Nice To Grief You

If you'd like to hear my thoughts on Dan Levy's directorial debut Good Grief click on over to Pajiba, where that went up over the weekend, as did Levy's film onto Netflix. It's fine! And yes that's French hot-stuff Arnaud Valois there beside Levy -- he and Luke Evans play love interests for him, which is also pretty much what I would do if I was casting my love interests. Good on ya, Dan.

A Little Bit Alexis

You might've seen this news yesterday -- I saw this news yesterday. But I saw it again this morning and it made me giddy all over again. So if this is your first, second, or twelfth time hearing this I don't think there are any of us who won't welcome it again and again just like the first time -- Schitt's Creek star and secret weapon Annie Murphy, who played sister Alexis who brought all the hot boys to the Rosebud Motel yard (oh is that what they're calling it these days), has joined the cast of the second season of the already-tremendous show Russian Doll. Yes I guess they confirmed Russian Doll is getting a second season, which is news to me unto itself -- I remember when that first season ended and everybody adored it we were all like, "But, uhh, how do you make more of this?" I guess that show-runner and genius Leslye Headland figured it out. Let's trust her. 

Especially with Annie on board! All the good things for Annie! I'm fairly certain the answer to this will be a hearty fuck yeah, especially given the awards-run that show's just concluded, but y'all feel like a really, really strong love for all of the people involved with Schitt's Creek right? I know Dan Levy & Co whittled that warm feeling down to its purest point by the show's end -- he's spoken at length about what an inclusive and loving space he was looking to create, and given everything we were going through over the past few years he was (dare I say it) filling a great big hole. But the love is real. I would throw myself in front of a bus for any one of the Schitt's actors. Even dopey Ted, for god's sake!

What am I saying -- especially dopey Ted. On that note that reminds me I have had a photo-shoot of Dustin Milligan (that's the actor who played "Ted" duh) sitting here on my computer for a bit that I haven't gotten around to posting! Now's my moment! Our moment! Take it away, Dustin, after the jump...

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

After Hours (1985)

Paul: You wouldn't believe what I've been

through tonight. You just, wouldn't believe it.

Gail: Oh, I'm a ice cream vendor. Mr. Softee.

Paul: What? I... you misunderstood me.

I didn't ask what you did for a living. I said,

you wouldn't believe what I've been through tonight.

Gail: It's not boring. And I have my own

Mr. Softee truck. It's not... it's not boring.

The cast of women in After Hours is so ridiculously deep with talent that I always half forget that Catherine O'Hara is even in it, at least until she shows up in very nearly the last act and is her typically wonderful self. This role's actually not "typical" for her since she's not wearing wigs or doing voices, but you can't call her character a "normal person" by any stretch of the imagination; O'Hara injects so much easy weirdness into her line-readings you know within seconds that meeting her is yet another disaster-in-the-making for Griffin Dunne. (How is this movie STILL not on blu-ray???) Anyway this is just more proof we don't even need that O'Hara's a goddamned legend and the run of statues she's picked up over the past year or so for Schitt's Creek has been one of this period-of-time's few delights. Happy birthday, Queen Catherine !!!

The Happiest Lesbians

I don't know about you but after a million weepy gay movies watching this here trailer (down below) for Happiest Season -- a bright cinnamon-and-peppermint flavored holiday rom-com starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie "Mackenzie Davis!!!" Davis as girlfriends going home for the holidays -- feels like an invigorating shot straight into the stockings and holly jollies. See our previous posts here; this was directed by and co-stars Clea Duvall, alongside a ton of People We Adore, people named Dan Levy and Alison Brie and Mary Steenburgen and Victor Garber and Aubrey Plaza and delicious Jake McDornan and Mary Holland and Ana Gasteyer, and it hits Hulu on November 25th. Watch:

Good Morning, World

This gif of the actor Tom Mercier slipping whilst nude in the movie Synonyms works on a couple of levels this morning -- on the one hand this is how this morning has felt to me so far: like a pratfall. And on the other it's here because Luca Guadagnino's HBO gorgeous and moving new series We Are Who We Are premieres tonight at 10pm, and as I have made clear via ohh a few posts, Tom is on that show. Watch the trailer here.

