Anyway IFC and Shudder snatched this movie as it premiered at Tribeca because "The Poodle Breeder Horror Movie" is the easiest fucking sell in the world, so you'll all get to see this movie this fall. Then you can decide if I am indeed a hysteric. (I am sure most of you already decided "yes" on that but whatever.)

Gay Sex & Murder Ships, Oh My

Every gay story shouldn't be sad of course but y'all know I can't resist the ones that are -- my masochism, well-earned, runs deep. And with that I send you over to my Pajiba review of Labrador: Autopsy of Silence, a wonderful and yes sad and yes gay and yes Canadian movie that just premiered at Tribeca last week. It's a beautiful little heartbreaker of a thing, and its leading man Christopher Angatookalook gives one of the best newcomer performances I've seen in quite awhile. And for once it's not just me saying this -- he won an award at the fest for his work! The movie also won best International Feature (as well as Best Cinematography) and I think it was more than justified doing so -- it's a really special movie. I do recommend! Oh and since we're talking here at MNPP right now I will add, in a slutty whisper, that there is a crazy hot gay sex scene included as well. Bonus! Tuck that info away for future reference. 

HOT GAY COUPLE IN A MOVIE ALERT: Christopher Angatookalook and Alexandre Landry in LABRADOR: AUTOPSY OF SILENCE at Tribeca are absolute SCORCHERS tribecafilm.com/films/labrad...

[image or embed]

— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) June 6, 2026 at 11:57 PM

Morgan Specter Seven (Plus) Times

May our preeminent Rail Daddy himself Mr. Morgan Spector never stop being so generous to us -- for Cultured magazine today he's gone and gifted his world of fans and admirers, but mostly me personally, yet another half-naked photoshoot,. And we, I, thank him, from the depths of our...

... well you know, depths. And yes I will take this moment to plug his new movie Caity which just premiered at Tribeca -- I doubt I'm going to review it but he gives a lovely little performance in it, you should seek it out when the time comes. And with that said, let's get back to the main event, these pictures. Hit the jump for the rest... 

Had a Man Smoke Ya Pole

I don't think there's a right or a wrong answer on whether William Friedkin's 1980 film Cruising was ultimately a "good" or "bad" thing for the gay community -- I think the people on the scene at the time were right to protest it and I think the younger people like myself who are extremely grateful to have this window into the pre-AIDS leather world of NYC are right as well. It's complicated! And thankfully Jeffrey Schwartz's new documentary Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders, which just premiered at Tribeca, treats it as such -- click here to read my review. At an extremely tight 84 minutes my only complaint is the movie could've been longer, but I think it does a great job introducing the dozens of perspectives that surround the film, from then and now. Good stuff, perfect for Pride Month! (Although no I do not yet have any idea when it will be out in theaters so don't ask me!)

A Grand Buffet of Weirdness

I know a lot of people found Jack Dylan Grazer's character (and performance of said character) in Luca Guadagnino's We Are Who We Are series off-putting -- as I said at the time I personally found the both of those things very funny and very honest, like the anti-idealized Elio from Call Me By Your Name. Just a really properly annoying teen boy that I felt very seen by. (Weirdly Charles Melton brought up that series in that GQ magazine profile I linked to this very morning -- perhaps we can finally go back and reevaluate the show for the brilliance it was now?) Anyway Grazer plays a similar but slightly tamped-down version of that same role in the terrific Tribeca movie Ponderosa which I just reviewed out of the festival -- click here to read that. Grazer and the always fantastic and underappreciated Bill Camp make for quite the pair. I liked this movie a lot. One of the best of the fest, says me! We'll surely keep an eye out for its eventual release and will try to keep you informed.

Watch the Dancing Vampires

Are you excited that Interview With the Vampire is back for its third season? granted it's not called "Interview With the Vampire" now -- it's now called The Vampire Lestat since it's moved on to another Anne Rice novel, but whatever -- it'll remain Interview With the Vampire to me because I don't have brain-space for that shit. But yes I am excited and so should you be -- all the word is very good, which makes sense since the first two seasons of the show also ruled. The show drops on Sunday. Anyway let's get to my real reason for this post -- the Tribeca Film Festival kicked off last night and I am running to a screening this afternoon so for the next couple of hours it'll be quiet. I will be back. I think. I should be, unless my office decides to close early while I'm out (always a possiblity on a Summer Thursday when we've got a Summer Friday ahead) but that decision is beyond my means of foretelling. For now just stare at the Dancing Vampires until you find yourself getting sleepy, sleepy, sleepy...

