Pick a Peck of Pillion

I don't know who that lucky chap standing with the camera is but down there under him is Alexander Skarsgård (hence him being a lucky chap) -- this is a set photo from Pillion that was included with a few others in a new Interview Magazine interview with writer-director Harry Lighton that I recommend reading! (thx Mac) Probably read it only if you've seen the movie already because I do feel like there are some spoilers contained therein -- and on that note, you know how yesterday I told y'all that Pillion is going nationwide on February 20th? Well I got an email today saying February 27th instead. SIGH. I am just the messenger! Okay? Don't take it out on me! I'm sorry! Anyway that aside there is some cool other news buried in that Interview Mag chat that I hadn't heard before -- apparently Lighton has written the script for History of Sound director Oliver Hermanus' upcoming bio-pic of the designer Alexander McQueen?? I did know that Hermanus was working on this project -- see this post from May of last year here -- but I didn't know Harry Lighton was writing, and has apparently now finished, the script. That's exciting! That said Lighton also admits in this interview that he's never seen a single Rainer Werner Fassbinder movie, and... Harry. Come over. We'll do a binge. I have such sights to show you...

My Top 20 Movies of 2025

A decade or so ago I was doing gigantic elaborate awards every year here that showcased my favorite movies, my favorite performances, and on and on and on... then the last decade happened and I'm lucky I can even get out of bed anymore y'all. Who has that kind of stamina anymore? Not I. Not I! So yes these things -- The Golden Trousers, as I've been calling them since 2007 -- have considerably narrowed. Tis what its. But I do feel proud that both last year and this year I'm at least getting these locked in before I dive head-long into fresh Sundance stuff, which basically marks the start of the next year of movies. (Apologies to the first three weeks of January releases every single year but you know what you did.) I'm doing Sundance virtually again this year but that still means that I'll be mostly off-line while I do that, so it's likely there'll be no MNPP for you starting this Wednesday, lasting about a week. And so it's best I get this done immediately, before that happens! Otherwise who knows, it could be months knowing me. So let us brush off these 2025 concerns as I head into the future, with one last glance back toward the past with 20 of '25s gifts and wonders....

My 20 Favorite Movies of 2025

20 -- SIRAT

19 -- AFTER THE HUNT

-- Read my review here! -- 

18 -- LURKER

-- Read my review here! -- 

17 -- PETER HUJAR'S DAY

-- Read my review here! -- 

16 -- WAKE UP DEAD MAN

15 -- THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

-- Read my review here! -- 

14 -- BLACK BAG

-- Read my review here! -- 

13 -- DUST BUNNY

-- Read my review here! -- 

12 -- THE SECRET AGENT

11 -- MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART 1

10 -- SENTIMENTAL VALUE

9 -- GRIFFIN IN SUMMER

-- Read my review here! -- 

8 -- BUGONIA

-- Read my review here! -- 

7-- THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE

6 -- THE HISTORY OF SOUND

-- Read my review here! -- 

5 -- NO OTHER CHOICE

-- Read my review here! -- 

4 -- PILLION

-- Read my review here! -- 

3 -- PEE-WEE AS HIMSELF

-- Read my review here! -- 

2 -- MARTY SUPREME

-- Read my review here! -- 

1 -- ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

-- Read my review here! -- 

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

I have like 20 runners-up but fuck it, 

I'm done. Goodbye forever, 2025! 

Good Morning, World

I know I already told you last week that The History of Sound is now streaming on Mubi (with a good dose of Paul Mescal Butt along for the ride) but I wanted to make sure this moment from the movie was also well documented here on the site -- for looking at yes, obviously, but not just. On top (heh) of that it also feels vital this moment is represented to throw in the faces of the people who kept saying this was another "gay" movie where we see the men have sex with women but not each other -- yes people said that, even though the scene above existed in the movie the entire time. People see what they want to and have their arguments made up in their heads beforehand, far too much of the time. Anyway The History of Sound! Watch it! It's so lovely. (My review here.)

Good Morning, World

A good Monday morning from Paul Mescal and from me and from Oliver Hermanus' gorgeous film The History of Sound, which landed on Mubi over the weekend -- did you watch it? I hope you caught it in theaters if you were able to (picture the above shot twenty feet tall and you'll understand why I swooned in my review) but streaming is second-best (or you can now pre-order the blu-ray too!) so I hope you did. If not -- get to it! Look at that shot! That shot is in the running for shot of the year as far as I'm concerned. I do think the shot is even more beautiful in its full framing and not cropped to highlight just the sweet stuff though -- not to mention there is more to this scene worth giffing -- so I've got all of that gorgeousness for you after the jump...

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).

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!

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...

The History of Sound is Here

As we have been with everything The History of Sound related since it was first announced we were obviously all over the above photo the minute it made its way online, which was before the movie even started filming. But now that the movie is hitting theaters tomorrow and the critical reception has been generally cool toward the film I'm re-posting it right now because I probably won't get another chance through awards-season -- I don't forsee this movie getting much love in the months ahead. Which is a real shame if you ask me because I love the film and think it's doing some really lovely and important stuff, all of which I dive into in my review at Pajiba, which you can go read right now. I think the movie is doing something different than what people expected from it, and I hope that it'll be seen for what it is -- a deeply lovely and heartbroken tribute to the stories untold -- down the road. I'd say it's close in mood and tone to something of Terrence Davies -- abstract and intellectual. If that helps. Anyway I very much like the film and I hope you do too.  (I'm also pretty proud of the piece I wrote, so I hope you like it.)