I AM THREE MINUTE INTO WE ARE WHO WE ARE AND I ALREADY LOVE IT, SURPRISING ABSOLUTELY NOBODY

— Jason Adams (@JAMNPP) September 2, 2020

I've seen half the episodes so far (that would be four) and I'm already distraught I only have four more hours to spend with these people. I know I fit the definition of "already in the tank for this" but it was entirely possible, because the show is of-a-feeling so hard with my beloved Call Me By Your Name that I would look at these characters -- none of whom are anything like the people in CMBYN -- and said nahh, no thanks, I just want my Elio & Oliver. And yet Luca, with his exquisite camerawork and editing, his ability to transport you to another world both spatially and emotionally, it's out in full force. This show captures magic. 

Also I love love love these two and their characters more than I have loved any TV characters in ages. I had my doubts about Grazer as an actor -- the nepotism thing -- but he's really created a fresh character here, straddling a whole lot of David Rose from Schitt's Creek with a little (very little, but it's there) Elio peeking out in the background; mainly his "Fraser" is way more of a shit and a spazz than Elio would ever have been, but in ways any young gay man will recognize. And Jordan Kristine Seamón is a revelation -- this is her first job (!!!) and I hope she works forever and ever from now, I want to stare at that incredible face of hers forever.

I'll no doubt feel more comfortable writing more about it once all eight episodes have aired and I can see it as a complete picture -- this really will, I think, feel more like an eight-hour film when it's done, than proper TV, although he does play with the convention of "episodes" as the story goes along. I side-eye the people who call Twin Peaks a movie because that show's rhythm was all TV -- We Are Who We Are is episodic but in a novelistic way. It feels like a single story, at least four hours in. We will see! For now just watch the damn thing, it's incredible, just incredible.

Good Morning, World

.

Hollywood actor -- as in he starred on the Netflix series called Hollywood, not just he is an actor in the town called Hollywood -- Jeremy Pope is one of Ralph Lauren's models for their Pride Collection this month, and with good reason... the reasons being he is pretty and gay, which are reasons enough for me. You can check out the collection at this link which includes looks at the other models -- Dan Levy and Indya Moore caught my eye as well -- and you can check out more of Mr. Pope posted here at MNPP previously at this link. And once you've done all that hit the jump for the rest of this specific rainbow-bright photo-shoot...

The Big Boy of Buffaloed

.

Speaking if Jai Courtney -- what, I did throwaway mention that Captain Boomerang should get his own spin-off yesterday in my Birds of Prey review, that totally counts -- I keep forgetting to share a very important bit of information! A comedy called Buffaloed that he's got a small-ish role in is opening up here in New York (at the Quad to be specific) and a few other cities this weekend -- check this link for where and when -- and it's an absolute fucking delight.

Fuckin' delight! If this sounds at all familiar good for you, you pay attention to me, because I reviewed the movie at Tribeca last spring. One thing I said:

"Buffaloed gets its sense of place, and what's so funny about its sense of place, so right that it builds its own little magical world out of it."

That place is Buffalo New York, not far from where I grew up myself, so I know from what I speak. Anyway the movie actually stars comic wunderkind Zoey Deutsch (you know her from Set It Up and The Politician as of late) as a colorful debt collector on little bit of a rampage; Jai plays her boss and rival, while Judy Greer, ever loving Judy Greer, plays her mom. 

And the movie doesn't totally waste Judy Greer! That's reason enough to buy a ticket. Also on board is Schitt's Creek husband-to-be Noah Reid as her brother and Jermaine Fowler as her love interest. The movie's a whole heckuva lotta fun, says me. Here's the trailer:

Oh and Deutsch and director Tanya Wexler (who's working with Jai again on Jolt, which I told you about previously right here) will actually be doing some Q&As at screenings this weekend here in NYC, and you can check the Quad's site for the specifics. (If Jai was actually gonna be there I would be too, but alas.)

Good Morning, Dustin Milligan

.