Give This Piece a Chance

I'm trying to will the care-free mood seen in this photo of Charles Melton into my own existence today -- spoiler alert: it ain't working. I don't know if my partner was punching me in the side of the head all night long as I slept (no this is not a cry for help) but I woke up feeling like I didn't sleep a single second last night, and I be draggggggging my ass this Thursday. This is pointless information for anyone who isn't "me" I know but it's good that I remind myself that this site is just a stupid fucking blog sometimes and I don't have to feel bad about insubstantial content. Tis my prerogative! Is it weird that typing that word out always makes me want to eat pierogies? In summation -- aren't you glad you just wasted one minute of your life reading this post? You're welcome. Any time. 

ETA Just got word my office is closing tomorrow so I am officially giving up for the long weekend. Hands in air, Jason don't care. I'm headed to a screening in half an hour (Backrooms baby!) and then I'm off until Tuesday. I should add since we're doing Accounting Of My Time here that NewFest and Tribeca Fest stuff start plaguing / entertaining me next week so my schedule's about to get nuts again -- on the positive side Summer Fridays at my day-job also kick off... well tomorrow now, I guess. Which means four-day weeks through Labor Day. Yes I am rambling! Let me ramble! I have half an hour to kill and need to stop fussing over my Tribeca schedule, which is much of what I've been working on this week. Anyway stay tuned -- coverage of those fests and lots more to come! Probably including me choking to death on my own bile! Have a great holiday weekend! Think of me like this (if you think of me at all):

Good Morning, World

When I saw Our Hero, Balthazar at Tribeca last year I was kinda annoyed that Noah Centineo kept that shirt on during the scene pictured above -- it really got in the way of the things I wanted to see, Noah! That said when this set photo presented itself a few days ago (thx Mac) I felt much more forgiving. And here we are. OHB hit theaters a few weeks ago and I believe it's still playing in some and not out on VOD yet -- I honestly wasn't all that crazy about it when I saw it but perhaps you'll dig it. Who knows? Opinions are like Noah Centineo's asshole -- if you wear a long shirt over them nobody will get to see them! Anyway even if the movie's not out on VOD you can find this scene on the internet, in places (ahem) -- I am going to wait until it hits VOD officially to make gifs. Blah blah blah happy Monday. Another fucking week to get through. Let's get to it, then.

Not Yo Momma's Natchez

A lot of today is going to be catching up on things that landed over the past week while I've had my head buried in Sundance, so let's kick it off with the one that makes me feel the fanciest so I've got the courage to trundle on after a long couch break -- I got another trailer blurb! I don't know how I missed this one since it dates back a few weeks but my review of the really nrather incredible little documentary Natchez, which I called...

... both "bracing and brilliant" made its way into the film's trailer, which I will share down below. I saw it at Tribeca last year -- it's about the small titular town in the South which is reliant upon plantation  tourism, and what that means in the here and now moment of time. There are people still romanticizing it a la Gone With the Wind of course, but there are brave people -- mainly of color because of course they have to do all the damn work themselves -- pushing back against those narratives. Anyway it's a smart portrait of our moment and I really recommend watching it when you can -- it started playing theaters (here in NYC it's at Film Forum) this past week. 

Space Fruits

A wonderful surreal and strange animated film called Boys Go To Jupiter landed here in NYC a couple of weeks ago (after screening at Tribeca earlier this year) and from there has been making the theatrical rounds -- I've been meaning to write it up for the past couple of weeks but... my brain y'all. Not in its best place right now. Anyway! I finally did! Write it up, that is, so click on over to Pajiba to read my thoughts upon it. It should also be said that it features the voices of both Julio Torres and Cole Escola, which somehow feels like the gay millenial version of crossing the streams. Anyway it's great, see it as soon as you have the chance. Here's the trailer:

Go Go Griffin!

I must have been buried in Fantasia Fest stuff when the official trailer for Griffin in Summer dropped because I can't fathom otherwise not sharing it until now. I saw this lovely comedy at Tribeca in June of last year and adored it -- here is my review -- and I've been awaiting news of its release (and posting sexy photos of Owen Teague) ever since. 

And the trailer gives you ample reason to see why I -- much like the character of Grffin himself -- discovered an Owen Teague fixation thanks to this movie. A first-time feature from writer-director Nicholas Colia (based on a short film he directed in 2017) this movie recalls the suburban acidity of Todd Solondz (clearly Colia worships at the altar of Welcome to the Dollhouse, and as well he should!) but with a real sweetness to it too. Having Melanie Lynskey play Mom is a dream come true for all the gay boys of the world, after all. So even as we're recoiling from our most obnoxious adolescent  traits writ cinematic, we're smiling the whole way. Here's the trailer:

The reason why I'm annoyed at myself for having delayed posting about this is -- Griffin in Summer is out next week! It hits theaters on August 29th! So I'm sorry to tell you this late but whatever plans you've made for Labor Day weekend you're just going to have to cancel them right now. This is more important than your stupid face sticking through a hole in a beach boardwalk photo-op that makes you look like a muscle-man and/or penguin. Priorities, people! But to make it even clearer here are a few more shots of Owen Teague to convince after the jump...