Pics of the Day

We deserve some light in these dark days,
so if Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor have to hold hands

while walking the The History of Sound

red carpet here in NYC last night then so be it dammit!

Look Ye Upon The History of Sound

As foretold yesterday when that lovely poster for The History of Sound dropped we now have the trailer! And yes it's giving big Brokeback vibes, just as the poster echoed a famous image of Jack & Ennis -- I am sure there will be plenty of snarky comments about this being 20 years later and we're dealing with another gay love story starring two (nominally) heterosexuals but you won't hear them from me. I love everyone involved with this movie from director Oliver Hermanus on down to all of the cast so saying I'm onboard is an understatement. Especially...

... with all the absolutely gorgeous shots of Paul Mescal & Josh O'Connor in said trailer. I know that the general feeling out of Cannes was one of disappointment, at least from a lot of the critics I trust and admire who saw it there, but I'm remaining enthusiastic despite that because I've loved every single one of Hermanus' movies to date, usually more than many of my peers, and I don't mind a restrained film which seems to be one of the bigger complaints. If they make me feel real emotions that's what matters; I can just use my imagination to picture Josh tea-bagging Paul. It's not like I haven't already! 

Anyway I suppose I'll get to know what my actual opinion is soon enough since this movie is actually out in actual theaters on September 12th -- no dilly-dallying with a long festival run for this baby! On the one hand I'm sure people who care about awards prospects will be sniffing at that news pointedly but since I'm not one of those people I just celebrate the non-wait. Gimme! In that vein here's that trailer:

And because it's what I do hit the jump for an assortment of 

several more gifs I made of noted moments in said trailer...

Preview of Attractions Coming

Hey everybody! I'm back home but not back back from my trip in the sense that I'm blogging today -- that starts tomorrow. But how could I not hop in here to 1) say hello (Hello!) and 2) share this poster for The History of Sound, Oliver Hermanus' forthcoming WWI-era romance starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor? Swoon, yes, but also -- kinda feel like poor Josh got a little sidelined there? I'm reminded of all the stories of movie stars wrangling for poster billing of olde and wondering if Josh gives a shit. I feel like he doesn't. And there's enough of his pretty closed eyes and pouty lips to make me stir anyway. Anyway! The trailer is apparently dropping tomorrow so we'll cover that when we're back at our desk then. Oh and one more important bit of vaguely related news that dropped today -- Luca Guadagnino's film After the Hunt with Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri was announced as the Opening Night Film of this year's NYFF! This is very exciting for me personally! I shared the trailer for this before I headed out for a week -- check that here. I'm always wrangling for the NYFF Opening Night Party invite but I will lay waste to the earth for it this year, best believe!

[RUNNING AROUND THE ROOM SCREAMING CRYING] Luca's new movie is Opening Night at NYFF!!!! @filmlinc.bsky.social

[image or embed]

— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) July 23, 2025 at 9:13 AM

6 Off My Head: A 2025 Peek Ahead

Inspired by the Bugonia teaser I just shared (along with the fact that it's Paul Thomas Anderson's birthday today which reminded me he has a new movie out in several weeks) I decided to go ahead and make a list of the movies left to be released in 2025 that I'm most looking forward to. I did this (as with everything I do here) mostly for myself because I've been bad about keeping an eye on what's ahead -- I can be very much in the moment; planning ahead's not my strongest suit! So I will myself probably be referring back to this list often. But perhaps this will help you along the same lines! That'd be nice! So sans further ado I give you...

My Top 6 Anticipated Movies of 2025

Bugonia (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos) -- Oct 24th 

(more here)

One Battle After Another (dir. PT Anderson) -- Sept 26th

The History of Sound (dir. Oliver Hermanus) -- Sept 12th 

(more here)

After the Hunt (dir. Luca Guadagnino) -- Oct 10th 

(more here)

Sentimental Value (dir. Joachim Trier) -- Nov 7th

Pillion (dir. Harry Lighton) -- TBD

(more here)

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

(Sidenote: There is no word on Gregg Araki's I Want Your Sex and any kind of release date for it yet, otherwise it would very much be listed above.) 

(Sidenote #2 - literally five minutes after I posted this list it was announced that Neon has bought Park Chan-wook's new movie No Other Choice for release and it's premiering at Venice so add that one too!)

Runners-up: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (dir. Rian Johnson), Marty Supreme (dir. Josh Safdie), Hamnet (dir. Chloé Zhao), A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (dir. Kogonada), It Was Just an Accident (dir. Jafar Panahi), The Roses (dir. Jay Roach), Avatar: Fire & Ash (dir. James Cameron), Together (dir. Michael Shanks)...

... Weapons (dir. Zach Cregger),  Jay Kelly (dir. Noah Baumbach), Caught Stealing (dir. Darren Aronofsky), Frankenstein (dir. Guillermo Del Toro), The Mastermind (dir. Kelly Reichardt), Highest 2 Lowest (dir. Spike Lee), A House of Dynamite (dir. Kathryn Bigelow), Die My Love (dir. Lynne Ramsay), The Running Man (dir. Edgar Wright)

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

What movies are y'all most looking forward to?