It feels so strange, seeing people tweet and post breathlessly about the teaser for the final season of Schitt's Creek -- putting on my Old Man Voice (aka my voice) I remember a time when it seemed as if it was just me out here bleating that beat, when the first season aired in Canada and I, Catherine O'Hara freak that I am, downloaded it fresh as it aired there each week, getting side-eyes whenever I tried to tell people that something called Schitt's Creek was the best new everything. Point being I was right, y'all were dumb, na na na na na.

.

.

Of course now that teaser's been out for a couple of weeks (the sixth and final season premieres in January) and while all y'all post and tweet breathlessly about it my old ass is only getting around to that now. So who won in the long run, Jason? Who won in the long run? Well to make up for my tardiness I'll share with y'all several more photos of Schitt's star Dustin Milligan, aka Ted the Vet, after the jump -- how do we think his relationship with Alexis will end? Any predictions for the season? Share those in the comments...

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

Schitt's Creek (2015)

Moira Rose: A heavy salad
might as well be a casserole.

A monstrously exuberant 65th birthday to the living legend Catherine O'Hara today! While I definitely often find myself suffering from "I was watching this show before any of you people!" feelings of resentment and grandeur -- and I have the receipts, since I posted about it then! -- those are feelings Moira Rose would one hundred percent understand, so it's on brand. And also everybody else catching up to me, me, me, means that maybe we can get Catherine O'Hara her deserved goddamned Emmy before the show ends!

Good Morning, World

.

View this post on Instagram

Wen u donet evin like cats

A post shared by Noah Reid (@olreid) on Jan 16, 2017 at 8:24am PST

.

It is very cold and I would prefer to be snuggling with Patrick 

(and/or David) from Schitt's Creek this morning. Make it so!

.

And The Dorian Goes To...

.

A-ha! I have been dying to make that gif ever since I first saw The Favourite and this seems like the perfect opportunity -- last Friday the critics guild I'm a member of, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, announced their nominations for their annual Dorian Awards, I posted them right here. Well today we've announced our esteemed winners and I think we did pretty darn great! The Favourite took our "Film of the Year" prize while Olivia Colman took Best Actress, while Can You Ever Forgive Me? took our "LGBTQ Film of the Year" award and Richard E. Grant took Best Supporting Actor from the same. 

All fine choices, and they don't stop there -- we also rallied around the great Schitt's Creek as both our "TV Comedy of the Year" and our "Unsung TV Show of the Year" prizes, AND we found room to honor Annihilation to boot! Huzzah for all that. To read all of our winners hit the jump where I'll share the whole list...

Good Morning, Schitts

.

Schitt's Creek is back! Or it is in Canada, anyway. Let's just pretend that I am boarding my private plane to Toronto every Tuesday night in order to watch the show and leave it at that. Anyway the show does return to Pop TV here in the US tonight, so I may just watch it live with the rest of America (or the good part of America who watches this show, anyway) on Wednesdays and stomp down my great big carbon-footprints. Anyway normally I would edit this scene's gifs down to just the beefcake - that's actor Steve Lund playing the bisexual Jake (of course you are) there - but how do you edit out Catherine O'Hara's reaction shots? 

You don't. You don't do that. Anyway last night's episode (I mean tonight's episode!) was a lovely reminder that this is one of the funniest shows on television. And how not nominating Catherine O'Hara for all of the awards for her performance thereon is just more proof of the utter endless meaningless of awards. She is better than anyone else. Anywhere. (Laura Dern and Lisa Kudrow aren't on TV right now so I can say that without hesitation.) Okay so let's get to the beef! Schitt's has got a new bearded dude in a towel to exploit (something tells me I know Dan Levy's type at this point) so let's hit the jump for a dozen more gifs...

Pic of the Day

.

Eugene Levy, Annie Murphy, Catherine O'Hara & Dan Levy being funny people while talking #schittscreek

A photo posted by Jason Adams (@jasonaadams) on Mar 14, 2016 at 7:01pm PDT

.