Logan Lerman Ten Times

There's a really delightfully dark little comedy called Oh, Hi! coming out in theaters tomorrow that stars Mr. Lerman opposite my beloved Molly Gordon of Shiva Baby and The Bear fame that I recommend you seek out when you get the chance -- I saw it at Tribeca last month but never got the chance to review it and I'm not going to get that chance this week either as it drops properly, so just consider these few scant words all the review you need -- it's a good time, and not just because Mr. Lerman spends 75% of it naked and handcuffed to a bed. (Here is the film's trailer.) Though...  not not that either. Anyway Mr. Lerman spoke to Bustle magazine about that movie and other stuff I assume (no I haven't read the interview yet) while getting photographed in some short shorts so natch we're on it. Hit the jump for the photos...

Frankly Dear Give a Damn

It's time for another Tribeca Fest 2025 review from yours truly -- this time I'm tackling the Best Doc winner Natchez, which takes a look at the titular town in Mississippi which earns its tourism dollars off of Ye Olde Antebellum Mansions within its borders. Click here to read my thoughts at Pajiba in full but the baseline is it's a really fantastic documentary and I hope it gets far and wide play because it tells its dark story accessibly and with sharp humor that should hopefully cut the "Heritage not Hate" bullshit off at its knees. 

Telepathic Teenage Nightmare Time

Time for another Tribeca 2025 review! I have a feeling that this one will play even better for people who are parents, but forever and proudly childless me really liked the German satire What Marielle Knows, which is about what happens when a teenage girl suddenly gains the supernatural ability to know everything her mom and dad are doing and saying at all times. Click over to Pajiba to read my review. It 100% feels like a movie that will be remade poorly here in the U.S. so try to see this original version first. It gets real dark in a very funny way, which I could see Hollywood really bastardizing and missing the entire point of. 

Take a Lee Pace Lunch Break

I was a really big fan of Lucio Castro's queer romance End of the Century the first time I saw it in 2019 (here is what I wrote about it) and it's only grown better with every successive viewing. So needless to say I was pretty excited when I saw that Castro's new movie After This Death starring Lee Pace was playing at Tribeca this year! It was probably my most anticipated at the entire fest and it did not let me down -- I absolutely loved it, go read my thoughts over at Pajiba. I tried to not be spoilery but to be honest it's kind of an impossible movie to spoil because it's all about the vibe. Even knowing what's going on plot-wise won't get in the weird way of how Castro tells the story. I was enthused, to put it mildly, to see that he's already finished another movie and it played Cannes last month (and a quick scan of reviews showed me people seemed to like it) so we might get it also this year? We deserve this. 

All About Andrea

In between all of the many, many, many Tribeca screenings I've been to over the past several days I did actually manage to drop a review -- click over to Pajiba to read my thoughts on Dragonfly, the latest tour de Andrea Riseborough. She remains one of my favorite actresses working today and this movie offers plenty more fuel for that fire. Oh and her co-star Brenda Blethyn ain't no slouch! Good pretty solidly fucked up movie.

Where There's Smoke There's Taron

There's a series hitting Apple at the end of June called Smoke that stars Taron Egerton as a former fireman turned arson investigator who's on the trail of a (cue The Prodigy song playing in your head) fire-stahtah -- you can watch the trailer here. It looks very Backdraft to me -- hopefully we get Taron in a shower scene like Billy Baldwin's legendary one in that movie then. (It is from the same folks who made Black Bird and that movie wasn't shy about showing off Taron so fingers crossed!) The series is premiering at Tribeca in a couple of weeks so maybe I'll see some of it there and have something to say. The most important thing (aside from the shower scene possibility obviously) is that Thom Yorke of my favorite band Radiohead has just dropped a new song that's for the show's soundtrack! Here it is:

Good Morning, World

Catching Dust writer-director Stuart Gatt -- who we should obviously note is very very attractive himself -- has on his Insta been sharing a pile of behind-the-scenes photos from that Texas neo-noir starring Jai Courtney and Erin Moriarty, but it wasn't until he shared the above image that I found myself compelled to share. Actually compelled to do a lot of things, but sharing that photo is the one of them I will tell you about! Catching Dust can be rented on Amazon right now -- I saw it when it screened at Tribeca last year and I remember liking it well enough, if not quite enough to inspire the writing of a review from me, but Mr. Gatt is being so generous with these photos I am telling you right now, go watch his movie! He's a good boy and deserves the views! Hit the jump for a few more photos (and one video) of note...