As I told you was coming to pass, last night the 92nd Street Y here in New York hosted a screening of an episode of the wonderful show Schitt's Creek, and as you can see there the four main cast-members were all in attendance. They were a delight -- I mean Levy and O'Hara have been milking their magical chemistry for decades, bless 'em, we're all better off for it, but the two kids were just as charming. I only wish even more of the cast could've been there - the show's got a bottomless wealth of funny folks milling about - I'd have loved for Emily Hampshire (who plays motel employee Stevie) or, be still my loins, Tim Rozen (who plays bearded buff-cake Mutt), to have been there. But that's just me being greedy. I sat breathing the same air as Catherine O'Hara, fer chrissakes.
.

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

Schitt's Creek (2015)

David: Just watch a season of Girls 

and do the opposite of what they do. It's easy.

So excited that I'm going to be seeing the cast of 

the best sitcom on television tonight in person!  

I'm coming for you, Catherine O'Hara!

It's the Schitts!

.

And Schitts is the tits! I had no idea that the second season of Eugene Levy & Catherine O'Hara's Schitt's Creek was starting tonight yonder up Yukon way. Of course, seeing as how I live in the US I suppose I don't have any reason to know that, technically, since I'm supposed to wait until god knows when it will air here, but that's what the internet's for. Have y'all watched the first season by now? It's been on Amazon for ages, you really should be on it if not. It is so funny my heart stopped. Love you, Dan Levy!

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

Waiting For Guffman (1996)

Dr. Allan Pearl: I think I got a, a, an entertaining bug... from my grandfather... uh, Chaim Pearlgut, who was very very big in the, um, Yiddish, uh, theater, back in New York. He was in the, the very... the sardonically irreverent... "Dybbuk Shmybbuk, I Said 'More Ham'"... and that revue I believe was 1914, and that revue was what made him famous. Incidentally, the song "Bubbe Made A Kishke" came from that revue. 

Happy 69, Eugene Levy! I can't wait for the second season of Schitt's Creek to start. (By the way the whole first season of Schitts is on Amazon so if you haven't watched it yet DO, it is so wonderful.) EW says the show is back on March 16th but that's in the US; it might be sooner in Canada? Which is how I caught the first season. You know. By flying to Canada. Every week. Just to watch the show. Mmhmm.

Good Morning, World

.

So I hope at least some of you watched Schitt's Creek last night! It is a delight, it delights me, and I'd like to continue being delighted for as long as they want to delight me. I mean it's not terribly dependent upon the US audience - the show's already been renewed for a 2nd season in Canada, so it'll be out there in the world. But that's not the point - the point is shit... excuse me, Schitt's is funny. And it is there waiting to delight you. Take advantage. 

That's co-star and writer Dan Levy seen up top (via his Instagram) by the way, flaunting his impressive eyebrows. Those are nearly Colin Farrell level eyebrows, you guys. Is there such a thing as "taking an eyebrow ride"? Well there should be.

.

Get The Schitts

.

Have any of you guys watched any of Schitt's Creek yet? I believe I mentioned it back when I first heard about it but if you're all "Schitt's what???" here: Schitt's Creek is a new Canadian television comedy created by Eugene Levy and his son Dan Levy, starring the two of them and Catherine O'Hara and Annie Murphy as the Rose family; it's basically a reverse-Beverly Hillbillies - they were super-rich but lose all their money and get thrust into the boonies, a comic little community called Schitt's Creek. If you follow me on Twitter you've seen me going off the rails about how hysterically funny it is.

Shocking absolutely nobody who's ever seen her in anything, Catherine O'Hara is so funny on the show that you'll realize that nobody else in the history of comedy has ever been funny and never will, in comparison. Alright okay hyperbole aside, everybody else on the show's fantastic too - I especially like Daniel Levy, who's had a couple of small roles before this but does a terrific job underplaying the gay straight man of the family. 

Oh and then there's homelessy Mutt:

Yeah I got your attention now, don't I? 

Tim Rozon plays the local hippie stud, 

and you should keep on the look-out for him. 

Anyway the show's only on in Canada right now (well legally it's only on in Canada, I say from New York) but it will be coming to an American TV screen near you very soon! Some channel called Pop (look it up, you've probably got it, I hadn't heard of it til I looked it up last night and it is indeed a channel way up the cable-box) will start airing the show on February 11th! Set your DVRs accordingly; it's super super funny. And bonus, the show's already been renewed for a second season, because there are literally no other shows made in Canada - hooray!

.